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

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Lance LaSalle, May 15, 2020.

  1. TerpStation

    TerpStation "Music's not for everyone."

    Location:
    Maryland
    I am a recovering Dylan obsessive for sure...caught him between 30 and 40 times, between 99 and 2007.....then a long period i refer to as "bob animus." I still love him but don't play his music as much as i once did and have only seen him twice since 2007.

    Jerry of course one of his great interpreters....his fragile and world weary voice on the reading of Visions of Johanna on Fallout from the Phil Zone is great...from 95.
     
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  2. Shriner

    Shriner Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ann Arbor, MI, USA
    I haven't listened to this album in a long while.

    Light Blue Afternoon -- good album opener and the cello is great. I agree it has a "Somewhere Apart" vibe -- but that doesn't detract. 4/5
     
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  3. brownie61

    brownie61 Forum Resident

    I’ve listened to this album about 8 times now (not all today!), so that will have to do, although I don’t think I’ve formed my final opinion on any of the songs yet.

    Light Blue Afternoon

    I don’t think this is one of the highlights. It’s pleasant enough, and I like the cello. In particular, I like the way the cello helps to keep the beat in places. The “skin is soft” part goes on way too long. I don’t hear much resemblance to Somewhere Apart. I like this song much more than I like Somewhere Apart, which just reminds me of a John Lennon Song. Light Blue Afternoon doesn’t remind me of John Lennon at all.

    3/5
     
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  4. MattR

    MattR Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sheffield, UK
    Yay, Tromso Kaptein! I've always liked this album, perhaps because I was expecting a scrappy odds-and-sods foreign release like Obliteration Pie - but it actually sounds like a proper, unified album.

    This is a very good opener, immediately putting us into the album's glacial spundscape of slightly menacing cello, icy finger picked guitar and ethereal female harmonies. It's a magic sound that elevates some average songs and makes some great ones positively shimmer.

    I really like the way it builds into the "skin is soft" part. Not a classic, but a very enjoyable song.

    4/5
     
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  5. LFSDoc

    LFSDoc time has told me not to ask for more

    Location:
    Genova, Italy
    Yes, Nashville. I bought the Lp after reading about it here
     
  6. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    Our votes for "Light Blue Afternoon"

    1-0
    2-0
    3-1
    4-7
    5-0
    Average: 3.7875
     
  7. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    Today's song is "Raining Twilight Coast", written by Robyn Hitchcock and produced by Paul Noble.

    Robyn Hitchcock – Raining Twilight Coast (TK Version) Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

    Robyn HItchock: vocals, guitar
    Paul Noble: bass, guitar
    Jenny Adejayan: cello
    Jennifer Macro and Lucy Parnell: backing vocals

    This is a remake of a song that appeared twenty years before on the 1990 solo album EYE and a demo version appeared on a reissue of that album as well as While Thatcher Mauled Britain.

    Here is a link to our discussion of the earlier version.
     
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  8. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    Collated ratings for Propellor Time
    1. Star Of Venus 4
    2. The Afterlight 3.9273
    3. Luckiness 3.15
    4. Ordinary Millionaire 4.53
    5. John In the Air 4.033
    6. Propellor 3.875
    7. Primitive 3.015
    8. Sickie Boy 4.275
    9. Born On the Wind 3.2111
    10. Evolove 4
    Propellor Time 3.6429
    Average by song: 3.80164
    • Trolley Bus 2 2.9
     
  9. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    New playlist

    On these threads, I usually make CD length playlists of the highest rated songs, the songs which are rated 3.75 or above, i.e., the Cream of the Crop.
    Not all of this stuff streams where I am but if you're new to the Soft Boys/Robyn Hitchcock, this following playlist might be a good introduction to their first phase with bassist Andy Metcalfe.
    Green=songs written by Robyn Hitchcock, Blue= song co-written by Hitchcock and others Brown= songs written by other
    s

