Comments on: ZAGER AND EVANS - “In The Year 2525 (Exordium And Terminus)” http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/ Lollards in the high church of low culture Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:50:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Indy http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-266309 Indy Thu, 03 May 2007 23:30:52 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-266309 Dear All: Good evening from Canada!!! I hope this finds you and yours well. As for me, I could complain...yadda, yadda, yadda. Whilst you all are picking "2525" apart, I do agree with Mr. Ewing in the fact that song is a futurescope that is a crystal ball into our future--into the future of man. This song also carries a warning which we all should heed in these days of global warming. The song carries the line--"We've taken all this old Earth can give and never put back nothin'." If we don't want bring around Earth's early demise, we should put back all that we have taken. Ind. Dear All:

Good evening from Canada!!! I hope this finds you and yours well. As for me, I could complain…yadda, yadda, yadda.

Whilst you all are picking “2525″ apart, I do agree with Mr. Ewing in the fact that song is a futurescope that is a crystal ball into our future–into the future of man. This song also carries a warning which we all should heed in these days of global warming. The song carries the line–”We’ve taken all this old Earth can give and never put back nothin’.”

If we don’t want bring around Earth’s early demise, we should put back all that we have taken.

Ind.

]]> By: Al Ewing http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-254669 Al Ewing Sun, 08 Apr 2007 01:17:00 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-254669 Obviously what happens in the year 2525 is a futurescope is invented that allows man to look into all the other future years and see what 'they may find' there. Obviously what happens in the year 2525 is a futurescope is invented that allows man to look into all the other future years and see what ‘they may find’ there.

]]> By: Zarathustra Smith http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-121692 Zarathustra Smith Wed, 13 Dec 2006 12:45:27 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-121692 I don't quite appreciate what is supposed to happen in the titular year itself. At the beginning, they intone "In the year 2525, if man is still alive, if woman can survive, they may find..." Then they go straight into "in the year 3535", with its nightmarish vision of pharmaceutical-induced consciousness. The conditional clauses are left dangling. The song's called In The Year 2525, but makes no mention of what "they may find". I don’t quite appreciate what is supposed to happen in the titular year itself. At the beginning, they intone “In the year 2525, if man is still alive, if woman can survive, they may find…”

Then they go straight into “in the year 3535″, with its nightmarish vision of pharmaceutical-induced consciousness. The conditional clauses are left dangling. The song’s called In The Year 2525, but makes no mention of what “they may find”.

]]> By: geoff http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-43148 geoff Fri, 13 Oct 2006 16:36:51 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-43148 most famous pair of dudes out of seward, nebraska. fact! most famous pair of dudes out of seward, nebraska. fact!

]]> By: Doctor Mod http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-38015 Doctor Mod Wed, 27 Sep 2006 02:14:14 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-38015 But hey--I admit that I still like those showtunes from "Hair." But hey–I admit that I still like those showtunes from “Hair.”

]]> By: Doctor Mod http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-38014 Doctor Mod Wed, 27 Sep 2006 02:13:09 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-38014 A song with no middle eight or bridge (does it even really have a chorus?), weird science, and wacko pseudo-theology as a backlash against The Dawning of the Age of Aquarius. (Absurdus ad nauseam) A song with no middle eight or bridge (does it even really have a chorus?), weird science, and wacko pseudo-theology as a backlash against The Dawning of the Age of Aquarius.

(Absurdus ad nauseam)

]]> By: jeff w http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-37894 jeff w Tue, 26 Sep 2006 16:02:17 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-37894 Edmundo Ros's medley "Hare Krishna - Be In" trumps all. Edmundo Ros’s medley “Hare Krishna - Be In” trumps all.

]]> By: Dadaismus http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-37808 Dadaismus Tue, 26 Sep 2006 10:57:03 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-37808 I too am, as our American chums would have it, <i>conflicted</i> over "Hair" as I love "Good Morning Starshine" by Oliver, which is undeniably silly I too am, as our American chums would have it, conflicted over “Hair” as I love “Good Morning Starshine” by Oliver, which is undeniably silly

]]> By: Marcello Carlin http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-37803 Marcello Carlin Tue, 26 Sep 2006 10:36:19 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-37803 Has nobody told you about the Club Poptimism Christmas Special then Pete? ;-) The Fifth Dimension's Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In medley (number one in America in '69, only number eleven here, tut tut) I frequently think is one of the greatest things ever. Shame that the Cowsills never caught on in Britain because their individualistic rendition of the title song is quite perversely brilliant. Has nobody told you about the Club Poptimism Christmas Special then Pete? ;-)

The Fifth Dimension’s Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In medley (number one in America in ‘69, only number eleven here, tut tut) I frequently think is one of the greatest things ever.

