Sketches of Winkle
| "Sketches of Winkle" | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||
| Song by Ween | |||||
| from the album The Pod | |||||
| Released | September 20, 1991 | ||||
| Length | 2:42 | ||||
| Label | Shimmy-Disc Records | ||||
| The Pod track listing | |||||
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"Sketches of Winkle" is a song by Ween from the 1991 album The Pod.
Song Details[edit | edit source]
Recording and Composition[edit | edit source]
"Sketches of Winkle" is a speed metal song with some slight glam metal influence. Due to tape speed manipulation, the studio version is in the key of F minor, while live performances are in the key of E minor.
The lead vocals are sung by Gene Ween.
Alternate Versions[edit | edit source]
An early vocal take, with several mistakes and changed lyrics, can be heard on the Big Timmy Wasserman demo tape. The instrumental parts are identical to the Pod album version.
Live Performances[edit | edit source]
"Sketches of Winkle" was played live as early as March 1991, six months before the release of The Pod. Ever since, it has been a common live Ween song in almost every era of Ween, with the notable exception of the 1996 country tour.[1] In addition, the Gene Ween Band played it commonly in 2015 during the Ween hiatus.[2]
A recording from 7/7/2000 was officially released on the album Live at Stubb's, 7/2000.
Drummer Claude Coleman has referred to this song as a "brain buster" due to how difficult it is to try to replicate the drum machine beat from the studio version. He also said this of "Reggaejunkiejew".[3]
Lyrics[edit | edit source]
The lyrics of "Sketches of Winkle" can be hard to understand, and are very often listed incorrectly. Fortunately, Dean Ween provided the correct lyrics in a post to the Ween Newsgroup, saying, "Don't argue with me about this." Dean's version of the correct lyrics is as follows:
Well, she danced like a floozy in a hot tub of guava
Eggy ran the scene, you know he's hip to her mantra
He was a meditative porker, all strung out on Sinatra
Sketchin' Van Winkle like there ain't no tomorrow
I saw Van Winkle show up on the scene
I bled from my elbows when I saw that he's been doin' all those
Sketches of Winkle - cryin' to the heavens in a fit of rage
Sketches of Winkle - keepin' little Pumice locked up in a cage
Sketches of Winkle - I think I love her but she don't love me
Sketches of Winkle - why don't she love me, dude? (I don't know)
Well, she drained all the fluid from the sink in the kitchen
Eggy wanted veggies, all he's doin' is bitchin'
Steve and Sandy went and bought a new pair of mittens
Mean Ween cut me and he said he was kiddin'
[repeat chorus][4]
Song Themes[edit | edit source]
Band Members Named in the Song, Guava, Love, Profanity/Swearing, Rip Van Winkle, Sung by Dean Ween, Sung by Gene Ween, Tape Speed Manipulation
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ https://brownbase.org/every_time_played.php?band=all%20bands&song_id=177
- ↑ https://brownbase.org/every_time_played.php?band=all%20bands&song_id=177
- ↑ https://old.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1gz17c/hi_i_am_claude_coleman_jr_the_drummer_for_ween/capet0h/
- ↑ https://old.reddit.com/r/ween/comments/rfpdq4/official_sketches_of_winkle_lyrics_from_mickey/