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Mathijs

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Thricenay
I like the slight hesitancy in the guitar-playing after the first '... we make a beautiful team'. It's as if Keith and Ronnie are both thinking about starting a solo, but then decide not to.

That part always comes accross to me as 'we have no clue what to do here'. This track never developed any further than its demo stage.

Mathijs

yep. the song fails to deliver ultimately despite the strong buildup to.......then....nothing.

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Thricenay

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Mathijs

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Thricenay
I like the slight hesitancy in the guitar-playing after the first '... we make a beautiful team'. It's as if Keith and Ronnie are both thinking about starting a solo, but then decide not to.

That part always comes accross to me as 'we have no clue what to do here'. This track never developed any further than its demo stage.

Mathijs

In that case, I assume you don't like 'I Go Wild' either.

The two have always sounded like sister-songs to me.

Well, I find Voodoo Lounge a dreadful album, just the worst they made. Fake, terrible sounding Stones by the numbers.

Mathijs

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Mathijs

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Thricenay

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Mathijs

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Thricenay
I like the slight hesitancy in the guitar-playing after the first '... we make a beautiful team'. It's as if Keith and Ronnie are both thinking about starting a solo, but then decide not to.

That part always comes accross to me as 'we have no clue what to do here'. This track never developed any further than its demo stage.

Mathijs

In that case, I assume you don't like 'I Go Wild' either.

The two have always sounded like sister-songs to me.

Well, I find Voodoo Lounge a dreadful album, just the worst they made. Fake, terrible sounding Stones by the numbers.

Mathijs

i won't go that far, but i understand your sentiments. it's a classic example of the stones trying to sound like the stones rather than just writing and performing music without calculation....

It's a great song. I remember 1994 going through sentimental turmoil and that song kinda spoke to me. I like the music too. Some people don't dig it, fine. I like it very much myself. In 2006 they played it in Baltimore and it was a nice surprise to hear it live; a fantastic show by the way. The Rolling Stones are great!!
Rock and Roll,
Mops

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StonesTod

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Mathijs

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Thricenay

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Mathijs

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Thricenay
I like the slight hesitancy in the guitar-playing after the first '... we make a beautiful team'. It's as if Keith and Ronnie are both thinking about starting a solo, but then decide not to.

That part always comes accross to me as 'we have no clue what to do here'. This track never developed any further than its demo stage.

Mathijs

In that case, I assume you don't like 'I Go Wild' either.

The two have always sounded like sister-songs to me.

Well, I find Voodoo Lounge a dreadful album, just the worst they made. Fake, terrible sounding Stones by the numbers.

Mathijs

i won't go that far, but i understand your sentiments. it's a classic example of the stones trying to sound like the stones rather than just writing and performing music without calculation....

Yeah, I agree (being the most dreadful is a close between VOODOO and A BIGGER BANG). I think "Love Is Strong" is a perfect example of the nature of the album and what is wrong with it. Theoretically all that is needed is there but in the end nothing really happens. No substance, no soul, no spirit, no point, just a 'perfect' form. A pastishe. I think VOODOO LOUNGE and especially "Love Is Strong" underestimates the taste of their listeners and fans. Especially the ones with whom they are gone all these yaers together with many kinds of musical adventures (and who know to what kind of unncompromised heights these guys are able to reach). Every choice in a song/album sounds too obvious and cheap to make a certain impression. And every musical idea sounds sketchy, demo-like not bothered to develop any further. The Stones trying to sound like the Stones but not wasting any energy. But I never have been a fan of cheap copies when there are originals.

In retrospect I need to say that VOODOO LOUNGE marked the end of the passion I had for the 'current' Stones, and I somehow lost the faith. It's been like that ever since. For that reason I didn't even bought BRIDGES TO BABYLON when it was released. Just borrowed my friend's copy (and I found it as uninspiring product as VOODOO). I have mine now, and I rate it much higher than VOODOO LOUNGE but for years I couldn't see the difference - and couldn't care less.

On yeah, I need to admit that I was fascinated the sound of "Love Is Strong" from the very first listen... but that fascination disappeared VERY quickly after few listenings. Same with the album.

