Who is The Watchman?

[Jesse Joe]

Originally Posted by RM

According to Wayne Francis' site, it's "thin". I had thought it was "been". The lyrics on this site say "bend". Maybe somebody could check the actual LP lyrics. My copy was stolen.

This is from :Val's Site



End to end, twenty-one coaches then
The watchman's out, kicking the bums about

[charlene]

Originally Posted by charlene

this shallow thinker just gave a listen and it's 'bend'..not 'thin'
end to end, 21 coaches bend.. (could be 'been' but bend rhymes with end..)

Lisa hears 'then'.. and it fits too.. she did some of the lyrics at Val's site..not sure if she did that one tho..she's got 'young' ears..
lol

There's a train down at the station
It's come to carry my bones away
Two engines on, twenty-one coaches long
End to end, twenty-one coaches then
The watchman's out, kicking the bums about

[RM]

Originally Posted by charlene

Lisa hears 'then'.. and it fits too..

Good Heavens, what's next ....trend ?, blend ?, fend ? Doesn't anybody have the songbook for Sundown ?

[charlene]

i checked my guitar books and don't have Sundown..
i'm going with THEN..
that's my final answer..lock in those lyrics!

[RM]

Originally Posted by charlene

i checked my guitar books and don't have Sundown..
i'm going with THEN..
that's my final answer..lock in those lyrics!

Once again Ma'am, THANK YOU VERY MUCH for participating. I'm holding out for the truth. I thought I might find it in Kefera's version, but he just skips that line. No answer there.

[charlene]

[Jesse Joe]

she's got 'young' ears..
lol... Charlene

lol ! Very good, thank-you to Lisa & her young ears !

This line hear below is my favorite of the song... Way to go, Gordie !!!


"Whatever I was, you know it was all because
I been on the town, washing the bullshit down."

[charlene]

could be 'when'..
it makes sense too..
lol
whatcha think Ron???

There's a train down at the station
It's come to carry my bones away
Two engines on, twenty-one coaches long
End to end, twenty-one coaches WHEN
The watchman's out, kicking the bums about

[RM]

Originally Posted by charlene

could be 'when'..
it makes sense too..
lol
whatcha think Ron???

Ma'am, that could very well be. This has now turned into a personal mission. Looks like I'll be visiting eBay in the near future.

(oh, and please quit pouting)

[Tim]

Originally Posted by charlene

this shallow thinker just gave a listen and it's 'bend'..not 'thin'
end to end, 21 coaches bend.. (could be 'been' but bend rhymes with end..)

I learned to play this song from the "Sundown" album guitar songbook that I bought back in 1977. The lyrics in that book read "twenty one coaches thin"

But that doesn't mean that Gord could have sung "bend" during the recording or during live performances. Similarly, I think he often sings "Every Highway" during the song "Carefree Highway."

[If Char is a "shallow thinker" then I would be honored to be counted in that group as well]

:-)

[charlene]

Originally Posted by RM

Ma'am, that could very well be. This has now turned into a personal mission. Looks like I'll be visiting eBay in the near future.

(oh, and please quit pouting)

- that's not a pout!

this is a pout -
(actually it's a frown)
here's a frown turned upside down -

[Peter Bro10]

Originally Posted by Jesse Joe

"Whatever I was, you know it was all because
I been on the town, washing the bullshit down."

And I always thought it was "watching the Bolsheviks drown"!
Never thought Gord would use that sort of langage in song...

IMHO, we're trolling a bit deep here folks!

alright, alright! I cast my vote for "bend".... definately not "thin". how about "blend"
maybe someone should ask GL himself?

Whatever the "real" lyric might be, this is still one of my all time favorite tunes... and I'm sticking to it!

[Oh, Linda]

Listening to the song now, I'm hearing "bend." Maybe it was thin originally and he later switched?? He did that with Cotton Jenny where he doesn't sing the song as originally written anymore....I'm officially stumped on this one.

[charlene]

i just listened to the internet Lightfoot trib band recording from Caffe Lean in Saratoga NY and the fabulously talented and knowledgable Ed Mullen singing this song. He sings "THIN"..

[charlene]

i just listened to the internet Lightfoot trib band recording from Caffe Lena in Saratoga NY and the fabulously talented and knowledgeable Ed Mullen singing this song. He sings "THIN"..

[jj]

wow, there are many Gord lyrics i can't make out (like a section in Only Love Would Know) but I never thought of this as one of them...it's been Thin right from the start for me

Long and Thin are complimentary in describing many objects, especially coaches, no? I don't hear a B sound at all, I suppose it could be Then ...if Ed had spoken then I wouldn't argue with him...newbies, check his .net site for some wonderful recordings (and a whole whack of other mind-numbing info, lol)

isn't the watchman, Santa? he sees you when you're sleepin, anyhow

[RM]

I think this marks a historical day in the Annals of Corfid.: We have pondered the unanswerable, and entered a new dimension.

[Nightingale]

I bet you people were the ones that tried to decipher the lyrics to "LOUIE LOUIE" all those years ago.
You got it wrong and caused such a fuss...lol That song got banned in 37 states because of you

[Rob1956]

I remember reading a review of "Sundown" where the reviewer thought the Watchman was a reference to Richard Nixon. How 'bout that!

[charlene]

Hello to all from Ed Ringwald! (Pee Wee)

He, unfortunately cannot help us with the definitive word in the lyrics of The Watchman's Gone..nor can Michael Heffernan..
lol
good grief..perhaps a call to EMP is in order..

[Jesse Joe]

good grief..perhaps a call to EMP is in order..

[RM]

I put on my super-duper headphones and gave it a listen. It's eerie. If I decide beforehand that Lightfoot is singing "bend", that's what I hear. If I decide it's "thin", then that's what I hear. It's otherworldly.

[charlene]

and even when we find out what it says on the lyric/guitar music sheet it doesn't mean that is what he actually sings in concert these days..
oh dear oh dear
I think you're right Ron - I've heard it different ways when I've listened and I've had the preconceived word in my head..

[spocksbrain]

I believe I'd treat the songbook as canon.