Laura’s mother must’ve taken her to see the film Oklahoma when she was young. I think she was inspired by the song “Surrey with the Fringe on Top.” She basically turned a noun into a verb, which was brilliant.
This is how I always felt and interpreted surry down, from childhood to today!. I always saw it as an old time sweet celebration, simple, joyous and with a gospel or spiritual feel. I Love the song!
There is also “Tendaberry”-not in the dictionary-and her metaphor “a choir of carousels”. What a wordsmith was Ms Nyro!!! Thanks for your nice pice about Laura.
I'm Italian and whenever I listen to this song I can't help but translate "surry" with "scarrozzare" wich in Italian is a slang word derived from the word "carrozza" wich is the translation of the noun "surry". In Italy we use the verb "scarrozzare" as a synonym for "drive" eg: "scarrozzami in giro" becomes "drive me around" in English. So, for me, surry in the song means take me with the carriage to the picnic. I don't know if the noun "car" in english derives from "carriage", but if it was then you could make up the line "car me around".
Surry -- "To move with the expectation of having a good time." This is what was defined/interpreted decades ago in rock magazines by Laura's fans. And that statement makes sense in the song. Use the word today? "I'm going to surry down to the coffee shop & get some java & treat myself to a cream-filled donut." "Tendaberry" is an essence according to Laura. "It’s birth and it’s very tender, very fragile, very strong, very true." Coming from where she was born in New York she may have even meant "tender berry," but slurred the words. Like "Whaddamean?" Several words strung together. This is how words come into existence. Anything spoken with ending "isms," is considered an Eisenhower-ism. He was the first to use such a word. The word "liberalism," would be an Eisenhower reference to liberal studies. Gertrude Stein made up the phrase in the 1920s "yada yada yada." And a favorite of politicians & pundits is "there's no there, there." That's Gertrude also. There is nothing wrong with making up a word if it has a definition that didn't exist before. How about a word for this: something that is fiction but could become reality someday in the near future would be....what? Needs a word. Most products we think are words are really brands: Kleenex isn't a tissue it's a brand of tissue. Frigidaire is a refrigerator but a brand of refrigerator. Xerox is not a facsimile but a machine made by a specific company that makes facsimiles, copies. But the language & society has hi-jacked those words. You don't make a Xerox on a Minolta or Canon machine. I was told when a made-up name becomes synonymous with a single product you've succeeded. You do a good job of explaining. Laura's charm came from her made-up words. But you're aware that many lyrics by The Beatles were words many Americans didn't know. A Mac, a lorry, a git (Lennon sings it in "I'm So Tired" -- he's such a stupid git), Goo goo g’ joob, I roll a stony, nothing to hung about, joo-joo eyeball & one holy roller. This is what makes songs interesting. I prefer them to cliches.
I was a big Nyro fan. I hope you appreciated the song but why am I thinking the tone of your reaction is one of bemusement of her words and experience rather than her amazing songwriting talent, fresh creativity and openness. Counting words and discussing at long length one word? don't know. I just enjoy her musicality and creative expression.
I definitely like her music - and I love Stoned Soul Picnic in particular! I wouldn't spend so long making the video otherwise (each video i make takes upwards of 15-20 hours to make). I definitely have a bit of an irreverent tone, but that's just me, and you'll see the same general tone in all the videos I make :) Thanks for watching!
