Here's a piccy of me wearing the RH shirt (notice the album title on the bottom) in 2004 at the Record Exchange here in Salem:
I am not very familiar with Moss Elixir. I somehow missed that one. I shall give it a listen within the next day. My favorites are probably Black Snake Diamond Röle, Fegmania, and Element of Light, but you cannot go wrong with the first ten or so albums. I put him in the same category as someone like Elvis Costello. I still like them, but somewhere along the way something changed. I think it has something to do with the vocals. It's not really something I can easily explain, but there is a period of each of their careers where something switches off and never fully turns back on again. Robyn Hitchcock hasn't really made any terrible albums, but I am not interested in much after the first ten albums, aside from a few songs. I bet a song by song thread would make me appreciate more of his later albums, but it's hard to say.
Hi @DISKOJOE! It's always interesting to see what our fellow forum friends look like. I recall now having a dream and hanging out with many people from this Kinks thread. Nobody looked like how I imagined them. It's like pulling the curtain away from the Wizard of Oz. It's always different than you expect. I should have posted about it, but now I forgot most of it. I always pictured you looking like Flash and having a cigar.
This made me smile; thanks for sharing! As a result of widespread positive to glowing reviews of the last 2 songs, I will refrain from commenting until I can listen to them some more. The first has already made a positive impression and could possibly be upgraded to playlist status. And perhaps I will better appreciate the latter; I think the Preservation Act 2 lens some have mentioned is a good approach to take. But despite what I will read here, I don't intend to deliberately play tomorrow's track again!
Now I have to listen to this Robyn Hitchcock guy. The only thing I ever heard by him is the EP he co-recorded with Andy Partridge in 2019, Planet England. I bought that as an XTC fan, I had no notion of who this other guy could be.
Cliches Of The World (B Movie) Part Kink and all spot on contemporary instrumentally. Did Ray shout as if so I didn't notice as he just does what suits the song with his lead vocal as he drops hints everywhere of his past songwriting glories. The recurrent encircling riff holds drama, great suspence and some real kind of dread. Someone here mentioned Phantasm but i don't readily recall any alien scene in that seventies soft porn sojurn. I can see the link to say Preservation Act 2 with modern styling and 50's horror sci-fi and really appreciate Ray (& likely also Dave) getting more experimental here, what they conjure is sure no sunny afternoon!
Trying to compile my Frankenstein Dave/Ray 1983 album, and for some reason I had a reminiscence of that very particular feeling I had when taking a gamble to fit a 46' album on one side of a 90' tape. Those sides always ran a little bit more than 45' but I never knew by how much. You had to listen to the end of the last song, hoping it would not be cut. And sometimes the miracle occurred, the song ended and right after the last second the tape reached its end. And then I thought, "Yes, there is a God".
She was indeed the singer. I seem to remember her having a decent voice although 25+ years later I can't remember the tone or enough to be able to compare her with anyone. I do recall that one of her stage poses was to stand with her hands on her hips! Beyond that, not much, sorry... By the way, hope you're feeling better.
Rainy day in June here. Sorry, totally off-topic, except that following some comments on the thread I wanted to listen to some Robyn Hitchcock this morning on my way back from child care (is it the right word ? like kindergarten for 2-year-olds? Crèche in French), but my Spotify started on Shubert's 2nd symphony. (The other day my wife asked if Schubert wrote any symphonies and I said "yes of course" with the air of the guy who knows, so I had to rush to check the info and listen to some of his symphonies in order to raise myself at the level of my boast). I don't know if any of you guys and girl(s) are into this kind of things, but the shere energy of it (after the slow intro) really blew me away. I only met this blend of joy and energy in Mozart and Stevie Wonder. A bit like rock'n'roll minus the rage. The bastard was 17 when he wrote this. This is the version I listened to. I read somewhere that it was a good one. Though the conductor has the same name as a physics teacher I had in 6th grade and who terrorized me. It's time I move on.