- Doxa



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 2011-04-08 16:17 by Doxa.

Guess I'm in the minority who ranks their nineties output very highly. I understand and agree to an extent that their solo work in the early nineties is more honest and free of compromise, but felt they melded together well. Overall I'll take the two studio tracks on FLASHPOINT along with MAIN OFFENDER, WANDERING SPIRIT, VOODOO LOUNGE, and BRIDGES TO BABYLON any day.

last really great stones track! love the vibe and the tempo. cant think of any other stones song that sounds similar!

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Doxa

I have mine now, and I rate it much higher than VOODOO LOUNGE but for years I couldn't see the difference - and couldn't care less.

The reason I rate BTB as the best one of the late Stones era is that at least they were open to do something new, soundwise and productionwise. Trying out something new and working with new/actual influences was always a sign of quality right from the start. There are great moments on VL and BB, but at least they only wanted to sound like retro-Stones, but they can do better.

I'm in the camp that finds LIS the last song with real menace in it. And menace was at the heart of most of the Stones' great songs.

"Love Is Strong" is a good song. The last great Stones song? No, that honour goes to an even later recording. My nominee for that are "She Saw Me Coming" and "Dangerous Beauty", but these never were singles. I have a soft spot for "Don't Stop", but you people on the board may not agree.

I like "Don't Stop" a lot and also thought "Rain Fall Down" and "Plundered My Soul" were very good singles.

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electricmud
The reason I rate BTB as the best one of the late Stones era is that at least they were open to do something new, soundwise and productionwise. Trying out something new and working with new/actual influences was always a sign of quality right from the start. There are great moments on VL and BB, but at least they only wanted to sound like retro-Stones, but they can do better.

Yes, on BTB they did try "new" things and were far more open to modern influences than on VL, too bad the songwriting wasn't very good on either album.

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Rocky Dijon
I like "Don't Stop" a lot and also thought "Rain Fall Down" and "Plundered My Soul" were very good singles.

I liked "Rain Fall Down" too. Good atmospheric stuff.

Love is Strong...a very good Stones tune, in my opinion, almost surprisingly so for the time it was written, lyrically and melodically, imo,
The video isn't too shabby either!

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StonesTod
i liked it better as keith's wicked as it seems....

Agree.

What kills the Stones' version is the bass. Probably Darryl's only contribution that I truly don't like.

C

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electricmud

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Doxa

I have mine now, and I rate it much higher than VOODOO LOUNGE but for years I couldn't see the difference - and couldn't care less.

The reason I rate BTB as the best one of the late Stones era is that at least they were open to do something new, soundwise and productionwise. Trying out something new and working with new/actual influences was always a sign of quality right from the start. There are great moments on VL and BB, but at least they only wanted to sound like retro-Stones, but they can do better.

"best of the late Stones era" is faint praise, and trying out something new doesn't necessarily mean trying out something good.

I love it, and have been listening to it a lot lately. I like the lyrics, including "Your love is bitter/It's taken neat."

The song's approach reminds me of the Cramps' HUMAN FLY






Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-04-08 19:11 by Title5Take1.

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StonesTod

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crumbling_mice
Harsh words Tod !

sounds like a song a stones fan would like, i know. i liked it better as keith's wicked as it seems....

me too

Love Is Strong was NME single of the week when it came out in 1994. This rag was not the greatest supporter of the Rolling Stones post punk, so it was surprise to see it ahead of the usual NME fodder. I still have the review somewhere

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Doxa

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StonesTod

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Mathijs

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Thricenay

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Mathijs

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Thricenay
I like the slight hesitancy in the guitar-playing after the first '... we make a beautiful team'. It's as if Keith and Ronnie are both thinking about starting a solo, but then decide not to.

That part always comes accross to me as 'we have no clue what to do here'. This track never developed any further than its demo stage.

Mathijs

In that case, I assume you don't like 'I Go Wild' either.

The two have always sounded like sister-songs to me.

Well, I find Voodoo Lounge a dreadful album, just the worst they made. Fake, terrible sounding Stones by the numbers.

Mathijs

i won't go that far, but i understand your sentiments. it's a classic example of the stones trying to sound like the stones rather than just writing and performing music without calculation....