    Robyn Hitchcock 1: The Soft Boys, 1977-1979, the Andy Metcalfe period (65 minutes)
    1. Wading Through Your Ventilator 3.9
    2. Hear My Brane 3.7667
    3. (I Want To Be an) Anglepoise Lamp 4.1667
    4. Where Are the Prawns [Radar version] 4.425
    5. Salamander 4.8
    6. Caroline Says [Live at Lady Mitchell Hall] 3.8
    7. Give It to the Soft Boys [Album version] 3.7667
    8. Human Music 3.7667
    9. Do the Chisel 3.8
    10. Have a Heart, Betty, I'm Not Fireproof [1976-81 version]
    11. Let Me Put It Next To You 4.2667
    12. That's Where Your Heartaches Begin 4.2
    13. The Duke of Squeeze 3.8333
    14. Rock and Roll Toilet [Mark 1] 4.2
    15. The Asking Tree 5
    16. Love Poisoning 4.025
    17. Muriel's Hoof/Rout of the Clones 4.8
    18. Have a Heart Betty, I'm not Fireproof [Version 2, with Seligman]
    Robyn Hitchcock 2: The Soft Boys 1979-80, the Matthew Seligman period (66 minutes)
    1. I Wanna Destroy You 5
    2. Kingdom of Love 4.82
    3. Positive Vibrations 4.5143
    4. I Got the Hots For You 3.85
    5. Insanely Jealous 4.3167
    6. Tonight 4.2
    7. You'll have go Sideways 3.7143
    8. Old Pervert 3.7
    9. The Queen of Eyes 4.61
    10. Underwater Moonlight 4.75
    11. Only the Stones Remain 4.75
    12. There's Nobody Like You 4.283
    13. He's a Reptile 3.875
    14. Rock and Roll Toilet 3.86
    15. Empty Girl 3.82
    16. Have a Heart, Betty (I"m not Fireproof) [version 3] 4.5
    17. Black Snake Diamond Rock 3.8
    18. Dreams 4.333
    Robyn Hitchcock 3: 1981-1984, the Solo Years (78 minutes)

