The Donald (Fagen) and Walter Becker who comprise Steely Dan, rarely discuss the meaning or 'exact' interpretation behind each of their songs. They also downplay the fact that their album's carry the name of one song, stating that they really didn't want to emphasize the single song, but selected the title track for various reasons along the way.
Here's some notes from a few interviews found online:
The Royal Scam
Questioner: So what's it about?
WB: About four-and-a-half minutes!
DF: No, Puerto Rico and New York City both figure in the fabric of that lyric. You'll have to construe the rest for yourself, 'cause we don't want to ruin it for you. The mystery is what makes it interesting, isn't it?
WB: If we were to tell you what that song is about, it would be doing a disservice to the song and we would always be lending credence to the notion that in order to enjoy the song you have to know exactly what it means. Or that it does mean exactly one thing. And it doesn't really. None of those things are true.
(A different interview) Questioner: Is the Royal Scam about Puerto Ricans trying to settle in New York?
DF: Because the interpretation is so accurate I wouldn't even want to comment any further.
WB: In other words, you already know more than is good for you.
DF: To tell you the truth, we tend to refrain from discussing specifics as far as lyrics go because it is a matter of subjective interpretation and there are some things that are better that man does not know. You are on the right track and whatever you make of it will suffice really.
(A different interview again)
DF: Of course, the royal scam would mean a confidence trick on a grand scale. That's about all I'd like to say about that song.
WB: 'Cause that Puerto Rico nonsense that someone over here invented is ... I don't know, I think it's gotten out of hand. And it's not really to the point, as far as I'm concerned.
DF: See, that song does have a topical aspect -- and because of that it's dangerous to give specifics, and it is an allegory and it is written in rather Biblical argot, I can tell you that. The song does have a rather poetic way of expressing what we wanted to express. I'm very fond of that lyric.
WB: The Royal Scam isn't the key song. It's regrettable that if you name an album after one of the songs, which is something we don't do all the time, people take it for more than it is. We like each song to be listened to individually without relating to the whole album, although if you record a certain selection of songs the album will have a certain character. Generally, the cheese stands alone.
One of my all-time favorites:
Fanatics
Showing posts with label Victoria Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Victoria Day. Show all posts
Monday, August 10, 2009
Monday, May 19, 2008
Victoria Day ...
All you need to know about Victoria Day:
Victoria Day (French: Fête de la Reine) is a Canadian holiday celebrated on the last Monday before or on May 24 in honour of both Queen Victoria's birthday and the current reigning Canadian sovereign's birthday.
While Victoria Day is often thought of as a purely Canadian event, it is also celebrated in some parts of Scotland, particularly in Edinburgh and Dundee, as well as in the Cayman Islands, where it is also a public holiday.
The birthday of the monarch was a day for celebration in Canada long before confederation. On May 24, 1854, 5,000 residents of Upper Canada gathered in front of Government House (near present day King and Simcoe Streets, in Toronto) to "give cheers to their queen."[1]
Since 1901, the date of May 24 was known throughout the British Empire as Empire Day. An amendment to the Statutes of Canada in 1952 moved the holiday to the Monday before May 25. However, over the decades the official date of the reigning sovereign's birthday changed through various royal proclamations. For Edward VII, it continued on May 24, but was June 3 for George V, June 23 for Edward VIII (their actual birthdays), and various days between May 20 and June 14 through George VI's reign as King of Canada. From 1953, Empire Day was made the date of Queen Elizabeth II's official birthday in Canada by annual vice-regal proclamation, the link being made permanent in 1957. In 1958 Empire Day was renamed Commonwealth Day.
In 1977 Commonwealth Day was moved to the second Monday in March, but Canadians continued to celebrate Victoria Day in May.
The reigning Canadian monarch has been in Canada for his or her official birthday twice: the first time being on May 20, 1939, when King George VI was on a coast-to-coast tour of Canada and his official birthday was celebrated with a Trooping the Colour ceremony on Parliament Hill. The second time was when Queen Elizabeth II was in Canada from May 17 to May 25, 2005, to mark the centennials of the entries of Saskatchewan and Alberta into Confederation; no events were organized to acknowledge this fact.
In the neighboring United States, Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May, making it coincide with Victoria Day much of the time. Several Canadian cities hold a parade in honor of the holiday, with the most famous being in the monarch's namesake city of Victoria, British Columbia. This holiday is also often celebrated with fireworks shows.
Victoria Day (French: Fête de la Reine) is a Canadian holiday celebrated on the last Monday before or on May 24 in honour of both Queen Victoria's birthday and the current reigning Canadian sovereign's birthday.
While Victoria Day is often thought of as a purely Canadian event, it is also celebrated in some parts of Scotland, particularly in Edinburgh and Dundee, as well as in the Cayman Islands, where it is also a public holiday.
The birthday of the monarch was a day for celebration in Canada long before confederation. On May 24, 1854, 5,000 residents of Upper Canada gathered in front of Government House (near present day King and Simcoe Streets, in Toronto) to "give cheers to their queen."[1]
Since 1901, the date of May 24 was known throughout the British Empire as Empire Day. An amendment to the Statutes of Canada in 1952 moved the holiday to the Monday before May 25. However, over the decades the official date of the reigning sovereign's birthday changed through various royal proclamations. For Edward VII, it continued on May 24, but was June 3 for George V, June 23 for Edward VIII (their actual birthdays), and various days between May 20 and June 14 through George VI's reign as King of Canada. From 1953, Empire Day was made the date of Queen Elizabeth II's official birthday in Canada by annual vice-regal proclamation, the link being made permanent in 1957. In 1958 Empire Day was renamed Commonwealth Day.
In 1977 Commonwealth Day was moved to the second Monday in March, but Canadians continued to celebrate Victoria Day in May.
The reigning Canadian monarch has been in Canada for his or her official birthday twice: the first time being on May 20, 1939, when King George VI was on a coast-to-coast tour of Canada and his official birthday was celebrated with a Trooping the Colour ceremony on Parliament Hill. The second time was when Queen Elizabeth II was in Canada from May 17 to May 25, 2005, to mark the centennials of the entries of Saskatchewan and Alberta into Confederation; no events were organized to acknowledge this fact.
In the neighboring United States, Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May, making it coincide with Victoria Day much of the time. Several Canadian cities hold a parade in honor of the holiday, with the most famous being in the monarch's namesake city of Victoria, British Columbia. This holiday is also often celebrated with fireworks shows.
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