The Forgotten Arm
Encyclopedia
The Forgotten Arm is an album
by singer-songwriter
Aimee Mann
with illustrations by artist Owen Smith. It was released by SuperEgo Records on May 3, 2005.
It is a concept album
, telling the story of two characters who run off with each other to escape their problems, but end up in more trouble than either of them could have imagined.
The album reflects Mann's own boxing
in its story and illustrations. The title is derived from a move in which one arm is used to hit the opponent, causing him to "forget" about the other arm, which is then used to deliver a harsher blow.
The album won the 2006
Grammy Award for Best Recording Package
for Mann and Gail Marowitz (art directors).
Japanese bonus track
state fair
in the 1970s, where John is boxing an exhibition round. They get the idea that they can escape their problems by running off together and travelling across the United States
. However, their relationship begins to fray as John's addiction to alcohol comes to light. In Vegas, John leaves Caroline to try to get help ("Goodbye Caroline") but resists treatment ("I Can't Get My Head Around It") and finally Caroline gives up on trying to help John ("I Can't Help You Anymore"). However, the album's final song indicates that everything works out somehow, although much later. "It's a character study and a relationship study," Mann says.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Aimee Mann
Aimee Mann
Aimee Mann is an American rock singer-songwriter, guitarist and bassist.-Early life:Aimee Mann grew up in Bon Air, Virginia, graduated from Open High School in 1978 and attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, but dropped out to sing with her first punk rock band, the Young Snakes...
with illustrations by artist Owen Smith. It was released by SuperEgo Records on May 3, 2005.
It is a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
, telling the story of two characters who run off with each other to escape their problems, but end up in more trouble than either of them could have imagined.
The album reflects Mann's own boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
in its story and illustrations. The title is derived from a move in which one arm is used to hit the opponent, causing him to "forget" about the other arm, which is then used to deliver a harsher blow.
The album won the 2006
Grammy Awards of 2006
The 48th Annual Grammy Awards took place on February 8, 2006 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Irish rock band U2 were the big winners, winning five awards including Album of the Year. Mariah Carey, John Legend, and Kanye West each were nominated for eight awards and won three,...
Grammy Award for Best Recording Package
Grammy Award for Best Recording Package
The Grammy Award for Best Recording Package is one of a series of Grammy Awards presented for the visual look of an album. It is presented to the art director of the winning album, not to the performer, except if the performer is also the art director....
for Mann and Gail Marowitz (art directors).
Track listing
All songs written by Aimee Mann.- "Dear John" – 3:07
- "King of the Jailhouse" – 5:19
- "Goodbye Caroline" – 3:53
- "Going Through the Motions" – 2:57
- "I Can't Get My Head Around It" – 3:37
- "She Really Wants You" – 3:26
- "Video" – 3:35
- "Little Bombs" – 3:49
- "That's How I Knew This Story Would Break My Heart" – 4:19
- "I Can't Help You Anymore" – 4:52
- "I Was Thinking I Could Clean Up for Christmas" – 4:23
- "Beautiful" – 3:48
Japanese bonus track
- "Who Knows" – 1:00
Plot
The album details, in a series of vignettes, the story of John, a Vietnam vet and boxer, and his "kind of white trash" girlfriend Caroline, who meet at the VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
state fair
State fair
A state fair is a competitive and recreational gathering of a U.S. state's population. It is a larger version of a county fair, often including only exhibits or competitors that have won in their categories at the more-local county fairs....
in the 1970s, where John is boxing an exhibition round. They get the idea that they can escape their problems by running off together and travelling across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. However, their relationship begins to fray as John's addiction to alcohol comes to light. In Vegas, John leaves Caroline to try to get help ("Goodbye Caroline") but resists treatment ("I Can't Get My Head Around It") and finally Caroline gives up on trying to help John ("I Can't Help You Anymore"). However, the album's final song indicates that everything works out somehow, although much later. "It's a character study and a relationship study," Mann says.
Bonus track
The Japanese edition of The Forgotten Arm contains a bonus track ("Who Knows"). This minute-long track acts as an epilogue to the story of Caroline & John, with the following lyrics:- He's always pulled through before, but that's no comfort now.
- Who knows in a Holy War, what's winning anyhow?
- Who knows?
- Who knows?
- Who knows?
- Who knows?
- You only hope that someone shows, who knows.