*susan*
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| posted on 7-29-2004 at 10:43 PM |
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Superball revisited
I happened upon an old thread and rather than resurrect it (due to some pretentious posting on it) I decided to restart it.
I know a lot of people don't like this song. I think I'd get a lot more out of it if I knew what it really meant.
I know some people have their own idea of what the song means. Example:
quote:
Originally posted by Ellen
I got the impression that she was a really stressed out person and if you pushed her too far she would "ricochet around the room" and
"send the chairs and lamps all scattering". As in throwing a fit or flipping out. Maybe that's why I don't like it... I can
identify with it! 
and I can agree with that.
I was wondering if anyone had anything in print stating what Aimee meant for it to mean. Are we misconstruing it? Or are we right on the money?? 
In the clearing stands a boxer, and a fighter by his trade
And he carries the reminders of every glove that laid him down or cut him
'til he cried out in his anger and his shame
I am leaving, I am leaving, but the fighter still remains
RAY! You take that diaper off your head, you put it back on to your sister!!
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nightman
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| posted on 7-29-2004 at 11:09 PM |
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from "aimee mann in print" i found this:
I'm With Stupid Aimee Mann
aimee talks about every song on the cd.
she says this about "superball":
Superball
You're a million places at once. With a superball,
one little throw and the thing never stops. It's like,
"Don't get me started; you have no idea what you're
getting into."
i don't know if that helps or not.
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*susan*
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| posted on 7-30-2004 at 12:08 AM |
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thanks
guess i was too lazy to find it myself.
RIP thread.
In the clearing stands a boxer, and a fighter by his trade
And he carries the reminders of every glove that laid him down or cut him
'til he cried out in his anger and his shame
I am leaving, I am leaving, but the fighter still remains
RAY! You take that diaper off your head, you put it back on to your sister!!
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John17cd
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| posted on 7-30-2004 at 12:13 AM |
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I am not a fan of "Superball" from Aimee's Im with Stupid cd. I always thought it was over the top commercial songwriting . It
seemed like it was written as a calculated modern rock hit like REM's "Shiny Happy People".
Too Forced, obnoxiuos and Aimee at her songwriting worst. A Dumb Song overall.
We all have to fall sometimes Aimee.
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AllanElephant
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| posted on 7-30-2004 at 01:07 AM |
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I love the song. One of my favorites from 'I'm With Stupid'.
Even after all that rushing around, where we've ended up is the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night. And maybe knowing isn't the
point. Where we're standing right now, in the ruins in the dark, what we could build is anything.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/SabreIsTired/lies.jpg
http://www.last.fm/user/HighOnSunday51
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nightman
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| posted on 7-30-2004 at 01:14 AM |
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i don't like it, but i don't believe (just my personal opinion) that anything aimee has written was calculated to be a hit (and
didn't end up being one either).
it's a better song than any of the "calculated" hits by britney.
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Spidey
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| posted on 7-30-2004 at 01:15 AM |
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quote:
I am not a fan of "Superball" from Aimee's Im with Stupid cd. I always thought it was over the top commercial songwriting . It
seemed like it was written as a calculated modern rock hit like REM's "Shiny Happy People".
Too Forced, obnoxiuos and Aimee at her songwriting worst. A Dumb Song overall.
Sir, what the hell are you talking about?
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Mr Harris
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| posted on 7-30-2004 at 02:42 AM |
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I agree with John17cd on this. It sounds like she was purposedly trying to write an all-out pop-rock tune with inane but catchy lyrics. It sounds
forced and insincere. I can't stand that song, and it's possibly the only Aimee song that has this effect on me.
It actually reminds me of something that Liz Phair would come up with (but without the excruciating, brainless vulgarity that Liz usually throws
around in her songs). And coming from me, that's really not a compliment...
This said, I always thought this song was about resilience. About being able to bounce back from just about any horrible experience.
"For when things are really great, it just means everything's in its place".
