Two main versions:
* "Shoo-be-doo Version" (1981) - Chemical Playschool 2 (3:41)
Fades in, cutting off the first vocals. A slow, churchy song that perfectly matches the lyrics.
Unavailable elsewhere.
Instruments: Keyboard arpeggio; synth bassline; eerie synth melody; two vocal tracks.
* "Intimate Version" (1982) - Brigher Now (4:07)
With even fewer instruments than the original, a real acoustic piano, and relatively few effects, this is a much more intimate version than the original. The lyrics are almost identical, though the "shoo-be-doo" line is only said by the quiet second voice. The song ends suddenly with a glitch as though the tape were physically stopped.
Instruments: Piano arpeggio; single vocal track, sometimes with second far-off vocal repeating key lyrics; ominous "Ohhhh" voice during the final amen.
What It's About:
A groom, in the middle of his wedding ceremony, thinks flippantly about the occasion, planning future sexual conquests and feeling little more than disdain for his trusting bride. He also reflects on the silliness of the solemn occasion, which he considers "obscene" in its meaninglessness but which others take very seriously. We know this wedding is doomed.
Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):
You asked for nothing.
That's what I gave you, ash for ashes, dust for dust.
Your trust is touching but misguided.
Bride, I'll be yours for one night.
I wonder, wonder really what you saw in me,
I'm not your type at all
And all the angels hold their breath
as my eyes rest upon the pretty girl who leads the choir.
Cry out their disgust for me.
They're crying for my bride
who smiles in white, does not suspect my next move in the game.
Again! "Will honour you and cherish you."
Again. "I'll share my worldly goods."
Again. "'til death, when we're parted."
Only words, don't mean a thing
Think of ways to run,
the sun paints patterns on the stained-glass windows.
Widows in their Sunday best reflect
about when they too were brides!
Can't hide their feelings, stealing seconds from an age
they'll never see again.
Again. "With this ring I pledge myself."
Again. "I do. I do. Shoo be doo doo wah."
Why do we have to be so humble,
mumble words we never mean?
It's obscene, the ultimate obscenity,
serenity on Sundays,
we're stars on Sundays.
Smiles on straight, maybe one day
the rewards will be there
for us. Just for us in heaven, just for us.
Amen. Amen. Amen as we left the church.
Why You Should Care:
This could be logically followed by "The Divorce."
The line "stars on Sunday" is used as the title for another song that is partially related to marriage.
Showing posts with label Brighter Now (album). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brighter Now (album). Show all posts
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Hanging Gardens
Three main versions:
* "1981 Version " (1981) - Chemical Playschool 2 (4:33)
A quiet, pretty song with very little change throughout. The lyrics during the long lead-out are bathed in plate reverb and very difficult to hear.
Unavailable elsewhere.
Instruments: Sequenced keyboard bassline; organ chords; single vocal track; high-pitched synth melody.
* "Lush Version" (1982) - Brigher Now (6:15)
Fades in from the drums at the end of "City Ghosts." In a different key than the 1981 version. Instead of the woman's tears feeding the weeds, the line is now "so much salt and water flowing free," though the weeds are still mentioned during the chorus. At 4:00 the song crossfades into the same song played backwards with a slightly different mix.
Instruments: Sequenced keyboard bassline; single vocal track with additional vocoder treatment on another track; second vocal track repeating key lyrics; gentle synth pads; acoustic guitar; heavy echo effects;
* "Flowmotion Version" (1982) - Stained Glass Soma Fountains (4:16)
Once again, in a different key from the other two versions, and a new recording. Often the tracks are mixed with heavy reverse echo and delay effects. Uses the updated lyrics ("so much salt and water flowing free"). The hanging gardens are described as "no place for little girls" and "the bell is tolling." Ends with samples from the "Ooooh" suffix at the end of the Full Band Version of "Red Castles."
Instruments: Sequenced keyboard bassline; single vocal track; gentle synth pads; acoustic guitar.
What It's About:
A man has been hung in the "hanging gardens," supposedly because he was a thief, but his defense was apparently ignored at his trial. A female admirer comes occasionally to visit, mourn, and leave mementos for him. The gardens are a peaceful place full of gently twisting corpses, and when the admirer faints she feels disgraced. Meanwhile the ghosts of the dead insist upon their innocence.
In this song, the phrase "hanging gardens" means a garden in which people are hung, but it is also a reference to the hanging gardens of Babylon.
Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):
Twisted east south north with the wind that rippled his hair.
I stared constant, laughing, but the joy had gone.
Snuffed out by the dawn, the rope had torn his flesh and broke his neck,
set him dancing on the air...
in the Hanging Gardens.
Dancing with the dead.
So peaceful there.
Branded as a thief, they stole his name, they stole his face.
Gone without a trace, they killed his dignity, squeezed him dry.
Cried for mercy but to judges with no ears,
no heart, smart in their black caps...
in the Hanging Gardens.
Nice. Nice.
Love notes and carnations fading, slowly dying, lying at his feet.
Sweet aroma lingered on the air. Stood and stared.
Was numb now. Cried so much it had no meaning.
So much salt and water feeds the choking weeds...
in the Hanging Gardens.
Flowing gently. Flowing free.
Dressed in virgin's white she masked her eyes with cold surprise.
Cursed her name, the pain was creeping swiftly.
Twisted her inside, she retched and reached out for a hand,
landed on her face, disgraced, no place for fainting queens...
in the hanging gardens.
No place for us.
[?]
Talk to me.
Talk to you.
[?] the hanging gardens
Can you hear the ghosts screaming their innocence?
Why You Should Care:
"Love Notes and Carnations" is also the title of a Tear Garden song.
* "1981 Version " (1981) - Chemical Playschool 2 (4:33)
A quiet, pretty song with very little change throughout. The lyrics during the long lead-out are bathed in plate reverb and very difficult to hear.
Unavailable elsewhere.
Instruments: Sequenced keyboard bassline; organ chords; single vocal track; high-pitched synth melody.
