Wey Wey Hep a Hole Ding Dong: Robyn Hitchcock the song by song, album by album thread

This I always liked just fine. I always thought this album is decent, not anywhere near as bad as Luxor although not one of his best. This is not as good as the first two songs or Strawberries Dress, but I like it.

3.5/5

 

Well, I don't like it much - sounds like a Lennon outtake more than 80s stuff but it does pick up when the chords modulate near the end. The vocals sound a bit phoney and the title sounds like a Woody Allen film. 2/5

You've got some catching up to do; I'd blank out your diary for a few weeks....

 

I'm just sitting here and realizing that I don't remember any of the songs from this album.

 

Our votes for "Death And Love"

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Average: 3.3375

 

Today's song is "Fix You", written by Robyn Hitchcock and produced by Paul Noble.

Robyn Hitchcock – Fix You Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

Robyn Hitchcock: vocals, guitar
Paul Noble: guitar, bass, keyboards
Lizzy Anstey: vocals

 

The song is pretty good (I think) and the production is all right....but they don't go together. An experiement that doesn't quite work for me.

2.6/5

 

This is certainly one of the better tracks on the album. It wouldn't have sounded out of place on Perspex Island although it always reminds me of Big Decision by That Petrol Emotion. I don't mind the big, fuzzy guitar riff and the lyrics still carry a depressing resonance today.

Fix You 3.2/5.

 

Fix You

This one has kind of a heavy, sludgy feel to it, but it works for me. That sludgy, industrial sound mostly stays in the background, and the melody is catchy with some very good twists and turns throughout the song, Robyn does a great job singing this one. He does well with the low and hushed parts and equally as good with the parts he really belts out.

3.25/5

 

Fix you is OK 3.1/5

 

Fix You -- an extremely light version of My Bloody Valentine's "Only Shallow" (in an off-hand way.) I like this one. This late-middle set of songs on the album (side 2 if you will) is so much better than the first 5 tracks, for sure. 4/5

 

"Fix You" - this one's alright. Robyn seems to be upset with the state of late capitalism, or the state of his respiratory system, or what to do with a donkey on a string. I like the music, even if it's very close to "I Love You" (in fact, before Robyn's vocal came in, I was hearing "I Love You, I Love You, I Lo-0ve You" in my mind), but it's still that '90s alternative sound. I can't figure out why he's bothering to recreate it 20 years later on this album. "Fix You" is a better song than "I Love You", but it's still not memorable. 3/5.

 

I think I actually read somewhere (long ago, before I started this thread, even) that Robyn basically still listens to Dylan, Lennon, Barrett and other touchstones from his youth. This 90s alterna-rock stuff may be really fresh sounding to him.

 

Meh. This one just sits there. I'm totally indifferent to it. 2/5

Om a more positive note, I'm just about to see Robyn take the stage for the first time in aaaages!

 

Something the UK has been experiencing a lot over the past few days.

Hate to say it but these sort of lyrics, in about 2010 or whenever, just don't sound like the real Robyn. Nor does the grungy sound which reminds me of the band Garbage (I can say that as they were one of the few 90s bands I actually listened to!) I remember liking That Petrol Emotion in the 80s but they were hardly in the same league as Robyn at that point (unless you really liked them and disliked Robyn, the state of most UK listeners),

Take it or leave it : 1.5/5. This is what happens when someone you've really liked goes off the tracks.

 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the gig, Matt. Kick off delayed I'm hearing.

 

Yes my son?

 

Just got back from it. Kick off was indeed delayed, due to the venue PA breaking down. This ended up being a bit of a bonus, as the result was an unplugged show, that was much more intimate.

RH seemed to revel in the challenge, and was in a very playful, talkative mood all evening. He started with Tonight, and the set included superb versions of Serpent at the Gates of Wisdom, 1974, Cynthia Mask, Ole Tarantula and Light Blue Afternoon.
Apparently the latter is also part of the dreaded Magnum Force suite of songs! That had passed me by somehow.

He switched to electric near the end (played through a small practice amp) and we got great versions of Chinese Bones, Acid Bird, Airscape and I Often dream of Trains. Support act Jess Lee Morgan joined for a lovely Queen of Eyes, and a slightly tepid Brenda's Iron sledge (needs a full rhythm section IMO). Finished with Mad Shelley's Letterbox.

He played three new songs too. One about Quetzalcoatl I didn't much care for, but one of the others (Sweet September?) was really good and rather touching. With the right recording it could be excellent.

Favourite bit of RH wit and wisdom: "Jazz can be dangerous... especially when it gets into hotels".

A really excellent evening on the whole heightened by the unplugged novelty and the joy of seeing one of my favourite artists play live again!

 

100% agree. Sludgy sound, not dynamic or eccentric enough for a good RH song. For a while in the 1980's the Soft Boys records, Black Diamond Snake Role, the Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians records (through Queen Elvis) were super special for me. I owe a lot to about 10 of his records giving me endless joy and amusement.

His voice is not good enough to carry mediocre tunes. Never was.

"Fix You" - 2/5

 

Harry's Song-- got to be "maudlin sea birds" and he doesn't pronounce the 'l'? The Genius site has "Morton's," does that mean anything? Otherwise "modern" I guess.

Mispronounced "maudlin" seems most likely to me. He ever do that one live?

 

Why not Morden (suburb of London)? Hardly out of the way given the album's title!

 

There is a brand of salt in the US called "Morton's", and they do sell a sea salt. That's what came to mind when I read the lyric on Genius, and it became clear that this was actually a diatribe against the controlling fingers of Big Salt, clinging fast to our feathered friends and the ocean. (I actually think he's saying "modern", as opposed to those old-fashioned pterodactyls.)

 

Our votes for "Fix You"

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Average: 2.7389

 

Today's song is "My Rain", written by Robyn Hitchcock and produced by Paul Noble.

Robyn Hitchcock – My Rain Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

Robyn HItchcock: vocals, guitars, piano
Paul Noble: guitars, bass, keyboards
Jenny Adjayan: cello
Jenny Macro and Lucy Parnell: vocals

 

This one's OK but it kind of rolls off my mind like I've been sprayed with rain-x

3.3/5