THE SONGWRITER AS POET:
IAN MCCULLOCH AND THE PRE-RAPHAELITE TRADITION

Kristin F. Smith

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PART THREE: MCCULLOCH AS POET
Chapter 14: Structural Devices in Ian McCulloch's Work

     McCulloch often weaves complex tapestries, and the use of opposing, concurrent or counter-punctual themes provides him with a favorite method of adding dimensionality to his work. Baby Rain [1999], a song which runs serious risk of drowning in sweetness and light:

"Glad to be
Alive and still believing
What you said to me
Your love was never leaving
And it comes for free" [IM; Baby Rain; WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE?; 1999]

is rescued by the refrain:

"I've got what you want
When you gonna get me?" [IM; Baby Rain; WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE?; 1999]

which provides a nice little naughty counterpoint to the otherwise elevated sentiments, giving the song an edge, and lowering the glucose level. The gritty, tense ambiance of Fish Hook Girl [1999] gains depth and complexity from the reassuring "Hey, now" chorus and the addition of a third voice, which asks, "what are we doing here?", all laid over a series of disturbing, painterly images.
     Contrasting themes may form an integral part of the lyric. The dark ambiance of A Promise [1981] changes to exultance in the chorus and gives the song its meaning:

"Light on the waves....Light on the waves....
Light on the water; we could sail on forever...." [IM; A Promise; HEAVEN UP HERE; 1981]

     Similarly, the whole point of The White Hotel [1989] lies in its defiantly jubilant chorus, which through sheer force of will overcomes the nihilistic lyrics:

"I want to be the dust
Inside a vacuum
An ice cube frozen in the melting sea
-------------------------------
Ringing all the bells
Down at the White Hotel tonight...." [IM; The White Hotel; CANDLELAND; 1989]

     After all, the people at THE WHITE HOTEL (a novel by D. M. Thomas) always had the best time they could under difficult conditions.
     Nor does McCulloch necessarily keep to one point of view within a song. We may encounter various combinations of: the Poet carrying on a dialog with himself; the Poet talking to someone else; someone else speaking to the Poet; good and/or bad angels whispering in his ear; or the Poet addressing the motive forces of the universe. Moreover (pronoun slippage being a common McCulloch phenomenon), just who is speaking to whom is not always evident.
     McCulloch has always been interested in dichotomies, and some of his best work results when he combines two conflicting ideas and lets them fight. It's Alright [2001] begins with the Good Angel holding forth:

"Somebody wants you
Someone out there
Somebody needs you
Somebody cares...." [IM; It's Alright; FLOWERS; 2001]

Just as things begin to get maudlin, the Bad Angel comes swooping in:

"But if nobody's there
Here they come again
Whispers in my head...." [IM; It's Alright; FLOWERS; 2001]

     The dichotomy between Good and Evil, generally not a humorous subject, plays out like high-style slapstick.
     McCulloch makes interesting variations in his use of different voices. History Chimes [1999], an odd, appealing little song, has the Poet telling his younger selves:

"I've seen you
And now I know better
I've been you
Now I'm someone else
Until tomorrow
But that's another time...." [IM; History Chimes; WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE?; 1999]

     Sometimes the answering voice makes it work. Buried Alive's [2001] reassuring refrain:

"Hey now, hey now
Don't you cry
It's just the dying of the light
Time to say our goodbyes
I'll look for you in that goodnight" [IM; Buried Alive; FLOWERS; 2001]

coalesces with the pain and uncertainty of the lyric to form a gorgeous heartbreak of a song. We should also note a nice bit of pastiche: two phrases from Dylan Thomas' Do Not Go Gentle Into That Goodnight, used here with an entirely different attitude.

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An Annotated Discography: Works by Echo and the Bunnymen, Ian McCulloch, Will Sergeant, Electrafixion and Glide (off-site link)
Echo and the Bunnymen, Ian McCulloch and Electrafixion: Album Reviews (off-site link)
The Bunnymen Concert Log: A comprehensive, annotated listing of concert dates, venues and set lists for Echo and the Bunnymen, Ian McCulloch and Electrafixion (off-site link)

Bunnymen.info - The (Unofficial) News Source (off-site link, run by Charles Pham)

Aldems' Political Quotations: Apt and Otherwise
BlindFool and Scruffy Dog: Dilettantes-at-Large

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