    1. The Man Who Invented Himself 4.1111
    2. Brenda's Iron Sledge 4.5455
    3. Acid Bird 4.625
    4. City of Shame 4.0429
    5. Love 4.1625
    6. A Skull, a Suitcase and a Long Red Bottle Bottle fo Wine 4.075
    7. America 4.3
    8. Listening to the Higsons 4.2778
    9. Nocturne 4.5
    10. Sometimes I Wish I Were a Pretty Girl
    11. Sounds Great When You're Dead
    12. Uncorrected Personality Traits
    13. Cathedral 4.81
    14. Flavour of Night 4.35
    15. Ye Sleeping Knights of Jesus
    16. This Could Be the Day 4.4318
    17. TRams of Old London 4.9667
    18. Autumn Is Your Lance Chance 4.675
    19. I Often Dream of Trains 5
    20. Nocturne (demise) 4.5
    21. My Favourite Buildings 4.8571
    22. I used to Say I Love You 4.65
    23. TRaveller's Fare 4.0383
    Robyn Hitchcock 4: The Egyptians 1985-1986 (74 minutes)
    1. The Bells of Rhymney
    2. Star of Hairs
    3. Egyptian Cream
    4. Another Bubble
    5. I'm Only You 4.15
    6. My Wife and My Dead Wife 4.178
    7. The Man with the Lightbulb Head 4.5167
    8. Insect Mother 4.0667
    9. Heaven 4.0769
    10. I Got a Message for you 4.322
    11. If You Were a Priest 4.7333
    12. Winchester 4.3667
    13. Ted Woody and Junior 4.25
    14. The President 4.2166
    15. Raymond Chandler Evening 47792
    16. Airscape 5
    17. Never Stop Bleeding 4.0208
    18. The Black Crow Knows 4.4111
    19. The Crawling 4.6
    20. The Leopard 4.44
    21. Tell Me About Your Drugs 4.6125
    Robyn Hitchcock 5: The Egyptians 2 1986-1989(79 minutes)
    1. The Abandoned Brain
    2. Birdshead
    3. Victorian Squid
    4. August Hair
    5. The Dust
    6. If I Could Look
    7. Balloon Man
    8. Luminous Rose
    9. Sleeping With Your Devil's Mask
    10. Chinese Bones
    11. A Globe Of Frogs
    12. Flesh Number 1
    13. A Globe Of Frogs [Electric]
    14. Mr. Rock and Roll
    15. Bad Case of History
    16. Madonna of the Wasps
    17. The Devil's Coachman
    18. Wax Doll
    19. One Long Pair of Eyes
    20. Freeze
    21. Autumn Sea
    22. The Ruling Class
    Robin Hitchcock 6 1989-1992 (71 minutes)
    1. Cynthia Mask
    2. Queen Elvis
    3. Flesh Cartoons
    4. The Executioner
    5. Sweet Ghost of Light
    6. Raining Twilight Coast
    7. Glass Hotel
    8. Satellite
    9. Aquarium
    10. Century
    11. The Beauty of Earl's Court
    12. Oceanside
    13. So You Think You're In Love
    14. Birds In Perspex
    15. If you Go Away
    16. DArk Green Energy
    17. Watch Your Intelligence
    18. I Wanna Go Backwards
    19. Eight Miles High
    Robyn Hitchcock 7: 1994-1996 (71 Minutes)
    1. The Yip Song
    2. Arms Of Love
    3. Railway Shoes
    4. When I WAs Dead
    5. The Wreck of the Arthur Lee
    6. Driving Aloud (RAdio Storm)
    7. Serpent at the Gates of Wisdom
    8. Then You're Dust
    9. Ivy Alone
    10. Surfer Ghost
    11. Sinister But She Was Happy
    12. Heliotrope 4.6923
    13. Alright Yeah [solo version] 4.4143
    14. Filthy Bird 4.7455
    15. The Speed of Things 3.9909
    16. Beautiful Queen
    17. I Am Not Me
    18. Each Of Her Silver Wands
    19. Take This In Remembrance
    20. The Wind Cries Mary
    Robyn Hitchcock 8: 1998-2002
    1. I Feel Beautiful
    2. Sally Was a Legend
    3. Antwoman
    4. No, I Don't Remember Guildford
    5. Dark Princess
    6. Jewels For Sophia
    7. Daisy Bomb
    8. I Saw Nick Drake
    9. 1974
    10. I Used To Love You
    11. Ring Them Bones
    12. High On Yourself
    13. Baby Doll
    14. Pulse of My Heart
    15. Mr Kennedy
    16. Unprotected Love
    17. Sudden Town
    18. La Cherité
    19. Narcissus
    20. OM
    21. Comin' Through
    22. If You Know Time
    Robyn Hitchcock 9: 2003-2008
    1. City Of Women
    2. Madeleine
    3. A Man's Gotta Know His Limitations, Briggs [solo version from Obliteration Pie]
    4. My Dreams Are Scars
    5. Sometimes a Blonde
    6. Tryin' To Get To Heaven Before They Close The Door
    7. Flanagan's Song
    8. Why Would Anyone Live Here?
    9. Madonna Of The Wasps [Solo Version from Obliteration Pie]
    10. Queen Elvis [Solo Version from Obliteration Pie]
    11. Adventure Rocket Ship
    12. Olé Tarantula
    13. A Man's Gotta Know His Limitations, Briggs [Venus 3 Version from Olé Tarantula]
    14. Red Locust Frenzy
    15. 'Cause It's Love (Saint Parellogram)
    16. I'm Falling
    17. Sixteen Years
    18. Goodnight Love
    19. I Just Wanna Be Loved
     
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  10. Great Face For Radio

    Great Face For Radio Sing Hosanna, the jazz snobs are all going home.

    Location:
    London N13
    I think I prefer the more stripped back, organic Eye version but this is a good song nonetheless. Jenny Adejayan's cello adds a different dimension but I don't think the backing vocals work very well in this context, especially the "gimme gimme" bits.

    Raining Twilight Coast 3/5.
     
  11. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    I like the EYE version -- one of my favorites, but this one is elevated by the cello.

    5/5
     
  12. brownie61

    brownie61 Forum Resident

    Raining Twilight Coast

    I went back and saw that I gave this a 3/5 when we discussed it before. That confused me, because I think the song is fantastic on Tromso Kaptein. So I went back and relistened to the Eye version, and yes I do think it’s lacking in comparison to this version on TK.

