Elsie's story...

Okay, so I just wanted to put my thoughts out there and get some feedback so I know if I'm crazy or not =P

I've been listening to this album since I got it last week non-stop. Each time I've listened to it, I learn something new. After about my 10th listen, I realized that (to me) the album tells the story of a bitter breakup.


Last Rites works as the opener, before Brian tells us the story of his heartache through the seasons.

Sugar is him finding out she has been running around with other guys, her denying it, and him in the end telling her she ever won't find anyone that knows her like he does.

Behold the Hurricane is a great song. I think the hurricane is his anger and how it changed him into a different person. And at the end of the song, when he calms down, he realizes that so much time as passed and she's gone (suddenly I realized that you were gone...) The season here is fall.

I Witnessed a Crime seems like the crime he is talking about is basically being cheated. She's telling him to pretty much suck it up, and that it's okay.

Go Tell Everybody is a top contender for me. He's telling the girl that he's more of a man than any one she will meet, and that her leaving changed him into an angry, bitter person so go tell everybody what you did to me (But tonight, all my sympathy is gone...)

Cherry Blossoms is fantastic. It took me a few listens to really get into it but now I love it just as much as the others. It's a very sad song, and he seems like he has nothing left to lose and no one will miss him if he's gone. The season here is winter leading to spring I believe (correct me of I'm wrong).

Ladykiller is the one who stole his girl away, because in the end he "killed" both of them. She feels guilty for leaving him for the Ladykiller.

Crush is a great song despite the reviews I read about it by others. The gospel vibe throughout the bridge is amazing. I am stuck on this one; the only thing I could think of was thinking back about their past and how much he loved her.

Mary-Ann is another angry song. When I listen to it, I feel like Brian is actually yelling at ME =D I think he is thinking back about what she did to me and working himself up about her betrayal like in Behold the Hurricane. (He says "Look out below, the hurricane comes near" as a reference to his anger).

Black Betty & the Moon is wonderful. The end where he says "I hope the money fills the holes in the place I used to stand" in a whisper makes me shiver. I think this song is basically an "I told you so" type of deal to the girl. I heard a few mentions about money and "never trust a stranger with a diamond on his tongue" so maybe she left him for someone with money?

Blood Loss is the most bitter, angry song on the album, and I love it. It reminds me of someone saying "you owe me for all of the pain you caused me".

I Believe Jesus Brought Us Together is my FAVORITE song on the album. It almost brings me to tears when I listen to it. It's such an emotional song. I think that he is reminiscing about the good times of their relationship and when they first met. I love the background noise... it's killer. The end of this song wraps up the end of their relationship, and the "house" finally collapses.


I did my best to put my thoughts into words so please let me know what you think and what you guys took from these songs! =)

you coudn't have put it any better. absolutely amazing.

sugar_baby wrote:

Okay, so I just wanted to put my thoughts out there and get some feedback so I know if I'm crazy or not =P

I've been listening to this album since I got it last week non-stop. Each time I've listened to it, I learn something new. After about my 10th listen, I realized that (to me) the album tells the story of a bitter breakup.


Last Rites works as the opener, before Brian tells us the story of his heartache through the seasons.

Sugar is him finding out she has been running around with other guys, her denying it, and him in the end telling her she ever won't find anyone that knows her like he does.

Behold the Hurricane is a great song. I think the hurricane is his anger and how it changed him into a different person. And at the end of the song, when he calms down, he realizes that so much time as passed and she's gone (suddenly I realized that you were gone...) The season here is fall.

I Witnessed a Crime seems like the crime he is talking about is basically being cheated. She's telling him to pretty much suck it up, and that it's okay.

Go Tell Everybody is a top contender for me. He's telling the girl that he's more of a man than any one she will meet, and that her leaving changed him into an angry, bitter person so go tell everybody what you did to me (But tonight, all my sympathy is gone...)

Cherry Blossoms is fantastic. It took me a few listens to really get into it but now I love it just as much as the others. It's a very sad song, and he seems like he has nothing left to lose and no one will miss him if he's gone. The season here is winter leading to spring I believe (correct me of I'm wrong).

Ladykiller is the one who stole his girl away, because in the end he "killed" both of them. She feels guilty for leaving him for the Ladykiller.

