2003-06-10|2:05 a.m.
I used to be a huge fan of Winona Ryder. I once sat outside a theater for about six hours the premiere of Girl Interrupted with my friends to see and get her autograph (which I did and S was brave and coherent enough [anytime I meet someone I deeply admire I cannot speak] to actually get me the autograph). I own her impossible to get Alien Resurrection action figure.
She is smart, beautiful, and talented. And it was fun to put my energy into liking so much. I know, this is where you lose even the smallest amount of respect that you had for me.But there it is. I was once one of those fans.
After awhile though, it just sorta went away. And no, it wasn�t the shoplifting thing. That�s not something I put any energy into even thinking about. I simply don�t care. I think I just grew out of it all. It was fun and I like looking back on it. And every now and then I look at her pictures and bask in the nostalgia of a time when it was fun to cut out pictures of celebrities I admired. Or sometimes, it�s just to look at a beautiful face, which many agree she has.
Winona Ryder has a reputation of breaking musicians� hearts. Many a song has been written about her. Ryan Adams, who was once a source of my own lust, has a few about the pixie-vixen.
And Beck came out with a new album, �Sea Change,� last September (not more than a year ago, MM). And on it is a really good song called �Lost Cause.� After hearing it a few times, I became certain that Beck (once rumored to have dated Winona Ryder) wrote this song about her. But A was sure I was wrong because �You always think EVERY song is about her.� This may be true. But it also is not an untrue statement.
So, I listened to the song again tonight while driving home. And I formed an interpretive argument in my head for it.
It should be noted that I no longer have the time to read fiction (once a life passion of mine). So, now all my literary energy is wasted on petty arguments about pop song meanings. Hail to political science, the murderer of any coolness I might have had. And yes, at this moment I am supposed to be writing an essay about WWII.
Here is my victory (not as small one as one would think [proving MM wrong about the date of the album release and A about the meaning], these guys are music gurus):
shesajarofcandy: Your sorry eyes, they cut through bone.
They make it hard to leave you alone.
Leave you here wearin� your wounds
Waving your guns at somebody new.
shesajarofcandy: who is someone with really amazing and sad-looking eyes?
shesajarofcandy: "waving your guns at somebody new"
shesajarofcandy: who do you like to say dates too many people?
shesajarofcandy: There's too many people you used to know
They see you coming they see you go.
They know your secrets and you know theirs
This town is crazy, but nobody cares.
shesajarofcandy: this is so obviously hollywood
shesajarofcandy: AND
shesajarofcandy: i'm not the only one who thinks it
shesajarofcandy: http://pulse.towerrecords.com/contentStory.asp?contentId=5804
shesajarofcandy: Then, perched on a stool, he carefully tuned his battered acoustic, and with lone sideman Smokey Hormel on mournful slide guitar, started strumming his plaintive new materialforlorn, windswept paeans like "Lost Cause," "The Golden Age," "Lonesome Tears" and the tentative self-assessment, "Guess I'm Doing Fine." Sad songs that seemed to tell the tale of Beck's recent breakup with his longtime gal-pal Leigh Limon, or his reported rebound with actress Winona Ryder. And he was singing them.
shesajarofcandy: Is "Lost Cause," as rumored, an ode to Ryder? Beck gets cagey. "It's ... ummm ... just life stuff. All that [breakup] stuff happened a couple of years ago, and these songs were written a couple of years ago. And actually, most of 'em were written in a few days. So it's almost like a week in the life of a situation." He pauses, sighs and admits that he's uncomfortable discussing his personal life.
shesajarofcandy: The album also showcases Beck's often forgotten voice. Usually just another ingredient of his exotic audio soup here it shines as a tear-jerking secret weapon. 'Guess I'm Doing Fine', 'It's All In Your Mind' and the apparent barbed, yet gentle assault on ex-beau Winona Ryder, 'Lost Cause' all feature vocals soaked in raw emotion and genuine hurt.
issowrong: ok ok
shesajarofcandy: ha ha
shesajarofcandy: eat it and weep
shesajarofcandy: suckah fish
As you can see I take my triumphs modestly and graciously.