* "Lush Version" (1982) - Brigher Now (6:15)
Fades in from the drums at the end of "City Ghosts." In a different key than the 1981 version. Instead of the woman's tears feeding the weeds, the line is now "so much salt and water flowing free," though the weeds are still mentioned during the chorus. At 4:00 the song crossfades into the same song played backwards with a slightly different mix.
Instruments: Sequenced keyboard bassline; single vocal track with additional vocoder treatment on another track; second vocal track repeating key lyrics; gentle synth pads; acoustic guitar; heavy echo effects;
* "Flowmotion Version" (1982) - Stained Glass Soma Fountains (4:16)
Once again, in a different key from the other two versions, and a new recording. Often the tracks are mixed with heavy reverse echo and delay effects. Uses the updated lyrics ("so much salt and water flowing free"). The hanging gardens are described as "no place for little girls" and "the bell is tolling." Ends with samples from the "Ooooh" suffix at the end of the Full Band Version of "Red Castles."
Instruments: Sequenced keyboard bassline; single vocal track; gentle synth pads; acoustic guitar.
What It's About:
A man has been hung in the "hanging gardens," supposedly because he was a thief, but his defense was apparently ignored at his trial. A female admirer comes occasionally to visit, mourn, and leave mementos for him. The gardens are a peaceful place full of gently twisting corpses, and when the admirer faints she feels disgraced. Meanwhile the ghosts of the dead insist upon their innocence.
In this song, the phrase "hanging gardens" means a garden in which people are hung, but it is also a reference to the hanging gardens of Babylon.
Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):
Twisted east south north with the wind that rippled his hair.
I stared constant, laughing, but the joy had gone.
Snuffed out by the dawn, the rope had torn his flesh and broke his neck,
set him dancing on the air...
in the Hanging Gardens.
Dancing with the dead.
So peaceful there.
Branded as a thief, they stole his name, they stole his face.
Gone without a trace, they killed his dignity, squeezed him dry.
Cried for mercy but to judges with no ears,
no heart, smart in their black caps...
in the Hanging Gardens.
Nice. Nice.
Love notes and carnations fading, slowly dying, lying at his feet.
Sweet aroma lingered on the air. Stood and stared.
Was numb now. Cried so much it had no meaning.
So much salt and water feeds the choking weeds...
in the Hanging Gardens.
Flowing gently. Flowing free.
Dressed in virgin's white she masked her eyes with cold surprise.
Cursed her name, the pain was creeping swiftly.
Twisted her inside, she retched and reached out for a hand,
landed on her face, disgraced, no place for fainting queens...
in the hanging gardens.
No place for us.
[?]
Talk to me.
Talk to you.
[?] the hanging gardens
Can you hear the ghosts screaming their innocence?
Why You Should Care:
"Love Notes and Carnations" is also the title of a Tear Garden song.
Red Castles
Two main versions:
* "Pulsing Keyboard Version" (1981) - Chemical Playschool 2 (4:53)
Much longer than the Full Band Version, mainly due to its leisurely pace, the frequent choruses, and the long gaps between each verse. The "excels in here" lines are spoken only by the vocoder voice, and the two final verses are not yet in the song.
Unavailable elsewhere.
Instruments: Two pulsing keyboards providing melody, bassline, and rhythm; organ chords; intermittent vocoder saying key lyrics; two vocal tracks
* "Full Band Version" (1982) - Brighter Now (3:28)
Even with the addition of the final two verses, this version moves along much faster and has a more accessible structure. The "excels in here" lines are now part of the lyrics. The song ends suddenly with the "Ooooh" suffix.
Instruments: Acoustic drums; bass guitar; organ chords; pulsing keyboard with changing modulation; single vocal track, with second vocal track during choruses; backup echoey "ooooh" vocals not by Ka-Spel during choruses.
Suffix "Ooooh" (0:25):
On Brighter Now, the song cuts suddenly into a small instrumental suffix featuring overlapping and pitch-bended samples of the "ooooh" vocal with occasional keyboard effects, gradually fading out.
These samples also appear at the end of the Flowmotion Version of "Hanging Gardens."
What It's About:
Everybody -- no matter how noble or how lowly -- is the king of their own personal castle, at least in their own minds. This includes bar hooligans, troubled partiers, pill-poppers, homeless tramps, and kids just having fun at the beach.
Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):
Maidens in towers and nights on the town
shields up, convinced that the barricade's down.
Fighting in bars. Biting the cars.
They said "we're kings of the castle.
Oh we're kings of the castle."
Two aches in the head, H20 in the wine.
Two hits off the mirror to help you unwind.
Sure, you learned how to drink. Turn now to shrinks.
And he'll say that you're king of the castle.
Oh, you're king of the castle.
Blood on the bypass. You're passing the pills.
They're painted and plastic and make you feel ill.
Make you kick in the night. You're sick in the light.
King of the castle.
Oh, you're of the castle.
A tramp chews a dog-end, a dog chews a tramp,
tears holes in his raincoat and howls 'cause it's damp.
He counts up to nine, he chokes on a coin.
But he's king in his castle.
Dirty king in his castle. His glory, his glory
excels in here.
Pagans in showers and kites on the Downs.
Polka-dot patterns and strings turning brown.
They shut out the sun. Oh, what jolly fun!
But we're kings in our castles.
Yes we're kings in our castles. Our glory, our glory
excels in here.
Why You Should Care:
The song "Black Castles" on The Golden Age has a very similar chord progression.
* "Pulsing Keyboard Version" (1981) - Chemical Playschool 2 (4:53)
Much longer than the Full Band Version, mainly due to its leisurely pace, the frequent choruses, and the long gaps between each verse. The "excels in here" lines are spoken only by the vocoder voice, and the two final verses are not yet in the song.
Unavailable elsewhere.
Instruments: Two pulsing keyboards providing melody, bassline, and rhythm; organ chords; intermittent vocoder saying key lyrics; two vocal tracks
* "Full Band Version" (1982) - Brighter Now (3:28)
Even with the addition of the final two verses, this version moves along much faster and has a more accessible structure. The "excels in here" lines are now part of the lyrics. The song ends suddenly with the "Ooooh" suffix.
