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Poster: AshesRising Date: Sep 16, 2007 3:57pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: "Terrapin Station Suite" ..Notes and ..."Lady with a Fan:"

The complete "Terrapin Station Suite" is comprised as follows:
Part 1
Lady With A Fan
Terrapin Station
At A Siding

Part 2
Return To Terrapin
Ivory Wheels, Rosewood Track
And I Know You
Jack O' Roses
Leaving Terrapin
Recognition
================================================
This is the first song in Robert Hunter's "Terrapin Station Suite:"

Lady With A Fan
Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Jerry Garcia

Lyrics:
Let my inspiration flow, in token rhyme suggesting rhythm
That will not forsake me, till my tale is told and done
While the fire lights aglow, strange shadows from the flames will grow
Till things we've never seen will seem familiar

Shadows of a sailor forming winds both foul and fair, all swarm
Down in Carlisle he loved a lady many years ago
Here beside him stands a man, a soldier by the looks of him,
Who came through many fights, but lost at love

While the story teller speaks, a door within the fire creaks,
Suddenly flies open, and a girl is standing there
Eyes alight, with glowing hair, all that fancy paints as fair
She takes her fan and throws it in the lion's den

Which of you to gain me, tell, will risk uncertain pains of hell?
I will not forgive you if you will not take the chance
The sailor gave at least a try; the soldier, being much too wise,
Strategy was his strength, and not disaster

The sailor, coming out again, the lady fairly leapt at him
That's how it stands today. You decide if he was wise
The story teller makes no choice, soon you will not hear his voice
His job is to shed light, and not to master

Since the end is never told we paid the teller off in gold
In hopes he will come back, but he cannot be bought or sold

Let my inspiration flow, in token rhyme suggesting rhythm
That will not forsake me, till my tale is told and done
While the fire lights aglow, strange shadows from the flames will grow
Till things we've never seen will seem familiar

Shadows of a sailor forming winds both foul and fair, all swarm
Down in Carlisle he loved a lady many years ago
Here beside him stands a man, a soldier by the looks of him,
Who came through many fights, but lost at love

While the story teller speaks, a door within the fire creaks,
Suddenly flies open, and a girl is standing there
Eyes alight, with glowing hair, all that fancy paints as fair
She takes her fan and throws it in the lion's den

Which of you to gain me, tell, will risk uncertain pains of hell?
I will not forgive you if you will not take the chance
The sailor gave at least a try; the soldier, being much too wise,
Strategy was his strength, and not disaster

The sailor, coming out again, the lady fairly leapt at him
That's how it stands today. You decide if he was wise (note 3)
The story teller makes no choice, soon you will not hear his voice
His job is to shed light, and not to master

Since the end is never told we paid the teller off in gold
In hopes he will come back, but he cannot be bought or sold

Notes:
(1) these are the lyrics as published by Hunter, but both he and Garcia sing "a soldier from the looks of him"
(2) see Lady Of Carlisle for the origins of the story of a lady throwing her fan into the lion's den.
(3) this is what Hunter published and what Garcia sang, but Hunter himself sang "that's where it stands today"

"Notes" from Alex Allan at:
http://www3.clearlight.com/~acsa/intro.htm
=========================================================

--- AshesRising

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Poster: William Tell Date: Sep 16, 2007 4:56pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: 'Terrapin Station Suite' ..Notes and ...'Lady with a Fan:'

Strictly speaking, "comprise" = "to include"
"compose" = "consisting of"

Just to put a fine point on it...

Or at least that's how I learned it from Strunk and White.

Just funning...

Whoaaa...just a big giant selection of posts for the 70s. Wish I could partake, but stuck in my own era. Sad, but true.

Reply [edit]

Poster: AshesRising Date: Sep 16, 2007 5:06pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: 'Terrapin Station Suite' ..Notes and ...'Lady with a Fan:'

WT: I think "comprise" is accurate in this conext. But WTF do I know? ...this stuff is beyond time... no such thing as the '60's, '70's, or 2300 B.C. here. Yet again, however, WTF do I know?

How is that arrow? Sharp and narrow?

--- AshesRising

Reply [edit]

Poster: William Tell Date: Sep 16, 2007 5:51pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: 'Terrapin Station Suite' ..Notes and ...'Lady with a Fan:'

Oh, yes--you ARE right...the dictonaries have revised to "include" "comprise" as a synonym of "compose" but us old fart purists revel in our antiquated knowledge of facts of little use (or spelling).

Well, now--back to the significance of your post, which as usual, baffles and intrigues me...as it should.

Good job.

