More Against the Days/Frenesi

[Paul Mackin]

On Oct 20, 2006, at 12:38 PM, kelber at mindspring.com wrote:

> I agree, the music would be more inspiring than the lyrics.  Still,  
> the name Frenesi, as a cognate for "frenzy" might have entered into  
> it.

This seems quite likely.

> The frenzy or madness brewing under the character Frenesi's  
> surface, the fascination which drew her to the fascist Brock Vond.   
> When I first encountered her name in the book, I thought it might  
> be pronounced "free 'n easy."  This has both a Big Band and a hippy  
> sound to it.

Yes.

The song's title was pronounced  FREH ness see, matching "free 'n easy."

In the lyrics frenesi is pronounced both that way and also freh ness  
SEE  to match up with  the final held note of  the refrain.

"Who wouldn't say freh ness SEE?" (I think that closes one of the  
verses)

Anyway , . . .

>
> Laura
>
> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Paul Mackin <paul.mackin at verizon.net>
>> Sent: Oct 20, 2006 5:27 AM
>> To: pynchon-l at waste.org
>> Subject: Re: More Against the Days
>
>>
>> Another thing. What reason is there to think  either Pynchon or the
>> Gateses had the English lyrics in mind in naming the daughter?
>> It was the NAME of the song in all its exoticness that would have
>> been on their minds. If the Gateses were even mildly "hip" they would
>> know and love Shaw's version. It would have been no  contest. The
>> only possible reason, among the sophisticated, for not worshipping at
>> his alter would be if  you liked Benny Goodman's playing better.
>> (that old question--Shaw actually considered Goodman the better
>> clarinetist but himself the better musician)
>>
>>>>
>>>> On Oct 19, 2006, at 4:32 PM, Chris Broderick wrote:
>
>>>>> As for theories, I keep fixating on the line in the English
>>>> version:
>>>>> "I knew that frenesí meant "Please love me""
>>>>>
>>>>> The literal translation of frenesi is "frenzy", or "madness".  Hub
>>>>> & Sasha sure burdened their daughter with one hell of a name...
>>>>>
>>>>> -Chris
>>>>>
>>>>> Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2006 14:13:10 -0400 (EDT)
>>>>> From: kelber at mindspring.com
>>>>> Subject: Re: Re: More Against the Days
>>>>> Anyone ever listened to the song Frenesi?  Or have any theories as
>>>>> to why Pynchon used the song to name his VL character?  I've only
>>>>> found an Edie Gorme rendition.  I think Artie Shaw has an
>>>>> instrumental version.  Pretty treacly stuff.
>>>>> Laura
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>