Steam Engine Lyrics - Interpretation?

[EC]

Definitely agreed!

For the rest, I'm not convinced, and I'm sure I'm not convincing anyone else - so I'll shut up. :)

tundra, of all the people, in all the world, you should never shut up.  

[marino13]

I didn't have access to a computer this weekend, so sorry for my failure to respond until now.  Wow, I didn't envision setting off this type of reaction with my post.  I assume Jim has not ever thrown out there what might be behind these lyrics.  I thought maybe he had made some comments, as he had with "Gideon", that gave some idea to the "Steam Engine" lyrics.

As for my opinion, I'm still trying to piece that together.  I guess what sparked my question was listening to Jim's interview at the end of ACL about spirituality.  I am trying to apply that to this song.  But, Jim was very very vague in that interview also.  Religion is such a heated discussion, that I think most artists are afraid to clearly state where they stand on the topic.  I also think that some artists are still trying to figure it out for themselves.  I have a great deal of respect for Sufjan Stevens for that reason.  He knows that many of the fans on the indie scene would dislike his religious stance, but he still throws himself out there and wins over the fans with his music.  He is a rare breed.

[LET_THE_FETUS_ROCK]

Jim commented on this songs origination at a show I saw at the fillmore in '04.

He said that while he was writing it he envisioned david bowe in a canoe traveling around in the clouds.

I don't know if that helps with interpretation but it is interesting

[BH]

My favorite song.  Glad to see a discussion.

I love the 15 minute version that I have from Toronto 5-18-04.  15 minutes!!!!!

But not as much as the Rolling Stone solo acoustic version. Wow.

brain melts in the twilight is my personal favorite line

I always thought that jebus saved him somehow or at least showed him the way.

to anyone who wondered
what old jebus meant to me
..................................
the fact that my heart's beating
is all the proof you need

Question, this may be obviuos, but what does Jim start singing over and over again after this final lyric?  Sounds kind of like think about it but I know that's not right.  Anyone's thoughts?

[LET_THE_FETUS_ROCK]

Where can I download this acoustic version from rolling stone?

[ycartrob]

Question, this may be obviuos, but what does Jim start singing over and over again after this final lyric?  Sounds kind of like think about it but I know that's not right.  Anyone's thoughts?

He is saying Be in Greenock...that's where James Watt invented the steam engine.

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

ahem...from Wikipedia:

The first steam device, the aeolipile, was invented by Hero of Alexandria, a Greek, in the 1st century AD, but used only as a toy. Incidentally, 700 years earlier in Corinth, Greece, rail tracks were invented; however the Greeks never thought of putting the two together.

In 1663, Edward Somerset, 2nd Marquess of Worcester published designs for, and may have installed, a steam-powered engine for pumping water at Vauxhall House. Denis Papin, a French physicist, built a working model of a steam engine in about 1687 --with the help of Leibniz--, a paddle steam boat and is credited with a number of significant gadgets such as the safety valve. Sir Samuel Morland also developed ideas for a steam engine during the same period, he built a number of steam-engine pumps for Louis XIV in the 1680s. Early industrial steam engines were designed by Thomas Savery (The "fire-engine", 1698) and Thomas Newcomen (1712). Humphrey Gainsborough produced a model condensing steam engine in the 1760s, which he showed to James Watt. In 1769 Watt patented improvements to the Newcomen engine that made it much more fuel efficient, which finally led to the general acceptance and use of steam power.

So really he's saying "aeolipile"  ;)