Two main versions:
* "Full Version" (1981) - Chemical Playschool 2 (11:27)
* "Edited Version" (1981) - Kleine Krieg (6:40)
The Edited Version ends abruptly after the "Phallus Dei" section but is otherwise identical to the Full Version.
The Full Version is 6 sections mixed together:
1. 0:00 - 3:48 "Stars on Sunday." Discordant keyboard melody, sequenced squeaky synth, and Ka-Spel howling improvised lyrics in the background (something about dancing with a woman in a church, something about heaven). A segment of this appeared in "Break Down."
2. 3:48 - 3:48 The sped-up Russian chanting from the end of Mpnmep Cptaha crossfades between sections 1 and 3.
3. 3:58 - 6:07 A heavily-distorted drum pattern is played with lots of glitches, with a discordant improvised melody played over top and a buzzing-fly synth sound. More incomprehensible vocals; sections 1 and 3 may in fact be from the same recording session, with section 2 inserted to fill a quiet portion. Cuts off suddenly, and after a second of silence:
4. 6:07 - 6:50 A heavily-distorted section from "Phallus Dei" with lots of tremolo. Suddenly replaced by:
5. 6:50 - 9:20 A likewise distorted section from "Before the End," lyrics replaced by more improvised and impossible-to-hear vocals and an insectoid synth melody. The synth crossfades with...
6. 9:20 - 11:27 The Mpnmep Cptaha chanting, quiet vocals (something about "dancing shoes") that are impossible to hear, keyboard booping, and erratic snatches from "Before the End."
Why You Should Care:
Lyrics about a bride and groom being "stars on Sunday" appear in "The Wedding."
Showing posts with label Phallus Dei. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Phallus Dei. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Brill
One main version:
* (1981) - Chemical Playschool 1 (5:53), Kleine Krieg (6:06), Prayer for Aradia Bonus Tracks (5:55)
The song fades in, contains samples from several other LPD songs in the middle, and then fades out at the end. Totally random and discordant. On Kleine Krieg it cross-fades at the end with a small suffix.
Instruments: Choppy keyboard melody; single drum machine pattern that is not followed by the other instruments; two vocal tracks; brief sped-up backwards chanting; snippets from other songs from Chemical Playschool 1 (see below for a list); sequenced keyboard melody fades in and out; sequenced keyboard with wildly oscillating pitch; occasional vocoder interjections with heavy distortion near the end.
Suffix "Choir" (0:22):
On Kleine Krieg the end of the song crossfades with a recording of what sounds like a cathedral choir, with organ synths and effects in the background. It cuts off abruptly.
What It's About:
My guess is that the lyrics are largely improvised. They're mostly patronizing statements about a "clever boy's" intelligence. Apparently this clever boy won a prize but he'd better run quick if he wants to escape with it.
Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):
You won the star prize, surprise surprise.
Clever boy, lucky boy. Take the money and run.
Run, run before we change our minds.
Us widows are fickle. Run, run, run, run.
[The Christ of Jesus was ?]
Run, run, run. Run, run.
Run. Run. Run. Run.
[Snippets from the Full Band version of "Waiting for the Call / You 'n Me", "Phallus Dei," "Before the End," "Guess the Politician," and the Boopy Keyboards suffix from "Apocalypse Then"]
Oh you're such a clever boy,
Get out 'for the going's good, I told you.
Such a clever boy, your cranium's so wide, your forehead is so high.
You clever boy.
[?]
What a man, a born winner!
A winner!
And you've got such a good job in an office or a [?].
Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir, more bags, five bags, eighty bags alike!
[?]
Clever boy. Clever boy! [?]
[?] sonny [?]
Mom's little lad's a clever boy!
[The Christ of Jesus was ?]
Why You Should Care:
You shouldn't. This is the most annoying Legendary Pink Dots song ever...and yet they must have liked it because they also put it on "Kleine Kreig."