Instruments: Acoustic drums; bass guitar; organ chords; pulsing keyboard with changing modulation; single vocal track, with second vocal track during choruses; backup echoey "ooooh" vocals not by Ka-Spel during choruses.
Suffix "Ooooh" (0:25):
On Brighter Now, the song cuts suddenly into a small instrumental suffix featuring overlapping and pitch-bended samples of the "ooooh" vocal with occasional keyboard effects, gradually fading out.
These samples also appear at the end of the Flowmotion Version of "Hanging Gardens."
What It's About:
Everybody -- no matter how noble or how lowly -- is the king of their own personal castle, at least in their own minds. This includes bar hooligans, troubled partiers, pill-poppers, homeless tramps, and kids just having fun at the beach.
Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):
Maidens in towers and nights on the town
shields up, convinced that the barricade's down.
Fighting in bars. Biting the cars.
They said "we're kings of the castle.
Oh we're kings of the castle."
Two aches in the head, H20 in the wine.
Two hits off the mirror to help you unwind.
Sure, you learned how to drink. Turn now to shrinks.
And he'll say that you're king of the castle.
Oh, you're king of the castle.
Blood on the bypass. You're passing the pills.
They're painted and plastic and make you feel ill.
Make you kick in the night. You're sick in the light.
King of the castle.
Oh, you're of the castle.
A tramp chews a dog-end, a dog chews a tramp,
tears holes in his raincoat and howls 'cause it's damp.
He counts up to nine, he chokes on a coin.
But he's king in his castle.
Dirty king in his castle. His glory, his glory
excels in here.
Pagans in showers and kites on the Downs.
Polka-dot patterns and strings turning brown.
They shut out the sun. Oh, what jolly fun!
But we're kings in our castles.
Yes we're kings in our castles. Our glory, our glory
excels in here.
Why You Should Care:
The song "Black Castles" on The Golden Age has a very similar chord progression.
Legacy
Three main versions:
* "1981 Version" (1981) - Chemical Playschool 2 (4:02), Kleine Krieg (5:14), Legacy 25th Anniversary Single (?:??)
On Chemical Playschool 2 and the 25th Anniversary Single, the track begins with an odd keyboard sting and two bars of introductory drums, whereas on Kleine Krieg it fades in after the introduction. On Kleine Krieg the song ends with a crossfade into a suffix, which in turn crossfades into the following song ("One for the Pearl Moon").
Instruments: Drum machine with multiple patterns; warm synth chords; high-pitched synth melody which starts arpeggiating after the second verse; bass guitar; acoustic guitar; single vocal track.
* "Full Band Version" (1982) - Brigher Now (3:18)
This version is faster and more cheerful. It basically uses the same instruments and arrangement as the 1981 Version but the bass guitar and acoustic guitar are more aggressive. A sequenced keyboard arpeggio appears during the second chorus and leads into a suffix.
Instruments: Drum machine with multiple patterns; warm synth chords, with a second keyboard after the first chorus; bass guitar; acoustic guitar with heavy reverb; single vocal track.
* "2006 Version" (2006) - Legacy 25th Anniversary Single (?:??)
I don't have this, but based on the available MP3 sample it starts with a brief snippet of the Full Band Version of "Legacy," followed by the crashing door and music box/church bell segment that ends the Full Band Version of "Apocalypse Then." This crossfades into a barking dog and an ominous keyboard line, and then presumably the actual song.
Suffix "Erin or Eric" (1:25):
On Kleine Krieg the song crossfades with an instrumental suffix with heavily echoed abrasive synth noises, a dim synth siren, and what sounds like a phone interview from a radio program (see below for a transcription). It then crossfades into the following track ("One for the Pearl Moon").
Suffix "Percussion" (0:38):
On Brighter Now, a sequenced keyboard arpeggio leads into an instrumental suffix with gently tapped cymbals and kettle drum, which slowly fades out.
What It's About:
The narrator comes home to his apartment and discovers that his lover has left, taking all her possessions and leaving only a sympathetic note. He sinks into depression, brooding about the things he should and shouldn't have done during the relationship, but his thoughts are generally accusatory instead of self-reflective.
The "you left me" lines are stated so as to switch between two meanings: the leaving of a legacy, and the statement that "you left me."
Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):
The flat was empty, wondered where you'd gone
and all the time the answer was in front of me.
Took your clothes, left a...little note.
All it offered was your sympathy.
Should have seen those tell-tale signs. Seems so obvious now.
The way I felt about you, it blinded me.
And all those fights we had seem so childish now.
Just wish I could turn the clock back, anyhow, any way.
All I've got is a...legacy of regrets.
Forgetting how to smile.
Watch a lot of TV these days, living on borrowed time.
Too many tablets, and too much wine.
Nothing left to dream about, I've got no aspirations.
Thought about a hobby but I...I've got no patience.
Some fine legacy. You left me.
Some fine legacy! You left me.
You always hurt the one you love.
You always hurt the one you love.
Some fine legacy!
Some fine legacy!
Suffix "Erin or Eric" transcription from "Kleine Krieg":
...all the time he'd been with us. And we were [?] didn't seem to understand that. And the governor of [?], and denied that. And so the PC picked him up again. But I know for a fact he was with us for a day and a half, and I think that's uncanny.
Uhhh, were, he...was there anything unusual about the boy himself.
Apart from the fact that he was domineering, no. I mean, we, I was about sixteen, the, the boy I was with was probably about thirteen, and, you know, we were trusting one another because we had nothing else to...trust. And the other boy was about eighteen and obviously more older and more domineering. But, uh, and he had money. Um, I mean in those days you could get a meal for two bob.
You're looking very confused Eric.
Erin or Eric?
Eric. (Laughter)
Uh, unless I missed a point, which is quite possible...um, I wasn't quite sure of what unn--, of what was unusual [?]
Well, what was unusual [?]...
Why You Should Care:
This song was chosen out of many other possible songs to represent the band's 25th anniversary.
* "1981 Version" (1981) - Chemical Playschool 2 (4:02), Kleine Krieg (5:14), Legacy 25th Anniversary Single (?:??)