Yeah, I agree (being the most dreadful is a close between VOODOO and A BIGGER BANG). I think "Love Is Strong" is a perfect example of the nature of the album and what is wrong with it. Theoretically all that is needed is there but in the end nothing really happens. No substance, no soul, no spirit, no point, just a 'perfect' form. A pastishe. I think VOODOO LOUNGE and especially "Love Is Strong" underestimates the taste of their listeners and fans. Especially the ones with whom they are gone all these yaers together with many kinds of musical adventures (and who know to what kind of unncompromised heights these guys are able to reach). Every choice in a song/album sounds too obvious and cheap to make a certain impression. And every musical idea sounds sketchy, demo-like not bothered to develop any further. The Stones trying to sound like the Stones but not wasting any energy. But I never have been a fan of cheap copies when there are originals.

In retrospect I need to say that VOODOO LOUNGE marked the end of the passion I had for the 'current' Stones, and I somehow lost the faith. It's been like that ever since. For that reason I didn't even bought BRIDGES TO BABYLON when it was released. Just borrowed my friend's copy (and I found it as uninspiring product as VOODOO). I have mine now, and I rate it much higher than VOODOO LOUNGE but for years I couldn't see the difference - and couldn't care less.

On yeah, I need to admit that I was fascinated the sound of "Love Is Strong" from the very first listen... but that fascination disappeared VERY quickly after few listenings. Same with the album.

- Doxa

If Love Is Strong is a song where "nothing really happens", that tune Goes in the same direction as several other classics. Like SFTD, HTW, JJF, BS etc. etc.

IMO, that's not a very logical musical argument. The Stones are different. For Christ sake, Shake Your Hips is a fantastic song. It leads absolutely nowhere, but the roll, the groove, the swing is obvious.

IMO, it's the same case with LIS. A nice groove, a nice hook, good sound, good vocals. Simply the best single since SMU, another song that leads nowhere



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-04-08 19:55 by DandelionPowderman.

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DandelionPowderman

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Doxa

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StonesTod

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Mathijs

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Thricenay

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Mathijs

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Thricenay
I like the slight hesitancy in the guitar-playing after the first '... we make a beautiful team'. It's as if Keith and Ronnie are both thinking about starting a solo, but then decide not to.

That part always comes accross to me as 'we have no clue what to do here'. This track never developed any further than its demo stage.

Mathijs

In that case, I assume you don't like 'I Go Wild' either.

The two have always sounded like sister-songs to me.

Well, I find Voodoo Lounge a dreadful album, just the worst they made. Fake, terrible sounding Stones by the numbers.

Mathijs

i won't go that far, but i understand your sentiments. it's a classic example of the stones trying to sound like the stones rather than just writing and performing music without calculation....

Yeah, I agree (being the most dreadful is a close between VOODOO and A BIGGER BANG). I think "Love Is Strong" is a perfect example of the nature of the album and what is wrong with it. Theoretically all that is needed is there but in the end nothing really happens. No substance, no soul, no spirit, no point, just a 'perfect' form. A pastishe. I think VOODOO LOUNGE and especially "Love Is Strong" underestimates the taste of their listeners and fans. Especially the ones with whom they are gone all these yaers together with many kinds of musical adventures (and who know to what kind of unncompromised heights these guys are able to reach). Every choice in a song/album sounds too obvious and cheap to make a certain impression. And every musical idea sounds sketchy, demo-like not bothered to develop any further. The Stones trying to sound like the Stones but not wasting any energy. But I never have been a fan of cheap copies when there are originals.

In retrospect I need to say that VOODOO LOUNGE marked the end of the passion I had for the 'current' Stones, and I somehow lost the faith. It's been like that ever since. For that reason I didn't even bought BRIDGES TO BABYLON when it was released. Just borrowed my friend's copy (and I found it as uninspiring product as VOODOO). I have mine now, and I rate it much higher than VOODOO LOUNGE but for years I couldn't see the difference - and couldn't care less.

On yeah, I need to admit that I was fascinated the sound of "Love Is Strong" from the very first listen... but that fascination disappeared VERY quickly after few listenings. Same with the album.

