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| Nagging Question: I.G.Y. | Login/Join |
| Serial origamist Has Achieved Nirvana  |
This question has been lurking in the back of my brain for decades. Every once in a while it wanders to the fore. This morning in the shower was one of those times. Donald Fagen. The Nightfly. First track: "I.G.Y." (International Geophysical Year). A few verses in is the line: Just machines that make big decisions Programmed by fellas with passion and vision In this lyric, does "just" mean "only" or "fair"?
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Has Achieved Nirvana |
(b) Both
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| Serial origamist Has Achieved Nirvana |
I saw a woman at Costco who was wearing a T-shirt that said "I can remember lyrics from an obscure song from the sixties, but I can't remember why I came into the kitchen".
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| (self-titled) semi-posting lurker Minor Deity  |
Unanswerable without the context of the entire song/lyrics.
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| Serial origamist Has Achieved Nirvana |
The song is a snarky take on a utopian future, a counter to the futurist event called the International Geophysical Year in 1957-58. Standing tough under stars and stripes, we can tell This dream's in sight You've got to admit it At this point in time that it's clear The future looks bright On that train, all graphite and glitter Undersea by rail 90 minutes from New York to Paris By '76* we'll be a-ok What a beautiful world this will be What a glorious time to be free What a beautiful world this will be What a glorious time to be free Get your ticket to that wheel in space** while there's time The fix is in You'll be a witness to that game of chance in the sky You know we've got to win Here at home we'll play in the city Powered by the sun Perfect weather for a streamlined world There'll be spandex jackets, one for everyone What a beautiful world this will be What a glorious time to be free What a beautiful world this will be What a glorious time to be free On that train, all graphite and glitter Undersea by rail 90 minutes from New York to Paris More leisure for artists everywhere Just machines that make big decisions Programmed by fellas with passion and vision We'll be clean when the work day's done We'll be eternally free, yes, and eternally young What a beautiful world this will be What a glorious time to be free What a beautiful world this will be What a glorious time to be free * The International Geophysical Year was 1987-58. So, he's referring to 1976. ** The space habitat that Will Lee conjured up in his sci-fi: a giant wheel in space that spins to create artificial gravity.
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| (self-titled) semi-posting lurker Minor Deity |
So, reading the whole thing, I would say "just" means only/solely... But then again, the interpretation of fair or morally right would also fit. I believe the best conclusion is: strategically ambivalent. 
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| Foregoing Practicing to Post Minor Deity  |
I think just meaning “fair” is out of character for the vocabulary and syntax of the rest of the lyrics.
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| czarina Has Achieved Nirvana  |
I definitely read it as "fair minded" machines. Otherwise the syntax is too weird. Plus calling the machines fair minded adds to the irony.
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