The majestic poetry of 'Tears In The Rain'

[pink_cadillac]

This song is a masterpiece and it's crazy how it hasn't been released yet, for me Lee Mavers' lyrics are head and shoulders above the scene he seems to be associated with. I'm not a fan of Oasis, Stone Roses, The Smiths etc and it bugs me a little that The La's seem to get grouped in with them. He seems to have the simplicity with melody and colorful lyrics that Kurt Cobain had with the perfectionism of Axl Rose (while sounding nothing like either of those two artists), Mavers is up there with Ray Davies when it comes to songwriting and it's such a waste that he won't release anything new.
'Tears In The Rain' is beautiful, poetry at it's finest and even the cover versions (which are better quality than anything we have from The La's) are addictive to listen to.
For me this is Mavers' finest moment and it frustratingly doesn't even exist as The La's song yet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEeuo6Gurps

[Gav]

Fantastic song, great lyrics, and a tremendous cover that you shared though.

On the album I think that songs like Failure, Doledrum, Looking Glass are lyrically outstanding. From my reading the offer a real insight into the soul of the songwriter, which is not a happy one. Although I don't know Lee, basing all of this on my interpretation of his lyrics. Even what seem like poppy numbers like I Can't Sleep have very deep, troubled lyrics. Could all be confirmation bias of course but it is easier to appreciate why he is not in the public eye.

Before we sneer at others though, Lee did have some seriously dodgy lyrics in songs too. "I am the captain of the Love Brigade" (I think there was an odd exchange in Macey's book where he denied one of this lyrics even though it was as clear as day.) "On the streets of knowledge/you must eat your porridge". All of "Way Out". "I am the Key"

[pink_cadillac]

Fantastic song, great lyrics, and a tremendous cover that you shared though.

On the album I think that songs like Failure, Doledrum, Looking Glass are lyrically outstanding. From my reading the offer a real insight into the soul of the songwriter, which is not a happy one. Although I don't know Lee, basing all of this on my interpretation of his lyrics. Even what seem like poppy numbers like I Can't Sleep have very deep, troubled lyrics. Could all be confirmation bias of course but it is easier to appreciate why he is not in the public eye.

Before we sneer at others though, Lee did have some seriously dodgy lyrics in songs too. "I am the captain of the Love Brigade" (I think there was an odd exchange in Macey's book where he denied one of this lyrics even though it was as clear as day.) "On the streets of knowledge/you must eat your porridge". All of "Way Out". "I am the Key"

Most songwriters have a few bad lyrics in the back catalogue, even The Beatles had Yellow Submarine and the vomit inducing 'Her Majesty'. I still see Mavers as the UK's Cobain or at least closer to him than the cringey ladism of the Gallagher brothers. (I actually find most of Morrisey's lyrics to be incredibly lame 'You're the one for me fatty', 'Vicar in a tutu', 'Girlfriend in a coma' etc)
But the only way Mavers has a credible shout at being 'the best' is by releasing more music and 'Tears in the Rain' is beautiful, it'd be a shame if he never releases it and I can only wonder what other gems he has hidden away. He needs to be brave enough to take the risk, the second album IMO will either be a masterpiece and a huge success or be half decent and go largely unnoticed outside of die hard fans but it's a risk he should take as I feel 'Tears in the Rain' is a sign of the brilliance to come.

[Tony]

On the album I think that songs like Failure, Doledrum, Looking Glass are lyrically outstanding. From my reading the offer a real insight into the soul of the songwriter, which is not a happy one. Although I don't know Lee, basing all of this on my interpretation of his lyrics. Even what seem like poppy numbers like I Can't Sleep have very deep, troubled lyrics. Could all be confirmation bias of course but it is easier to appreciate why he is not in the public eye.

Before we sneer at others though, Lee did have some seriously dodgy lyrics in songs too. "I am the captain of the Love Brigade" (I think there was an odd exchange in Macey's book where he denied one of this lyrics even though it was as clear as day.) "On the streets of knowledge/you must eat your porridge". All of "Way Out". "I am the Key"

Lee's lyrics are what got me into the music really. Or what got me hooked. The music is its own animal, but lyrically, what songs - so direct, powerful, yet utterly fitting for the varied music. I don't think songs such as I Can't Sleep would be half as good without those troubling lines. Son of a Gun seems almost spookily self-referential nowadays. Songs so personal they're universal.

Re: Love Brigade - I don't hear that on the album version of Liberty Ship myself! I could swear I once did. Confirmation bias is a bitch isn't it?? Anywho, Lee's lyrics:



(is "captain of the love you gave" good in itself? Suppose. Your mileage may vary. Like with the Hedges version of IOU, though, the dodgy lines work for me - it's down to the presentation, the delivery, the context. It works for me with the non-album versions that seem a bit more straight and enthused and bouncing; the album is where IOU appears in its most turgid form, and lo, the worst line is just about mumbled.)

[Dan]

Re: Love Brigade - I don't hear that on the album version of Liberty Ship myself! I could swear I once did. Confirmation bias is a bitch isn't it?? Anywho, Lee's lyrics:

The original 4 track demo and the album album version are 100% "love you gave" - but the Mick Moss and De Freitas/Echo demos are definitely "love bridage", so it seems it was a lyric change Lee played with for a bit.