Thanks for your upload, I found it enlightening as, although I'm a big fan of Laura I do some of her lyrics mystifying. Some of the commentators below seems to have explained some of the meanings of certain words. :)
African-American eight certain types of food they called it soul food they use certain types of phrasings of words that was part of their soul language there's much more you're not seeing because you just don't know you weren't back then like I was the beat was so full African-American the words were and it was written by a white woman how awesome you're missing out on much more and it's not confusing at all you just don't know there's more to that song that you would not even imagine
I'll take you there.. if you allow.. truth time...do you really want to know what Laura was saying in this song? The message she was conveying? I will tell you... picture the mid- late 1960's, music, art... social change,etc..and Laura was tapping into something many other artists were doing at the time and THAT was simply explaining a happy LSD/ psychedelic trip. By using the word SURRY ( she didn't make the word up) she's saying move on into the drug as it takes over your body and mind as you "surry" on down to your soul and find true happiness, your picnic. The repetitive line is telling you...get there!!! I noticed near the end you touched on a possible psych vibe, ( Jefferson Airplane)... Beatles... that's it. Now you know.... Listen to the group Love Forever Changes album... then.... Listen to it under the influence of a good psychedelic and you will hear an entirely different album. Many many groups employed this method/ message secretly in a way and it went over most people's heads . But for those who know......... know. " Surry on Soul....Surry...Surry..surrieeeeeee!
Well, that's a shame. I try to make my videos accessible and entertaining, as well as informative. We can't all like the same stuff - thanks for watching it though Next time, maybe don't watch an entire 18 minute video if you're just not feeling it. It's ok to just give a thumbs down and go on your way 😇
Laura’s mother must’ve taken her to see the film Oklahoma when she was young. I think she was inspired by the song “Surrey with the Fringe on Top.” She basically turned a noun into a verb, which was brilliant.
And on that note ... Are you familiar with the "Furry with the Syringe on Top"?
This is how I always felt and interpreted surry down, from childhood to today!. I always saw it as an old time sweet celebration, simple, joyous and with a gospel or spiritual feel. I Love the song!
@@mmarks4 I love ."surrey with the fringe on top! "Thanks for having the same simple take on Laura's great song.
A sweet, simple horse drawn carriage! Yes! As a poet she uses it as a verb instead of a noun. And the sound is perfect, too. .
There is also “Tendaberry”-not in the dictionary-and her metaphor “a choir of carousels”. What a wordsmith was Ms Nyro!!! Thanks for your nice pice about Laura.
Thanks - glad you enjoyed it :)
thing about her is she taught herself, came by it that way, and I think you get all of that obstruction of the norms. She didnt know any.
I'm Italian and whenever I listen to this song I can't help but translate "surry" with "scarrozzare" wich in Italian is a slang word derived from the word "carrozza" wich is the translation of the noun "surry". In Italy we use the verb "scarrozzare" as a synonym for "drive" eg: "scarrozzami in giro" becomes "drive me around" in English. So, for me, surry in the song means take me with the carriage to the picnic. I don't know if the noun "car" in english derives from "carriage", but if it was then you could make up the line "car me around".
I didn't know about the Italian, but you've made a brilliant (and, no doubt, accurate) connection! Her family was Italian, after all.
Surry -- "To move with the expectation of having a good time."
This is what was defined/interpreted decades ago in rock magazines by Laura's fans. And that statement makes sense in the song.
Use the word today? "I'm going to surry down to the coffee shop & get some java & treat myself to a cream-filled donut."
"Tendaberry" is an essence according to Laura. "It’s birth and it’s very tender, very fragile, very strong, very true." Coming from where she was born in New York she may have even meant "tender berry," but slurred the words. Like "Whaddamean?" Several words strung together.
This is how words come into existence. Anything spoken with ending "isms," is considered an Eisenhower-ism. He was the first to use such a word. The word "liberalism," would be an Eisenhower reference to liberal studies.
Gertrude Stein made up the phrase in the 1920s "yada yada yada." And a favorite of politicians & pundits is "there's no there, there." That's Gertrude also.
There is nothing wrong with making up a word if it has a definition that didn't exist before. How about a word for this: something that is fiction but could become reality someday in the near future would be....what? Needs a word.
Most products we think are words are really brands: Kleenex isn't a tissue it's a brand of tissue. Frigidaire is a refrigerator but a brand of refrigerator. Xerox is not a facsimile but a machine made by a specific company that makes facsimiles, copies. But the language & society has hi-jacked those words. You don't make a Xerox on a Minolta or Canon machine. I was told when a made-up name becomes synonymous with a single product you've succeeded.
You do a good job of explaining.
