"Robert Onion"

SUBJECT:

COMMENTS:
Another song featuring an acrostic pattern. (The others we know about are "Speedie Marie" and "Valley Of Our Hope.") This one spells ROBERT THE CASE FOR MARS ZUBRINFT TO

While Frank is often pretty open talking about the meanings of his songs, I guess he wants to keep some mystery with this one. In December 2000, asked him in person about it, and he was elusive.. just telling me to read over the lyrics.. even after I told him about discovering the acrostic.

LYRICS:
robert lead me into thought / onion layers wait for you / bounty of eternal fields / every muscle knot i feel / robert tell me what to do / tell exactly what you're not / tails pushing grand whales / heads hope to have the stuff / each flag had no sail / can you believe enough? / and though diana calls to you / she will never never yield / every siren has her spot / four hundred million / oh, that is very far / robert sweet onion / makes me feel so tired / another layer and layers oh, no / robert can you find your way? / show me the way to come / zugzwang got me in a way / under my opposing thumb / branishing my shield / robert leads me into thought / into the dimming blue / nowhere in this world / for this old jack-tar / three cheers for robert / to the cinnabar / one ponders layers and layers

EXPOSURE:
"Robert Onion" was released as a single. I think it did all right, but I'm not sure it cracked any charts. The band made a low budget video for the song in Germany near the end of 2000, a rarity considering Frank almost never makes videos anymore. He didn't expect it to get much play, however, and I don't think it did. Has anyone seen it?

LIVE: yes

ACOUSTIC: yes