Shame that the Cowsills never caught on in Britain because their individualistic rendition of the title song is quite perversely brilliant.

]]> By: Pete Baran http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-37800 Pete Baran Tue, 26 Sep 2006 10:17:45 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-37800 I won't hear anything against the soundtrack of Hair (unless it is an appreciation of it all being rather hippy and all, which is not really a bad thing, its just a thing). I think the London Cast Recording is better by the way, because it seems to rock out more. Though I would be wary of naked people rocking out quite that much... I won’t hear anything against the soundtrack of Hair (unless it is an appreciation of it all being rather hippy and all, which is not really a bad thing, its just a thing). I think the London Cast Recording is better by the way, because it seems to rock out more. Though I would be wary of naked people rocking out quite that much…

]]> By: Marcello Carlin http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-37798 Marcello Carlin Tue, 26 Sep 2006 10:13:54 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-37798 And I own both the Broadway and London Original Cast Recording albums of <i>Hair</i> - the latter featuring Alex Harvey, Ray Russell and various other improv mortgage-payers in the line-up! And I own both the Broadway and London Original Cast Recording albums of Hair - the latter featuring Alex Harvey, Ray Russell and various other improv mortgage-payers in the line-up!

]]> By: Dadaismus http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-37793 Dadaismus Tue, 26 Sep 2006 10:06:45 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-37793 This always reminds me of that Daffy Duck cartoon, "Duck Dodgers In the 25th and a Half Century!", what with the silly years involved 7510 9595 etc, it's just an extremely silly song. It has the feel of "Hair" about it (a Hairy feeling) which, in itself, was a pretty silly venture. Of course, I do own the "In the Year 2525" album. This always reminds me of that Daffy Duck cartoon, “Duck Dodgers In the 25th and a Half Century!”, what with the silly years involved 7510 9595 etc, it’s just an extremely silly song. It has the feel of “Hair” about it (a Hairy feeling) which, in itself, was a pretty silly venture. Of course, I do own the “In the Year 2525″ album.

]]> By: wwolfe http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-37562 wwolfe Mon, 25 Sep 2006 18:13:40 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-37562 When I first heard Seals and Crofts several years later, I thought Zager and Evans had made a comeback. I wonder if the movie "2001" was an inspiration for this song. If so, I like to imagine Stanley Kubrick tapping his foot to this little number. As for myself, it's impossible to think of this song without immediately finding myself awash in memories of my Little League baseball team celebrating its championship, because "2525" was playing on the jukebox in the restaurant where we had our post-game party. That's probably not a common response, though. When I first heard Seals and Crofts several years later, I thought Zager and Evans had made a comeback.

I wonder if the movie “2001″ was an inspiration for this song. If so, I like to imagine Stanley Kubrick tapping his foot to this little number.

As for myself, it’s impossible to think of this song without immediately finding myself awash in memories of my Little League baseball team celebrating its championship, because “2525″ was playing on the jukebox in the restaurant where we had our post-game party. That’s probably not a common response, though.

]]> By: Lena http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-37525 Lena Mon, 25 Sep 2006 16:42:29 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-37525 This reminds me of two wholly unrelated things - the first being a piece by Robert Benchley about how one day man will evolve into something more like a catalpa tree, and the late 60s obsession with the population explosion that was to cause nothing but trouble if not outright famine and general chaos. My parents did their bit by only having me... This reminds me of two wholly unrelated things - the first being a piece by Robert Benchley about how one day man will evolve into something more like a catalpa tree, and the late 60s obsession with the population explosion that was to cause nothing but trouble if not outright famine and general chaos. My parents did their bit by only having me…

