She told me she worked in the morning and started to laugh

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 9:08 am

It's just that I've always wondered.

Father Emmet · Post by **Father Emmet** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 9:20 am

I always thought she had a fireplace, so he just hung around a bit, maybe finishing her supply of wine.

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 9:31 am

In the third version given in Alan and John Lomax's Carols of the Southern Plains, he did. Version two of that is a campmeeting spiritual, set to a related tune, and the first version given is incoherent, borrowning stanzas from Lord Bateman, and Sweetly Sings the Donkey, among others. In the Oxford Book of Carols, he did not, but what he did do was pleasantly surprising.

The Weekenders · Post by **The Weekenders** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 9:34 am

Man, they were just looking for a rhyme....

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 10:23 am

The Weekenders wrote:Man, they were just looking for a rhyme....

But "So I lit a fire" doesn't rhyme with anything. And they make a point of repeating her boast about the wainscoting....

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 10:49 am

Yup, he torched the place, isn't it good... etc... etc.

But, take in to account that the original line was... "... so, I lit a fire, isn't it good knowing she would?" This would suggest he was about to engage in 'num nums'.

John was encouraged to change the line as it was a little too racey for the times.

jsluder · Post by **jsluder** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 11:02 am

The Wikipedia article on Norwegian Wood has a decent discussion of this topic.

djm · Post by **djm** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 11:03 am

Oh. I thought he was extolling some esoteric feature of forestry products from Norway when burned.

djm

moxy · Post by **moxy** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 11:15 am

Hey, I voted "no", but I need to change my vote... I just re-read the lyrics, and of course, he lit her flat on fire!!

He did. Although we don't know who SHE is, and nor did he, but it seems right. Doesn't it FEEL like he would have, at least in his mind?

Montana · Post by **Montana** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 11:29 am

jsluder wrote:The Wikipedia article on Norwegian Wood has a decent discussion of this topic.

Wow, nice link. I never knew about the back-and-forth between Lennon and Dylan regarding this song. IF you follow the link for Dylan's tune, "4th Time Around", it explains the meaning behind some of the words. Interesting - Dylan was a little put-off by Norwegian Wood. Isn't imitation supposed to be the highest form of flattery?

And hey, if Maxwell could kill all those people, this guy could burn down her flat...

feadogin · Post by **feadogin** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 11:35 am

Why would he set her flat on fire when he's the one that turned HER down?

Seems like she would be the one to set HIS flat on fire!

J.

jsluder · Post by **jsluder** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 11:48 am

feadogin wrote:Why would he set her flat on fire when he's the one that turned HER down?

Are we listening to the same song?

The Weekenders · Post by **The Weekenders** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 11:49 am

Hey, anybody stupid enough to sleep in the bathtub... oh, never mind....

Father Emmet · Post by **Father Emmet** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 11:55 am

The Weekenders wrote:Hey, anybody stupid enough to sleep in the bathtub... oh, never mind....

Yes, he should have left and gone to the pub.

dwinterfield · Post by **dwinterfield** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 1:05 pm

No arson. Just a joint.

Chiff and Fipple Forums

She told me she worked in the morning and started to laugh

So, does he really set her flat on fire?

She told me she worked in the morning and started to laugh