On Chemical Playschool 2 and the 25th Anniversary Single, the track begins with an odd keyboard sting and two bars of introductory drums, whereas on Kleine Krieg it fades in after the introduction. On Kleine Krieg the song ends with a crossfade into a suffix, which in turn crossfades into the following song ("One for the Pearl Moon").
Instruments: Drum machine with multiple patterns; warm synth chords; high-pitched synth melody which starts arpeggiating after the second verse; bass guitar; acoustic guitar; single vocal track.
* "Full Band Version" (1982) - Brigher Now (3:18)
This version is faster and more cheerful. It basically uses the same instruments and arrangement as the 1981 Version but the bass guitar and acoustic guitar are more aggressive. A sequenced keyboard arpeggio appears during the second chorus and leads into a suffix.
Instruments: Drum machine with multiple patterns; warm synth chords, with a second keyboard after the first chorus; bass guitar; acoustic guitar with heavy reverb; single vocal track.
* "2006 Version" (2006) - Legacy 25th Anniversary Single (?:??)
I don't have this, but based on the available MP3 sample it starts with a brief snippet of the Full Band Version of "Legacy," followed by the crashing door and music box/church bell segment that ends the Full Band Version of "Apocalypse Then." This crossfades into a barking dog and an ominous keyboard line, and then presumably the actual song.
Suffix "Erin or Eric" (1:25):
On Kleine Krieg the song crossfades with an instrumental suffix with heavily echoed abrasive synth noises, a dim synth siren, and what sounds like a phone interview from a radio program (see below for a transcription). It then crossfades into the following track ("One for the Pearl Moon").
Suffix "Percussion" (0:38):
On Brighter Now, a sequenced keyboard arpeggio leads into an instrumental suffix with gently tapped cymbals and kettle drum, which slowly fades out.
What It's About:
The narrator comes home to his apartment and discovers that his lover has left, taking all her possessions and leaving only a sympathetic note. He sinks into depression, brooding about the things he should and shouldn't have done during the relationship, but his thoughts are generally accusatory instead of self-reflective.
The "you left me" lines are stated so as to switch between two meanings: the leaving of a legacy, and the statement that "you left me."
Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):
The flat was empty, wondered where you'd gone
and all the time the answer was in front of me.
Took your clothes, left a...little note.
All it offered was your sympathy.
Should have seen those tell-tale signs. Seems so obvious now.
The way I felt about you, it blinded me.
And all those fights we had seem so childish now.
Just wish I could turn the clock back, anyhow, any way.
All I've got is a...legacy of regrets.
Forgetting how to smile.
Watch a lot of TV these days, living on borrowed time.
Too many tablets, and too much wine.
Nothing left to dream about, I've got no aspirations.
Thought about a hobby but I...I've got no patience.
Some fine legacy. You left me.
Some fine legacy! You left me.
You always hurt the one you love.
You always hurt the one you love.
Some fine legacy!
Some fine legacy!
Suffix "Erin or Eric" transcription from "Kleine Krieg":
...all the time he'd been with us. And we were [?] didn't seem to understand that. And the governor of [?], and denied that. And so the PC picked him up again. But I know for a fact he was with us for a day and a half, and I think that's uncanny.
Uhhh, were, he...was there anything unusual about the boy himself.
Apart from the fact that he was domineering, no. I mean, we, I was about sixteen, the, the boy I was with was probably about thirteen, and, you know, we were trusting one another because we had nothing else to...trust. And the other boy was about eighteen and obviously more older and more domineering. But, uh, and he had money. Um, I mean in those days you could get a meal for two bob.
You're looking very confused Eric.
Erin or Eric?
Eric. (Laughter)
Uh, unless I missed a point, which is quite possible...um, I wasn't quite sure of what unn--, of what was unusual [?]
Well, what was unusual [?]...
Why You Should Care:
This song was chosen out of many other possible songs to represent the band's 25th anniversary.
City Ghosts
Two main versions, and also appears live on Terminal Kaleidoscope.
* "Buzzy Version" (1981) - Chemical Playschool 2 (4:20)
Fades in, almost cutting off the first vocals. Lots of screaming after the first bridge and before the song ends. Cuts off suddenly after Ka-Spel's ending screams.
Unavailable elsewhere.
Instruments: Single drum machine pattern; keyboard bassline; acoustic guitar, with a second guitar during the middle portion; high-pitched buzzy synth keys playing melody; vocal track, sometimes accented with second vocal track.
* "Full Band Version" (1982) - Brigher Now (5:43)
Starts with just the bassline, a much quieter and slightly slower approach to the song. There is a nice silent bridge in the middle, before the song resumes with enhanced percussion. The single scream during the percussive breakdown is either female or a sped-up sample of a Ka-Spel scream from the Buzzy Version. Ends with the bass and percussion crossfading into "Hanging Gardens."
Instruments: Bass guitar; acoustic drums with heavy reverb and echo; vocal track; acoustic guitar; warm synth chords; quick arpeggiated synth during the middle portion; additional percussion after the silent break; single high-pitched scream.
What It's About:
A mix of fairytale paganism combining druids, insanity, love, and "Alice in Wonderland" in worship to the old gods -- city ghosts and neon gladiators -- which still hold sway over modern cities. Their worshipers include a pair of idyllic lovers and a mysterious tramp-murdering character. The narrator frequently wonders if he should forsake the city ghosts (associated with insanity by those who don't believe) and instead join the "real world."
Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):
There was a time, a time for secrets.
We'd walk together in the forest, hand in hand.
We'd look uneasy, cold and pallid.
Then we'd find some magic mushrooms and we'd skip across the clouds.
We danced for the old gods, danced for the new gods,
danced for the ones we'd never heard about.
Danced for the old days, danced for the new ways,
Danced for the phase that no-one talks about.
Tonight I feel nostalgic, feeling happy.
And the powder in my pocket's crying "Eat me! Eat me! Eat me!''
Could be my age, I could be going crazy.
But I know you feel the same way, I can see it in your eyes.
I've got my crown and I've got my scepter.
