[965] Chain Lightning

Guest poem submitted by Gerry Rowe, <gerirowe@>:

Some turnout, a hundred grand
Get with it we'll shake his hand
Don't bother to understand
Don't question the little man
Be part of the brotherhood
Yes it's chain lightning
It feels so good

Hush brother, we cross the square
Act natural like you don't care
Turn slowly and comb your hair
Don't trouble the midnight air
We're standing just where he stood
It was chain lightning
It feels so good

	-- Steely Dan

A lot of Steely Dan (Donald Fagen and Walter Becker) songs are very
successful recastings of standard forms. Chain Lightning is one such. It has
a standard key note-dominant-seventh kind of chord sequence. However the
chords chosen are not the usual ones but a set of more recherche, and very
effective, other ones. This is why the tune sounds both familiar and unusual
at first listening (and ultimately very pleasing).

The same kind of care and skill goes into Steely Dan lyrics, which have been
called wry, ironic and super-clever - but never trivial. Chain Lightning
deals with territory probably never explored elsewhere in music - the
subjective feelings of participants in a political rally addressed by a
powerful orator (whether of left or right is not stated). These verses
convey the paradox that the words and ideas of demagogues (and this comment
may apply to any politician) may not stand up to close inspection but may
still make listeners feel very good.

For those that like it the music of Steely Dan creates a very agreeable, and
enduring, sensation of being expertly and assiduously entertained. It makes
you feel good (and is worth more than any amount of political oratory!). In
my case my attention only turns later to the lyrics which always turn out to
be full of added value, to say the least. So it is with Chain Lightning. If
you can, listen to it, on 'Katy Lied', to get the full experience.

It's an interesting question as to who exactly the narrator is. The
author/auteur directing his characters through a short film-scene? An
initiate mentally rehearsing advice to a neophyte?  A Travis Bickle talking
to himself in quiet ecstasy? This open vagueness goes well with the the
theme of a dubious political excitement that is the more chilling for being
savoured rather than outwardly acclaimed.

Gerry.