Four Seasons In One Day

I guess I think of the song's blood as a metaphor for pain, which with time passes -- even though there's plenty of it to go round. Seems to me very much like a Tim sentiment.

It's hard to know what Neil or Tim intended and what they didn't, and in a way their intentions are immaterial -- we always bring our own sets of associations to bear on their lyrics. But I've always heard in the "fill my cup" line echoes of both DDIO's "deluge in a paper cup" and Across the Universe's "words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup." (Which only adds to the Beatles-y vibe of 4 Seasons.) Both songs dream of a better world/universe, and the hint of those dreams in 4 Season's "cup" provides a foil to the black clouds and the **** that comes down.

Or maybe I've got it all wrong, and Tim is just a vampire with a jones for the red juice.

It's funny, my mom heard the "blood/cup" lines and immediately thought it was about menstruation. *shudder*

I always thought the blood/cup thing was a biblical metaphor (the cup of wrath/suffering), but then I realized that neither Finn has ever really referenced scripture and so it probably isn't.

Blood holds a lot of associations... pain and suffering, circulation/life force, menstruation, purification of sin...

I shouldn't think Neil or Tim would nail it down for us; they like ambiguity.

I've always gotten a visual image from the lyrics that has me thinking of an accelerated evaporation of blood which is something of a healing effect. And in my daydream, a human form rises from a bed (with a cup) -- a bed where there is both comfort and pain.

So I don't think you have it all wrong W.S... my take on it is similar. There is no wrong interpretation.

Paināporo, what does that lyric make you think of... do you recoil from it?

I did a creative writing course last year. Whenever I wrote anything ambiguous, I got better marks...my tutor reckoned an element of mystery was a strength rather than a weakness.

For me the images of raining **** and blood are a bit graphic. Certainly not your "go to" images in popular song craft.

Was it the Together Alone doco ? Neil said he was sitting trying to write Four Seasons and having a bit of a blank, there was a guy reading over his shoulder and suggested the word 'mud' to which Neil replied 'blood'

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Originally posted by Paināporo:
For me the images of raining **** and blood are a bit graphic. Certainly not your "go to" images in popular song craft.

I've already mentioned what the blood lyric means to me. As far as "Smiling as the **** comes down" goes, I think it's rather obvious the word is not being used to describe waste, but more like "**** happens." I can see it might have to do with an unreasonable authority figure, thereby the subsequent line, "You can tell a man by what he has to say" applies... but also I think it can mean the "global" events over which we individuals have little to say and to which a response may risk one's neck.

Paināporo, I can't believe you're being so literal... you who sing such a sweet "Angel's Heap." I have never had a problem with "Four Seasons" the song or its lyrics. In fact I adore them.

Are you just trying to be inflammatory?

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Originally posted by Finngirl:
Was it the Together Alone doco ? Neil said he was sitting trying to write Four Seasons and having a bit of a blank, there was a guy reading over his shoulder and suggested the word 'mud' to which Neil replied 'blood'

That's not in the TA doc but it's very interesting. I wonder where you heard it.

Interesting, but this song has never been much of a mystery to me, other than the blood/rain/cup. I think it's a beautiful, wise expression of the reality of being in a relationship, and loving in spite of the pain we inflict upon each other. Wish I could have written something half as good at that age.

The weather thing seems merely like the inspiration for the relationship commentary I read into it, like Sting's song of the same title says, "that's my baby, she can be all four seasons in one day."

"Smiling as the sh t comes down," and "you can tell a man from what he has to say" seem to be about how you handle your partner's mood swings where everything you say gets turned around, but you stick with her (or him) and stick your neck out again, and get run through the mill (as the saying goes) or up sh t creek (without a paddle).

I agree, actually, that the blood dries up like rain is about the temporary nature of the pain inflicted by the mood swinging person (oooooh, link to another song there, mate): like rain that will dry up, so will blood, eventually, like Watney S. said more succinctly. We did sing a song at church: "(Oh, fill my cup) fill my cup and let it overflow, (fill my cup) fill my cup and let it overflow, (fill my cup) fill my cup and let it overlow, let it overflow with love, if that adds to the discussion at all.

So for me, Mr. English teacher, it pretty logically goes from a weather observation to metaphor about relationships to general observation about life: wherever there is comfort there is pain. After all, the same lap that cradles and comforts can deliver a spanking and the same love of your life can break your heart, sometimes just a step away.

Now, if someone can explain Stone Temple Pilots' song about those flies in the vaseline, I'd appreciate it.....and what about Neil dancing with his reflection and the horse eating his trousers, eh?

