Teatro Triste del Clown

That rarest of things these last few months, an official video!

I think its safe to say that “Erica’s Word” is the song that cemented my love of Game Theory. Yes, “24″ was the first song by them that I loved, but “Erica’s Word” (scroll down for lyrics) made me sit up and go “say, there’s really something to these nutty Game Theory kids!”

I used to play this one all the time as a DJ on WRBC. I put it on dozens of mix tapes. I actually made some of my friends Game Theory converts thanks to this song. Indeed, its one of the ones that I’d suggest you listen to first of all their songs – I would have included it first if not for my self-imposed constriction about documenting songs in my iTunes library in an orderly, alphabetical by album fashion.

“Erica’s Word” is arguably Game Theory’s best known, most popular song, though sadly that’s not necessarily suggesting that a whole lot of people are familiar with it. As far as pop songs go, it gets everything right – Mitch Easter’s production is excellent, there’s a great slow build into the song (including a great drum build to a faster guitar riff), a smart lyric, great vocals (especially the backing vocals), a fabulous solo, hand claps and that thing I like best of all. Yes, I am referring to the moment where he sings “I hope it comes through for you in a clutch,” which is followed by a hanging pause before he sings “but I wouldn’t bet much” and continues with the song. I mean, really, this is as perfect a pop song as is ever likely to exist.

Apparently, this song is about the dissolution of the first line-up of Game Theory, though you’d never know. We used to play it in college when my good friend was having trouble with his girlfriend, Erica. We were young and stupid.

There’s a lot of great lyrics to pick from that are great, but this part is my favorite:

Twelve years ago
Shorthand allegiance to the long throw
Make believe and pretend
I remember when they served the same end
You always liked the photo of us
Sitting in our car
Just like we’re driving
Girl it’s not looking like we’ll go all that far

I only have the faintest idea of what that means (I think that he’s saying she didn’t realize something she was pretending was actually make-believe – as for example, the image of them sitting in a parked car as if they were driving) but that barely matters to me because it strikes some sort of lyrical chord with me.

Anyhow, great song and you owe it to yourself to listen to it over and over again until you like it, too.

Album cover video:

Of “Regenisraen,” Miller writes:

Like the Beatles, I’ve somehow managed to write lyrics a lot of people think have hidden meaning to be deciphered, but I’ve done it without any of the burdensome worldwide superstardom the Beatles had to put up with. Gil, Shelley and Suzi, the new band, sing some good harmonies on this song. Gil on guitar. Incidentally, “Regenisraen” is Latin for “kill the pigs, acid is groovy.”

The new band he refers to is the group that formed when the first incarnation of Game Theory folded. His new line-up included his long-term collaborator Gil Ray on drums, Shelley LaFrenier (who would stay until just after their last studio album) on keyboards and Suzi Ziegler (who was just with the band for this one record) on bass and vocals.

We started off this exploration of Game Theory’s songs with most of the songs from The Big Shot Chronicles, their second official album. I mentioned at the time that we’d be addressing some of the better known songs off that album later. Later, as it happens, is now.

Anyhow, this is a pretty song with pretty vocals, but its never made a huge impression on me.

Fan video:

Scroll down for lyrics here.

“I Turned Her Away” is a fan favorite, though its one that I hadn’t been exposed to before I picked up Tinker to Evers to Chance. Its a rollicking, upbeat number about (according to Mark Deming of AllMusic.com) “crushing romantic defeat.” Very typical Game Theory number in that respect.

Sharing this one again:

Scroll down here for lyrics. A second song originally on Real Nighttime that I first heard thanks to the Tinker to Evers to Chance compilation. Like “24,” this is a song with a killer guitar hook and fantastic backing vocals. Its a bit more of an off-kilter tune, but that works for it.

I should take a minute out to give a shout out to sometime Game Theory producer and member, Michael Quercio. He was a leading force in the Paisley Underground movement with his band The Three O’Clock (who are in my iTunes library and will put in an appearance in five years or so). He produced much of their early work and was a member of the band towards the end of their existence. He sings backing vocals here.

Album cover video:

Oh, how I love this song. One of my all time favorite songs, maybe even my favorite Game Theory song. “24,” according to Scott Miller, was Game Theory’s “first record to reach national obscurity, as opposed to regional obscurity.”

In fact, this was the song that introduced me to Game Theory. I first heard it on WXCI, Danbury. Everything about it appealed to me at age 16. At the time, it was amazing to realize that somebody as old as 24 didn’t have it all figured out (which is, presumably, what the lyric is about).

The music was just enough jangle-pop, just enough Byrds, and just enough like nothing I’d heard before to firmly cement the song in my mind. When I got to college and started working at WRBC, this song (and its parent album, Real Nighttime, released in 1985) were among the first things I tracked down.

The production work by Mitch Easter is especially excellent.

Anyhow, there are delights to be found all over this track, from the great guitar hook, to the pristine keyboard work and great rhythm section. It doesn’t sound as dated as some of Game Theory’s other work – to my ear, it is timeless. And the lyrics are fabulous.

