Dear Hell, Everytime I listen to that song, I hear it as a double meaning. There is the underlying tone that man walked on the moon, not women, but I have always had the strangest feeling she may have actually been talking to a former astronaut. To me, only someone who actually made the "walk" would be so cocky as to try to put Joni in her "place" so to speak. I see the subject of the song as someone very arrogant, powerful and degrading of women. At the time of the recording, he may have been in his fifties or sixties. Then again for a person of this age group, this was probably a very strong belief. This is the way that the song comes alive for me.
I see the same type of character in Edith and the Kingpin, only he is more coy and manipulative. I know I've said this before, but when I hear Joni sing about the Kingpin, I always see Omar Sharif in a white suit with a white scarf, an onyx or diamond stickpin in his tie, and a cane. As far as I am concerned, he is, and always will be, my personification of the Kingpin. The same type of male character exists in "Hissing of Summer Lawns," in my opinion. In this song, it's almost like we get a look at the same character of "Don't Interrupt the Sorrow," living in his home environment and treating his wife the way he tried to treat Joni. While we are on the same CD, the character in "Harry's House/Centerpiece" seems to have gotten caught up in the 50's/60's male perception of being the breadwinner and taking care of "the wife." He's not as blatantly domineering as the other two, but he has bought into the mindset. His perceptions are crumbling around him as he realizes he has nothing worth living for anymore. In fact, all of these characters remind me of that 50's/60's perception. It seems like Joni made this a thread throughout the whole album. Can you tell I really like "Hissing of Summer Lawns?" :) Sherelle In a message dated 12/17/2001 11:22:32 AM Pacific Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2001 23:36:26 +1300 > From: "hell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: notches liberation doll > > Wally wrote: > > > i've always thought that she meant, ''you're not a person to me, you're > just > > notches on my gun.'' as in you're just onemore broad that has put out. > > That's always how I've interpreted it too - that whole song seems to be > Joni > defending the whole women's rights movement to a very chauvanistic male, > who > has an answer for everything. "We walked on the moon - you be polite", in > other words, "MAN walked on the moon, not women, so show some respect." > > I've always wondered who the man in question actually was. > > Hell