- Doxa

If Love Is Strong is a song where "nothing really happens", that tune Goes in the same direction as several other classics. Like SFTD, HTW, JJF, BS etc. etc.

IMO, that's not a very logical musical argument. The Stones are different. For Christ sake, Shake Your Hips is a fantastic song. It leads absolutely nowhere, but the roll, the groove, the swing is obvious.

IMO, it's the same case with LIS. A nice groove, a nice hook, good sound, good vocals. Simply the best single since SMU, another song that leads nowhere

LIS on a par with those classics? really? man....i just don't know my stones like i thought i did.

seriously - the prob is that LIS tries to go somewhere, but fails, leaving the listener (this one, anyway) feeling a letdown...in old-school parlance...there's no payoff....

I like LIS, I Go Wild, and Brand New Car.

Maybe I should go to a site for Stones fans.

one of the probs with many/most latter era stones songs - certainly evident on LIS - is that they sound contrived...they sound "conscious and calculated."

the best songs are those sound like they wrote themselves.

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Title5Take1
I love it, and have been listening to it a lot lately. I like the lyrics, including "Your love is bitter/It's taken neat."

The song's approach reminds me of the Cramps' HUMAN FLY

Brilliant T5T1 That's probably the world's second greatest RNR band.

cramps are second only to the trots....

Tod made a good point, Love is Strong, is very similar to Wicked As It Seems, never realised this previously, but went back and had another serious listen and you are on the mark with that at least. Don't agree with the comments about it being a weak song...think how many times they have played the warhorses, if they had played LIS a few more nights I'm sure it would have gelled into something resembling a classic stones live song

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crumbling_mice
Tod made a good point, Love is Strong, is very similar to Wicked As It Seems, never realised this previously, but went back and had another serious listen and you are on the mark with that at least. Don't agree with the comments about it being a weak song...think how many times they have played the warhorses, if they had played LIS a few more nights I'm sure it would have gelled into something resembling a classic stones live song

Why is LIS similar to Wicked As It Seems, apart from the first G/A change in the intro. I've always wondered why people say that???

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Doxa

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StonesTod

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Mathijs

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Thricenay

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Mathijs

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Thricenay
I like the slight hesitancy in the guitar-playing after the first '... we make a beautiful team'. It's as if Keith and Ronnie are both thinking about starting a solo, but then decide not to.

That part always comes accross to me as 'we have no clue what to do here'. This track never developed any further than its demo stage.

Mathijs

In that case, I assume you don't like 'I Go Wild' either.

The two have always sounded like sister-songs to me.

Well, I find Voodoo Lounge a dreadful album, just the worst they made. Fake, terrible sounding Stones by the numbers.

Mathijs

i won't go that far, but i understand your sentiments. it's a classic example of the stones trying to sound like the stones rather than just writing and performing music without calculation....

Yeah, I agree (being the most dreadful is a close between VOODOO and A BIGGER BANG). I think "Love Is Strong" is a perfect example of the nature of the album and what is wrong with it. Theoretically all that is needed is there but in the end nothing really happens. No substance, no soul, no spirit, no point, just a 'perfect' form. A pastishe. I think VOODOO LOUNGE and especially "Love Is Strong" underestimates the taste of their listeners and fans. Especially the ones with whom they are gone all these yaers together with many kinds of musical adventures (and who know to what kind of unncompromised heights these guys are able to reach). Every choice in a song/album sounds too obvious and cheap to make a certain impression. And every musical idea sounds sketchy, demo-like not bothered to develop any further. The Stones trying to sound like the Stones but not wasting any energy. But I never have been a fan of cheap copies when there are originals.

In retrospect I need to say that VOODOO LOUNGE marked the end of the passion I had for the 'current' Stones, and I somehow lost the faith. It's been like that ever since. For that reason I didn't even bought BRIDGES TO BABYLON when it was released. Just borrowed my friend's copy (and I found it as uninspiring product as VOODOO). I have mine now, and I rate it much higher than VOODOO LOUNGE but for years I couldn't see the difference - and couldn't care less.

On yeah, I need to admit that I was fascinated the sound of "Love Is Strong" from the very first listen... but that fascination disappeared VERY quickly after few listenings. Same with the album.

