on

EP released by Aphex Twin (Richard D. James) in 1993, on Warp Records as catalog number WAP39. It consists of two parts, On and On Remixes. The tracklists are as follows:

On:

• A1: On (7:08)
• A2: 73-Yips (4:15)
• B1: D-Scape (6:56)
• B2: Xepha (5:44)

On Remixes:

• A1: On (D-Scape Mix) (7:08)
• A2: On (Reload Mix) (4:15)
• B1: On (µ-Ziq Mix) (6:56)
• B2: On (28 Mix) (5:44)

On is one of the classic Aphex Twin tracks of the early nineties. The genre is bordering on ambient house, with a bit of the caustic beats we all know and love. The video for On was directed by Jarvis Cocker of brit-pop band Pulp, and features a beach in a combination of stop-motion and time lapse. It tells a strange story of a diver and a man fighting with a giant pair of scissors.

As a side-note, the D-Scape Mix has nothing to do with On or D-Scape, it's a separate track. The same goes for 28 Mix, which is speculated to be track #28 from Selected Ambient Works Volume II, as it follows in that vein of sound (On is actually a released as the first single from Selected Ambient Works Volume II, even though no tracks from it appear on SAWII).

The cover art features the classic Aphex Twin logo, in an odd coffeestained mess that looks like a work in progress. It was designed by Dan Parkes (which for some reason is spelled differently than the Dan Parks who designed the Ventolin cover).

It should be mentioned that a large portion of the On Remixes CD are misprints, and the tracklisting from On are on them. The tracks, however, are the remixes. Due to the large number of misprints, they are not worth any more than the correct versions.

Fun fact: The first several times I heard this song, I would get about a minute or so into it, then turn it down and yell "yeah?" You see, there is a small bit that sounds exactly as if my father stands downstairs and yells my name.

Audited July 5, 2002

On is a French pronoun. Its usage is strange and difficult.

On derives from the Latin homo (human being) through the Ancient French ome. The same root produced the modern word homme (man). on used to be a noun, and was used with an article: l'on meant the man, someone. The article is still used sometimes in modern French : que l'on me prévienne lorsqu'elle sera arrivée (someone tell me when she's here.).

Nowadays, on is used with the following meanings:

• as a variant of we in informal speech. When talking with friends, a Frenchman will rarely use nous (we), unless the several possible meanings of on conflict in that context.

On a gaaaagnéééé ! (we've wooooon! Yelled by thousands of rugby or football fans)
On a mangé notre pain blanc (we have eaten our white bread, i.e the good part is over and the difficult part begins now)

• as a variant of he, she or they, when you don't want or cannot name the agent. Sometimes you don't even mention whether there is one or several agents: On m'a dit (I've been told by one or several people), on m'a fait beaucoup de mal (I've been hurt a lot). It can be used to translate the English pronoun one in sentences such as one cannot use these stairs. The level of language is more formal then when using on for we. This on is often used by paranoids and politicians: travailleurs, on vous ment, on vous exploite (workers, they lie to you, they exploit you). Using on is often a sign that the speaker cannot prove what he says.

A Frenchman would probably even understand the following sentence, where "on" is used with two different meanings: On nous a fait du mal, alors on s'en va (someone hurt us, so we're leaving).

• on may be vague to the point of meaning both we and they at the same time. On mange bien ici means the clients eat well in this restaurant, and I know it because I have already eaten here.

• sometimes it means you, when talking to an inferior being (your pet, a baby, or an old and ill person): alors, on a fini sa soupe ? (so, have you finished your soup?). Don't speak like that to your grandmother.

• in the following beautiful phrase: le qu'en-dira-t-on, which means what they/the people say (about you, about it). Je me fous du qu'en-dira-t-on: I don't care about what 'they' say.

Because on can replace several different pronouns, its usage raises difficult grammatical agreement issues. on is a singular 3rd-person male pronoun, just like il. But in some circumstances the agreement will be done with the meaning, which may be plural (we, they) or feminine.

• Agree a non-compound verb with the 3rd singular person: on part (never on partent or on partons).

• Use the plural for direct object complements if the meaning is we or they: on est les plus forts (est is singular while les plus forts is plural. Nobody will say on est le plus fort.), or on est les plus fortes if you are all women. Note that feminine agreement of on is very unlikely when on means they, because in that case on designates an indeterminate quantity of people whose sex we probably don't know.

• The participates and adjectives are usually plural or feminine when on points to a group of people or to women. You will probably write on est partis (we have left) instead of on est parti and on est belles (we are beautiful) instead of on est beau if you work for Elite.

A rule of thumb about agreement is: if you know exactly who on points to (me and my friends, my dog, etc), then use the agreement with the meaning; else use the singular form.

Another rule is: don't use on if you're not sure. You can always use nous, il or ils instead.

On is the name used for a particular combinatorial game that ensures at least a draw for one of its players.

In a combinatorial game, the two players, Left and Right, take turns making moves. If a player is called upon to make a move, but has no legal move, then that player loses.

