In Why Not Smile (up) stipe sings 'i feel like a cartoon brick wall'. How exactly does this feel, and is there any significance to the line? Thanks.

-- mark (MarkStephenBell@hotmail.com), July 23, 2000

Answers

In cartoons the brick wall is like always just the prop. there is never an conversation in cartoons involving the brick wall. They just stand infront of it...And maybe the cartoon figures get their head smashed trhough the brick wall...But thats it... You are probebly asking yourself where I am geting at with this. And you can keep asking that question cause I sure as hell dont know. I just really liked your question and wanted to answer it.

-- Driver (driver@i-mail.com.au), July 23, 2000.

Well, I always thought of like...well...like, the cartoons here in the states...there's always "one" cartoon character who always gets hits/slammed into the brick wall, time after time. And like, knowing Michael and how much he truly loved cartoon..."maybe" he's expressing that he feels like he's the cartoon character who's has that script. Like, the one cartoon figure "always" hits the wall and like, I guess he's saying that its him. Humm...I probably "didn't" answer ya question...did I? Sorry! ~:( Chow. M

-- htideREM.... (REmmySC@aol.com), July 23, 2000.

OK, the answer is this: in cartoons when someone smashes through a wall they leave an imprint in the shape of a person (or a cartoon mouse, duck, or whatever has smashed through!). Micheal is saying that he feels like there's a hole in him which the person he is singing about has left, he's obviously missing someone a lot.

-- Rob Fraser (robfjp@hotmail.com), July 24, 2000.

Rob......really? Like, did ya get that from somewhere or are ya making that up? It truly sounds possibly. Humm....my mind is just a racing. Chow. M

-- htideREM... (REmmySC@aol.com), July 24, 2000.

spelling error...that's suppose to be...possible and not...possibly. (giggle,giggle) Chow. M ~:)

-- htideREM... (REmmySC@aol.com), July 24, 2000.

I agree with Rob, it seems as he is missing something. You know how cartoon brick walls never seems to be drawn properly? there are always just a few bricks drawn, so it seems kinda unfinished. I think thats how he feels.. unfinished.. unfulfilled perhaps

tudde >|-|-|*>

-- turid brox nilsen (t.brox@online.no), August 03, 2000.

I heard Michael say that Why Not Smile is about Bill Berry, so that is who is missing - it all fits in with Bill - read the lyrics. Bye

-- Dan Clark (dan11223@yahoo.com), August 13, 2000.