ESL Vocabulary and Idioms

Re: smoke ring days

Avangi — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:24:52 GMT

Hi, Wearex. Probably not a great idea to use blank verse as a model for phrase construction.

Having lived with this for a couple of days, I'm wondering if "a smoke ring day" is simply a perfect day for blowing smoke rings. Everything is beautiful, you're blowing some great ones, you seem to have everything under control - and then the wind comes along and messes you up good.

Hi Del. I'm disappointed to hear you were kidding. I thought you were really into this lyric. (Now I'm kidding.)

Y'all have a great [smoke ring] day, now. - A.

Re: smoke ring days

Delmobile — Fri, 16 May 2008 13:37:27 GMT

Y'all, the "smoke ring day" confused me too. I can understand a "work day" or "travel day" but a day set aside for blowing smoke rings?

Avangi, I hope you know I was kidding. You have to realize that I live in a state whose unofficial anthem contains the lyric, "I heard Mister Young sing about her/ I heard old Neil put her down/ Well, I hope Neil Young will remember/ A southern man don't need him around anyhow."

Now, THAT's poetry

Re: smoke ring days

wearex — Fri, 16 May 2008 13:02:12 GMT

i think i used the wrong exemple. my doubt appears becouse of on the way home lyrics. i know lyrics and poetry don't need to have a sense, but in my thought that phrase had a especif meaning. i'm a brazilian trying to learn english.

so i understand that is: is a ring of smoke (that someone blowed) in a day that wind is blowing.

i get confused becouse of phrase construction that is totaly diferebt of portuguese.

Re: smoke ring days

Avangi — Fri, 16 May 2008 04:22:14 GMT

Hi Del,

Ouch! I was playing some rock bass back when Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young were cookin'. My thought didn't actually come out right. I started by trying to say that poetry doesn't have to make sense syntactically, or even logically, on the denotative level - but I gave up on it. It was not my intention that the "master songwriter" bit should dominate the post. I understood the image, but was at a loss to parse the words for the questioner. It would be foolish to try.

Thanks for setting me straight, - A.

Re: smoke ring days

Delmobile — Fri, 16 May 2008 01:42:43 GMT

Far from representing a struggle, Avangi, this individual thinks the lyric is pure genius. Apparently this is a Neil Young creation:

Young's lyrics are often brilliantly observant and clever. For example, take the lyrics to "On The Way Home":
"I went insane
Like a smoke ring day
When the wind blows."
The imagery of the lyrics are wonderful and paint a visual picture of the pressures of a rock & roll star crossed with the metaphor of the impossibility of blowing smoke rings on a windy day. Such lyrical mixtures are typical throughout his long songwriting career spanning four decades and hundred of songs.

And there you have it

Re: smoke ring days

Avangi — Thu, 15 May 2008 21:43:52 GMT

There may well be a double meaning here that I'm not aware of re the expression "smoke ring days." I've personally never heard it, but would enjoy hearing from anyone who has. People who are not "master songwriters" often struggle to find words to match the notes, and come up with some interesting phrases. Smoking is not as popular now as it was. I knew a girl in college in the 50's who would blow a smoke ring and ceremoniously raise her middle finger through the center of it - like a game of ring-toss.

- A.

Re: smoke ring days

Anonymous — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:38:37 GMT

so smoke rings are realy rings of smoke, i gass it was a expression with a especific meaning.

but thanks anyway

Re: smoke ring days

Avangi — Thu, 15 May 2008 01:17:07 GMT

Beats me. Did you ever try to blow smoke rings in a wind storm?

Oh darn! I try to be a smart-ass and it's your first post. WELCOME TO THE FORUMS ! ! !

- A.

smoke ring days

wearex — Thu, 15 May 2008 00:41:25 GMT

how you doing, friends

i'm here to ask what means "smoke ring days", like ein the lyrics : "i go insane like smoke ring days when the wind blows.."

a really don't understand. please help me if you can and contribute with the campaign save a dumb.

i see you, thanks.