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Guided By Voices — Learning to Hunt
Album: Mag Earwhig!
Avg rating:
5.8

Your rating:
Total ratings: 225









Released: 1997
Length: 2:24
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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(no lyrics available)
Comments (37)add comment
Ugh, found yet another reason to never read internet chat comments. Lovely writing, lovely sentiment that despite the cynicism exhibited here could take on different meanings to the listener. The music creates a calm, meditative space to appreciate the emotion conveyed. 
Posted 11 months ago by annie_fannie    [ Reply ]
GBV is certainly not popular on RP. Too bad.
Posted 12 years ago by kdogg73    [ Reply ]
Mah home-boyz from Dayton, Ohio! {#Good-vibes}
Posted 12 years ago by Alexandra    [ Reply ]
I have this song for some reason, it's not horrible, but I certainly would not have acquired it on purpose.{#Lol}
Posted 13 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
 iscoot4peace wrote:

 rtkmusic wrote:
I'm probably one of the few GBV fans that think that this album was a masterpiece...
 

Nope!  You can count me among them.  These guys were so underated!  Rock and roll is supposed to be loud, loose, and snotty...and these guys delivered all that and more!  They are sorely missed!
 

It appears they are at least temporarily back together.  They're playing here next week - it was sold out instantly.
Posted 14 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
Always felt bad I fought friend over mag's betrayal of true gbv vibes. but this reinforces my position
Posted 14 years ago by mcYammer    [ Reply ]

 rtkmusic wrote:
I'm probably one of the few GBV fans that think that this album was a masterpiece...
 

Nope!  You can count me among them.  These guys were so underated!  Rock and roll is supposed to be loud, loose, and snotty...and these guys delivered all that and more!  They are sorely missed!
Posted 15 years ago by iscoot4peace    [ Reply ]
Misguided. {#Lol}
Posted 15 years ago by crockydile    [ Reply ]
I'm probably one of the few GBV fans that think that this album was a masterpiece...
Posted 15 years ago by rtkmusic    [ Reply ]
 drone5 wrote:
The lyric is straightforward, particularly relative to other works by Robert Pollard. The viewpoint is that of a loving father sharing a sense of awe by observing his very young child.

In the second verse he expresses the dilemma faced by every parent: to balance love and protectiveness (and perhaps a wish to stave off the empty nest), coupled with the realization that ultimately he must let go, to allow his child to develop into an independent person.

Bob has written more than his share of surrealistic weirdness, of which a surprising amount of energy goes into song titles..."Universal Nurse Finger" or "Showbiz Opera Walrus" for example. (Some fans make a game of inventing fake GbV-esque song titles...not difficult, but fun.)

But "nonsense"? This song? Not at all.

Incidentally he expresses similar sentiments in the B-side "Kiss Only the Important Ones". Although in that instance, the focus is on the nightmare of every father: what will the boys do with (do to?) his beloved daughter, now old enough to go out on dates?
 