Crush is a great song despite the reviews I read about it by others. The gospel vibe throughout the bridge is amazing. I am stuck on this one; the only thing I could think of was thinking back about their past and how much he loved her.

Mary-Ann is another angry song. When I listen to it, I feel like Brian is actually yelling at ME =D I think he is thinking back about what she did to me and working himself up about her betrayal like in Behold the Hurricane. (He says "Look out below, the hurricane comes near" as a reference to his anger).

Black Betty & the Moon is wonderful. The end where he says "I hope the money fills the holes in the place I used to stand" in a whisper makes me shiver. I think this song is basically an "I told you so" type of deal to the girl. I heard a few mentions about money and "never trust a stranger with a diamond on his tongue" so maybe she left him for someone with money?

Blood Loss is the most bitter, angry song on the album, and I love it. It reminds me of someone saying "you owe me for all of the pain you caused me".

I Believe Jesus Brought Us Together is my FAVORITE song on the album. It almost brings me to tears when I listen to it. It's such an emotional song. I think that he is reminiscing about the good times of their relationship and when they first met. I love the background noise... it's killer. The end of this song wraps up the end of their relationship, and the "house" finally collapses.


I did my best to put my thoughts into words so please let me know what you think and what you guys took from these songs! =)

I remember reading somewhere that Brian said this album was about the three girls he really loved and thought he was gonna spend the rest of life with. (Perhaps the same three ladies he speaks of in "Here's looking at you kid"?) Based on this (Although, I really loved your version of it ) I gather that the album tells tales of these three women. I think this reflects in the way that the songs are presented, and that they are strings of events that doesen't detail the relationships progress, but rather his own state of mind.

Last rites and Sugar depicts a time that he knows something is wrong. "My baby just ain't no good" "It is, don't lie." But he is still fighting for the relationship even though the girl hurts him.

Behold the hurricane is him letting go of a relationship, realising he is beginning to change. "I'm not the man you love"

I witnessed a crime depicts the first time he seems to feel wronged and isn't accepting the reason. Where the girl leaving him isn't met with understanding. He feels wronged, and he questions her deciscion, but he's still not angry.

Go tell everybody shows him in a state where he fights back. He is not angry, but his symphathy is gone, and he doesen't want anything more to do with that particular girl. Like he's had enough. I think the "your man is dead" part is simply about the fact that he doesen't want her anymore.

Cherry Blossom show Brian in a lonely dark place. (Think you are absolutely right about winter becoming spring here) He is sad and alone. But notice he still shows no anger. He just misses a girl.

Ladykiller and Crush are in my opinions both memories. He weighs bad and good things relationships against eachother. Ladykiller about a man taking his lady, and Crush about the sweet feeling of being in love. I believe this is on the threshold of the third relationship.

Mary ann is a definite change of tone, both lyrically and musically. I believe this is after the third relationship. All three of these break-ups have almost destroyed him and he is letting his anger loose.

Black Betty and the moon is him calmed down, but bitter and angry still. It also shows signs of him distrusting and seeing flaws in her character that makes him aware. "I've been dreaming of poisonings from the venom of my enemies, clever as the viper dear." "I never thought we had to learn to doubt our friends." He explains in detail what he feels about the girl, and at the end tells her straight up that she should't have let him go. "I hope the money fills the holes, in the place I used to stand." (Also think this girl left him for someone with money, or just money itself, like a job or something.)

Blood loss is him tracing his steps back to his first lover in order to find out how he ended up this way. "Till I became like a stone" He's grown bitter and cold and "It never get's better." He is at the edge here. Not happy with who he is, and tired of deceitful lovers. He wants to haunt his lovers like they haunt him in Go tell everybody.

I've drawn many conclusions similar to you, but that stops in the last song.

I Believe Jesus brought us together is (I think) simply the story of when he met Hollie. His wife. He meets someone who makes him want to be a better man, and he trusts her, and misses her. It is a beautiful love tale that contains one of my favorite lines on the album. "I believe my trouble and your trouble shook hans" If you've ever met a person whose mere presence removes all your worries and makes you feel alright, then you will treasure that line.

