An Early Chronology of Songs (Part 2 of 2)

The following is an excerpt of an email sent from Art to Will on 26 August 2012.

Arthur White's Apotheosis:

Not sure how this happens, but Arthur White loses his band and his family at this point.  The loss of The Sweet World occurs at the end (or perhaps before the end) of the Asian tour.  Thus in "Tokyo Nights," he muses: "Wonder if I could bail on the boys in the band."  Apotheosis is kind of like Hendrix's Band of Gypsies with maybe only a live album.

• Tokyo Nights
• Losing Game
• Tell Me Why (You Took Away My Children)

Asian spiritual odyssey (kind of like Richard Alpert/Ram Dass or Leonard Cohen): Burned by these losses, Arthur White tries to find solace in the spiritual, parting ways with the band after their show at the Budokan (perhaps he leaves between the first and second show).

• Arthur White Theme
• Centerstage
• Paradise Parade
• High Time
• Tryptych

Arthur White's Brand New Life

Whereas I personally would likely have gone with an austere Zen or Theravadin Buddhist monastic tradition, I think these are too imaginatively impoverished for Arthur White.  He gets embroiled in some arcane, convoluted cult run by some megalomaniac charlatan, ultimately signing over all his possessions, including his entire discography.

I see him having been asked to destroy his music because it is too worldly, but the cult double deals with him and actually holds onto the rights, thinking they may be valuable later.  He does eventually get out, but there are rumors of him being followed and even that his life is in danger.  Having undergone brainwashing, he is racked with doubts about his choice to escape. There are probably some more difficult romantic relationships in here as well.

• Seven Storey Mountain
• Mountain Cave
• The Splinter

Somehow, Arthur finds the peace of mind necessary to bang out some very strange, new songs--a seeming total departure musically and lyrically from things he's written in the past (wonder why!).  Maybe he starts trying to reconnect with his children, etc.  This could be a burst of clarity right before his ultimate demise, almost like he has a premonition of his imminent transcendence and is no longer grasping.

• Brand New Life Theme
• Selling My Gold
• Retire the Empire
• Helen of Troy