Letters on my passport spell "Napoleon."
I'll give you money, give you power,
I'll give you a palace in the Amazon.
Do you think that they'll lock us away?
Padded cells, packet soup on alternate days?
Maybe we should behave in a normal way?
Face facts...face the real world.
A shadow rests, suggests no entry.
A tramp complains, collapses, weeping gently.
A figure smiles and shines a blade discretely.
And the drains ad-libbed a soundtrack as he picked his victim out.
He sang in the rain, he danced in the thunder,
bowed as we bellowed from the balcony.
Stepped on a hand, set fire to a handbag,
slipped as the sparks skipped across his knees.
The songs decayed in suits of amber.
Coughing as they burned like glowing embers.
A priest held up his hands and said "It's over.''
We nodded wisely, scooped the ash, and cast it to the wind.
We played in the neon, bade out the paeons,
slobbering in tongues to the subway gods.
Just like the old times, rituals and red wine.
Hair all tangled and covered in blood.
Do you think that they'll lock us away?
Why You Should Care:
The backing tracks for the Full Band Version, slowed down drastically, are the basis for "Close Your Eyes, You Can Be a Space Captain."
City ghosts are also mentioned in "Down From the Country," and it could be argued that the characters from "Neon Gladiators" are also related.
* "Buzzy Version" (1981) - Chemical Playschool 2 (4:20)
Fades in, almost cutting off the first vocals. Lots of screaming after the first bridge and before the song ends. Cuts off suddenly after Ka-Spel's ending screams.
Unavailable elsewhere.
Instruments: Single drum machine pattern; keyboard bassline; acoustic guitar, with a second guitar during the middle portion; high-pitched buzzy synth keys playing melody; vocal track, sometimes accented with second vocal track.
* "Full Band Version" (1982) - Brigher Now (5:43)
Starts with just the bassline, a much quieter and slightly slower approach to the song. There is a nice silent bridge in the middle, before the song resumes with enhanced percussion. The single scream during the percussive breakdown is either female or a sped-up sample of a Ka-Spel scream from the Buzzy Version. Ends with the bass and percussion crossfading into "Hanging Gardens."
Instruments: Bass guitar; acoustic drums with heavy reverb and echo; vocal track; acoustic guitar; warm synth chords; quick arpeggiated synth during the middle portion; additional percussion after the silent break; single high-pitched scream.
What It's About:
A mix of fairytale paganism combining druids, insanity, love, and "Alice in Wonderland" in worship to the old gods -- city ghosts and neon gladiators -- which still hold sway over modern cities. Their worshipers include a pair of idyllic lovers and a mysterious tramp-murdering character. The narrator frequently wonders if he should forsake the city ghosts (associated with insanity by those who don't believe) and instead join the "real world."
Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):
There was a time, a time for secrets.
We'd walk together in the forest, hand in hand.
We'd look uneasy, cold and pallid.
Then we'd find some magic mushrooms and we'd skip across the clouds.
We danced for the old gods, danced for the new gods,
danced for the ones we'd never heard about.
Danced for the old days, danced for the new ways,
Danced for the phase that no-one talks about.
Tonight I feel nostalgic, feeling happy.
And the powder in my pocket's crying "Eat me! Eat me! Eat me!''
Could be my age, I could be going crazy.
But I know you feel the same way, I can see it in your eyes.
I've got my crown and I've got my scepter.
Letters on my passport spell "Napoleon."
I'll give you money, give you power,
I'll give you a palace in the Amazon.
Do you think that they'll lock us away?
Padded cells, packet soup on alternate days?
Maybe we should behave in a normal way?
Face facts...face the real world.
A shadow rests, suggests no entry.
A tramp complains, collapses, weeping gently.
A figure smiles and shines a blade discretely.
And the drains ad-libbed a soundtrack as he picked his victim out.
He sang in the rain, he danced in the thunder,
bowed as we bellowed from the balcony.
Stepped on a hand, set fire to a handbag,
slipped as the sparks skipped across his knees.
The songs decayed in suits of amber.
Coughing as they burned like glowing embers.
A priest held up his hands and said "It's over.''
We nodded wisely, scooped the ash, and cast it to the wind.
We played in the neon, bade out the paeons,
slobbering in tongues to the subway gods.
Just like the old times, rituals and red wine.
Hair all tangled and covered in blood.
Do you think that they'll lock us away?
Why You Should Care:
The backing tracks for the Full Band Version, slowed down drastically, are the basis for "Close Your Eyes, You Can Be a Space Captain."
City ghosts are also mentioned in "Down From the Country," and it could be argued that the characters from "Neon Gladiators" are also related.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Apocalypse Then
Two main versions:
* "Martial Version" (1981) - Chemical Playschool 1 (4:07)
The song fades into the drum sequence and melody. During the middle portion the tracks begin to feed back and get sharper. Fades out into the "Boopy Keyboards" suffix.
Unavailable elsewhere.
The lyrics do not yet have the "so it came to pass" introduction, simply starting with "I clutched at your sleeve..." And there are no shouts of "LIE DOWN!"
Instruments: Drum machine with single "marching" pattern; keyboard bassline; warm keyboard melody which becomes sharper in the second half; two vocal tracks; synth siren sound briefly at 2:20; bits of the "Boopy Keyboards" suffix appear in the middle portion.
* "Full Band Version" (1982) - Brighter Now (7:24)
Fades in with distorted martial music. Many of the tracks have a subtle echo with changing pitch and duration. The "crime is crime is crime" sample appears again during the bridge. Fades out with recorded "sieg hiel" chanting, interrupted by a slamming door, followed by a music box and the sound of church bells. Unavailable elsewhere.
The lyrics now contain the "so it came to pass" introduction, but the "I spit on you Britannia" lines have been removed. The song structure is much more complicated than the somewhat monotonous Martial Version.
Instruments: Drum machine; bass guitar; warm synth chords, joined by a second keyboard during the climax; occasional synth effects; gentle acoustic guitar; single lead vocal track; backup vocals by somebody else (Keith Thompson?);
Suffix "Boopy Keyboards" (0:44):
Instrumental that only appears on Chemical Playschool 1. Sequenced bass keyboard; three plinky keyboards playing largely unrelated melodies. It fades in and out briefly during the actual song as well.
