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Great perception of the lyrics. I can really relate to this.

This song actually is heavenly

Belated kudos to you, Paul, for this terrific video and for all your other videos. You know I'm a big fan, and also lucky to be your friend. I've been away for weeks but I hope to catch up with your more recent videos soon. Keep up the great work, and Happy New Year to you both!

Thanks for the refreshing take on this album. When I listen to this album I could sense that it their heart wasn't in it. When I am with you is an exeption of course.

An interesting look at the lyrics. You really took a dive behind the lyrics and give your translation on what theyz are about.

Good work, as always! Looking forward to more deep dives in to SPARKS

This is fantastic stuff as always, we need more people like you in the Sparks fandom!!

Sparks: Biting the hand that feeds them since 1974 - long may it continue.

Hello Paul. New subscriber here. Thank you for your effort to analyse this intriguing song. The reason that Sparks, and in particular this song, resonate with me is that they make music that is not mainstream. This works well for me as an autistic. Thinking in layers and out of the box works for me.

Spark's were always very irreverent and were doing parodies of different genres of Rock and Pop music. I really liked their musical work during their English phase With Kimono M H, Propaganda, and Indiscrete, all excellent recordings, brimming over with wit. sly references to sexual mores and cultural snobbery , making swipes at crass materialism.and having inventive forays into ragtime style as well as classical string quartet styling. I don't agree withbthis fellows interptetation of the meanings behind Soarks' songs ,including rhe often very witty lyrics in their songs on this album. I just think he takes there humor and witty parody much too seriously. I thinks his interoretayionnof Hospitality on Parade is way off the mark. I actually think that if the group Sparks was making a comment about Ametucan values vs British valyes.I think it clear that they actually appreciate English attitudes and sensibilities much more than the crass commercialism that attribute to American culture!

I may be a minority here, but I still feel your theories and analysis are spot on. It makes too much sense not to be true. And, I always end up after watching your videos with a deeper appreciation and liking of the albums you talk about. (I had also thought this was a newer video, and I'm sure I had already seen this, but because I had erased my TH-cam history a couple of weeks ago, I'm not so sure. However, if this is a revisit, it's still a fun trip back!)

This was a wonderful discussion, finally I understand what is about, I thought it was about aliens maybe...I have this album now, and will listen to it very soon! The double disc edition!

Sorry I'm late! I now have this album, with extra tracks. This was a wonderful video, so much detail! ❤🎉

I had a slightly different take on the line "the bullets can not cut you down" as in you were not very likely to get shot in London in 1974 as nobody had a gun. This is my favourite video of yours so far and I've watched them all, some of them more than once. Keep up the good work.

I thought this was an excellent, articulate dialogue, and I love the fact that you took your time to go deep into one song. Thank you both for a very rewarding conversation.

Incredible album! Not a bad track. Played it to death in 1979 and still one of my all time favourite albums. Got me into synths in such a hugh way that I own several lol. Ron's a genius.

Excellent job once again, Paul :). Can't help but contribute my own part in it. This time my eyes first catched the sentence "Look at Albert isn't he a sight / Growing, growing at the speed of light" vs "Nothing travels faster than the speed of light". Another thing: you mentioned that "Popular days... are for the chosen few" wouldn't make sense. I see it this way: Christmas is the birthday of Jesus, therefore he and his original followers (12 disciples) are the chosen few. Same as Ron is in his genius thinking. "Around the bend": I didn't know it's a proverd, but I new Beck's song by that title from before and suspected something like that. I'm glad you told MG about this and he went along with it, it is quite provoking accusation.

I have watched half of this so far and it is always so interesting. Ron has to be one of the greatest songwriters ever. It would be cool to hear his thoughts on some of his songs some day, some how...

I loved this discussion about such a cleaver song. My theory about this whole album is that it represents a whole life from Birth to Death, but more than that, it goes beyond a lifetime of pre-birth and after death! Once born and now out of there, it becomes how to perform, where to perform, they've seen everything there is, done everything there is, then became introspective and in their head where their thoughts can wrap around them and drag them everywhere, right up until they die and hear the angels sing! It's a concept album in its purest form. I think it's genius.

Paul, this could be the basis of a doctoral thesis. Brilliant work. A shining light of insight to take my mind off the dark news of last night.

The introduction also appears to reference the syn-drum sound that most people would have heard for the first time on Anita Ward's track 'Ring my bell' which became a UK number one single...

Thanks, Russell’s voice is great on this song, and the song has an AI feeling, ahead of time

The mechanical hands and test tubes on the single sleeve and 12" picture disc are a clue to the experimentation theme. I was glad when they finally did a remastered expanded version that included the Peter Cook 'advert' from the 12" (also in those days the sequencer would be what the drummer had to keep time with a click track)

This is a real tour de force, so thanks very much for it, Paul. Due to its length, I had to wait a few days before I could listen to it in its entirety. But it was worth it. I'm very interested in Martin Gordon's work now!

