Why is it that it always seems that the Rev Dodgson got there first? From Through the Looking Glass:
...."The name of the song, said the Knight, "is called 'Haddocks' Eyes.'"
"Oh, that's the name of the song, is it?" Alice said, trying to feel interested.
"No, you don't understand," the Knight said, looking a little vexed. "That's what the name is CALLED. The name really is 'The Aged Aged Man'."
Then I ought to have said, 'That's what the song is called'?" Alice corrected herself.
"No, you oughtn't: that's quite another thing. The song is called 'Ways and Means': but that's only what it's called, you know."
"Well, what is the song, then?" said Alice, who was by this time completely bewlidered.
"I was coming to that," the Knight said. "The song really is 'A-sitting On a Gate': and the tune's my own invention."
Substitute "tune" for "song" throughout, and you've got your explanation for the controversial tune titles...
I read that book with my daughter the other week. It's more than 35 years since I read it last. My daughter was bright enough to say she didn't understand it. It's a great book. And like all great art, it's stuffed with ambiguity, contradiction and just just plain nonsense.
And there's a good analogy to be had with chess and diddley music.
I was teaching my daughter how to play chess, how the pieces move, and shes asks, "I want my bishop to move in a straight line, why can't I?" The answer, of course, is that you can if you want. You can make any game up you want with the pieces, it just won't be chess any more. A long time ago, people cleverer than you or I made up the rules so you can have endless fun within them.
Re: tunes with multiple names
Re: tunes with multiple names
Why is it that it always seems that the Rev Dodgson got there first? From Through the Looking Glass:
...."The name of the song, said the Knight, "is called 'Haddocks' Eyes.'"
"Oh, that's the name of the song, is it?" Alice said, trying to feel interested.
"No, you don't understand," the Knight said, looking a little vexed. "That's what the name is CALLED. The name really is 'The Aged Aged Man'."
Then I ought to have said, 'That's what the song is called'?" Alice corrected herself.
"No, you oughtn't: that's quite another thing. The song is called 'Ways and Means': but that's only what it's called, you know."
"Well, what is the song, then?" said Alice, who was by this time completely bewlidered.
"I was coming to that," the Knight said. "The song really is 'A-sitting On a Gate': and the tune's my own invention."
Substitute "tune" for "song" throughout, and you've got your explanation for the controversial tune titles...
# Posted on March 9th 2009 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: Re: tunes with multiple names
I read that book with my daughter the other week. It's more than 35 years since I read it last. My daughter was bright enough to say she didn't understand it. It's a great book. And like all great art, it's stuffed with ambiguity, contradiction and just just plain nonsense.
# Posted on March 9th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: Re: tunes with multiple names
And there's a good analogy to be had with chess and diddley music.
I was teaching my daughter how to play chess, how the pieces move, and shes asks, "I want my bishop to move in a straight line, why can't I?" The answer, of course, is that you can if you want. You can make any game up you want with the pieces, it just won't be chess any more. A long time ago, people cleverer than you or I made up the rules so you can have endless fun within them.
# Posted on March 9th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: Re: tunes with multiple names
Your daughter could be onto something. In the version I play, the bishop does move in a straight line- just at a bit of a tangent.
# Posted on March 9th 2009 by Here Lyeth
Re: Re: tunes with multiple names
alright .. alright ...
# Posted on March 9th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: Re: tunes with multiple names
It's also full of analogy. liig ...
... take this passage:
"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less."
"The question is,' said Alice, 'whether you CAN make words mean so many different things."
"The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master - that's all."
Could this be a reference to politicians, maybe? ...
... or even to journalists, dare I say? ...
# Posted on March 9th 2009 by Mix O'Lydian