"Analog Man" Survivor

[Tiffanny Twisted]

dreamer i like your post about family well put

[sodascouts]

It wasn't that he didn't love his family before - it's just that he was incapable of feeling connected to them in his altered state of his mind .

How was his state of mind altered when he was with Denise? Why weren't they "a family that mattered" if this song is about his alcoholism making him unable to appreciate family, since he was sober then?

I think you're absolutely right that Joe is saying he was unable to connect with his families in the past, but we can't blame the alcoholism past 1995.

I definitely like your interp better in that it makes Joe look better, but I just can't jive it with the lyrics and the timeline of his life. I wish I could. Then I could enjoy the song instead of being saddened by it.

The best I can make out of the part you quoted is that his new marriage has made him able to be more loving in general, but I can't leap any farther than that. However, I do like the "more loving" angle so I'll take what I can get!

Don't get me wrong - I'm sure he loves his kids very much - it's just this song doesn't express that very well to everyone.

The cowrite aspect is a good point, though. Unfortunately, since Joe is singing it, many people will assume the words are from him. Like I said, I wish someone had pointed out to him how those lyrics would come across to many people (although obviously not everyone).

I am not eager to dig into Joe's relationship problems with his families in the past but he took us there with this song. He has every right to do so but personally,I didn't enjoy the trip. That's why I'm voting it off.

[Prettymaid]

Thank goodness! I thought I had missed a round!

Family is not a big favorite of mine, but not because of the lyrics. I just don't like the syrupy sweetness of it. I realize Pretty Maids is not on Analog Man, but I enjoy it much more than Family. As for the Family lyrics discussion, I am not bothered by them. I guess I think of it like Dreamer does, and also I think he's just saying that he's never had a family as tight as the one he has now, including extended family Ringo and Barbara. But enough about Family, because I'm not ready to vote it off yet.

My next vote goes to a song that seems very dated, like something Frankie Valli would have done in the sixties. Not only that, I don't like the tune or the lyrics either. Every time I hear it I want to yell, "Come on Joe, you can do better!"

I vote for High Roller Baby

[Ive always been a dreamer]

As for Tommy Lee James writing on this song, I don't think Joe would be singing words like this, if they came from someone else. Maybe he helped in writing the music, but I believe the words are Joe's; it's much too personal.

I agree with you about this.

Maybe he didn't mean for this to sound mean, or dismissing his former wives & children, but that is what he's saying here. I don't think there is any other way to interpret it.

But, girl, you really do need to open up your mind if you believe there is only one possible interpretation to any song written by members of this band.

Soda – my answer to your post is that when an addict takes that last drink or snorts that last line, it is just the beginning of the recovery process. The basis of their therapy is that they have to heal mind, body, and soul. Stopping the drug begins to heal their body, but, it takes a lot longer, often times years, to heal the mind and soul. Joe has remarked many times that he had to relearn how to do so many things after he stopped drinking. My guess is that one of the many things he had to relearn was how to foster relationships with people he loved. These things don’t happen overnight. To me, Joe’s ability to write these songs says that he is finally completely healed.

[Topkat]

Quote from Dreamer

But, girl, you really do need to open up your mind if you believe there is only one possible interpretation to any song written by members of this band
____________

My mind is open to interpretations of songs by ANYONE, but this song is cut & dry. When you say "a family that matters" what other interpretation could there be?? Those words are clear as day.
Just because someone doesn't see things your way, doesn't make it wrong!

On a personal note, when you quote me, please don't bold face things that I have not boldfaced. That is maybe what YOU want to emphasize, but not what I was doing in my post.
I get that that is the part of the quote that you are replying to, but you are putting emphasis on things that I wasn't & therefore changing the meaning of the original post.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

My mind is open to interpretations of songs by ANYONE, but this song is cut & dry. When you say "a family that matters" what other interpretation could there be?? Those words are clear as day.
Just because someone doesn't see things your way, doesn't make it wrong!

I'm sorry but I don't think someone's mind is open to interpretation if they say something is "cut & dry". I never said and definitely do not believe someone has to see things my way to be right. I believe that there are other possible valid interpretations. If I didn't, that would make me close-minded.

[timfan]

My mind is open to interpretations of songs by ANYONE, but this song is cut & dry. When you say "a family that matters" what other interpretation could there be?? Those words are clear as day.
Just because someone doesn't see things your way, doesn't make it wrong!

On a personal note, when you quote me, please don't bold face things that I have not boldfaced. That is maybe what YOU want to emphasize, but not what I was doing in my post.
I get that that is the part of the quote that you are replying to, but you are putting emphasis on things that I wasn't & therefore changing the meaning of the original post.

TK: You say your mind is open to interpretations of songs but then state there is no interpretation of the song "Family". How does that work? IMO no song is that simple, there can always be other views or ways to see it. Myself, as a child of divorce and mixed families I see Joe could be speaking of his family in a broader sense than just his current marriage.. it does not neccasarily mean he is disregarding his children or earlier life.. JMO of course

In terms of your request that parts of your post not be bolded; that is often done in a reply if there is a specific section of the post that the replier wishes to address that cannot be sensibly quoted in itself. The original post is not altered in anyway. Hope that explains it for you.

Now back to voting... the song Family is one of favs so.. I will stick with my earlier vote and vote for Funk 50 for the reasons I stated last round

[Tiffanny Twisted]

wow one song has opened up such a can of worms.
Isnt it funny, we all interpert things in such a vastly different way.and we borderers are pasitionate people
JMO--
I really like the song. I think it is implying to appreciate your family..what ever form you have. simple as that....I dont get that he is slighting any children from other unions jmo
JAHH"S brothers have childeren with different wifes
my new siser in law for the last twenty years has three kids from her first marriage. When its a holiday...its a revolving door. We pick one house and all the kids from different marriages all come together..again a revoving door but all are welcome and that is "family".To them I am all just "AUnt Tt" the cool one" as I have been told by the assorted others that have dated each and every neice and nephew.
I think JOe is writing about how his feelings are about family since he is sober...all family...jmo I mean I heard a judge one day along time ago to put down your x is telling your child there is something wrong with them cause half of that x is in that child and at one point...u must have saw good in the x
again just all my opinion and i amsure someone will tear it apart..lol

[Brooke]

My vote is for High Roller Baby.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Well - It looks like Hi-Roller Baby is going down, which I'm okay with. But, since it doesn't need my vote, I'll continue to vote strategically ...

I cast my vote for Analog Man.