'Numerology' regarding CT album track arrangement?

[etc etc]

Maybe it is like Beatle's fans reading too much into a barefoot Paul and license plates indicating age of death on album covers or playing tracks backwards i.e. "turn me on dead man" etc etc......BUT, I have always felt that the fact that ALL of the albums have 10 tracks on them and track arrangement---to me--- seems to often follow a similar pattern i.e. the 'single' almost always shows up on track 3 (dew drops, fingers, iceblink luck, bluebeard, tishbite) most of the albums end with a BANG....some of the most perfect songs fall at track 10 to leave you mesmerized and they are usually preceeded by a track 9 killer to leave you with a 1-2 punch at the end......also tracks 2 and especially track 8 tends to be the spacier/dreamier 'out in the stratosphere' tracks...track 4 always seems like a left turn after the track 3 'single' track.......well, it is well known that the human mind is always searching for 'patterns' and will even impose a pattern where there may not be one, but as you can tell, I've 'noticed' a pattern from my own reference point. Is there any basis to this observation (CT members?) and have other fans felt this way over the years regarding the albums? Remember, The Clash did engrave "no one can hear you in space" over the six sides of vinyl (one word on each side!)that composed Sandinista....I did love that when I found it while stoned around 1983 and was using that album as a key to life.....maybe thats what fucked me up! Feedback appreciated.....

[Brett]

A pedant writes – Garlands has 8 and Victorialand 9. However, I never found such behaviour attractive! LOL. This is, IMHO, a very good point. I had myself caught onto the ‘catchy, radio-friendly-unit-shifter at position 3’ thing. Yeah, I reckon it has something to do with a pattern in their thinking. Well, Simon and Robin are here sometimes, so maybe they’ll answer for you?

Would it be such a surprise though? I mean, think about whenever you burn somebody a compilation. Don’t you give long and careful thought, not just to what makes the cut but where you might position each track for maximum effect? Like you, I tend to particularly enjoy the album closers like Seekers, Pur, Donimo and Musette. If you placed, say Donimo on a CD compilation in position 2 it just wouldn’t work. My point is, you may have your own perceived viewpoint on how to structure an album. Unless with time this viewpoint altered, you yourself might begin to repeat pattern your behaviour with subsequent albums.

As a footnote, your Clash example reminded me of something else I miss from Vinyl. Namely, the end of side one and beginning of side two. I think I have a personal need almost for the best track to be the final track. In the ‘old days’ of Vinyl it was also important to me which track ended side 1, Pandora being a good example.

Good thread, thanks.

[etc etc]

Oooops, there goes the fucking theory,poof, up in smoke! Yeah, I didn't do a track count on those two (Garlands and Victorialand)...but ya know, that number 10 keeps popping up on most! Brett, those vinyl days were good weren't they? Like I said about Sandinista...plus it came with that poster pullout of most of the lyrics and some pretty interesting comic style artwork...God that was my Bible. Thanks for Reminding me of that first side/second side thing...makes me think about why organization of tracks was probably approached differently in LP days...like two little albums in one..... with side 1 and side 2. I am now fondly recalling teenage years (20+ years ago now) with a head full of pot, the stereo going full tilt, lying on my bed at home surrounded with albums in play...about to be played...and already played...all gooned out gazing at the artwork and lyrics and getting pummeled with THC thoughts!!!! Ahhhh, youth!!!

[Lucibelle]

Hey, man.......whatever works. :D

[etc etc]

One thing is for sure.....that avatar of yours WORKS!

[iceblink555]

Originally posted by etc etc
One thing is for sure.....that avatar of yours WORKS!

I second that!

Work that avatar, baby, work it good!

--Alan

[Brett]

Originally posted by etc etc
Brett, those vinyl days were good weren't they? Like I said about Sandinista...plus it came with that poster pullout of most of the lyrics and some pretty interesting comic style artwork...God that was my Bible. Thanks for Reminding me of that first side/second side thing...makes me think about why organization of tracks was probably approached differently in LP days...like two little albums in one..... with side 1 and side 2. Ahhhh, youth!!!

It was so different. When you think the total album usually clocked in at around 40 mins. That's 2 x 20 min sides. So really it was like playing twin EP's (no pun intended). I have longer singles! (Godspeed, Mogwai etc) These days it isn't rare to get a 50 min+ album. Quite a few are 70 mins. eg () by Sigur Ros. That would've been a double in the 'old days'.

Yeah the artwork was more special. Peter Saville and 23 Envelope. It looked like art because it was art! That feeling of anticipation when you slid out the inner sleeve and it wasn't just plain white. CD sleeves don't come close. Plus I loathe digipacs. Anyone else?

I'll shut up now:)

[ScottL]

I don't know about the rest, but I only thought of the last 4 albums displaying a formula driven track listing, if at all. Mainly I had noticed how track 3 seemed notably the most happy song on each album, and maybe that the last song had a bit of a finale sound. Track 3 on treasure was Beatrix, which I considered neither very mainstream nor particularly happy, not as much as Aloysius is for me. Donimo on the other hand has a soft intro and a sudden shift to a booming climax like Pur and FrouFrouFoxes...however, BBK has no such song IMO and Treasure Hiding is the closest to that on M&K...so I dunno...I guess I still only hear the happy track3 thing from BBK on...

[kookaburra]

All interesting points, really. But what does any of this have to do with numerology?

[etc etc]

Loose use of the term Kooky hence the ' ' surrounding the word other than that I ain't taking the bait.......seems others are getting the 'drift'....

[kookaburra]

Originally posted by etc etc
Loose use of the term Kooky hence the ' ' surrounding the word other than that I ain't taking the bait.......seems others are getting the 'drift'....

I don't quite understand this "sentence".

[etc etc]

That's "too bad"

[kookaburra]

Hook, line, and sinker!

No applause, thank you.

[etc etc]

Yawn!