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DRIVING TO DAMASCUS
DEEP DIVE - PART 6


5 November 2017
3:29:38




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Grace – song DEEP DIVE by Tom and Svein

  • Another religion-themed song with several biblical allusions.
  • The album started with a song about love in the spiritual sense. It ends here with a song about love in the physical sense – and how physical closeness can feel so strong that it becomes spiritual.
  • Not a song about the lead-up to sex, or sex itself, but about the moments after sex – the closeness, the spiritual bond felt between two people who just climaxed together.
  • Intense words of devotion to the woman – putting her up on a gigantic pedestal, kneeling in disgrace, worshipping her. Is this too much or a wonderful sentiment?
  • Discussion on the “little death” in the third verse – the main clue? The term is often used as a synonym for an orgasm, going back as far as medieval times.
  • Tom’s one album rant: the explosion that happens live in the instrumental break is neutered in the studio version. A general production issue – understanding when you need some big dynamic changes in a song, adding light and shade. Sometimes it’s there, other times it’s missing, and this may be the worst example on the album.
  • Kudos to the final chorus and the lyrics only sung by the backing voices.

Tom and Svein’s combined ranking for the album.

Speakpipe from Tim Eldred.

Album wrap-up and overall/final thoughts.

A look at the many different editions of the album that have been released.

Tony Butler’s track by track commentary for all the Driving To Damascus songs.

Speakpipe from Dwayne Bunney.

Revisiting the Bella/INXS discussion with some new and very interesting facts.

The DTD appendix: The b-sides, the outtakes, and the egg timer

  • All b-sides, outtakes and rarities that have been released somewhere (and one that isn’t) are discussed – 24 songs total.
  • The co-hosts have 90 seconds each to talk about the song (totalling three minutes for each song), with the egg timer signalling when the time is up.
  • Three “wild cards” each – giving an additional 90 seconds of speaking time.

The songs are discussed in this order:

  • Medicine Show
  • Cimarron
  • Without Wings
  • Birmingham
  • Living By Memory
  • Don’t You Stay
  • Sun And My Shadow
  • Dust On the Road
  • Loserville
  • Camp Smedley’s Theme
  • I Get Hurt
  • John Wayne’s Dream
  • This Blood’s For You
  • Sleep Until Dawn

Rant break: both Tom and Svein discuss the phenomena of talking during shows.

  • Another Misty Morning
  • Ages of Man
  • I’m On This Train
  • You Want Me To Go
  • Daystar
  • Sweet November Nothings
  • Simple’s Always Best
  • Soldier of the Lord
  • Small Town Big News
  • Second Time Around

“Live” drawing of a TGD Facebook competition for the “In the Scud” EP.

Final, final, final ramblings of two exhausted madmen about the album – thank you for following us on this mega-drive to Damascus. Many thanks, and have at you!

“Fragile Thing” – live acoustic version by Stuart Adamson and Bruce Watson. BBC Radio Scotland, 22 May 2000.