What It's About:
One of the first of many Dots songs which compare British imperialism -- particularly under Margaret Thatcher -- with fascism. The implication is that a fascist state arrives first with cheerful propaganda and proud nationalism, which must be fought before it turns into an apocalypse (secret police, thugs in the street, everybody fearfully looking after themselves).
The disintegration of British society is illustrated by the literal disintegration of a dancing lover, in whose ashes are written the 13th psalm.
Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):
So it came to pass that a flag flew from every window
and widows handed poppies out in the squares.
And squares were bashed and majors barked
and marching music laughed from the airwaves.
The waves were there to rule again.
We had the ambition. We had the ammunition. A mission...
In the name of God.
In the name of "democracy." Demo-crazy.
Lie down.
Lie down. Forfeited your right to survive.
I clutched at your sleeve. We danced in the fire.
Just a pair of spastic swingers on a melting plastic floor.
But you crumbled in my hands as I fumbled in your blouse,
slipping through my fingers to my feet.
It felt like mustard.
Hot, like custard.
And in the dust that was once an arm, a crazy wrote the 13th Psalm.
A final gesture.
He did it with calm precision, a dot on every "i."
A lullaby for lovers on the last day...
Paying last respects with cups of poison.
Pointed passive at the blood sky.
Lying lifeless at their doors.
Clawing craters in the shelters.
Helter-skelter in the lift shafts, blasting brains out in the dark.
LIE DOWN!! LIE DOWN!
(...crime is crime is crime.)
A dog defaced a baby, gnawed a rattle, smashed a pram.
Yelping wildly in a vacuum. No one really gave a damn.
Thinking only of themselves, yes, they searched for a release.
Hid in cupboards, under tables, cabled Jesus, called the police.
And the radio screamed out, "We're winning!"
About how the loss was minimal and how the gallant sacrifice
will live on through memorials, how we'll build respect again.
No playground anymore.
No, you can't keep this country down for long, 'cause we win so many fucking wars.
I spit on you Britannia, I spit on you Britannia, I spit on you Britannia, I spit on you Britannia, I spit on you Britannia.
Why You Should Care:
The first of three "Apocalypse" songs..."Apocalypse Soon" and "Apocalypse Gone" will both appear on Chemical Playschool 4. I assume that the title is a play on "Apocalypse Now."
In addition, the word "Apocalypse" is sometimes used to describe alternate versions of LPD songs (and of course there's the "Crushed Velvet Apocalypse" album).
The Martial Version is one of the more explicit of Ka-Spel's anti-imperialist statements.
The "crime is crime is crime" sample also appeared in both versions of "Peace Krime."
The phrase "dots on the eyes" first appears here (in the Chemical Playschool 1 version only).
* "Martial Version" (1981) - Chemical Playschool 1 (4:07)
The song fades into the drum sequence and melody. During the middle portion the tracks begin to feed back and get sharper. Fades out into the "Boopy Keyboards" suffix.
Unavailable elsewhere.
The lyrics do not yet have the "so it came to pass" introduction, simply starting with "I clutched at your sleeve..." And there are no shouts of "LIE DOWN!"
Instruments: Drum machine with single "marching" pattern; keyboard bassline; warm keyboard melody which becomes sharper in the second half; two vocal tracks; synth siren sound briefly at 2:20; bits of the "Boopy Keyboards" suffix appear in the middle portion.
* "Full Band Version" (1982) - Brighter Now (7:24)
Fades in with distorted martial music. Many of the tracks have a subtle echo with changing pitch and duration. The "crime is crime is crime" sample appears again during the bridge. Fades out with recorded "sieg hiel" chanting, interrupted by a slamming door, followed by a music box and the sound of church bells. Unavailable elsewhere.
The lyrics now contain the "so it came to pass" introduction, but the "I spit on you Britannia" lines have been removed. The song structure is much more complicated than the somewhat monotonous Martial Version.
Instruments: Drum machine; bass guitar; warm synth chords, joined by a second keyboard during the climax; occasional synth effects; gentle acoustic guitar; single lead vocal track; backup vocals by somebody else (Keith Thompson?);
Suffix "Boopy Keyboards" (0:44):
Instrumental that only appears on Chemical Playschool 1. Sequenced bass keyboard; three plinky keyboards playing largely unrelated melodies. It fades in and out briefly during the actual song as well.
What It's About:
One of the first of many Dots songs which compare British imperialism -- particularly under Margaret Thatcher -- with fascism. The implication is that a fascist state arrives first with cheerful propaganda and proud nationalism, which must be fought before it turns into an apocalypse (secret police, thugs in the street, everybody fearfully looking after themselves).
The disintegration of British society is illustrated by the literal disintegration of a dancing lover, in whose ashes are written the 13th psalm.
Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):
So it came to pass that a flag flew from every window
and widows handed poppies out in the squares.
And squares were bashed and majors barked
and marching music laughed from the airwaves.
The waves were there to rule again.
We had the ambition. We had the ammunition. A mission...
In the name of God.
In the name of "democracy." Demo-crazy.
Lie down.
Lie down. Forfeited your right to survive.
I clutched at your sleeve. We danced in the fire.
Just a pair of spastic swingers on a melting plastic floor.
But you crumbled in my hands as I fumbled in your blouse,
slipping through my fingers to my feet.
It felt like mustard.
Hot, like custard.
And in the dust that was once an arm, a crazy wrote the 13th Psalm.
A final gesture.
He did it with calm precision, a dot on every "i."
A lullaby for lovers on the last day...
Paying last respects with cups of poison.
Pointed passive at the blood sky.
Lying lifeless at their doors.
Clawing craters in the shelters.
Helter-skelter in the lift shafts, blasting brains out in the dark.
LIE DOWN!! LIE DOWN!
(...crime is crime is crime.)
A dog defaced a baby, gnawed a rattle, smashed a pram.