Laura's charm came from her made-up words. But you're aware that many lyrics by The Beatles were words many Americans didn't know. A Mac, a lorry, a git (Lennon sings it in "I'm So Tired" -- he's such a stupid git), Goo goo g’ joob, I roll a stony, nothing to hung about, joo-joo eyeball & one holy roller. This is what makes songs interesting. I prefer them to cliches.
Thanks for the comment! And thanks for watching :)
THANK YOU for doing this video!!! I've always wondered it too!!!! :D
Surry is like a contraction of
" let's hurry" to the picnic, slurry to the picnic!!!
Man, this video totally surries
wtf does that even MEAN?
@@bigyellowpraxis LOL! It "takes him there." (And yes, I got the joking use of the title of the video.)
I was a big Nyro fan. I hope you appreciated the song but why am I thinking the tone of your reaction is one of bemusement of her words and experience rather than her amazing songwriting talent, fresh creativity and openness. Counting words and discussing at long length one word? don't know. I just enjoy her musicality and creative expression.
I definitely like her music - and I love Stoned Soul Picnic in particular! I wouldn't spend so long making the video otherwise (each video i make takes upwards of 15-20 hours to make).
I definitely have a bit of an irreverent tone, but that's just me, and you'll see the same general tone in all the videos I make :)
Thanks for watching!
I'm with ya! The song makes me feel good and that's what matters.✌️
just do it. Keep surrying.
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for your upload, I found it enlightening as, although I'm a big fan of Laura I do some of her lyrics mystifying. Some of the commentators below seems to have explained some of the meanings of certain words. :)
I bet Laura would love this video
Thanks - that's a massive compliment. Cheers!
I was told that surry is a slang word for hurry on down to the stone soul picnic, so the question is can you Surry?😅😂❤
I once heard that she wrote this song after witnessing Juneteenth celebrations.
The difference is we still talk about her, a beautiful voice in a pop song 40 -50 years later, and im done with you
Huh? Why the weird attitude? Do you think I'm criticising her or something?
African-American eight certain types of food they called it soul food they use certain types of phrasings of words that was part of their soul language there's much more you're not seeing because you just don't know you weren't back then like I was the beat was so full African-American the words were and it was written by a white woman how awesome you're missing out on much more and it's not confusing at all you just don't know there's more to that song that you would not even imagine
I'll take you there.. if you allow.. truth time...do you really want to know what Laura was saying in this song? The message she was conveying?
I will tell you... picture the mid- late 1960's, music, art... social change,etc..and Laura was tapping into something many other artists were doing at the time and THAT was simply explaining a happy LSD/ psychedelic trip. By using the word SURRY ( she didn't make the word up) she's saying move on into the drug as it takes over your body and mind as you "surry" on down to your soul and find true happiness, your picnic. The repetitive line is telling you...get there!!!
I noticed near the end you touched on a possible psych vibe, ( Jefferson Airplane)... Beatles... that's it. Now you know....
Listen to the group Love Forever Changes album... then....
Listen to it under the influence of a good psychedelic and you will hear an entirely different album.
Many many groups employed this method/ message secretly in a way and it went over most people's heads .
But for those who know......... know.
" Surry on Soul....Surry...Surry..surrieeeeeee!
I thought Surrey was to ride in a horse and wagon.
Whiggam was a word to communicate with the horse by the Whiggamore
That's a couple of words for y'all to get into
17:29 I'll never get back
Rude!
What didn't you enjoy about it?
@@bigyellowpraxis this video is about your video making prowess and NOTHING about the song........SO LAME
Well, that's a shame. I try to make my videos accessible and entertaining, as well as informative.
We can't all like the same stuff - thanks for watching it though
Next time, maybe don't watch an entire 18 minute video if you're just not feeling it. It's ok to just give a thumbs down and go on your way 😇
She uses "surrey" as a verb.
Dirty refers to go riding in a one horse buggy
It's a 4 wheel carriage pulled by horses.. a surry
Surreÿ means to ride a small horse drawn carriage.