* (1981) - Chemical Playschool 1 (5:53), Kleine Krieg (6:06), Prayer for Aradia Bonus Tracks (5:55)
The song fades in, contains samples from several other LPD songs in the middle, and then fades out at the end. Totally random and discordant. On Kleine Krieg it cross-fades at the end with a small suffix.
Instruments: Choppy keyboard melody; single drum machine pattern that is not followed by the other instruments; two vocal tracks; brief sped-up backwards chanting; snippets from other songs from Chemical Playschool 1 (see below for a list); sequenced keyboard melody fades in and out; sequenced keyboard with wildly oscillating pitch; occasional vocoder interjections with heavy distortion near the end.
Suffix "Choir" (0:22):
On Kleine Krieg the end of the song crossfades with a recording of what sounds like a cathedral choir, with organ synths and effects in the background. It cuts off abruptly.
What It's About:
My guess is that the lyrics are largely improvised. They're mostly patronizing statements about a "clever boy's" intelligence. Apparently this clever boy won a prize but he'd better run quick if he wants to escape with it.
Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):
You won the star prize, surprise surprise.
Clever boy, lucky boy. Take the money and run.
Run, run before we change our minds.
Us widows are fickle. Run, run, run, run.
[The Christ of Jesus was ?]
Run, run, run. Run, run.
Run. Run. Run. Run.
[Snippets from the Full Band version of "Waiting for the Call / You 'n Me", "Phallus Dei," "Before the End," "Guess the Politician," and the Boopy Keyboards suffix from "Apocalypse Then"]
Oh you're such a clever boy,
Get out 'for the going's good, I told you.
Such a clever boy, your cranium's so wide, your forehead is so high.
You clever boy.
[?]
What a man, a born winner!
A winner!
And you've got such a good job in an office or a [?].
Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir, more bags, five bags, eighty bags alike!
[?]
Clever boy. Clever boy! [?]
[?] sonny [?]
Mom's little lad's a clever boy!
[The Christ of Jesus was ?]
Why You Should Care:
You shouldn't. This is the most annoying Legendary Pink Dots song ever...and yet they must have liked it because they also put it on "Kleine Kreig."
Monday, February 11, 2008
Phallus Dei
One main version:
* (1981): Only Dreaming (3:27), Chemical Playschool Volume 1 (5:01), Ancient Daze CD (3:15), Ancient Daze CD-R (3:18)
A solid song that alternates between chugging verses and quiet choruses. It sounds like there may have been a slight feedback problem on April's mic.
The "Only Dreaming" mix contains the longest intro lead-in, while the "Ancient Daze" mix cuts out the first two bars entirely (the CD mix cuts in abruptly, what the CD-R mix fades in quickly). All mixes contain a tape glitch during the "rancid rotting hands" section, though the glitch is much worse in "Ancient Daze," lasting several seconds. Have the masters deteriorated that much?
Instruments: Keyboard plays a jaunty bassline; single pattern on a drum machine; choppy organ chords that turn into a music box melody during the choruses; Ka-spel vocals with plate reverb, alternating with quiet April White choruses; subtle extended keyboard chords modulated periodically; soulful noodling guitar.
Suffix:
On "Chemical Playschool" this is followed by 1:43 of a nameless, totally distinct track consisting of a low-pitched drone and occasional high-pitched swooping pulses. There's a quiet snippet of backward vocals at the end.
What It's About:
The strangely alliterative (and often nonsensical) story of a woman -- perhaps a nun -- being raped. She distracts herself with thoughts of happier times. In the end, Biblical figures show their disapproval of the situation.
Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):
Pulses pounding, lungs collapse
in sheets of sewer breath.
Firing sweat stains steam saliva,
seeds of sudden death.
Seeping through the ventilator,
up the fire escape.
In a line, spirits whisper,
"Season's right for rape."
(I will think of England,
of trees in summertime.
