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

"Born on the Wind" - I recall Robyn made a trip to Antarctica (or the Arctic) sometime in the last 20 years as part of some environmental excursion. I don't know if this song is connected with that, but it's what came to mind. Otherwise, it's another one with not-funny lyrics that I don't get. I like the saw, but the endless, listless repetition of the same chords is boring. 2/5.

 

Greenland.

 

Born on the Wind -- it's OK, but nothing special. 3/5

 

My apologies, that was a very British joke connection which you couldn't possibly understand so I withdraw it !

 

I am getting the classic folk-rock/The Band references too....and it's a good song, with a nice feel: I like the delicate mandolin or banjo or whatever it is (uncredited for some dumb reason) and the languid laid back feel of the whole thing.

but yeah, ultimately not all that memorable.

3.4/5

 

Our votes for "Born on the Wind"

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Average: 3.2111

 

Today's song is "Evolove", written by Robyn Hitchcock; recorded and mixed by Charlie Francis; additional recording by Jessica Corcoran.

Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 – Evolove Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

Several fragments of live or rehearsal versions were released on the video Sex, Love, Death....and Insects in 2006.

Robyn Hitchcock: vocals, guitars, piano
Peter Buck: guitars
Scott McCaughey: bass
Bill Rieflin: drums, percussion
Chris Ballew: guitar, vocals
John Paul Jones: mandolin
Saw: Judy Wright
Charlie Francis: mellotron
Morris Windsor: vocals

 

I don't understand it either. It's Terry-Thomas in I'm All Right Jack but what's the connection to this song?

 

Oh all right. Several people were asking about 'Mira'. The only Miras I know are the watery ones I stand under every morning. Hence the clip. Far too convoluted... I suppose I'm trying to get sweet mental revenge for the years of reading US comedy references on the internet!

 

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

Evolove

Wow, what a song! These lyrics are incredible. I will be pondering different interpretive possibilities about the details for many years to come, because I think there can be at least several. Although I think the main point about conflicting philosophies about the big ideas in life jumps right out. Awesome. I love having conversations about this kind of stuff with friends.

5/5

 

Evolve - 4/5 - Good stuff.

 

EVOLOVE this is a good one. The caps key was on unbeknownst to me. 4.2/5

Kind of beatlesy.

 

Evolove -- good track. 4/5.

 

That's about as convoluted and esoteric as it gets; relying on knowledge of both British shower head manufacturers and late 1950s Boulting Brothers comedies.

Despite the awful title, Evolove is a fine album closer, with lyrics that I can totally relate to. Watch a news item on Afghanistan and consider the line "what you believe, is gonna kill us all". I also like the idea of "thank life for that" rather than "thanks God for that". And of course there's a continuation of the "blame Mum and Dad" philosophy.

I'm certain there are no mandolins or musical saws here but the uncredited strings (Jenny Adajayan? Jocelyn Pook? Deni Bonet?) are lush and give the track a real grandeur. It's not quite in the same league as NY Doll or Goodnight Oslo but it's another superb final track and ends a patchy album on a high.

Evolove 4.5/5.

 

Not a huge fan of this one.....still solid though. 3/5.

 

Yeah but this is a Robyn Hitchcock thread

Evolove (yes, awful title) - Musically good stuff with what sounds like a cello rather than a saw, but a more wiry and less relaxed vocal line and those slightly pompous 'statement' lyrics which put me off some of his later songs I'm afraid. 3/5

 

Love a bit of mellotron. Definitely gives a Beatlesy feel. Some great lyrics, but just a bit self-consciously meaningful to be a classic track, and that title is indeed awful. I've never quite liked this one as much as I probably should.

3.8/5

 

"Evolove" - terrible title, Robyn loses half a point right there. The music is really lovely, I dig the mellotron and the single piano notes. Though I agree with most of their substance, the lyrics are a little too heavy handed, though. I'd give this a 4/5 but for the title, so 3.5/5.

 

Very pretty song with a fascinating lyric and an uncharacteristically invovled and effective arrangement

5/5

 

Our votes for "Evolove"

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Average: 4

 

Well, damn. Looks like it slipped my mind to hit "post reply" yesterday. My apologies. This time of year I'm a bit distracted by work!

So, Today, Propellor Time.

 

The weakest of the Venus 3 albums in my opinion. I really enjoyed his return to a band format but this just doesn't sound or feel much like a group effort. It's as if Buck, McCaughey and Rieflin have been reduced to guest status along with all the other contributors. It certainly lacks that special band dynamic. I'd say there are three great tracks, four decent tracks and three duffers and that adds up to a rather patchy album, which doesn't stand up as a whole entity.

It's by no means bad but after the previous two it feels like a bit of a comedown.

Propellor Time 3/5.

 

Propellor Time

As I’ve already mentioned, this album was a huge unexpected surprise for me. It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed a new (to me) album so much. The songs on this album just completely hang together for me, aside from Born on the Wind, and I love listening to the whole thing in its entirety over and over. The enjoyment I get from listening to the album from start to finish is greater than singling out many of the songs individually. This has been the most enjoyable album I’ve discovered in this thread, and I’m not sure how I completely missed its existence. In a short time, it has definitely become one of my favorite Robyn albums.

5/5

 

I enjoy most of PT more than the other two Venus 3 albums (despite a couple of classics on Goodnight Oslo) - even though apparently recorded earlier than the previous one it seems to point a new way forward for RH musically with the musical experiments and new contributors. Maybe when he started the 3 he felt it was another (top-class) version of the Soft Boys/Egyptians type lineup, but for me this never really came off as a band approach. 3.5/5