]]> By: Doctor Casino http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-37304 Doctor Casino Sun, 24 Sep 2006 22:29:16 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-37304 For god's sake, couldn't they have kept the years a little less outlandish? <i>9595</i>, for Petes sake! Are we really to believe that it's a <i>millenium</i> between the age when machines do your walking and arm movement for you, and the age when you can pick your children from a long glass tube?? Meanwhile, God "maybe" stops by in the year 7510 and considers the Rapture...but waits until the year <i>8510</i> to shake his mighty head or whatever? And it all just kind of stops dead with the year 9595, when we're "kinda wonderin' if man is gonna be alive"? It's just <i>so</i> evident that they picked a bunch of years and randomly assigned them different spooky future things, then ran out of ideas so they filled up a few years with God being perturbed, phrased in different ways. One thing doesn't lead to another and it all ends vaguely. All in all, totally lazy, which is fatal because the composition never does anything different - not even a "bad trip" futuristic breakdown with primitive synth noises or a theremin or something! If things are going to be this repetitious the lyrics need to be full of twists and clever surprises (see, I don't know - <i>Trapped In The Closet</i>) and this isn't cutting it at all. Bad. For god’s sake, couldn’t they have kept the years a little less outlandish? 9595, for Petes sake! Are we really to believe that it’s a millenium between the age when machines do your walking and arm movement for you, and the age when you can pick your children from a long glass tube?? Meanwhile, God “maybe” stops by in the year 7510 and considers the Rapture…but waits until the year 8510 to shake his mighty head or whatever? And it all just kind of stops dead with the year 9595, when we’re “kinda wonderin’ if man is gonna be alive”? It’s just so evident that they picked a bunch of years and randomly assigned them different spooky future things, then ran out of ideas so they filled up a few years with God being perturbed, phrased in different ways. One thing doesn’t lead to another and it all ends vaguely. All in all, totally lazy, which is fatal because the composition never does anything different - not even a “bad trip” futuristic breakdown with primitive synth noises or a theremin or something! If things are going to be this repetitious the lyrics need to be full of twists and clever surprises (see, I don’t know - Trapped In The Closet) and this isn’t cutting it at all. Bad.

]]> By: Chris Brown http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-36999 Chris Brown Sat, 23 Sep 2006 14:27:14 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-36999 Yeah, I'd go with "lack of charm" too. I don't know if it's exactly the seriousness that I'd blame for that, but there's certainly something in there that keeps it from being likeable or even enjoyably awful in the way of most novelty classics. I'd give it 2.525 and that's generous. Yeah, I’d go with “lack of charm” too. I don’t know if it’s exactly the seriousness that I’d blame for that, but there’s certainly something in there that keeps it from being likeable or even enjoyably awful in the way of most novelty classics.

I’d give it 2.525 and that’s generous.

]]> By: pˆnk s lord sükråt cunctør http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-36909 pˆnk s lord sükråt cunctør Sat, 23 Sep 2006 08:55:48 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-36909 covered by LAIBACH and FIELDS OF THE NEPH!! covered by LAIBACH and FIELDS OF THE NEPH!!

]]> By: GeorgeB http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-36905 GeorgeB Sat, 23 Sep 2006 08:37:02 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-36905 Lyrically, isn't it more about Jesus and the Bible than Macca? There are bits about the Rapture in there - which is a bit worrying, and which adds to the seriousness of it all, which is the main turn-off. Bonkers it surely is Tom, but I just don't think it has the charm that a good novelty record needs. Apparently it was written in 64 (which puts it in the same era as Eve of Destruction? Is it a sci-fi folk song?!)and was picked up Texas radio a couple of years later and took another 3 years to reach the top. Lyrically, isn’t it more about Jesus and the Bible than Macca? There are bits about the Rapture in there - which is a bit worrying, and which adds to the seriousness of it all, which is the main turn-off. Bonkers it surely is Tom, but I just don’t think it has the charm that a good novelty record needs. Apparently it was written in 64 (which puts it in the same era as Eve of Destruction? Is it a sci-fi folk song?!)and was picked up Texas radio a couple of years later and took another 3 years to reach the top.