Yelping wildly in a vacuum. No one really gave a damn.
Thinking only of themselves, yes, they searched for a release.
Hid in cupboards, under tables, cabled Jesus, called the police.
And the radio screamed out, "We're winning!"
About how the loss was minimal and how the gallant sacrifice
will live on through memorials, how we'll build respect again.
No playground anymore.
No, you can't keep this country down for long, 'cause we win so many fucking wars.
I spit on you Britannia, I spit on you Britannia, I spit on you Britannia, I spit on you Britannia, I spit on you Britannia.
Why You Should Care:
The first of three "Apocalypse" songs..."Apocalypse Soon" and "Apocalypse Gone" will both appear on Chemical Playschool 4. I assume that the title is a play on "Apocalypse Now."
In addition, the word "Apocalypse" is sometimes used to describe alternate versions of LPD songs (and of course there's the "Crushed Velvet Apocalypse" album).
The Martial Version is one of the more explicit of Ka-Spel's anti-imperialist statements.
The "crime is crime is crime" sample also appeared in both versions of "Peace Krime."
The phrase "dots on the eyes" first appears here (in the Chemical Playschool 1 version only).
Louder After 6
Two main versions:
* "Throbbing Keyboard Version" (1981) - Chemical Playschool 1 (4:42), Ancient Daze (4:21), Ancient Daze CD-R (4:26)
Called "Louder after Six #1" on some versions of Chemical Playschool.
All mixes start with a recording of somebody dialing a telephone, followed by a dial tone. The song begins suddenly. In the middle of the song you can barely hear a recording of the "at the sound of the tone, the time is..." operator, as well as a dial tone, and then somebody attacking their telephone. The Ancient Daze mixes fade out, whereas the Chemical Playschool mix stops suddenly with the sound of a receiver hanging up.
Instruments: Choppy organ chords in a rhythm; obnoxious rhythmic synth which modulates strangely; two vocal tracks.
* "Jolly Version" (1982) - Brighter Now (5:07)
At 2:33 the drums are played backwards for a bar.
Instruments: Single drum machine pattern that occasionally switches to a breakdown; occasional synth effects; another organ providing accents during the middle portion; bass guitar; organ chords and melody; electric guitar; single vocal track that sounds like it's coming through a telephone during one verse; two sped-up vocal tracks near the end.
Sounds a Lot Like:
"The Wrong Impedance," which uses new lyrics with nearly identical backing tracks.
Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):
A click says you're connected and a buzz says that you're heard.
Fingers slide across a panel. They're recording every word.
Try to talk about the weather, don't say anything absurd
'Cause their tapping the phone again... insane!
Invitations from the Kremlin, interference on the line.
Dial a friend to find some comfort; stroke her nicely and she'll tell the time.
And a voice checks in the distance "Christ, it's nearly half past nine!"
Tapping the phone again - what a pain!
Give away a little secret and it ends up in the file
numbered EK5320. In the archives for a while.
They're taking notes, flicking switches, feeding programs, reading dials.
They're tapping the phone again - nice!
And the bill lands on the doormat, calls to Moscow, calls to Mars.
You'd call the cavalry to save you, but you can't afford the charge.
Cut the wires! Axe the pylons! Such fun to sabotage.
Attack your phone again.
Take a cleaver to your receiver. Attack your phone.
Take the pliers to the wires. Attack your phone.
Attack attack attack attack attack
Why you should care:
The "can't afford the charge" line is a terrific pun.
* "Throbbing Keyboard Version" (1981) - Chemical Playschool 1 (4:42), Ancient Daze (4:21), Ancient Daze CD-R (4:26)
Called "Louder after Six #1" on some versions of Chemical Playschool.
All mixes start with a recording of somebody dialing a telephone, followed by a dial tone. The song begins suddenly. In the middle of the song you can barely hear a recording of the "at the sound of the tone, the time is..." operator, as well as a dial tone, and then somebody attacking their telephone. The Ancient Daze mixes fade out, whereas the Chemical Playschool mix stops suddenly with the sound of a receiver hanging up.
Instruments: Choppy organ chords in a rhythm; obnoxious rhythmic synth which modulates strangely; two vocal tracks.
* "Jolly Version" (1982) - Brighter Now (5:07)
At 2:33 the drums are played backwards for a bar.
Instruments: Single drum machine pattern that occasionally switches to a breakdown; occasional synth effects; another organ providing accents during the middle portion; bass guitar; organ chords and melody; electric guitar; single vocal track that sounds like it's coming through a telephone during one verse; two sped-up vocal tracks near the end.
Sounds a Lot Like:
"The Wrong Impedance," which uses new lyrics with nearly identical backing tracks.
Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):
A click says you're connected and a buzz says that you're heard.
Fingers slide across a panel. They're recording every word.
Try to talk about the weather, don't say anything absurd
'Cause their tapping the phone again... insane!
Invitations from the Kremlin, interference on the line.
Dial a friend to find some comfort; stroke her nicely and she'll tell the time.
And a voice checks in the distance "Christ, it's nearly half past nine!"
Tapping the phone again - what a pain!
Give away a little secret and it ends up in the file
numbered EK5320. In the archives for a while.
They're taking notes, flicking switches, feeding programs, reading dials.
They're tapping the phone again - nice!
And the bill lands on the doormat, calls to Moscow, calls to Mars.
You'd call the cavalry to save you, but you can't afford the charge.
Cut the wires! Axe the pylons! Such fun to sabotage.
Attack your phone again.
Take a cleaver to your receiver. Attack your phone.
Take the pliers to the wires. Attack your phone.
Attack attack attack attack attack
Why you should care:
The "can't afford the charge" line is a terrific pun.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Soma Bath
Two main versions:
* "Sloppy Guitar Version" (1981) - Only Dreaming (2:34)
Begins with a short, odd drum pattern and a siren, then goes into the song itself. It fades out completely after the "not what we do" lines. The "drown in your soma bath" section is not there.
Instruments: Drum machine (single pattern); two tracks of vocals; oddly inept, detuned, plinky guitar in the right speaker; capable bass guitar; rhythmic organ chords; monophonic squeaky keyboard melody.