Great comment!  Despite the low rating (baffling), I still think this is a great tune, and totally agree that the lyrics aren't that cryptic.  Pretty easy to get actually.
Posted 16 years ago by veegez    [ Reply ]
The lyric is straightforward, particularly relative to other works by Robert Pollard. The viewpoint is that of a loving father sharing a sense of awe by observing his very young child. In the second verse he expresses the dilemma faced by every parent: to balance love and protectiveness (and perhaps a wish to stave off the empty nest), coupled with the realization that ultimately he must let go, to allow his child to develop into an independent person. Bob has written more than his share of surrealistic weirdness, of which a surprising amount of energy goes into song titles..."Universal Nurse Finger" or "Showbiz Opera Walrus" for example. (Some fans make a game of inventing fake GbV-esque song titles...not difficult, but fun.) But "nonsense"? This song? Not at all. Incidentally he expresses similar sentiments in the B-side "Kiss Only the Important Ones". Although in that instance, the focus is on the nightmare of every father: what will the boys do with (do to?) his beloved daughter, now old enough to go out on dates?
Posted 16 years ago by drone5    [ Reply ]
Wicked album art!
Posted 16 years ago by Krispian    [ Reply ]
when Learning to Hunt, Guided by voices goes horribly wrong...1979
Posted 16 years ago by a_genuine_find    [ Reply ]
UltraNurd wrote:
Sometimes a song is better when you have no idea what they're saying. For all I know, the lyrics could be totally lame :oD.
You were a child reaching out brave and true For big things in the next room And I couldn't step into such open sky Where on the crest of uncertainty you loom I'm learning to hunt for you Say that you'll never run too far away Even with all the answers out there Where it's brighter but no one will care Half as much as I care about you I'm learning to hunt for you
Posted 16 years ago by d00kie    [ Reply ]
Sometimes a song is better when you have no idea what they're saying. For all I know, the lyrics could be totally lame :oD.
Posted 17 years ago by UltraNurd    [ Reply ]
GBV was a great band. I've seen them several times and even spoke with Bob a bit before one of their shows. They were an even better live band. There are dozens of great GBV songs but this is not one of them. Unfortunately, most of their best stuff was recorded during their low-fi phase and I'm not sure if the quality of these recordings would be acceptable to RP. I will attempt to upload a couple however.
Posted 17 years ago by crinky    [ Reply ]
this piece is pretty much 100% non-sense.
Posted 17 years ago by sunny_day    [ Reply ]
Yearning to Bunt
Posted 17 years ago by TerryS    [ Reply ]
Sounds like a slow Pete Yorn song.
Posted 17 years ago by natural_tools    [ Reply ]
A most unpleasant listening experience.
Posted 17 years ago by Art_Carnage    [ Reply ]
Roverfish wrote:
Dayton, OH. Most boring 2 1/2 years of my life. Sorry. Good to hear some decent bands are escaping, however. Pretty good, anyway.
You just didn't know where to look! There's a lot to do in and around that city--it's my hometown!
Posted 18 years ago by Alexandra    [ Reply ]
Many miniature moments of brilliance on this CD. Bill, I am sure you can find some more acceptable GBV tunes from this one...
Posted 18 years ago by rtkmusic    [ Reply ]
Dayton, OH. Most boring 2 1/2 years of my life. Sorry. Good to hear some decent bands are escaping, however. Pretty good, anyway.
Posted 18 years ago by Roverfish    [ Reply ]
Very deep sounding. Almost haunting. Learning to Hunt, ummm.. I'm good at that! JG
Posted 18 years ago by Joe_G_Bear    [ Reply ]
A little bit too much flanger-fx! You have to listen by earphones, it's like a LSD-trip!
Posted 18 years ago by iMacomania    [ Reply ]
Short but sweet
Posted 18 years ago by algrif    [ Reply ]
Excellent band! Not to mention they were (doooh) excellent live!
Posted 19 years ago by gonzafr    [ Reply ]
Art_Carnage wrote:
Good name for the band, as it's painfully obvious that they're not Guided By Talent.
I think you're thinking about The Grateful Dead
Posted 19 years ago by moomatz    [ Reply ]
Good name for the band, as it's painfully obvious that they're not Guided By Talent.
Posted 19 years ago by Art_Carnage    [ Reply ]
at first note I didn't think I'd like it,,,but I am enjoying this.
Posted 20 years ago by streetsintherain    [ Reply ]
Ohhhhh see now, I am startin to dig tonight's Studio DJ... interesting song, now I have to buy this CD< thanks for making my wallet lighter! Smiles in Chicago, ~Robin
Posted 20 years ago by ChicagoVWchic77    [ Reply ]
Posted 20 years ago by R_P    [ Reply ]
wonderful selection from such a wide array of tunes...
Posted 20 years ago by GBV    [ Reply ]
kelty wrote:
more like mercilessly short - what a tease, i want more! a fine band from dayton, ohio, my hometown 8)
It is a tease, isn't it? Many of the songs off of Mag Earwhig! are 1:30 or so. Some of them leave you wishing for one more verse. They are indeed a very good band. Waiting for someone to add "My Kind of Soldier" from their new album.
Posted 21 years ago by veegez    [ Reply ]
timc wrote:
Mercifully short. I was starting to drift away from work.
more like mercilessly short - what a tease, i want more! a fine band from dayton, ohio, my hometown 8)
Posted 21 years ago by kelty    [ Reply ]
Mercifully short. I was starting to drift away from work.
Posted 21 years ago by timc    [ Reply ]
Very nice. :)
Posted 21 years ago by veegez    [ Reply ]