]]> By: intothefireuk http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-36869 intothefireuk Sat, 23 Sep 2006 06:30:04 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-36869 Having a big affection for 'cheesy sci-fi' I actually like this. For me a musical rendition of an Irwin Allen (or even a Gerry Anderson show) would not be a bad thing but judging by the responses so far I must be alone in these thoughts. I even like the font ! The only disappointment for me is that the punchline at the end is a little rushed. By punchline I mean the bit where man's had it and 'maybe it's only yesterday' and back to the beginning. Hopefully I haven't got this wrong and it's some sly reference to the Mccartney tune. It's camp and it doesn't know it and it's all the better for it. I wouldn't have any problem with it scoring at least an 8. Having a big affection for ‘cheesy sci-fi’ I actually like this. For me a musical rendition of an Irwin Allen (or even a Gerry Anderson show) would not be a bad thing but judging by the responses so far I must be alone in these thoughts. I even like the font ! The only disappointment for me is that the punchline at the end is a little rushed. By punchline I mean the bit where man’s had it and ‘maybe it’s only yesterday’ and back to the beginning. Hopefully I haven’t got this wrong and it’s some sly reference to the Mccartney tune. It’s camp and it doesn’t know it and it’s all the better for it. I wouldn’t have any problem with it scoring at least an 8.

]]> By: Tom http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-36862 Tom Sat, 23 Sep 2006 05:35:42 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-36862 How can it be 'dishonest'!! We're still 519 years off proving that?! More seriously, I take yr point, but I don't think anyone could undertake this project (and stay sane) without an affection for bonkers novelty hits, so expect plenty more high marks to come. How can it be ‘dishonest’!! We’re still 519 years off proving that?!

More seriously, I take yr point, but I don’t think anyone could undertake this project (and stay sane) without an affection for bonkers novelty hits, so expect plenty more high marks to come.

]]> By: GeorgeB http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-36835 GeorgeB Fri, 22 Sep 2006 23:48:36 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-36835 Seems more in keeping with the cheesy sci-fi stuff that was standard fare on tv around this time, than the moon landings. In fact this is so awful it could almost be read as a musical rendition of an Irwin Allen tv show -the dishonest mix of affectation, melodrama and dollops of portentous claptrap. If this cheap and nasty and empty concoction deserves to be a mere 4 marks off "Grapevine", I'm an alien. Seems more in keeping with the cheesy sci-fi stuff that was standard fare on tv around this time, than the moon landings. In fact this is so awful it could almost be read as a musical rendition of an Irwin Allen tv show -the dishonest mix of affectation, melodrama and dollops of portentous claptrap. If this cheap and nasty and empty concoction deserves to be a mere 4 marks off “Grapevine”, I’m an alien.

]]> By: blount http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-36811 blount Fri, 22 Sep 2006 18:02:00 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-36811 this has always sounded like some ridiculous apocalyptic 'age of aquarius/let the sunshine in' to me. somehow i never bought it's silliness (and i'm an easy sell on silliness) and the sci-fi aspect passed me by entirely even though as that font makes clear it's a MAJOR FACTOR in the song. this has always sounded like some ridiculous apocalyptic ‘age of aquarius/let the sunshine in’ to me. somehow i never bought it’s silliness (and i’m an easy sell on silliness) and the sci-fi aspect passed me by entirely even though as that font makes clear it’s a MAJOR FACTOR in the song.

]]> By: jeff w http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-36800 jeff w Fri, 22 Sep 2006 15:48:24 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-36800 Good joke in the movie <i>Alien cubed</i> (set in the year 2179 according to Wiki): the first guy to get offed is singing this song just beforehand. Good joke in the movie Alien cubed (set in the year 2179 according to Wiki): the first guy to get offed is singing this song just beforehand.

]]> By: Tom http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-36799 Tom Fri, 22 Sep 2006 15:31:06 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-36799 The touch I particularly like, btw, is the sudden switch from "6565" to "7510" in order to rhyme with "then"...OR IS IT THAT THEY KNOW SOMETHING!! The touch I particularly like, btw, is the sudden switch from “6565″ to “7510″ in order to rhyme with “then”…OR IS IT THAT THEY KNOW SOMETHING!!

]]> By: Steve Mannion http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-36798 Steve Mannion Fri, 22 Sep 2006 15:27:41 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2006/09/zager-and-evans-in-the-year-2525-exordium-and-terminus/#comment-36798 This is my favourite use of parentheses in a #1 single. This is my favourite use of parentheses in a #1 single.

]]>