That song “The Tin Man” by America…
(and I am gonna butcher the hell outa these lyrics until I get to the question so bear with me or set me straight.)
And I never ever said much to the tin man
about ( something) he already had
and ( something something) to the Tin man
in the tropic of Sir Gallahad…so pleasssseee remember meeee.
What the hell does that lyric mean "Tropic of Sir Gallahad…?
For that matter what the hell does the whole song mean? I love it but don’t understand it. Hep me iffin you can.
I always heard it as “Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man, that he didn’t, didn’t already have.” I could be ridiculously wrong, though, so please don’t take my word for it.
After that, I am as stumped as you. And now I’ll be up all freaking night trying to remember how it goes. Thanks a lot.
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"Sometimes late
When things are real
And people share the gift of gab
Between themselves
Some are quick
To take the bait
And catch the perfect prize
That waits among the shells
But Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man
That he didn’t, didn’t already have
And Cause never was the reason for the evening
Or the Tropic of Sir Galahad
So please
Believe in me
When I say I’m spinning round, round, round . . . " ad nauseum . . .
– Dewey Bunnell, 1974
I’m thinkin’ it was written in anticipation of this message board . . .
I was going to say something about the “cause” line, but I’ve never been sure that that was what I was hearing. Nice to know I’m not a complete idiot. Well, not about the lyrics to this song, anyway.
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I always thought it was “the topic of Sir Galahad”. I figured the song was about a group of people getting stoned one evening and talking about the symbolism of various fairy tales like Oz or King Arthur.
“The Tropic of Sir Galahad” on the other hand makes no sense whatsoever.
Not to hijack the thread, aha, but it’s so weird you’d mention America lyirics. I just watched The Last Unicorn with Jophiel tonight, a movie I hadn’t watched in ages, and America does the songs for it. And then I come here and there’s an America thread. Quite a coincidence.
I hate to drag on this continuous 70s-era mind torture, but Dr. Watson had to put down a few lines from Tin Man.
First off, Aha, may you burn in Dante’s Ninth Level of Hell for bringing this topic up. Please feel free to browse his Inferno for graphic word picture :). I especially love the part about eternally frozen in ice from you neck down with your tortured head forever exposed to icy gale-force winds.
Anyhoo, after the words "When I say I’m spinning round, round, round, did it go “…smoked glass stains bright colors…ooooo…Image going round, round, round…”
Was there something mentioned about soapsuds? Or was that a figment of my imagination created from the 70 million brain cells I destroyed back then?
Cristi, if you’re hearing the same thing I am, then I suggest we both get professional help. And throw out our entire '70s collection.
It’s just this kind of gluttony that makes me love this place . . .
The ‘ad nauseum’ part:
" So please
Believe in me
When I say I’m spinning round, round, round, round
Smoke glass stain’d bright color
Image going down, down, down, down
Soapsud green like bubbles
Oz never did give . . . " (Repeat as necessary)
Dr. Watson
“Soapsud green, like, bubbles.”
Cristi, Bluepony, sorry to play with your minds, but I always heard the phrase “alligator lizards in the air” on “Ventura Highway,” about the only song that America did that was worth a damn.
Frankly, this pothead never did care much for America or (with the exception of Steely Dan) any other group that was big in the late 70s. I was listening to Hendrix, Earth, Wind & Fire, Van Morrison and jazz back then.
