Since the word exile has two meanings (1: a person and 2: a state/period), the title Exile on Main Street has two possible interpretations.
I'm curious which way iorrians understand its primary meaning. No fair saying "both"!
The question is which is your first/foremost/primary understanding of the title. Which one hits you first?

1] A Person on Main Street (parallel to Stranger in a Strange Land, for example) or
2] A Period of Time on Main Street (parallel to Sojourn in Paradise, for example)

If grammatical stuff disturbs you, shut your eyes for the bluish bits; but in case some grammatical considerations help some people decide:
In meaning 1 the word can be singular or plural; when it's singular it would normally be preceded by an An or The -
but lots of titles omit articles.
In meaning 2 the word would not normally be plural and it commonly occurs without any article.

probably more like (sound of bong gurgling) "Oy, Mick! I know...let's call it Exile on Main Street."

I always thought of it as in #2 (a period of time).

Usage of Exile in title has nothing to do with the ascribed definitions. Exile can also mean one is not typically accepted to current norms of human distinctions. In other words, humans who are not perceived as of the human race and deemed castaways because of one's abnormality or another.

Nice thread withsssoul.
I always figured period of time but what if it was (an) exile on main street...

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Chris Fountain
Usage of Exile in title has nothing to do with the ascribed definitions.
Exile can also mean one is not typically accepted to current norms of human distinctions.
In other words, humans who are not perceived as of the human race and deemed castaways because of one's abnormality or another.

Thanks Chris - I reckon everyone gets the metaphoric idea. The question I'm asking
is whether you feel the title refers more to a person or more to a state/period.
You seem to be saying that to you it refers to a person. Thank you!

Poll: State/period

Thanks Redhotcarpet! I'd keep a running tally
but I don't want to reveal yet which meaning hits me hardest.
Vote on! :E

Excuse me but are you serious now?

Bjornulf

Hadn't really thought about it before, but now that I do, I think it's meaning #2 - sort of Music We Discovered During Our Exile.

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bv
Excuse me but are you serious now?

Just curious, Bjornulf my dear. There are two ways to understand the title.
It's not an inquiry into the album's seven levels of significance, don't worry!

I always thought of it as a person; as in "they are truly exiles". And they been exiled onto Main St. I think this is a great question.

I had always thought that they felt themselves to be Exiles at that time, so that would put me in Category 1. But find the thought of the second option interesting.

I have always assummed that it refers to a state (or that the whole entity - the Stones and their music - is now exiling, deported from their home country, and living now this gypsy life), but what do I know..

But what do I know is that it is one of the best titles of any album ever.

- Doxa

I'm for No.1 - person/s

Pity us, we have to leave the country but hey, we're still on Main Street.
albeit a foreign one but .... it's good to be here, it's good to be anywhere.

no one knew how long that period would last, otherwise they could have named it Holiday on Main Street.

can I have a receipt for my 2 cents, please.

The interesting thing about the title if you break it down, is that it refers to the exile happening ON main street.

Mainstreet USA is a description of the heart of every downtown.

So in other words, the exile is happening right in the centre of the action, which is opposite to any exile that I've ever heard of.

To be exiled in the centre of the action means I think to feel alienated and alone even though you are surrounded by people.

So yes Doxa I agree, it is a great title.

I have always thought of Exile on Main Street as a concept album celebrating all things Americana, with "Main Street" as a metaphor for America. They were tax "exiles" at the time, about to embark on a major tour of "Main Street". The album is made up of blues, country, bluegrass, gospel, R&B, and mash-ups of all forms of American music, with songs by Slim Harpo and Robert Johnson represented. The imagery is everywhere, even name-checking American cities in Rip This Joint, "Thank you for your wine, California", diesel trains, Vegas, & Angela Davis. The greatest "Americana" album of all time!

Ross

They were English,exiled in France for some TWO YEARS, and often homesick.

Little of that time was spent sitting around celebrating America.

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treaclefingers


So yes Doxa I agree, it is a great title.

But, of course, nothing compared to mysterious evergreen title ENGLAND'S NEWEST HITMAKERS...

Funny what happened to those once proud patriotics... put them on exile...

- Doxa

A little bit of both.

From "Life".




"As we say in England, it can get a bit trainspottery"

Little of that time was spent sitting around celebrating America.

Unless you consider that their lifestyle and celebrations were mostly financed by money they made in America. Money they wanted to keep and thereby forced them into their Exile. There is little doubt that they were infatuated with America and American music and I agree with Ross somewhat that Americana permeated the Exile record although I doubt it had much to do with the word Exile in the title.

A good example of the time spent at Nellcote celebrating America and American music is the all the time Keith and Gram were digging into county music. The whole Nashville vs. Bakersfield sound, etc.

As far as your poll withssoul, my take is that the word referred to the period of time the band spent on the "Main Street" of France. peace

The album cover is great as proven by the collage of pics, which mirrors the title.

As for foreigner it's hard to understand the different...my guess is #1
"They'll be forever exiles on main street"

Here is the Main Story (posted 4 years ago)





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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-11-02 18:00 by NICOS.

Mick: Oi Keef - we're going to be taxed to buggery.

Keef: OK - let's hit the road to near Marseilles where I can score some grade A quality heroin.

And here's the movie scanned from the Exile on Main street cards.........

Let's say.........they all got banned from the Main Street because of the fight...





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Person (or more likely: a group of persons)

I would say they were referring to the time in question- state/period

Absoloutly about person. Exile is not isolation, most exiled peope go to big cities like London or Paris. Exile is more relevant to leaving your own ground not necessarily being isolated.

#2 for me.