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Author Topic: Norwegian Wood  (Read 2442 times)

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JimColyer

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Norwegian Wood
« on: June 04, 2005, 08:32:53 PM »

I had breakfast at MacDonald's this morning.  An instrumental version of Norwegian Wood came over the system.  It was like going home, like putting the pieces of my mind back together after they they had been ripped asunder by all this other crap music played in restaurants.  Beatle songs are perfect.  They should go back to the charts and be heard regularly on radio stations.  

With Norwegian Wood, Beatle fans know that it was originally titled "Knowing She Would," a little too risque for 1965.  And that part about "I lit the fire," what does it mean?  Does it mean he started a fire in the fire place, lit up a joint or burned her house down?  Or is it just John playing with words?

http://jimcolyer.com/papers/entry?id=61  
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Frightwolf

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Re: Norwegian Wood
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2005, 10:14:13 PM »

The house burned down:

PAUL 1985: "It was me who decided in 'Norwegian Wood' that the house should burn down... not that it's any big deal."
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Ydoll Gwyn

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Re: Norwegian Wood
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2005, 11:06:38 PM »

Quote from: Jim_Colyer
With Norwegian Wood, Beatle fans know that it was originally titled "Knowing She Would," a little too risque for 1965.
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Ydoll Gwyn

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Re: Norwegian Wood
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2005, 11:13:10 PM »

I have done a little internet search. If you're going by the "facts" at www.songfacts.com - forget it. Unreliable is the polite thing to say.
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Re: Norwegian Wood
« Reply #4 on: June 06, 2005, 12:06:55 PM »

Quote from: Ydoll_Gwyn

I reckon I'm very knowledgeable about the Beatles, but I have NEVER heard that "Knowing She Would" was the original title to NW. Can you give a reliable source for this, Jim? I always thought that its original title was "This Bird Has Flown".

I've never heard of that 'working title' either. "Scrambeld Eggs", "That's A Nice Hat", etc., yes, but never 'Knowing She Would'.
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norwegianwoody

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Re: Norwegian Wood
« Reply #5 on: June 07, 2005, 01:45:44 AM »

With John it was probably just wordplay.  But I've always thought that Norwegian Wood was a reference to pot and that he was lighting up a joint.  The more paradoxical statement or thought that John could come up with I think the more he enjoyed it.  He was a bit of a genius with words.
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Ydoll Gwyn

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Re: Norwegian Wood
« Reply #6 on: June 07, 2005, 07:19:37 AM »

There's nothing deep about Norwegian Wood, you know. In the mid sixties it became a vogue thing to make cheap furniture out of a type of pinewood - from Norway. Norwegian wood, get it?

People in bedsits and cheap flats often had furniture made from the stuff. So the girl in this song had furniture made from Norwegian wood. Isn't it good?

It's got ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with pot!!
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Kevin

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Re: Norwegian Wood
« Reply #7 on: June 07, 2005, 11:12:53 AM »

^., Well, if she was into flatpack furniture you think she would've at least bothered to get a couple chairs.
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Re: Norwegian Wood
« Reply #8 on: June 07, 2005, 07:19:50 PM »

huum, i luv the song...neway, i thought the bit where he sang' i lit a fire', was where he lit the fire in the room..u know? like a typical english wood-fire, or something..
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Ydoll Gwyn

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Re: Norwegian Wood
« Reply #9 on: June 07, 2005, 08:19:29 PM »

Quote from: kevin_b
^., Well, if she was into flatpack furniture you think she would've at least bothered to get a couple chairs.

Maybe she preferred to lie down with her guests rather than sit with them!

But then Johnny has to crawl off to sleep in the bath. In the bath?
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Ydoll Gwyn

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Re: Norwegian Wood
« Reply #10 on: June 07, 2005, 08:25:06 PM »

Quote from: Frightwolf
The house burned down:

PAUL 1985: "It was me who decided in 'Norwegian Wood' that the house should burn down... not that it's any big deal."

I wish someone could tell me exactly where in the song the house (flat, watever) burns down. People have been saying this for years - including Paul McCartney. (I think Paul is fibbing: he went with the flow, and got it wrong.) Here's the relevant lyrics:

And when I awoke
I was alone,
This bird has flown,
So I lit a fire,
Isn
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Kevin

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Re: Norwegian Wood
« Reply #11 on: June 08, 2005, 11:25:57 AM »

Quote from: Ydoll_Gwyn

I wish someone could tell me exactly where in the song the house (flat, watever) burns down. People have been saying this for years - including Paul McCartney. (I think Paul is fibbing: he went with the flow, and got it wrong.)

I agree with lennonlegend, just above. I've always thought it meant a fire to get warm by. Remember, Johnny has slept from from 2 am in a bath!

Mind you, if an ember landed on that bloody rug.......
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Mairi

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Re: Norwegian Wood
« Reply #12 on: June 08, 2005, 03:25:18 PM »

I've read in several different places that NW was a song John wrote about having an affair... then he changed the ending so Cynthia wouldn't catch on.

(PS, I find it funny how people who smoke pot think EVERY song is about pot ::))
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I am posting on an internet forum, therefore my opinion is fact.

zipp

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Re: Norwegian Wood
« Reply #13 on: June 08, 2005, 07:31:39 PM »

Quote from: Ydoll_Gwyn
And when I awoke
I was alone,
This bird has flown,
So I lit a fire,
Isn
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Ydoll Gwyn

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Re: Norwegian Wood
« Reply #14 on: June 08, 2005, 08:06:29 PM »

My point here was that he doesn't say he's burning the house down!
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zipp

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Re: Norwegian Wood
« Reply #15 on: June 08, 2005, 09:27:10 PM »

Quote from: Ydoll_Gwyn
My point here was that he doesn't say he's burning the house down!

No, he doesn't.But it's a possibility.

In the usually reliable book A Hard day's Write, Steve Turner says :

John later asked Paul for help with the ending and Paul said he should add some lines about the apartment burning down.Pete Shotten thought this could have referred to John's habit of burning furniture in the fireplace at Gambier Terrace in Liverpool.While he was there, John would sometimes ask guests to sleep in the bath ...
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Taxgirl

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Re: Norwegian Wood
« Reply #16 on: June 16, 2005, 07:46:00 AM »

Quote from: Mairi
I've read in several different places that NW was a song John wrote about having an affair... then he changed the ending so Cynthia wouldn't catch on.

(PS, I find it funny how people who smoke pot think EVERY song is about pot ::))

Yeah, I've read that too. I think it might be true.

You're right about pot Mairi BTW! :) I also think that every song is about pot!  ;D ;D ;D ;D Just joking.  ::) :K)
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