Bernadette. stereo mix, recorded May-Jun 1981 at Konk Studios, Hornsey, London I don't wanna leave, Bernadette, But I don't wanna live with the jet set. I don't wanna leave with you payin' all my debts, With that alimony, palimony, whatever it is you get. Ooh, Bernadette, you are so expensive. You've never done a day's work in your life, You've got no incentive. You've made a career out of punting off all of the men you've slept with. Ooh, Bernadette, you are so expensive. I can't get a job, Bernadette, So all that I can offer are a lot of bad debts If you marry me, Bernadette, You'll lose the alimony, palimony, whatever it is you get. Ooh, Bernadette, you are so expensive. You've never done a day's work in your life, You've got no incentive. You've made a career out of punting off all of the men you've slept with. Ooh, Bernadette, you are so expensive. Ooh, Bernadette, Bernadette. Ooh, Bernadette, Bernadette. [Extra verse from extended version: Bernadette's got a house in the country, She's really got it made. Her lawyers made her filthy rich, She's got all expenses paid.] Maybe a famous rock star will fly you away, Then you'll eat him all up, And spit him out, With a dash of Perrier. And when you've had enough You'll throw him away, And take him for all you can get. Yeah, you like it don't you, Bernadette? I don't want to leave Bernadette, But I wanna keep a little bit of self respect. I don't want to leave with you paying all my debts, With that alimony, palimony, whatever it is you get. Ooh, Bernadette, you are so expensive. You've never done a day's work in your life. You've got no incentive. Women like you oughta be locked up, For giving others a bad name. Ohh, Bernadette, you are so expensive. Ooh, Bernadette, Bernadette. Ooh, Bernadette. I think you're sad. Written by: Ray Davies Published by: Davray Music Ltd. This is a weird song to end the album... I don't particularly dislike it, it rocks out pretty well, but it is the weakest track here for me. Lyrically it is pretty much a put down, and Bernadette is painted as a golddigger essentially. It seems like the male character is/was in love with her, but he has nothing but debt to offer her, and she needs her baby mama payments.... It's pretty sad really. This is a sort of hard rock rewrite of Lucille, or another similar style fifties rock and roll song. Dave gives us the vocal and it is enthusiastic, but not one of his better efforts for me. We get a sax lead break, and I guess that adds some colour to the palette. Dave and Ray share the vocals, but Dave is the main vocalist.... I don't have too much to say on this one really.... like I say, I don't hate it, but it isn't in my must hear Kinks songs
Another live video, think this one is 1983. Watch out for Rays somewhat out-of-character foul mouthed exclamation near the end.
I like this one. I find the words pretty funny. The music is a bit loud, maybe. As a closer, it's in the tradition of "Dizzie Miss Lizzie". Not a closing tradition that I like very much, but it's not absurd. I would have closed with "Cold Winter", of course.
"Bernadette" I like to think that this fulfills the same function on State of Confusion as Heatwave does on The Jam's Setting Sons - i.e. following up the big serious track with a blast of unsophisticated, throwaway fun to end the album. Dave gets to let rip with his vocal, and it's great that Ray jumps in to sing the middle section. It's the kind of moment, like the chorus of "Living on a Thin Line" where you think that just occasionally these two might enjoy working together. Ray's done a lot of voices in his time, but as far as I know, his last line in this song is the only time he ever attempted a Scouse accent. Anyway, not a lot to say about this musically, but I enjoy it.
Alternate version with I would say a superior Dave vocal and extra lyrics in the bridge. It’s presented here as an outtake but I’m sure I remember hearing an officially released but never digitally recompiled B side version (Don’t Forget To Dance 12inch maybe? @Michael Streett will prob know) with extra lyrics during the 4 months back in 2001/2 I worked as a second hand record store employee and was left alone to play what I wanted most of the day.
Burn A Debt I can see our headmaster doesn't favour this by his brief write up which is fair enough. I think this is just a fun "Lucille" update with let's say politely a slightly grating lead vocal. Plenty of energy and definite sax appeal but yeah it is pretty slight, now if they had made her an alien............
Cliches Of The World (B Movie) I love this song. It’s noticeably different in style to anything else on this album - and to most songs in their career. I just like it. Bernadette I’m not sure why they didn’t just do Lucille instead of teasing that they were doing Lucille. This is Little Richard in all but name. It’s nice to hear Ray and Dave sharing the vocals. But I don’t think it’s the last song this album deserved.
Disclaimer, this is not my favorite Bernadette song, the honor goes to this Paul Simon little tune, from his much maligned (but fabulous) Capeman project. Now back the Kinks’ one. The lady’s French, isn’t she ? That’s a very French first name. In the bridge, Ray delights us (and himself, clearly) by saying it french style, not “burnadette” but “bairnadette”. He enjoys saying “Perrier” too, with perfect pronunciation, a field in which Dave proves once again that he’s much more approximative than his big brother… The song’s a nice bit of "Dizzy Miss Lucille" fun, especially in the alternate take, with the “she uses her sex to pick up the checks” lyrics, and “house in a country” bit. Love how he delivers the “I think you’re sad” conclusion too, and the brotherly fun & rage. We all know Dave wasn’t present for the album sessions. It must’ve been the rare occasion when he came in and said hello, so they stretched their legs and blasted this out. No complaints from me!
Love ‘Bernadette’ (the song!): yeah it’s derivative of Lucille et al but I do not care at all: if the Beatles can wrest a minor classic out of that riff and vibe with ‘Birthday’ then so can the Kinks: when it hits that chorus I’m sold every time. Plus it has that slight overtone of yuppy era boomers aging into middle age disgracefully satire to it that gives it a little more depth and a slight comedic flavour that will always get me on side:,Dave’s extended intake of ‘oooooooh’ is half yearning lust, half financial advisor assessing the long term impact of a poor investment and turning round from the computer to break the bad new to his client haha. I always picture Bernadette as a ‘daddy’s little princess’ early 80s prep school deb type in a white play suit and stilettos, with short dark hair and and party hat on.
