Quad

["L. Bird" <pkeets@hotmail.com>]

Okay, now that I've procrastinated long enough for the Quad thread to wind 
down, here's my pick for the least essential track: "Is It In My Head?"  
(Even though I love the song.) Whoever said every one is essential was 
pretty much right.  Pete seems to have taken out everything that wasn't 
important all by himself, and the whole thing runs pretty tight.

Here's the breakdown:

Pete starts off in the (sort of) Overture, "I Am The Sea," with a synopsis 
of the lyrical themes, Helpless Dancer, Is It Me?, Bell Boy, and Love Reign 
O'er Me.  This pretty much gives you a guideline as to where he's going.  By 
calling this "The Sea," he's also intimating that this is the vast sea of 
humanity that he's talking about.

He begins the actual storyline with "The Real Me" where he establishes that 
Jimmy is messed up, as is his family and the preacher and most folks Jimmy 
has contact with.

"Quadrophenia" is more of the Overture, where Pete introduces his musical 
themes.  (He did this with Tommy on "Sparks" too, I believe.  Didn't Michael 
Kamen include "Sparks" with the Overture on DST?  I don't care much for 
classical opera, so I admit to being vague about how it's put together.  Is 
it common to split the overture like that?  Anybody know?)

The storyline continues with "Cut My Hair" where we find out that Jimmy is a 
teenager and exactly what kind of problems he has with his parents, his 
friends and his school.  "The Punk and the Godfather" instroduces Jimmy's 
Mod affiliations, and also gives us an idea of the larger implications of 
"gangs," that Jimmy's problems are a microcosm of adult politics.  At the 
end of this one, we seem to get a message directly from Pete, a little 
sideline of how it feels to be himself presenting this material.  "I'm One" 
is how Jimmy feels about his situation, how he's a misfit that never will be 
accepted by the gang, no matter how hard he tries.

"Dirty Jobs" introduces new voices and lets us see how Jimmy's elders have 
done in the same world with the same problems.  That may be Jimmy at the 
end, looking at their disillusionment and cynicism and thinking he knows 
what's right.  "Helpless Dancer" explains more about what's right and what's 
wrong with society, giving us more on the larger social implications of the 
piece.

"Is It In My Head" expresses Jimmy's doubt and confusion after he's thought 
about all the societal problems, and indicates he's looking for a direction. 
  (I've picked this one as least essential because these things are somewhat 
implied by the next few songs.) "I've Had Enough" says just that, and "5:15" 
is Jimmy's attempt to run away from all his problems, and join with the gang 
experience.  He's trying to become the "true believer" and put his faith in 
a leader, rather than deal with things himself.

"Sea and Sand" and "Drowned" are detail Jimmy's experience trying immerse 
himself in the gang and the political experience.  Though he still can't 
seem to be quite right, he yearns for the oneness and the love and the 
feeling of belonging that others seem to find.  "Bell Boy," of course, is 
his final disillusionment, where he sees his leader is really a nobody and 
the gang experience is false.

"Dr. Jimmy" is the emotional peak of the whole thing, expressing Jimmy's 
fury at how everything has failed him, his family, his friends, his girl, 
and now his leader.  He goes wild, wanting to fight, to hurt someone, and to 
get even.  "The Rock" is an interlude, letting us digest what's been said, 
and also allowing the music to build up tension before the final 
denouncement.

And here it is: "Live Reign O'er Me."  This is Pete's final statement on the 
matter, not really an answer, of course.  This kind of problem has no 
answer, but what he offers is hope, strength, and a continuing search.


Not bad, all in all.  Do you suppose The Met would be interested?

;)
keets
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