This Joke Sport Severed - But Which Sport?

[tzb]

An odd one but this has been in my head since I first heard the song (I may have mentioned it on here before, can't remember). Interpreting Richey lyrics is something even the other band members didn't engage in without a pinch of salt so please help yourself to a handful, but the main lyric of this song:

"This joke sport severed
I endeavoured
To find a place where
I became untethered"

has always made me think of the episode of The Simpsons where they're picking sports for school and Ralph Wiggum gets "TS", Tethered Swimming (specifically episode 2F14, "Homer vs. Patty and Selma"). The sport itself is literally a joke, it involved being tethered and as a metaphor for the kinds of thoughts and feelings described in the song it kind of works - that the majority of people are "swimming tethered" and immobile but safe in their own little perimeter, but in his own act of "severance" he is now unsafe, "untethered" and he is keen or even desperate to find the place where this severance occurred.



Crazy fan theory I know, but the lyric meant something and this is what I always thought it was about... HOWEVER in looking into it I discover this episode was first broadcast on... 26th February 1995. So either Richey had a hand in writing the episode, or it's a (very slight) coincidence.



So, reeling from my discovery, I wanted to ask you, the great and good of the Manics' fan community what you made of this line. By "Sport" do you subscribe to the hunting connotation? Is it about swingball? Or is there some other reference or inference I'm too thick to notice?

[Porco]

lol, love the whole theory.

It may be made more clear by the recently uncovered secret lost first draft...

"Loose or carded, equipped
Latitude persecutes and he has plenty
Slaved then freed, sidekick
Aggressive tall and growls

Jealousy sows rejection in plastic
In diorama competitions

This Star Wars figurine
Had me shivering
Straight from Kashyyyk where
I bent my wookiee"

[tzb]

Made my day

[The Gutless Wonder]

Maybe Richey wasn't in to Ruggers?

[mar]

Haha loved these!

About the song, I always thought and still do it was inspired by the film Equus (which Richey left in his room before leaving). I see the song talking metaphorically about life as a horse. Somewhere in the film someone says 'I have a horse head' or something similar. And all the 'loose and guilty and whipped', ' bruised and nailed and quit', 'I endeavored to find a place where I became untethered' are very related to the film both about mental illness of the boy and his story with the horse. Also the kiss part, he kisses the horse. Just another mar-random-idea© for a lyric that may have no sense for anyone else

[raven]

This is one of my favourite songs and to me the joke sport is love and the lyrics are Richey ultimately rejecting relationships and, at least to me, the joke sport can also be interpreted as life itself. He's looking for a place to be truly free. And that place may be death.

[bachelorette]

Originally Posted by mar

Haha loved these!

About the song, I always thought and still do it was inspired by the film Equus (which Richey left in his room before leaving). I see the song talking metaphorically about life as a horse. Somewhere in the film someone says 'I have a horse head' or something similar. And all the 'loose and guilty and whipped', ' bruised and nailed and quit', 'I endeavored to find a place where I became untethered' are very related to the film both about mental illness of the boy and his story with the horse. Also the kiss part, he kisses the horse. Just another mar-random-idea© for a lyric that may have no sense for anyone else

Originally Posted by raven

This is one of my favourite songs and to me the joke sport is love and the lyrics are Richey ultimately rejecting relationships and, at least to me, the joke sport can also be interpreted as life itself. He's looking for a place to be truly free. And that place may be death.

Put these two together and you have as convincing an interpretation as you're ever likely to get!

Edit: Even though Porco's ideas are genius as always and slightly more amusing!

[mar]

I don't believe the rejecting relationship part or the death one, but that's just me.

[bachelorette]

Originally Posted by mar

I don't believe the rejecting relationship part or the death one, but that's just me.

I think that contemplating death is a prevalent theme in the lyrics of JFPL, Doors Closing Slowly also comes to mind. Not in the sense of suicidal thoughts, but in the sense of exploring the human condition in an unflinching way.

[mar]

Originally Posted by bachelorette

I think that contemplating death is a prevalent theme in the lyrics of JFPL, Doors Closing Slowly also comes to mind. Not in the sense of suicidal thoughts, but in the sense of exploring the human condition in an unflinching way.

Oh yes I agree with the sense of exploration.

[Bathtub]

I think Richey was commenting favourably on the ongoing Bosman case in Europrean football which led to greater freedom of movement in European football.

The severing of contracts and the untethering of players from national quotas...no other explanation. Sport innit.

[mar]

Originally Posted by Bathtub

I think Richey was commenting favourably on the ongoing Bosman case in Europrean football which led to greater freedom of movement in European football.

The severing of contracts and the untethering of players from national quotas...no other explanation. Sport innit.

I could buy that.

[counterlanguage]

I reckon it's about Richey's inability to just let go, and join in the annual Cooper's Hill cheese rolling race. In the lyric he does talk enviously about bruises and injuries - which people get by falling down a massive hill.

In fact, in this picture from the 1994 race you can see Richey standing at the top, wishing he was falling down a hill while trying to catch a cheese. But he never did - because he couldn't sever himself from the fear of looking like a total bell-end.



Sean, on the other hand, won five years running, 1992-97.

[amnesic]

Originally Posted by counterlanguage

I reckon it's about Richey's inability to just let go, and join in the annual Cooper's Hill cheese rolling race. In the lyric he does talk enviously about bruises and injuries - which people get by falling down a massive hill.

In fact, in this picture from the 1994 race you can see Richey standing at the top, wishing he was falling down a hill while trying to catch a cheese. But he never did - because he couldn't sever himself from the fear of looking like a total bell-end.



Sean, on the other hand, won five years running, 1992-97.

definately this. Although I suspect Richey wouldn't get involved as he might mess up his hair...

[mar]

Originally Posted by amnesic

definately this. Although I suspect Richey wouldn't get involved as he might mess up his hair...

Haha yes.
But I could easily see Wire doing it, rolling down on a skirt.