Reply [edit]

Poster: AshesRising Date: Sep 16, 2007 7:21pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: 'Terrapin Station Suite' ..Notes and ...'Lady with a Fan:'

WT: since you like language so much, here:
caret initio et fine

Now go over to your own playground and start a new thread. And take that damn bow-and-arrow with you; it makes me nervous ..."speeding arrow sharp-and-narrow"

Hope all is well wherever you are,
--- AshesRising

Reply [edit]

Poster: William Tell Date: Sep 16, 2007 8:37pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: 'Terrapin Station Suite' ..Notes and ...'Lady with a Fan:'

Hey--it was my own limitation coming thru loud and clear...when in doubt, when words don't come, why, the best defense is a good offense. So, think of something lame to say... Somehow that comprise thing has stuck with me forever...not sure why I mentioned it, but no doubt because you often leave me speechless, in a good way. Listen to Box tonight by Rob, and realized once again how damn amazing it is when you hear him do the songs that you so loved hearing the boys do...whole new light. Listened to him do Franklins and Scarlet. Really great. Okay, to make amends, I will now listen to his very own Terrapin. I know you love it, and I have listened to it before--I do like it better than the boys, I think. Thanks for the inspiration. Whoops--forgot to mention that your quote is spot on--I just go on and on, and don't have much of a point period. Touche.
This post was modified by William Tell on 2007-09-17 03:37:57

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Poster: AshesRising Date: Sep 16, 2007 9:34pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: 'Terrapin Station Suite' ..Notes and ...'Lady with a Fan:'

WT: That latin quote is by no means related to your post, it goes straight back to "Terrapin Station:"

I can't figure out
If it's the end or beginning

caret initio et fine
It lacks a beginning and an end

..by no means was it directed at you. It was just a twist on the theme of Terrapin. Does that make sense now?

--- AshesRising

Reply [edit]

Poster: William Tell Date: Sep 17, 2007 8:06am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: 'Terrapin Station Suite' ..Notes and ...'Lady with a Fan:'

Worry not my good friend--I knew that there was no malice in your words (as I hoped you did for me); just in one of those moods, and after writing the bit about "comprise" I returned to see it and would have deleted the whole thing except you had replied, and Rob made fun of me for deleting posts once, but in any event, upon re-reading it, it struck me as the most innane, pedantic bit of posting (mine) I had read in a while, and was just glad to find you didn't take significant offense, while noting, of course, your Latin does apply to both Terrapin, and me, including this sentence as a prime example.

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Poster: jglynn1.2 Date: Sep 17, 2007 2:14pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: 'Terrapin Station Suite' ..Notes and ...'Lady with a Fan:'

"I see." said the blind man, as he picked up his hammer and saw.

Reply [edit]

Poster: William Tell Date: Sep 17, 2007 4:01pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: 'Terrapin Station Suite' ..Notes and ...'Lady with a Fan:'

OMG--that was a favorite quote of my old HS buddy in our advanced composition class, where we used, of all things, Strunk and White...

This is getting bizarre...

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Poster: jglynn1.2 Date: Sep 19, 2007 5:34am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: 'Terrapin Station Suite' ..Notes and ...'Lady with a Fan:'

Strunk & White must be some sort of cosmic phenomenon - I don't think I've ever met anyone that did not use this book in school.

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Poster: William Tell Date: Sep 19, 2007 7:56am
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: 'Terrapin Station Suite' ..Notes and ...'Lady with a Fan:'

Hey JG--do you need soundbds of the 9-19-70 show (noted your post above about poor AUDs)? If so, now that this is buried deep in the lost posting area, if you are okay with quickly posting your mailing address here (ie, reply to this post), I can send you the 9-19 & 9-20 SBDs, however you like them (ie, as WAVs ready to play, original SHNs, or whatever).

If you reply in the next hour (it is 8 am PST), I can copy it and reply and you can delete it straight away (do you detect I am a little paranoid about revealing addresses and such?).

Your call.

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Poster: Arbuthnot Date: Sep 16, 2007 5:54pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: 'Terrapin Station Suite' ..Notes and ...'Lady with a Fan:'

WT ... i am a Strunk & White disciple from way back, but you seem to go back further (or is it "farther"?) still; i still have to e-mail you my friend, sorry for the delay, no excuse of course

Reply [edit]

Poster: William Tell Date: Sep 16, 2007 7:05pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Who cares? Talk about a hijack...sorry, Ashes...

Arb: here it is...

Strunk & White state:

Comprise. Literally, "embrace": A zoo comprises mammals, reptiles, and birds (because it "embraces," or "includes," them). But animals do not comprise ("embrace") a zoo -- they constitute a zoo.

Reply [edit]

Poster: Arbuthnot Date: Sep 16, 2007 7:50pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: Who cares? Talk about a hijack...sorry, Ashes...

WT: knew you'd come through; damn, i need to dig out my S&W, if only for the enjoyment of reading it, a damn fine work in my opinion; and for the record, language is everything, an art unto itself, and i shudder whenever i come across, too frequently, the grammatical abominations that come out of the mouths of too many people today

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Poster: William Tell Date: Sep 16, 2007 6:44pm
Forum: GratefulDead Subject: Re: 'Terrapin Station Suite' ..Notes and ...'Lady with a Fan:'

It is a wise dog that scratches its own fleas.

As S&W were wont to say...

Got me--I was so taken by Ashes's (there's a S&W for you! Keeping up with the Jones's) prolific posting that all I could think of was the old adage about comprise...thought it was S&W, but will have to grab a copy to confirm. Originally, "comprise" was "include" so one might say: "The band comprised Jerry and Bob" while you would say otherwise, "The band was composed of Jerry and Bob" or some such...but why I am spending my time doing this? Just wasting it...well, the unexmanined English language user is not worth listening to as Socrates might have said. IE, it is always fun to think about language, oral and written, or at least I am inclined toward that view now and again.

Will catch your email and go from there...