When he went pop, he consciously bleached out the sound with 'You Send Me' [and others]. It was not accidental.

It's highly suggestive in various ways.

His father had taught him to never be taken advantage of or be disrespected, ... Songwriting and publishing were far more important for income than making records. It took Sam two minutes to recognize that the publishing deal he'd signed in 1957 was very disadvantageous to him.

I didn't know Gate well, but I always appreciated him, most of all, his feisty, independent spirit and warm heart, ... Gate was the original contrarian, but there was always a well thought-out argument behind it. It wasn't just that Gate was unwilling to play the fool. He simply refused to live up to anyone else's definition or expectations of him. But I think this was part of his genius. From the start, Gate defined himself, both as a musician and as a man.

I don't know that I set out to do that. I consciously try not to have themes.

The timing was not accidental. There's more to come.