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al
Wise Up 
Posts 918
Registered 2-22-2004 Member Is Offline Mood: Dancing mad!
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| posted on 7-30-2004 at 04:24 AM |
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i rather like it, it sounds happy, even though it's about distance and alienation i suppose.
i always think of those old 50's movies where teenagers are dancing on a beach
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7th-Level Young Slave
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 posted on 7-30-2004 at 06:58 AM |
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  NO!!!! Not "Superball" again! Die, "Superball", die.
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John17cd
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| posted on 7-30-2004 at 05:36 PM |
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I have never heard Aimee perform Superball "live" in concert..thank goodness. I bet she is just too embarassed to perform it now.
It would look pretty stupid for a 43 year old woman to be singing "Im your Superball..." Maybe Hilary Duff will cover it. tee-hee.
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*susan*
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| posted on 7-30-2004 at 06:07 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by John17cd
"Im your Superball..." Maybe Hilary Duff will cover it.
It's I'm "A" Superball..... 
And YOU BITE YOUR TONGUE!
Someone should come up with the board 10 commandments.
Commandment #1: Thou shalt not discuss Broccoli Spears, Hillary Duff, Justin Timberlake, Jessica Simpson, or any other "flavor of the
month" pop star unless it is newsworthy, such as they died or ripped someone's bra off at the superbowl. Additionally, NEVER EVER suggest
that a single ONE of these HACKS cover a single NOTE of Aimee's, as she's so far above them, to do so would be blasphemous.
In the clearing stands a boxer, and a fighter by his trade
And he carries the reminders of every glove that laid him down or cut him
'til he cried out in his anger and his shame
I am leaving, I am leaving, but the fighter still remains
RAY! You take that diaper off your head, you put it back on to your sister!!
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nightman
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| posted on 7-30-2004 at 08:37 PM |
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quote:
Commandment #1: Thou shalt not discuss Broccoli Spears, Hillary Duff, Justin Timberlake, Jessica Simpson, or any other "flavor of the
month" pop star unless it is newsworthy, such as they died or ripped someone's bra off at the superbowl. Additionally, NEVER EVER suggest
that a single ONE of these HACKS cover a single NOTE of Aimee's, as she's so far above them, to do so would be blasphemous.
AMEN!
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al
Wise Up
Posts 918
Registered 2-22-2004 Member Is Offline Mood: Dancing mad!
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| posted on 7-30-2004 at 09:06 PM |
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*waves paper fan at face* Testify!!!
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eve
Wise Up 
Posts 861
Registered 3-16-2004 Location NC Member Is Offline Mood: Joyful
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| posted on 7-30-2004 at 09:22 PM |
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I love "Superball" for the back up banter. It's a track that could of ended up on the cutting room floor. It's a segue to
the next topic or story line on the record. like the chimes or toy piano before "You could make a killing".
 cool thread nightman, I like hearing why Aimee wrote each song. Are there any other Aimee in print threads about other albums?
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nightman
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| posted on 7-30-2004 at 09:38 PM |
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not that i'm aware of; i think that was just a promotional page put out by geffen records. the aimee mann
in print website has 20 years of articles about 'til tuesday and aimee, from 1983 - 2003 and there is a lot of interesting reading there.
it hasn't been updated since april 2003; i don't know if he lost interest....or what. that's a shame; it's a great resource.
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eve
Wise Up
Posts 861
Registered 3-16-2004 Location NC Member Is Offline Mood: Joyful
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| posted on 7-30-2004 at 09:43 PM |
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Oh WOW, thanks for the booty.
This may take awhile
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JanBrady
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| posted on 7-30-2004 at 10:08 PM |
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I love Superball not just for the upbeat tone of it, but for the brilliant way Aimee combines it with All Over Now.
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TommyT
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| posted on 8-1-2004 at 05:42 AM |
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AmberLager
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| posted on 8-1-2004 at 01:27 PM |
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This thread will never die! Nyah ah ah!