Fan video:

Original keyboardist and backing vocalist Nancy Becker comments on that video! Hurray!

“The Red Baron” is the third (and, in my opinion, best) song from Distortion. Miller writes about this song in the liner notes for Tinker to Evers to Chance:

“The Red Baron” crystallized the style of a class of my songs I’ve called young-adult-hurt-feeling-athons. Also features my usual obnoxious vocals, which we will abbreviate as U.O.V.

Miller’s vocals get a bad rap, but I think he sounds great. To each their own.

I love the lyrics to this song, so I’ll quote them extensively:

Oh, wish I knew where you’ll go
Oh, you’re making plans, I know
So do just as you have to do
But ask when you get there
Would I have pledged my life? I do
Who’s going to drive away the loneliness?
Who’s going to justify the ugliness?
Who’s going to give us our inheritance?
Who’s going to say we once were innocent?
Oh, decisions made too fast
Seem to be the ones that last
So tell me life is short
And don’t explain a thing
I will never ask you more
Now my friends are asking if I got what I was wanting
Such a high ranked jerk since moving out of town
Handing down the sky when what they wanted was my shoulder
No one’s got that kind of patience when you’re down
One day you ‘ll ask me why I hang around
Oh please, stay the way I hate you, stay the way I hate you, can’t you?
Who’s going to drive away the loneliness?
Who’s going to justify the ugliness?
Who’s going to give us our inheritance?
Who’s going to say we once were innocent?
Who’s going to nullify the carelessness?
Who’s going to finance our deliverance?
Who’s going to have a little sympathy?
Who’s going to say you can’t do this to me?

By extensive, I mean “entirely.”

Anyhow, the lyric that really hits me in the gut is “Oh please, stay the way I hate you.” The chorus is amazing with its litany of questions and fabulous Nancy Becker backing vocals.

I believe Scott Miller quotes “The Red Baron” musically on Lolita Nation, but I’m not sure where. He’s written other songs with litanies as well and they all remind me of this one. Indeed, he’s written several other ballads that remind me of this one.

Album cover video:

The second track on Distortion (scroll down for lyrics), “Nine Lives To Rigel Five” is a great Game Theory track that suffers a bit from tinny 80′s production. Miller also quotes this song on Lolita Nation – specifically on the recently mentioned track “Watch Who You’re Calling Space Garbage Meteor Mouth/Pretty Green Card Shark”. There, he slows it down a bit and strips away some of the production – I would love to hear the track recorded in that particular way.

I can share this live performance with you, though from 1983:

I think it sounds a bit better like this, actually.

I love how he quotes “Oh Suzanna” in the middle of this tune.

Album Cover Video:

Here’s a link to an interesting tribute to Scott Miller.

1984′s Distortion EP included “Shark Pretty” as its opening track. While I would stop short of calling this song the Rosetta Stone of their later Lolita Nation album, the fact of the matter is that parts of this song are all over that record.

For example:

The power chord that precedes the spoken word section of the opening track “Kenneth, What’s The Frequency” is the opening chord of this tune.

“Shard” is a brief re-imagining of the first line of this song to slightly different music.

The last chord of “Watch Who You’re Calling Space Garbage, Meteor Mouth/Pretty Green Card Shark” is the same power chord that opens this tune. Obviously, the title also references this song.

I believe there are a couple of other moments that reference this track as well. That power chord makes an appearance on at least one Loud Family record, too.

On the liner notes for Tinker to Evers to Chance, Miller writes:

Except for my usual obnoxious vocals, this is a brilliant cut. Michael Quercio produced and got great sounds from the Tascam 8-track and spring reverbs. Dave Gill and Dave Millington did some smart engineering.

Anyhow, presumably the fact that he digs the song is, at least in part, why he quoted it extensively on Lolita. I think the couplet “But when I say I’m in love with you/I mean that’s something always true” might also be part of the reason.

Anyhow, great guitar work here – a generally excellent song.

“Live Audio:”

Not quite as sharp as the album version, but you get the idea.

“Metal and Glass Exact” (scroll down for lyrics) was a second song from Pointed Accounts of People You Know. The line-up of the band at this time was Scott Miller on vocals and guitar; Dave Gill on Drums; Nancy Becker on keyboards and backing vocals and Fred Juhos on bass. Here’s the back cover of Pointed Accounts of People You Know, featuring the band looking like they’re in that awkward place between the 70′s and 80′s.

This is one of my favorite early Game Theory songs, though I can’t say that I understand what it means. Taken away from the music, the lyric reads like an Elvis Costello tune.

Album cover video:

“Penny, Things Won’t” opens Game Theory’s second album, Pointed Accounts Of People You Know. Arguably, this track features Game Theory’s first great guitar hook. Its amazing that they didn’t have hit singles on the strength of the pop hooks on their best songs. I mean, these are some catchy tunes.

“Penny, Things Won’t” was remastered for Tinker to Evers to Chance. It still sounds 80′s, but not as 80′s as the linked version.