Shall obey or shallow bay?

Following on from that thread about Bolts or Vaults or Volts or Thoughts or Force in Temptation.

In Blue Monday I always thought, for years, that Bernard sings "I see a ship in the harbour/I can and shall obey".Until someone suggested he sings "I see a ship in the harbour/Anchored in a shallow bay"

Which is it?.The thing is they both make sense. "I can and shall obey " could mean he is obeying the captain of the ship.

And "anchored in a shallow bay" makes sense too.

defo "shall obey", are you deaf!?

Right.That`s cleared that one up then.

Next

NObabe wrote: defo "shall obey", are you deaf!?

Since I never listen to BM, I don't have an opinion.

But, M, it seems to me that "shallow bay" and "shall obey" pretty much sound the same.

What the hell is Johnny doing listening to BM?

Patrick wrote:

NObabe wrote: defo "shall obey", are you deaf!?

Since I never listen to BM, I don't have an opinion.

But, M, it seems to me that "shallow bay" and "shall obey" pretty much sound the same.

Glad someone (half) agrees with me.Just listened to it again and it is "shall obey", i admit.But why should he obey?.I would have said fuck off

NObabe wrote: What the hell is Johnny doing listening to BM?

It isn`t something i do often.Got sick of the bloody thing many years ago.Live versions are still good though.Love the Finsbury park rendition on 5 11

Johnny wrote:

NObabe wrote: What the hell is Johnny doing listening to BM?

It isn`t something i do often.Got sick of the bloody thing many years ago.Live versions are still good though.Love the Finsbury park rendition on 5 11

I guess I'll have to listen to it now so that I can have a proper opinion on this point.

Patrick wrote:

Johnny wrote:

NObabe wrote: What the hell is Johnny doing listening to BM?

It isn`t something i do often.Got sick of the bloody thing many years ago.Live versions are still good though.Love the Finsbury park rendition on 5 11

I guess I'll have to listen to it now so that I can have a proper opinion on this point.

Dont feel you have to if you really dont want to, Pats.

Johnny wrote:

Patrick wrote:

Johnny wrote:

NObabe wrote: What the hell is Johnny doing listening to BM?

It isn`t something i do often.Got sick of the bloody thing many years ago.Live versions are still good though.Love the Finsbury park rendition on 5 11

I guess I'll have to listen to it now so that I can have a proper opinion on this point.

Dont feel you have to if you really dont want to, Pats.

Well, M is usually right on things like this. Perhaps I'll just take her word for it and spare myself the pain of listening, J.

Patrick wrote: Well, M is usually right on things like this. Perhaps I'll just take her word for it and spare myself the pain of listening, J.

Well I guess being a non-native English speaker that makes me pay much more attention to things like these.

NObabe wrote: defo "shall obey", are you deaf!?

ya what? can`t hear you.

(wow it only took me nearly 2 hours to come up with that reply. i really am deaf )

Johnny wrote:

NObabe wrote: defo "shall obey", are you deaf!?

ya what? can`t hear you.

(wow it only took me nearly 2 hours to come up with that reply. i really am deaf )

not funny cause you're right, you only read me but never hear me at least on boards that is

"Anchored in a shallow bay" is suppossed to be the correct translation

shall obey has always seemed better to me thou

Alistair wrote: No offence to Maya's listening skills ;) but I've always thought it was "Anchored in a shallow bay" following on from the ship in the harbour line. I could be wrong as "Shallow bay" and "Shall obey" sound identical so who knows?

Who cares?

Yeah who cares.but you could say that about most threads on here,surely.

I think its "shall obey" because it def sounds like he sings " i can and shall" before it.Or is it "anchored in" it`s going to keep me awake for weeks this one is

SO, RESULTS SO FAR

I can and shall obey - 1 vote Anchored In A Shallow Bay -3 Votes

Up ya bum ,Maya. And get your hearing sorted.

I've got an ear like M1 :moon:

NObabe wrote: I've got an ear like M1 :moon:

Seems your ears have got a road block today.

Even if it's something about being anchored in a bay, it's definitely not "anchored in A shallow bay" because Barney sings only six syllables, as opposed to the seven in that phrase. Then we're left with "anchored in shallow bay", which makes sense, but would seem a bit unusual for Barney. But in many live renditions of Blue Monday, he clearly says "I can and shall obey", such as this one right here.

In fact, in every version - live or in studio - that I've ever heard of Blue Monday sounds very much like "I can and shall obey". I'd bet the farm on that one.

Barney has poor verbal skills... prolly should have been a clerk somewhere

Johnny wrote: Following on from that thread about Bolts or Vaults or Volts or Thoughts or Force in Temptation.

In Blue Monday I always thought, for years, that Bernard sings "I see a ship in the harbour/I can and shall obey".Until someone suggested he sings "I see a ship in the harbour/Anchored in a shallow bay"

Which is it?.The thing is they both make sense. "I can and shall obey " could mean he is obeying the captain of the ship.

And "anchored in a shallow bay" makes sense too.

'I see a ship in the harbour/ I can and shall obey' - what sense does that make??

its obviously - 'I see a ship in the harbour anchored in shallow bay'

Defo I can and shall obey. It makes no sense but we are talking New Order here.

Funny how no one has suggested the version on BM88 Japanese 3" CD import. "I can't unshallow bay".

I'm just surprised that Barney hasn't sung "I see a shit in the toilet"

Coincidentally BM at Macclesfield is just playing and I can and shall obey was sung, clear as day.

It could be "I can and shallow bay" meaning "I can see the ship in the harbor and I can see the shallow bay."

I see a ship in the harbor I can, and shall, obey....

it means that "the writing is on the wall" with the fucked up relationship he is discussing...the ship representing the doomed fate of it....time for him to move on

as in " two ships that pass in the night"

well...thats my two cents, anyway.

RedKen wrote: 'I see a ship in the harbour/ I can and shall obey' - what sense does that make??

What sense do any of the lyrics in BM make?

If the ship is in the harbour, then how can it be in a shallow bay as well?

Kevin Smith wrote: I'm just surprised that Barney hasn't sung "I see a shit in the toilet"

nearly fell off the chair

You really started something this time, Johnny.