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Paris Is Burning

from Everything That's Good by Blair Packham

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about

This one took a long time to finish. Years, in fact. And I still don't know quite what it's about. I wrote this with a different process than I usually use. I started with the music, with the bed track, in fact, and then wrote a melody and finally words came. (Usually the words come first for me). The title is the same as a fantastic documentary about the transvestite scene in New York City in the late 80s. And the question "Is Paris burning?" was what Adolf Hitler asked his chief of staff on the eve of the liberation of Paris (August 25, 1944); Hitler had ordered Paris destroyed rather than let it fall undamaged into the hands of the Allies. But why I chose "Paris Is Burning" as a title is still a mystery to me. I am neither a WW2 historian nor a cross-dresser. Not yet, anyway.

"I'm still working on this concrete boat" refers to me plugging away at music, despite all the odds being against me. I saw a newspaper article about a guy who made a boat out of concrete in his back yard and how his neighbours thought he was crazy. And one day, he loaded it up on a trailer, and sailed away to parts unknown. It floated just fine. And the boat reference itself, is what comedians call a "call-back" to the boat in "Crying A River For You".

lyrics

words and music by
Blair Packham

Well, I didn’t forgive you
When I told you that I would
And I didn’t forget you
Though we both agreed I should

But Paris is burning
And we must make our escape

It is said cats have nine lives
While men have only three:
The private life
The public life
The one lived in secrecy

But Paris is burning
And the truth will be revealed

People laugh at me
They smile and joke
I’m still working on this concrete boat
Will it sink or will it float?
Take my hand: we’ll sail downstream

Sometimes chances are taken
Sometimes chances are refused
Sometimes madness overtakes you
When all your chances have been used

But Paris is burning
And the streets are running red
Paris is burning...

© 1997 No. 1 Imperfects (SOCAN)

credits

from Everything That's Good, released May 30, 2000
Blair Packham, guitars, keyboards, sequenced percussion and exotica. Maury LaFoy, bass. Pat Steward, drums. Kurt Swinghammer, filtered slide guitar solo. Ron Sexsmith, harmony vocals.

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Blair Packham Toronto, Ontario

New album "The Impossible Dream" coming soon! Thirteen years after 2004’s “Could’ve Been King," Blair Packham returned with a collection of clever and heartfelt songs, called “Unpopular Pop.” A bit Beatle-y, with shades of Elvis Costello, Blair’s songs are undeniably all his. He made the record at home and then called on Ron Sexsmith and ex-Barenaked Ladies’ Steven Page to make vocal appearances. ... more

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