- Doxa

Same here. It was the last album I bought, it kinda killed the magic flow they had.

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StonesTod

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DandelionPowderman

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Doxa

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StonesTod

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Mathijs

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Thricenay

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Mathijs

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Thricenay
I like the slight hesitancy in the guitar-playing after the first '... we make a beautiful team'. It's as if Keith and Ronnie are both thinking about starting a solo, but then decide not to.

That part always comes accross to me as 'we have no clue what to do here'. This track never developed any further than its demo stage.

Mathijs

In that case, I assume you don't like 'I Go Wild' either.

The two have always sounded like sister-songs to me.

Well, I find Voodoo Lounge a dreadful album, just the worst they made. Fake, terrible sounding Stones by the numbers.

Mathijs

i won't go that far, but i understand your sentiments. it's a classic example of the stones trying to sound like the stones rather than just writing and performing music without calculation....

Yeah, I agree (being the most dreadful is a close between VOODOO and A BIGGER BANG). I think "Love Is Strong" is a perfect example of the nature of the album and what is wrong with it. Theoretically all that is needed is there but in the end nothing really happens. No substance, no soul, no spirit, no point, just a 'perfect' form. A pastishe. I think VOODOO LOUNGE and especially "Love Is Strong" underestimates the taste of their listeners and fans. Especially the ones with whom they are gone all these yaers together with many kinds of musical adventures (and who know to what kind of unncompromised heights these guys are able to reach). Every choice in a song/album sounds too obvious and cheap to make a certain impression. And every musical idea sounds sketchy, demo-like not bothered to develop any further. The Stones trying to sound like the Stones but not wasting any energy. But I never have been a fan of cheap copies when there are originals.

In retrospect I need to say that VOODOO LOUNGE marked the end of the passion I had for the 'current' Stones, and I somehow lost the faith. It's been like that ever since. For that reason I didn't even bought BRIDGES TO BABYLON when it was released. Just borrowed my friend's copy (and I found it as uninspiring product as VOODOO). I have mine now, and I rate it much higher than VOODOO LOUNGE but for years I couldn't see the difference - and couldn't care less.

On yeah, I need to admit that I was fascinated the sound of "Love Is Strong" from the very first listen... but that fascination disappeared VERY quickly after few listenings. Same with the album.

- Doxa

If Love Is Strong is a song where "nothing really happens", that tune Goes in the same direction as several other classics. Like SFTD, HTW, JJF, BS etc. etc.

IMO, that's not a very logical musical argument. The Stones are different. For Christ sake, Shake Your Hips is a fantastic song. It leads absolutely nowhere, but the roll, the groove, the swing is obvious.

IMO, it's the same case with LIS. A nice groove, a nice hook, good sound, good vocals. Simply the best single since SMU, another song that leads nowhere

LIS on a par with those classics? really? man....i just don't know my stones like i thought i did.

seriously - the prob is that LIS tries to go somewhere, but fails, leaving the listener (this one, anyway) feeling a letdown...in old-school parlance...there's no payoff....

I didn't say that, Tod. If you read my post, I just can't accept the argument that the songs is no good because "nothing happens" or "it doesn't lead anywhere". Simply because that's the case with a lot of stones tunes. They are still great, imo.

IMO, that shows how important the signature sound and the groove is with the Stones. Many of the classics aren't recognised mainly because of the songwriting. It's the playing and the unique sound that make the songs great.

Where is Winter leading? What happens in Jiving Sister Fanny? What's exciting about Dancing With Mr. D? Why do we love Little Queenie from Ya Ya's.

This captures what the Stones is all about, imo. The sound and the groove. I can't see why this isn't as relevant for Love Is Strong as well.

I think it was a good single.

While I enjoy the studio version, I don't think it ever really worked live. Probably the best sounding version was their appearance on a VH-1 Awards Show. To be honest, they've stumbled on getting many new songs to gell in concert. The exceptions are pretty much the ones that made it on NO SECURITY. Trouble is too many concert-goers don't want to hear tracks cut after the early eighties. A group that apparently includes a lot of ouur own number here.