I continue to make a noise like a distressed tea kettle about the scene between Brienne and Jaime in the guard room in part because of all the ways in which they are talking past each other. Well. It's not so much that they're talking past each other as that he is terrible at coping with her frankness. Options for her interrupted: "You look..."
"Better" (true on a technicality)
"Awful" (almost certainly true)
"Tired" (the tactful version of 2)
And this asshole observes dismissively that he's been deloused and regained some of the weight lost during captivity and illness. Sir, she was not gearing up to give you a compliment.
Of course, it is entirely possible that what she was thinking, but could not say, is that he looks like an effigy of one of the knights of old: beautiful and resolute and as if carved from stone, entirely unlike a living man.
You came to the ball as if it were hosted in your own manor
Your pins placed perfectly on your jacket, your gloves the color of apricots
You admired yourself in the mirror as you danced
And all the noble daughters wished for your patronage.
Your conceit is so great that you likely believe that I am lamenting you.
You and I were lovers once, when I was young and unwise in such matters
You said our match was beneficial, and that you would remain by my side
But you abandoned your most treasured things, my love among them
And now my hopes have flown away on the steam rising from my tea.
Your conceit is so great that you likely believe that I am lamenting you.
I have heard that you achieved great success in battle
And that when you returned, your received the favor of our Lord
That all your associations are proper, and your illicit lovers
Are nonetheless citizens of great renown
Your conceit is so great that you likely believe that I am lamenting you.
My hopes have flown away on the steam rising from my tea.
Rolling Stone “The Honeymooners: An Interview with James Taylor and Carly Simon” January 4, 1973.
Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, & Carly Simon all had albums out in November of 1972. Both James and Carly’s albums had songs that had to do with Joni, in a way. James’ included a song that was written about Joni “New Tune”. While Carly’s “You’re So Vain” has been stipulated to be partially about David Geffen and Simon’s jealousy of his attention to Joni Mitchell’s career over her own.
Interesting thanks for responding. Basically they think for two reasons:
For Joe, they think it “must” be about him because, similar line play (example gorgeous about wanting to sink, drown and die) = a parallel to Gold Rush (in their minds)
Another one because, “I’m highly suspicious that everyone that sees you, wants you” from Lover = a parallel to Gold Rush.
So they make assumptions that it was probably Taylor feeling this way (lol…) Pre-dating Joe, while she was still with Calvin, and badly wanting him, and how she “must’ve felt” which makes no logical sense, ngl.
Then there is Harry, where fans think everything is about Harry usually.
But because Harry was very sought after (they take those lines), and some fans thinking Harry is the most beautiful man on the planet and was pictured with an Eagles jersey so they think it’s him and Harry with his MV, had some weird homage to it.
But I feel the same as you, that it’s about neither of them, but I also don’t think it’s a play on YSV by Carly, as it’s Taylor admiring their looks and being so lost in them like every one else, but she’s thrown off by the attention.
hmm, i suppose the joe thing could be true but i feel like that's way less interesting to me personally lmao.
and yeah, what you are describing is the literal story of the song: that she imagined being with someone beautiful, and decided not to pursue it (shoutout to "falling feels like flying til the bone crush" - one of my fave lines of hers ever.) but that's not the end all of the song by a long shot imo.
i still believe it could be an homage to the carly simon song because, in ysv, simon taunts the listener with all these details to make them wonder who it's about, and she even goes a step further to taunt the subject. "i bet you think this song is about you, don't you?"
taylor knew people would have the same questions about gold rush, but she turned the song on its head by fictionalizing it, turning it into folklore. maybe the subject is real, maybe it's imaginary. people are still dying to know.
also, let us have a moment for this parallel:
but you gave away the things you loved / and one of them was me / i had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee vs and then it fades into the gray of my day old tea / 'cause you know it could never be