In the game On, the Left player has one legal move, to pass. The Right player has no legal moves.

So Left can pass on every move and thus always has a legal move and cannot lose.

If Right has the move to pass, the game is instead called Off. If both Left and Right can pass, the game is called Dud.

On can be written diagrammatically as {On|}, where the On before the pipe indicates that Left has the ability to move to On, while the empty space after the pipe indicates that Right has no legal moves.

On (?), prep. [OE. on, an, o, a, AS. on, an; akin to D. aan, OS. & G. an, OHG. ana, Icel. a, Sw. , Goth. ana, Russ. na, L. an-, in anhelare to pant, Gr. , Zend ana. &root;195. Cf. A-, 1, Ana-, Anon.]

The general signification of on is situation, motion, or condition with respect to contact or support beneath

; as: --

1.

At, or in contact with, the surface or upper part of a thing, and supported by it; placed or lying in contact with the surface; as, the book lies on the table, which stands on the floor of a house on an island.

I stood on the bridge at midnight. Longfellow.

2.

To or against the surface of; -- used to indicate the motion of a thing as coming or falling to the surface of another; as, rain falls on the earth.

Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken. Matt. xxi. 44.

3.

Denoting performance or action by contact with the surface, upper part, or outside of anything; hence, by means of; with; as, to play on a violin or piano. Hence, figuratively, to work on one's feelings; to make an impression on the mind.

4.

At or near; adjacent to; -- indicating situation, place, or position; as, on the one hand, on the other hand; the fleet is on the American coast.

5.

In addition to; besides; -- indicating multiplication or succession in a series; as, heaps on heaps; mischief on mischief; loss on loss; thought on thought.

Shak.

6.

Indicating dependence or reliance; with confidence in; as, to depend on a person for assistance; to rely on; hence, indicating the ground or support of anything; as, he will promise on certain conditions; to bet on a horse.

7.

At or in the time of; during; as, on Sunday we abstain from labor. See At (synonym).

8.

At the time of, conveying some notion of cause or motive; as, on public occasions, the officers appear in full dress or uniform. Hence, in consequence of, or following; as, on the ratification of the treaty, the armies were disbanded.

9.

Toward; for; -- indicating the object of some passion; as, have pity or compassion on him.

10.

At the peril of, or for the safety of.

"Hence, on thy life."

Dryden.

11.

By virtue of; with the pledge of; -- denoting a pledge or engagement, and put before the thing pledged; as, he affirmed or promised on his word, or on his honor.

12.

To the account of; -- denoting imprecation or invocation, or coming to, falling, or resting upon; as, on us be all the blame; a curse on him.

His blood be on us and on our children. Matt. xxvii. 25.

13.

In reference or relation to; as, on our part expect punctuality; a satire on society.

14.

Of.

[Obs.] "Be not jealous on me."

Shak.

Or have we eaten on the insane root That takes the reason prisoner? Shak.

Instances of this usage are common in our older writers, and are sometimes now heard in illiterate speech.

15.

Occupied with; in the performance of; as, only three officers are on duty; on a journey.

16.

In the service of; connected with; of the number of; as, he is on a newspaper; on a committee.

On and upon are in general interchangeable. In some applications upon is more euphonious, and is therefore to be preferred; but in most cases on is preferable.

On a bowline. Naut. Same as Closehauled. -- On a wind, ∨ On the wind Naut., sailing closehauled. -- On a sudden. See under Sudden. -- On board, On draught, On fire, etc. See under Board, Draught, Fire, etc. -- On it, On't, of it. [Obs. or Colloq.] Shak. -- On shore, on land; to the shore. -- On the road, On the way, On the wing, etc. See under Road, Way, etc. -- On to, upon; on; to; -- sometimes written as one word, onto, and usually called a colloquialism; but it may be regarded in analogy with into.

They have added the -en plural form on to an elder plural. Earle.

We see the strength of the new movement in the new class of ecclesiastics whom it forced on to the stage. J. R. Green.

 

© Webster 1913.

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On, adv. [See On, prep.]

1.

Forward, in progression; onward; -- usually with a verb of motion; as, move on; go on.

"Time glides on."

Macaulay.

The path is smooth that leadeth on to danger. Shak.

2.

Forward, in succession; as, from father to son, from the son to the grandson, and so on.

3.

In continuance; without interruption or ceasing; as, sleep on, take your ease; say on; sing on.

4.

Adhering; not off; as in the phrase, "He is neither on nor off," that is, he is not steady, he is irresolute.

5.

Attached to the body, as clothing or ornament, or for use.

"I have boots on."

B. Gonson.

He put on righteousness as a breastplate. Is. lix. 17.

6.

In progress; proceeding; as, a game is on.

On is sometimes used as an exclamation, or a command to move or proceed, some verb being understood; as, on, comrades; that is, go on, move on.

On and on, continuously; for a long time together. "Toiling on and on and on."

Longfellow.

 

© Webster 1913.