Orange – The Future

[Timothy Connelly]

Steve,

Not Mona or Lisa here.

But Lisa encouraged us to feel free to share our thoughts, feelings and opinions here while waiting on an official answer. Here is my view:

The Future is an ultra important track because it gives Orange its basic concept. The album isn’t just a collection of unrelated songs but rather a unified collection that address the question of what will the future be.

Recorded to sort of pay homage to Revolution #9, it has John Lennon saying that the future is made by our minds. All of the songs address that in one way or another- From Once Upon a Time addressing the message of the 60s with the hint that maybe the better parts of that message need to be reintroduced to Count on Me saying that I hope you’ll find that I am trustworthy and despite some bumps- you’ll still be a friend of mine even as time does its number on all of us. That’s Life summarizes beautifully that we will all go through our stuff but if we’re in it for love- life is worth all the chances we’ll take.

I apologize that my examples oversimplify whereas the Twins were so subtle that even a big fan such as yourself overlooked it. Their combination of melody, lyrics and vocal connection are so deft that I’m sure the message that I’m getting out of it is one of only about 50 that are there.

[Rudolf Wagner]

We wanted the opening track to set the mood, to introduce the overall thematic arch of the album and to pay homage to artists and thinkers and the type of curiosity that had a profound impact on the future of society. People that knowingly or unknowingly ended up playing a role in stirring things up a little or a lot. The pursuit of truthfulness. Also as much as we draw inspiration from the past, and especially the 60s, it is the future that is yet to be written, that is yet to be shaped and experienced. We don’t romanticise the past. We believe there are lessons to be learned and a lot of wisdom to be taken on to help shape the future in the best way possible. That’s in a way everyone’s own responsibility and what makes the human experience so utterly exciting 🙂

Whether or not all that comes across in the track is up to the listener’s interpretation but those thoughts plus a big dose of sheer fun and experimentation was what was driving our artistic decisions for that track.

[Timothy Connelly]

Wow, Lisa- what a profound answer!!

In my opinion- all of that doesn’t come across in the track- it takes the entire album- all 12 songs- for you to communicate that. That’s what makes Orange such a terrific CD- the insights and musical talents of all parties involved- plus that little extra magic that’s there in every successful project.

[David Herrick]

Does anyone (besides Mona and Lisa, of course) recognize the source (person and context) of any of the quotes on this track?  Tim mentioned John Lennon, and I think I also hear JFK.  “Good heavens, what’s that?” sounds like Don Adams, although that seems unlikely.

 

 

[Jacki Hopper]

Elvis is heard as well….

[Tomás F. Calvo]

–  “Good heavens, what’s that?” sounds like Don Adams

I think it is Maxwell Smart, such an iconic 60’s character (Created by Mel Brooks & Buck Henry). I grew up with Get Smart, though in Argentina it was called “El Super Agente 86” 🙂

[Jung Roe]

Future provides a thematic unity across the album similar to Sargent Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band track at the beginning of that album, and repeats a reprise on the end of side 2 just before A Day in The Life.  Brian Wilson was enthralled by the unity he saw on Rubber Soul.  He said in a recent Tweet that every song on that album felt like it came from the same place.  It was inspiration for his Pet Sounds album which impressed John and Paul enough to answer back with Sargent Peppers.  All 3 master piece albums have a thematic arch across it.  Albums today lack that kind of artistry and are often nothing more that a collection of 10 songs to form an album.  Fortunately we have MLT who carry on that tradition of great album making like Orange.