It was well worth the wait! I will always chose quality of quantity anyday, everyday! It's brilliant!

I had to find the time to watch this where I could give it my full attention. I love all these spot on analysis of Ron's wonderful lyrics. Your videos are very riveting and thought provoking.

Welcome back!

Noone in heaven. Never thought of it like that. Wow 😮

Brilliant analysis and very clever too. I wouldn't be surprised if Ron did write this song as described in which case he is a genius

Brilliant episode, keep up the good work, Paul.

Just ten minutes in but I know I will enjoy this episode and maybe even learn a thing or two! 😃

You've outdone yourself, Paul. This has to be your magnum opus.

Just jaw-dropping analysis Paul. I confess I was sceptical at first about the cryptic MG "hate-fest" if thats not putting it too strongly but your arguments are highly persuasive, particularly Equator (March 10th, so specific!). Ron clearly seems to have had it in for MG and engineered his dismissal in a particularly cold, calculated way. Which circles back to "This Town ... ". If your theory is correct, I would be tempted to cite "This Town ... " as Exhibit A 😂. Thanks again for your brilliant analysis and discussion, so impressive.

Another brilliant video. I was getting concerned as you'd been quiet for a while. "Melted or dead " reference I assumed was chocolates and flowers for the lady. I look forward to your videos, keep up the great work.

Hi again .... The 💵💵💵 was pulled from under Glam Rock....didn't this LP...have a Cult following ...only ? ( I don't know how it did in Britain...) 1975 was breaking off . The lndustry turned back to Mick Ralph's ... Bad Company ( testosterone rock ) That has to be figured in. Mickey Mouse is Seen Performed Live in James Cann- Alan Arkin film ' Freebe And The Bean.' ( You have to use this as Time Marker ) they said in interview " We got sick of ourselves "........ There's no going back then , they've dropped the complex process. I think Russel , is part responsible for the Lyrics. Because he has designed the vocal 1920s parody style. Songwriters don't rely on 1 process. But fuge's are happening , it's as if work turns out bunch of similar sounding songs. Part of Album creating work is to make songs sound different. If someone could settle into a form like your talking about....life would be so easy. They had to dump this . Everyone had to.....there was never really an audience of capacy for glitter. No one is aware of Bowies Catalog - Roxy's .... Harley maybe Bolan has complete accessable...... Teeny bopper girls came to Glitter. There were NO Glitter clubs....there were DISCO clubs......... Steve Harley is always decrying being associated with Glitter. Hated it. ( Still l like listening to your theory's...❤️)

Thank you for all your hard work on your theories on sparks songs .loved your thoughts on kimono my house.Really interesting.

Well worth the wait Paul, I'm still deep diving into Balls, it all makes sense when you dissect it

Excellent as usual Paul you do a fantastic job - I’ve been listening to TGICIHL to try and figure out what’s going on on the album - is When You Leave about the music industry or artists waiting for Sparks to go and celebrating their departure but them saying Tough we’re here to stay? Given it’s an album without their (Ron’s) usual humour 🤷💙

Is it true or fiction, regardless, great story

Brilliant work Paul. Now if only I could find my copy of Kimono...

WOW - fabulous stuff as always, Paul! 👏👏👏👏

So glad to see this video appear during the night, it's been quite a gap. I understand the amount of work that you (Paul) put into these vids. Again, simply brilliant. So interesting. Started my day perfectly. Keep them coming please. Andy Cat.

Brilliant album..i saw them on indiscreet tour 75...Coventry theatre...my first ever gig loud and wonderful..£1..for a ticket. I was deaf next day at school!...always remember Russell coming out inhis riding gear and whip..!..encore ron in a vest..eating an apple..to achoo and in the future..also how are you getting home...wonderful 👏..rip dinky diamond...rons lyrics..genius...still a major fan....i knew they were always...going to last...the rest is history...still churning out great stuff...universally cherished Sparks...thanks for indepth ..review of indiscreet...always a favourite sleeve too....plane wreckage 😮...scene by pool and horse..studio shot..i met ian hampton...and he told me!!..cheers gazz

This is marvelous! Thank you, Paul.

So well done, Mr. Barrett. This is my second time through your fine work.

Loved the song

I knew Ron Mael was a genius lyricist, but watching these videos have elevated him to a satirist on the level of Mark Twain in my eyes. Thank you so much for these fantastic insights.

Thank you for explaining the meaning of the certain words. It is crucial for understanding the whole thing.

I love this album!

Annette is a masterpiece 💚