    The singing and phrasing is much better on TK, and the sound of the recording seems to be more spacious than the version on Eye. And of course there is that beautiful cello. This TK version has made me pay more attention to the lyrics, and they are wonderful.

    This is definitely a song I could not appreciate properly until I heard the right version. (“Right” for me, of course.)

    5/5
     
  13. chrism1971

    chrism1971 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Glos, UK
    I completely agree with the above (!), this works far better for me on TK which as an album has such a unified feel overall. The cello is perfect, the harmonies are lovely, the words are superb. 5/5.

    I think Robyn found the right formula with this and the next album in terms of songs and musicians.
     
  14. TerpStation

    TerpStation "Music's not for everyone."

    Location:
    Maryland
    Raining Twilight Coast, really good song. 4/5
     
  15. MattR

    MattR Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sheffield, UK
    It's rare that I prefer a remake to an original, but this totally surpasses the version on Eye. The cello takes it to a totally different level. I think Robyn has learned to live inside the song more in the two decades between versions too, so his vocal feels more assured.
    5/5
     
  16. bzfgt

    bzfgt The Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler

    I think I prefer the version on Eye, but either way this is one of his greatest songs. I do like this version with the cello and backing vocals, it all works very well, but if I had to have one it might have to be the other one.

    5/5
     
  17. pocketcalculator

    pocketcalculator Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York City
    "Raining Twilight Coast" - This is my favorite song on Eye, and it's one of my favorites on Tromso, Kaptein. I love the sparseness and the arpeggios of the first version, though Robyn's vocal is a little overdone (clearly he was feeling it very much). In the Tromso version, there's more perspective (twenty years' worth) in the vocal, and I think that helps it in terms of story-telling. Aside from the intro riff, the fine finger-style playing is mostly absent from this version, but the cello adds depth (I particularly like the pizzicato effect underlying the "fish" lines). The "gimme gimme one thing" backing vocals undercut the seriousness of the emotion in a way that detracts, but otherwise I think I like this version better. 5/5.
     
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  18. Shriner

    Shriner Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ann Arbor, MI, USA
    Twilight -- I'm not sure this version is better than the Eye version. It's a great song either way. 4/5
     
  19. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    Our votes for "Raining Twilight Coast"

    1-0
    2-0
    3-1
    4-2
    5-5
    Average: 4.5
     
  20. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

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

    Robyn Hitchcock – Savannah Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

    Robyn Hitchcock: vocals, guitar, keyboards
    Jenny Adejayan: cello
    Paul Noble: bass, guitar
    Stephen Irvine: drums
    Jennifer Macro and Lucy Parnell: backing vocals
     
  21. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    Another song which I think is considerably elevated by the production/arrangment: all of the elements realy work for me here. No idea what the lyrics are saying, but there are some familiar Hitchcock themes there, and I guess as a piece of surreal whimsy it's all right.

    3.6/5
     
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  22. Great Face For Radio

    Great Face For Radio Sing Hosanna, the jazz snobs are all going home.

    Location:
    London N13
    This isn't one of my favourites from this album. It's a bit plodding and at five and a half minutes, way too long. The cello's not as subtle as on some of the other songs although I think the backing vocals work well. I'm not sure who Savannah is but the lyrics strike me as being about sexual yearning.

    Savannah 2.4/5.
     
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  23. brownie61

    brownie61 Forum Resident

    Savannah

    This is a song that is made more interesting by the great cello hook. The cello reaches in and grabs me by the throat and it’s impossible for me to not be somewhat hypnotized by it. The tinkly guitar part adds a nice touch. I hadn’t even noticed this song is 5 minutes long until @Great Face For Radio mentioned it, so I guess that means I don’t think it’s too long. ;)

    3/5
     
  24. bzfgt

    bzfgt The Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler

    This one always feels good when it's on. There might not be a lot to it songwriting wise, though....3.6/5
     
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  25. Shriner

    Shriner Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ann Arbor, MI, USA
    Savannah -- repetitive and ultimately meh. 2/5
     
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