I've always interpreted the blood reference in a similar way to others:

Just as rain dries up, so too does blood (the hurt). And whatever it is that heals the pain is what our narrator wants to fill his/her cup with.

quote:

Originally posted by Paināporo:

quote:

Originally posted by Finngirl:
Was it the Together Alone doco ? Neil said he was sitting trying to write Four Seasons and having a bit of a blank, there was a guy reading over his shoulder and suggested the word 'mud' to which Neil replied 'blood'

That's not in the TA doc but it's very interesting. I wonder where you heard it.

I've heard that somewhere too. Can't remember where though.

Excellent post, babyshots! I pretty much agree with your analysis, for me the song has always been about the ups and downs of life. The "fills my cup" part always seemed to me an affirmation that life is messy - your own cup will be filled with blood and rain occasionally if you're out in it trying to live life to the fullest - but it will dry up when the sun eventually comes out, as it must if we are to keep plodding our way through this existence. For that reason, I've always found this a very uplifting song, something to listen to when you're feeling down.

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Originally posted by Paināporo:
Seriously, "For Seasons in One Day" is a masterpiece. It's the best song the Beatles never wrote.

...the Beatles?

The part I didn't get was the flow of the metaphor. It almost seems like he's saying blood dries up...like rain filling a cup?

The blood is quite a powerful image, but I'm not sure if it isn't a wholly impressionistic one. Or even abstract.

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that Nick said that he came up with the Blood Dries Up Like Rain line (maybe in Private Universe, the book). Anyone else remember this?

I don't really have anything better to say about this song than has been said already...but I will say that there is something extremely ominous about this song and I wouldn't want it describing a relationship I'm in...

I would like to know why this is the song that is normally dedicated to Paul Hester? It works very well somehow...

Neil briefly talks about the song at the end of this interview

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXo78-9p9g0&feature=related

Hmmmm. I've always interpreted it as the rain filling the cup after the blood had dried up.

Oh well, to each his/her own interpretation I suppose. Isn't that what music is for anyway?

quote:

Originally posted by moonrea:
Neil briefly talks about the song at the end of this interview

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXo78-9p9g0&feature=related

Yes, he just mentions the weather patterns of Melbourne, calling it a "syndrome" which seems to relate to the effect of that weather on people.

To me, "Four Seasons in One Day" has never been about a romantic relationship. It's been about the way we feel about societal goings-on or an authority figure as a representative of that. There's no doubt I have my own special filters, as we all do, but I tend to hear the lyrics as introspective thought about a father.

To me, and only my personal take on this - the weather references are a metaphor for the warm/cold and unpredictable aspects of a relationship.

quote:

Smiling as the **** comes down
You can tell a man from what he has to say
Everything gets turned around
And I will risk my neck again, again

I think this verse has got to be a reference to the unreasonable/uncomprehensible (?) moodswings (hormonal??) of a significant other.

quote:

there was a guy reading over his shoulder and suggested the word 'mud' to which Neil replied 'blood'

Or simply an affirmation by Neil of a word already written. Blood = Life.

Has nobody mentioned the Christian implications? I was watching Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade the other day, so I thought of it quickly...the Holy Grail is the cup that caught Christ's blood when he was on the cross (according to the Bible).

There's a whole lot that can be done with that interpretation-wise, of course. So much I'm not sure I even want to get into it right now. "Smiling as the s*** comes down" sounds to me like laughing bitterly at one's own misfortune; or to put it another way, being crucified.

I don't think the song is about Jesus or anything, but he might be using this stuff metaphorically somehow...or maybe it was an accident. We do know that Neil's Catholic upbringing has been a big influence on his writing though, so...I don't know, just some ideas.

That's an excellent point, slowpogo! I'm not sure I'd extend the metaphor too far, but certainly just as a bit of imagery, blood = sacrifice, redemption etc etc would be a reasonable inference to draw given Neil's spiritual predilections.

I do believe the holy grail was the cup used at the last supper, though, not at the crucifixion.

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I do believe the holy grail was the cup used at the last supper, though, not at the crucifixion.

Actually, it was both..according to Indiana Jones, anyway.

The beauty of a lyric with some ambiguity and subtlety: the spectrum of interpretations.

Neil might say that you are all right.

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Originally posted by slowpogo:

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I do believe the holy grail was the cup used at the last supper, though, not at the crucifixion.

Actually, it was both..according to Indiana Jones, anyway.

LOL

You know, I think the whole song might be looked at in the light of an Indiana Jones interpretation. When you think about it a bit. Worlds above, worlds below...Indy's always going exploring underground worlds as well as above-ground. Sunshine on the black clouds hanging over the domain - like when Indy's under that hill with the staff and the sunlight has to hit it with just the right angle! And he's definitely prone to cracking a roguish grin as the s*it comes down, and to risking his neck again.

It all clicks!