Well, I'm tired, I've rambled on for too long, and the lady who takes my worries away is trying to sleep next to me. So good night. Just my take on Elsie The good thing is that everybody can get their own experience out of such a beautiful piece of music. No one really knows the story but Brian anyways

pretty good first post.

here's a few thoughts on a few songs. i agree with the vast majority of what you said.

Go Tell Everybody is a stellar track because the pain the narrator feels is deeper and more profound than that found in your average breakup song. he was so invested emotionally in this girl that he'll never be the same again. this is gonna sound pretty stupid, but his situation reminds me of melted ice cream. you know when the ice cream melts, you can re-freeze it but it's never the same? that's just what came to mind.

The "silk spider web" in Black Betty is a great line. You might think that the silks and other luxuries look good at first, but sooner or later they consume and control your life.

Blood Loss really hit me last night. it's like he's saying, you think this is bad? just wait till you see what i went through. and the backing vocals are very well done.

and it's really cool how the last thing you hear in Jesus Brought Us Together is a car starting up and the sounds of the ocean. that's Last Rites material. the end is the beginning. crazy stuff.

Arctander wrote:

I remember reading somewhere that Brian said this album was about the three girls he really loved and thought he was gonna spend the rest of life with.

That would tie in with the 'Sirens they come and the sirens they leave' in "Blood Loss" since there were three sirens in total. Nice link to "Here's Looking At You, Kid" as well.

Damn good posts guys.

inspiring

Makes the record even more hauning for me.

Arctander wrote:

sugar_baby wrote:

Okay, so I just wanted to put my thoughts out there and get some feedback so I know if I'm crazy or not =P

I've been listening to this album since I got it last week non-stop. Each time I've listened to it, I learn something new. After about my 10th listen, I realized that (to me) the album tells the story of a bitter breakup.


Last Rites works as the opener, before Brian tells us the story of his heartache through the seasons.

Sugar is him finding out she has been running around with other guys, her denying it, and him in the end telling her she ever won't find anyone that knows her like he does.

Behold the Hurricane is a great song. I think the hurricane is his anger and how it changed him into a different person. And at the end of the song, when he calms down, he realizes that so much time as passed and she's gone (suddenly I realized that you were gone...) The season here is fall.

I Witnessed a Crime seems like the crime he is talking about is basically being cheated. She's telling him to pretty much suck it up, and that it's okay.

Go Tell Everybody is a top contender for me. He's telling the girl that he's more of a man than any one she will meet, and that her leaving changed him into an angry, bitter person so go tell everybody what you did to me (But tonight, all my sympathy is gone...)

Cherry Blossoms is fantastic. It took me a few listens to really get into it but now I love it just as much as the others. It's a very sad song, and he seems like he has nothing left to lose and no one will miss him if he's gone. The season here is winter leading to spring I believe (correct me of I'm wrong).

Ladykiller is the one who stole his girl away, because in the end he "killed" both of them. She feels guilty for leaving him for the Ladykiller.

Crush is a great song despite the reviews I read about it by others. The gospel vibe throughout the bridge is amazing. I am stuck on this one; the only thing I could think of was thinking back about their past and how much he loved her.

Mary-Ann is another angry song. When I listen to it, I feel like Brian is actually yelling at ME =D I think he is thinking back about what she did to me and working himself up about her betrayal like in Behold the Hurricane. (He says "Look out below, the hurricane comes near" as a reference to his anger).

Black Betty & the Moon is wonderful. The end where he says "I hope the money fills the holes in the place I used to stand" in a whisper makes me shiver. I think this song is basically an "I told you so" type of deal to the girl. I heard a few mentions about money and "never trust a stranger with a diamond on his tongue" so maybe she left him for someone with money?

Blood Loss is the most bitter, angry song on the album, and I love it. It reminds me of someone saying "you owe me for all of the pain you caused me".

I Believe Jesus Brought Us Together is my FAVORITE song on the album. It almost brings me to tears when I listen to it. It's such an emotional song. I think that he is reminiscing about the good times of their relationship and when they first met. I love the background noise... it's killer. The end of this song wraps up the end of their relationship, and the "house" finally collapses.


I did my best to put my thoughts into words so please let me know what you think and what you guys took from these songs! =)

I Believe Jesus brought us together is (I think) simply the story of when he met Hollie. His wife. He meets someone who makes him want to be a better man, and he trusts her, and misses her. It is a beautiful love tale that contains one of my favorite lines on the album. "I believe my trouble and your trouble shook hans" If you've ever met a person whose mere presence removes all your worries and makes you feel alright, then you will treasure that line.