Of leafy lanes, of daisy chains,
of Grandad's rhubarb wine.)
Run Christina, hide Christina,
sneak inside this shoe.
A pair of rancid rotten hands
are wringing just for you.
But android armies armed with H-bombs
couldn't save you now.
Best to just lie back and wait,
and contemplate your vow.
(I will think of England,
preparing for this trial.
I'll raise my veil, I'll bite my nails,
I'll grimace when he smiles.)
Shrivel, shimmer, sliding, shooting,
sinking to the ground.
Seedy 3D Polaroids
can twist it round and round.
It twined, entwined in twilight tango
turning in the fire.
Pressing, pushing past the limit,
expand and then expire.
(I will think of England,
of trees in summertime.
Of leafy lanes, of daisy chains,
of Grandad's rhubarb wine.)
Peter puked, tore a curtain,
dipped his eyes and cried.
Pilate pondered on his pipe,
politely turned aside.
And at the door stood John the Baptist,
head beneath one arm,
spitting oaths, splitting fingers,
sounding the alarm.
Why you should care:
One of the few songs in which Edward shares the vocal duties.
* (1981): Only Dreaming (3:27), Chemical Playschool Volume 1 (5:01), Ancient Daze CD (3:15), Ancient Daze CD-R (3:18)
A solid song that alternates between chugging verses and quiet choruses. It sounds like there may have been a slight feedback problem on April's mic.
The "Only Dreaming" mix contains the longest intro lead-in, while the "Ancient Daze" mix cuts out the first two bars entirely (the CD mix cuts in abruptly, what the CD-R mix fades in quickly). All mixes contain a tape glitch during the "rancid rotting hands" section, though the glitch is much worse in "Ancient Daze," lasting several seconds. Have the masters deteriorated that much?
Instruments: Keyboard plays a jaunty bassline; single pattern on a drum machine; choppy organ chords that turn into a music box melody during the choruses; Ka-spel vocals with plate reverb, alternating with quiet April White choruses; subtle extended keyboard chords modulated periodically; soulful noodling guitar.
Suffix:
On "Chemical Playschool" this is followed by 1:43 of a nameless, totally distinct track consisting of a low-pitched drone and occasional high-pitched swooping pulses. There's a quiet snippet of backward vocals at the end.
What It's About:
The strangely alliterative (and often nonsensical) story of a woman -- perhaps a nun -- being raped. She distracts herself with thoughts of happier times. In the end, Biblical figures show their disapproval of the situation.
Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):
Pulses pounding, lungs collapse
in sheets of sewer breath.
Firing sweat stains steam saliva,
seeds of sudden death.
Seeping through the ventilator,
up the fire escape.
In a line, spirits whisper,
"Season's right for rape."
(I will think of England,
of trees in summertime.
Of leafy lanes, of daisy chains,
of Grandad's rhubarb wine.)
Run Christina, hide Christina,
sneak inside this shoe.
A pair of rancid rotten hands
are wringing just for you.
But android armies armed with H-bombs
couldn't save you now.
Best to just lie back and wait,
and contemplate your vow.
(I will think of England,
preparing for this trial.
I'll raise my veil, I'll bite my nails,
I'll grimace when he smiles.)
Shrivel, shimmer, sliding, shooting,
sinking to the ground.
Seedy 3D Polaroids
can twist it round and round.
It twined, entwined in twilight tango
turning in the fire.
Pressing, pushing past the limit,
expand and then expire.
(I will think of England,
of trees in summertime.
Of leafy lanes, of daisy chains,
of Grandad's rhubarb wine.)
Peter puked, tore a curtain,
dipped his eyes and cried.
Pilate pondered on his pipe,
politely turned aside.
And at the door stood John the Baptist,
head beneath one arm,
spitting oaths, splitting fingers,
sounding the alarm.
Why you should care:
One of the few songs in which Edward shares the vocal duties.
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