Positively Van Gogh

From rec.music.dylan
Wed May 8 06:41:02 1996
From: Robin Jatko <rjatko@umabnet.ab.umd.edu>
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 19:35:51 -0400
Newsgroups: rec.music.dylan
Subject: Fill In the Blanks--(Van Gogh)

This is what I've got so far--other rmders have done most of the work:

POSITIVELY VAN GOGH

When I'd ask why the painting was deadly
Nobody could pick up my sign
'Cept for the cook, she was always friendly
But she'd only ask, "What's on your mind?"
She'd say that especially when it was raining
I'd say "Oh, I don't know"
But then she'd press and I'd say, "You see that painting?
Do you think it's been done by Van Gogh?"

The cook she said call her Maria
She'd always point for the same boy to come forth
Saying, "He trades cattle, it's his own idea
And he also makes trips to the north.
Have you ever seen his naked calf bleed?"
I'd say, "Oh no, why does it show?"
And she'd whisper in my ear that he's a half breed
And I'd say, "Fine, but can he paint like Van Gogh?"

I can't remember his name he never gave it
But I always figured he could go home
Til when he'd gave me his card and said, "Save it"
I could see by his eyes he was alone.
(? I could understand ?) how his four leaf clover
Drawn on his calling card showed
That it was given back to him a-many times over
And it most definitely was not done by Van Gogh.

(It was either she or maid?) just to please me
Though I sensed she could not understand
And she made a thing out of it by saying, "Go easy
He's a straight, but he's a very crooked-straight man."
And I'd say, "Does the girl in the calendar doubt it?
And by the way is it Marilyn Monroe?"
But she'd just [speak?] softly and say, "Why you wanna know about it?"
And I'd say, "I was just wondering if she ever sat for Van Gogh?"

It was either her or the straight man who introduced me
To Jeanette, Camilla's friend
Who later on falsely accused me of stealing her locket and pen
When I said "I don't have the locket"
She said "You steal pictures of everybody's mother I know"
And I said "There's no locket
No picture of any mother I would pocket
Unless it's been done by Van Gogh."

(This last verse is pretty incomprehensible, except for the first line)

Camilla's house stood on the outskirts,
How strange the (stream/street?) of chandeliers (go? glow?)
While (???) beneath the velvet carpet
of fox hunts and (love far before?)...

INCOMPLETE

Robin

(Upon further listening)
This song is obviously an unfinished work in progress. The various comments made during the course of it have been included because they may offer insight into the way Dylan writes a song. On the other hand, they may not ;-)

(D=Dylan's comments)
[U=Unknown Person's comments]
POSITIVELY VAN GOGH

(False start here, with indecipherable conversation between D and U, with the exception of D-"Terrible")

The cook she said call her Maria
She'd always point for the same boy to come forth
Saying, "He trades cattle, it's his own idea
And he also makes trips to the North
Have you ever seen his naked calf bleed?"
I'd say, "Oh no, why does it show?"
And she'd whisper in my ear that he's a half-breed
And I'd say, "Fine, but can he paint like Van Gogh?"

[U-laughter]
(D-"Wait, the tune is gonna come, man. It's on the right tune.")

I can't remember his name he never gave it
But I always figured he could go home
Til when he'd gave me his card and said, "Save it"
I could see by his eyes he was alone
But it was sad how his four leaf clover
Drawn on his calling card showed
That it was given back to him a-many times over
And it most definitely was not done by Van Gogh.

It was either she or the maid just to please me
Though I sensed she could not understand
And she made a thing out of it by saying, "Go easy
He's a straight, but he's a very crooked straight man."
And I'd say, "Does the girl in the calendar doubt it?
And by the way is it Marilyn Monroe?"
But she'd just speak softly and say, "Why you wanna know about it?"
And I'd say, "I was just wondering if she ever sat for Van Gogh."

It was either her or the straight man who introduced me...

[Many false starts and comments here]

(D-"Alright. That's the wrong beat. I'm playing the wrong thing. Oh. I... Here's the lead guitar part. Play it here. Here's the lead guitar part. Play it here. No, no, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Okay. Oh. Oh, gosh. Oh, there it is. Only, only very funky...or if not very funky, very sweet.")

(D-"What was it {?} now...Oh, this is a great, great part here. Oh. Oh yes, yes. Oh. Here's a...you know, I could take it further, but I'd have to look through all of them. This is the part about Camilla. This is all about Camilla.")

Camilla's house stood on the outskirts
How strange to see the chandeliers destroyed
While (???) beneath the velvet carpet
of fox hunts and (love far before?)

(D-"Oh, I was getting it. Oh yeah. You just hold still, Bob. We'll be getting to that thing in a minute. We have locked the last fucking reporters up, man, with a...")
(U-indecipherable)
(D-"Oh yeah, say something.")

Robin Jatko

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