Well, I'm tired, I've rambled on for too long, and the lady who takes my worries away is trying to sleep next to me. So good night. Just my take on Elsie The good thing is that everybody can get their own experience out of such a beautiful piece of music. No one really knows the story but Brian anyways

yeah i thought the exact same. i thought the whole album was bitter and sad about his past loves but the end song leaves it on a positive note as he is meeting the one he is with now

Quote :

I Believe Jesus brought us together is (I think) simply the story of when he met Hollie. His wife. He meets someone who makes him want to be a better man, and he trusts her, and misses her. It is a beautiful love tale that contains one of my favorite lines on the album. "I believe my trouble and your trouble shook hans" If you've ever met a person whose mere presence removes all your worries and makes you feel alright, then you will treasure that line.

Agreed. Blood Loss ends with "Sirens the come, sirens the leave". If Elsie where a movie, Blood Loss would be the final scene. IBJBUT is now the eloplog -- The sirens have left, Brian has rid himself of his relationship deamons and now can shed a final glimmer of hope. Its a haunting mix of hope and honesty -- of two people completely destroyed from past relationships but still needing to contect. "Did you say your lovers were liars? All my lovers were liars too. Did you say you were afraid of dying? I ain't lived a single day without you" -- thats the kind of stuff you'd say to your wife.

*still can't decide if Go Tell Everybody + Cherry Blossom or Blood Loss + I Believe Jesus Brought Us Together is a better 1-2 song punch*

[/quote]


*still can't decide if Go Tell Everybody + Cherry Blossom or Blood Loss + I Believe Jesus Brought Us Together is a better 1-2 song punch*[/quote]

the latter

WingsForWheels wrote:

and it's really cool how the last thing you hear in Jesus Brought Us Together is a car starting up and the sounds of the ocean. that's Last Rites material. the end is the beginning. crazy stuff.

'Start up the car and bury your memories'

In all honesty, I hadn't dived that deep into the narrative yet as most of you have apparently. The album and story gets better with each listen for sure though.

this is some sexy stuff you guys.

Quote :

and it's really cool how the last thing you hear in Jesus Brought Us Together is a car starting up and the sounds of the ocean. that's Last Rites material. the end is the beginning. crazy stuff.

Is it the ocean or cars on the highway? I couldn't tell.

I agree that I Believe Jesus Brought Us Together is Brian meeting his wife, I think he might have said that in an interview. If anyone has seen 500 Days of Summer, it's a lot like the final scene where we're at the tail end of the main character's heartbreak he finds a new person and is able to move on. Really really cool sentiment, for both the movie and the album.

oldgospelchoir wrote:

this is some sexy stuff you guys.

Chris Farren would be proud. Good thread.

CluckyB wrote:

Quote :

and it's really cool how the last thing you hear in Jesus Brought Us Together is a car starting up and the sounds of the ocean. that's Last Rites material. the end is the beginning. crazy stuff.

Is it the ocean or cars on the highway? I couldn't tell.

now that im listening for the highway i can't really tell either.

Woah. I hate how you guys keep making me relisten entire albums!

But to me I Believe Jesus Brought Us Together isn't so much about meeting someone, it sounds like it's further along the line into a relationship.

By the way, do you guys think the girls he sings about heard/hear the record? Just a random thought that popped into my head. No idea how someone would react to hearing songs like these written about you

loazis wrote:

By the way, do you guys think the girls he sings about heard/hear the record? Just a random thought that popped into my head. No idea how someone would react to hearing songs like these written about you

theyre kicking themselves

Depends on how literal he intended the writing to be, I guess. Most of the songs could apply to like 95% of relationships that don't work.

[quote="riversedge"]

loazis wrote:

By the way, do you guys think the girls he sings about heard/hear the record? Just a random thought that popped into my head. No idea how someone would react to hearing songs like these written about you

I was just talking about this today! If I was one of those girls, I would feel like absolute crap knowing I put someone through all of that. AND especially since Brian isn't too bad on the eyes and writes amazing songs, I would be kicking myself everyday for passing him up.