I like Superball, probably because everyone else hates it so much. Like, not love. And it does fit into IWS, for reasons mentioned above. And
it's whimsical, with bass harmonicas and slinkies. It's a fun song with hidden depth. So don't be so hard on Superball, the poor
step-child of AM songs.
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al
Wise Up
Posts 918
Registered 2-22-2004 Member Is Offline Mood: Dancing mad!
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| posted on 8-1-2004 at 05:06 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by AmberLager
This thread will never die! Nyah ah ah!
I like Superball, probably because everyone else hates it so much. Like, not love. And it does fit into IWS, for reasons mentioned above. And
it's whimsical, with bass harmonicas and slinkies. It's a fun song with hidden depth. So don't be so hard on Superball, the poor
step-child of AM songs.
the poor step child of AM songs. nice one, AmberLager
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TheAims
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| posted on 8-1-2004 at 08:04 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by *susan*
quote:
Originally posted by John17cd
"Im your Superball..." Maybe Hilary Duff will cover it.
It's I'm "A" Superball.....
And YOU BITE YOUR TONGUE!
Someone should come up with the board 10 commandments.
Commandment #1: Thou shalt not discuss Broccoli Spears, Hillary Duff, Justin Timberlake, Jessica Simpson, or any other "flavor of the
month" pop star unless it is newsworthy, such as they died or ripped someone's bra off at the superbowl. Additionally, NEVER EVER suggest
that a single ONE of these HACKS cover a single NOTE of Aimee's, as she's so far above them, to do so would be blasphemous.
This thread is way too funny to let die. Superball is great, if not for the song itself then for debates it provokes in this forum.
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Lara
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| posted on 8-2-2004 at 09:38 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by nightman
from "aimee mann in print" i found this:
I'm With Stupid Aimee Mann
aimee talks about every song on the cd.
she says this about "superball":
Superball
You're a million places at once. With a superball,
one little throw and the thing never stops. It's like,
"Don't get me started; you have no idea what you're
getting into."
i don't know if that helps or not.
I remember reading that awhile back; it's a nice concept, but I still literally cringe when I hear that song on IWS, which is my favorite CD of
hers except for LIS, and I immediately press "skip" as soon as I hear the opening chord. It's the only Aimee song I just do not
like.
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Say Anything...
Fifty Posts After the Fair 
Posts 85
Registered 10-24-2003 Location Phoenix, AZ Member Is Offline Mood: contemplative..
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| posted on 8-2-2004 at 10:30 PM |
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Y'know I wouldn't be surprised if Geffen had anything to do with Superball ending up on IWS. I'm sure they were probably pushing
Aimee for something "Top-40'ish" on the album since she was still riding the crest from TJWYA, which I remember being played on the
radio alot in '94-'95. Still, Aimee's not the one to give-in to corporate shenanigans - so maybe she included Superball for
another reason. Still not sure why some people treat it like a sonic-pariah though. All those un-mentionables (J.T., B.S., C.A., H.D. and the rest
of their ilk) couldn't hope to write a serious song with half the intent of Superball. So what if it's bouncy and chirpy?! Maybe
someone should ask Aimee about that song at one of her concerts? Has anyone ever been to a concert where someone from the audience asked to hear it?
Wonder what her response would be? 
I love that quote from "Tomorrow, Wendy" *Susan*... it's been years since I've taken Bloodletting out and listened to it! I
think "The Beast" has to be my favorite song from there...
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nightman
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| posted on 8-2-2004 at 10:51 PM |
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quote:
originally posted by Say Anything...
Has anyone ever been to a concert where someone from the audience asked to hear it? Wonder what her response would be?
i went to aimee's concert in pittsburgh last year, and after every song in the later part of the concert, some woman hollered for
"superball", over and over.
"superball, we wanna hear superball!"
aimee didn't play it. i guess you could call that a response.
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