An Eagle In Your Mind -- lyric analysis

[JESUSANDHOES]

Recently I've been looking at the vocal intro section to "An Eagle In Your Mind". Here it is the resulting screencast:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2i2WNShTrhs

TL;DW:


1. This analysis is entirely my opinion, but I've tried to remain as objective as possible. I've provided my transcription of the lyrics below. I've left certain parts in braces, i.e. [ ], to denote a section whose specific meaning or content I couldn't fully nail down. However, in those sections, I've used words to represent a general feeling of the vocal syntax (i.e., what it "sounds like").

2. By using phase-cancellation techniques, it's possible to get only the non-mono sounds of the track, IN mono. This makes it a lot easier to comprehend the vocals, which in their initial state are swooping around your head going left to right, kind of like an eagle in your mind. (This 'appropriation' of the song title is just a funny connection I made… but it seems to be a fitting analogy.)

3. I think I've found evidence for at least several lines that haven't (to my knowledge) been deciphered before. Of course I can't say for sure that I'm 100% right. I do think that a large portion of what isn't contained in braces (i.e., what I'm confident about) could be independently verified, and I've included a link to the digital audio here: https://soundcloud.com/swrl/egle_mhynd.

4. There are certain sections / words that are damn near impossible to comprehend. If you've watched my analysis of the "Palace Posy" vocal section https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGlXQ5eynak, you'll remember that a rhythmic phrase containing sibilant "SSss" sounds is introduced 66 seconds into that song. One of my main points was that those sucking "SSss" hi-hat sounds in "Palace Posy" end up interfering with very intricately-sliced vocal samples later in the song, in order to "synthesize" words that might not actually be spoken. I think similar events are happening in the intro to "An Eagle In Your Mind".

First BoC introduce those rhythmic "Sw, Sw" sounds that happen over the beat in an orderly fashion. Then, the actual spoken words begin. And sometimes it's very difficult, if not impossible, to know where the rhythmic voices end and where the signal begins underneath. It's quite mind-blowing that they're capable of being so suggestive, yet so impossible to fully decipher, at the same time. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it wouldn't surprise me if certain lines just simply don't fully make sense or have a specific fully-intended meaning. They have other tricks, too.. They're obviously capable of making indeterminate statements.

BUT, I don't think this is the case with every line. Some lines do seem to be quite clear. Maybe someone else will be able to decipher the ones that stumped me, but damn... I was completely clueless after hundreds of listens.

5. Allright, here is my current, and again, completely unofficial, transcription:


[both as] we know lived close to the sea
before moving all over
eclipsed
oh little [pustacupus] (or "oh little succubus" if you reverse parts of it)
high over the sea
a safe place for cubs
[wave…] to its…
perhaps an idol…
jesus [wouldn't know to graaa this old place]
[jesus don't / wouldn't (ph)otogra(ph) this old place??]
the holts are evenly-spaced
about 500 meters apart
it's useful when you look for passersby
beautiful [out cubs]
[beautiful outhouse]
i love you



6. there's a hiccup in my screencast around 6:00 -- computrs R electronic idiots; sry

[clenci]

with hopes as we know it fits close to sea,
the fallen boulders,
old ruins and cliffs,
all atop of the sanctus,
high above the sea,
a safe place on all counts,
we wait, tense (noah and his musician family were doing the musical math) hello! sanctus
also sounds like (great TITS) HAHA

There you have it. I can only guess the rest. I'm a genius.

You're no michael.

[rolypablo]

http://bocpages.org/wiki/An_Eagle_in_Your_Mind

[JESUSANDHOES]

http://bocpages.org/wiki/An_Eagle_in_Your_Mind

? I posted this because I heard other words than that... And as far as I know, I don't think those are "official" lyrics.

[Snufkin]

Maybe the dude was linking to it to suggest you could add your interpretation to the wiki?

-Snuf

[rolypablo]

Haha sorry I just skimmed over your initial message, wasn't sure if you'd seem those versions of the lyrics.

[clenci]

mo versions?

great.
place.

i seen noahs arc during the time the song was happening
dur dur
go smoke another one scoobs