* "Jolly Version" (1981) - Chemical Playschool Volume 1 (3:39), Kleine Kreig (3:35), Brighter Now (3:48)
Starts immediately and is in a different key. Contains the final "Drown in your soma bath" section. The "Chemical Playschool" mix ends sharply on the last note, the "Brighter Now" mix fades down almost to silence for the last note, and the "Kleine Krieg" version gradually merges with a windy prelude to "Peace Krime #2."
All three are noticeably different mixes. The "Brighter Now" mix is slightly slowed down (hence the additional ten seconds and the lower pitch).
Instruments: Drum machine; single track of vocals with plate reverb, heavy reverb near the end; more aggressive bass guitar; rhythmic organ chords; monophonic squeaky keyboard melody joined by a second identical keyboard during the bridge; guitar is still strangely jangly and out-of-tune but it is more buried in the mix. Burbly keyboard noises during part of the final section.
What it's about:
A drug-addicted, oversexed religious zealot suffers a much-deserved decline in popularity when he has a non-fatal overdose in his bathroom. At his nightmarish trial he is apparently sentenced to die by enforced overdose, though that part of the story is a little hazy. Judge for yourself.
Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):
Powdered heaven dressed in plastic
pulled the shades down on his eyes.
Pinprick pupils soaring skywards
offer him no alibis.
Then, who needs them, he's quite perfect,
perfect body, perfect teeth.
The flash sublime and blind the kids who
spread their legs for their belief.
Cross themselves at the drop of a parable,
shriek they're saved when they've touched his jeans.
Swear his wisdom's just infallible,
beg for mercy in his dreams.
Another day, another sermon,
broken bread, forgotten lines.
A line for comfort keeps him human.
The needle trembles, band on tight.
Another little perforation
ventilates him, paints him white.
A wordless song, a prayer to no-one
helps him whistle through the night.
They found him on his throne of porcelain,
rusty chain draped 'round his head.
Incapable and incoherent,
eyes switched off but a king no less.
Jury all wore black chewed razors,
witnesses looked D.O.A!
O.D'd, amoral, senses skewered,
dribbling lies and tooth decay.
Declared his guilt, defense said nothing,
sobbing as the judge turned blue,
washed their hands said "Lord forgive us,
for we know not what we do..."
Know not what we do,
not what we do.
"Drown in your soma bath!"
They said, "Drown in your soma bath.
What are we gonna do with you?
Let the punishment fit the crime!
We have the technology. We've got the instruments.
Down! Down in your soma bath!"
Why you should care:
It's the first song off the first album, which has to mean something. They also liked it enough to put it into their first LP (Brighter Now), though it doesn't exactly fit with the rest of the songs on there.
Trivia:
You may already know that "soma" was a ritual Vedic drink, though it is more widely remembered as the drug from Brave New World.
* "Sloppy Guitar Version" (1981) - Only Dreaming (2:34)
Begins with a short, odd drum pattern and a siren, then goes into the song itself. It fades out completely after the "not what we do" lines. The "drown in your soma bath" section is not there.
Instruments: Drum machine (single pattern); two tracks of vocals; oddly inept, detuned, plinky guitar in the right speaker; capable bass guitar; rhythmic organ chords; monophonic squeaky keyboard melody.
* "Jolly Version" (1981) - Chemical Playschool Volume 1 (3:39), Kleine Kreig (3:35), Brighter Now (3:48)
Starts immediately and is in a different key. Contains the final "Drown in your soma bath" section. The "Chemical Playschool" mix ends sharply on the last note, the "Brighter Now" mix fades down almost to silence for the last note, and the "Kleine Krieg" version gradually merges with a windy prelude to "Peace Krime #2."
All three are noticeably different mixes. The "Brighter Now" mix is slightly slowed down (hence the additional ten seconds and the lower pitch).
Instruments: Drum machine; single track of vocals with plate reverb, heavy reverb near the end; more aggressive bass guitar; rhythmic organ chords; monophonic squeaky keyboard melody joined by a second identical keyboard during the bridge; guitar is still strangely jangly and out-of-tune but it is more buried in the mix. Burbly keyboard noises during part of the final section.
What it's about:
A drug-addicted, oversexed religious zealot suffers a much-deserved decline in popularity when he has a non-fatal overdose in his bathroom. At his nightmarish trial he is apparently sentenced to die by enforced overdose, though that part of the story is a little hazy. Judge for yourself.
Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):
Powdered heaven dressed in plastic
pulled the shades down on his eyes.
Pinprick pupils soaring skywards
offer him no alibis.
Then, who needs them, he's quite perfect,
perfect body, perfect teeth.
The flash sublime and blind the kids who
spread their legs for their belief.
Cross themselves at the drop of a parable,
shriek they're saved when they've touched his jeans.
Swear his wisdom's just infallible,
beg for mercy in his dreams.
Another day, another sermon,
broken bread, forgotten lines.
A line for comfort keeps him human.
The needle trembles, band on tight.
Another little perforation
ventilates him, paints him white.
A wordless song, a prayer to no-one
helps him whistle through the night.
They found him on his throne of porcelain,
rusty chain draped 'round his head.
Incapable and incoherent,
eyes switched off but a king no less.
Jury all wore black chewed razors,
witnesses looked D.O.A!
O.D'd, amoral, senses skewered,
dribbling lies and tooth decay.
Declared his guilt, defense said nothing,
sobbing as the judge turned blue,
washed their hands said "Lord forgive us,
for we know not what we do..."
Know not what we do,
not what we do.
"Drown in your soma bath!"
They said, "Drown in your soma bath.
What are we gonna do with you?
Let the punishment fit the crime!
We have the technology. We've got the instruments.
Down! Down in your soma bath!"
Why you should care:
It's the first song off the first album, which has to mean something. They also liked it enough to put it into their first LP (Brighter Now), though it doesn't exactly fit with the rest of the songs on there.
Trivia:
You may already know that "soma" was a ritual Vedic drink, though it is more widely remembered as the drug from Brave New World.
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