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Interpretations:The Day

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8/3/04 I always wondered if this this song grew out of a music review referring to the artists sound as a "marriage of Marvin Gaye and Phil Ochs." Just a theory. TVsKyle

8/4/04 Perhaps. It would be nice to know what band was being referenced, though (obviously not TMBG). Maybe it's just about the "marriage" of soul and folk music in general, or even of "black" and "white" music. The song has always struck me as hippie-ish.

Marvin Gaye and Phil Ochs were both known for their left-leaning protest and anti-war songs. Of course, songwriters protesting war hasn't seemed to stop wars. I think the song is a laugh at the hapless folk/hippie dream -- "We can change the world with our music!" --Nehushtan 23:29, 16 Mar 2006 (CST)

AlienGirl's Mystery School interpretation: the "marriage" is an ironic reference to death. Incidentally, this is the song that got me to listen to Phil Ochs; he was really good.

I for one always thought this was one of their songs that's just more random and strange. It's a great mental image, this gay (in both senses) wedding with tons of happiness and biplanes, apparently. I'm probably wrong, but I still like my interpretation (or lack thereof, perhaps). ~Anna Ng: The Only TMBG Fan In Her Class

marvin gaye was murdered by his father after moving in with him to kick his cocaine addiction. his father didnt quite approve of his life style and after a heated argument he murdered that boy. tjbg

And Ochs having seen his idealistic dreams dashed, took a half-decade-long slide into obscurity, depression and mental instability, at the end of which, he took his own life....

TMBG covered Ochs' "One More Parade" for an Elektra anniversary collection (they were each on the label, 25 years apart). You can find the promotional video on YouTube, along with Ochs' original. I suppose "The Day" is a celebration of the joy that can come from two great minds joining together. Or it's a deliberately odd piece, which I wouldn't put beyond the Johns.--68.221.201.115 18:20, 24 November 2007 (UTC)

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