XTC Song of the Day thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by George Co-Stanza, Aug 11, 2018.

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  1. George Co-Stanza

    George Co-Stanza Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    America
    Today's song is "Sacrificial Bonfire"



    This was one of the immediate grabbers the first time I heard Skylarking and remains one of my favorites from that record. I love that lead guitar lead, which has very much of a melancholy feel, and with the strings come in and play that melody after the first chorus, I get goose bumps every single time. What a tremendous way to end a great record.
     
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  2. bhazen

    bhazen I Am The Walrus

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    Ahhh ... the band that got me through the Eighties and Nineties ...
     
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  3. Abuelo Igor

    Abuelo Igor Forum Resident

    Location:
    Madrid, Spain
    As usual, I beg to differ. I've always enjoyed "Rook" because it was Andy doing something different and intriguing instead of yet another Beatles- or Beach Boys- inspired melody. I cannot for the life of me understand why somebody would prefer, for example, "The Disappointed" to this one. It doesn't sound like any other song of the band, and has an "art song" feel that perhaps is what puts some of our esteemed forum colleagues off. I can't get enough of that chord sequence. And yes, with the possible exception of "War Dance", I also enjoy the Colin songs on the album, particularly "The Smartest Monkeys", which makes me smile with that organ solo that sounds like something Rick Wakeman might come up with.
     
  4. bhazen

    bhazen I Am The Walrus

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    One of the best songs Paul McCartney never wrote!
     
  5. Mooserfan

    Mooserfan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Eastern PA
    Not to derail the thread but as an aside: Does anybody think that Steve Wilson will take a shot at a deluxe remix of the Dukes material?
     
  6. Fastnbulbous

    Fastnbulbous Doubleplus Ungood

    Location:
    Washington DC USA
    There was a third option.
     
  7. in the context of Skylarking 'Sacrificial Bonfire' is perfectly apt in closing the record out. One of Colin's best contributions in the entire XTC catalogue. Love the sound of it, the gentle percussion and the persuasive melody line. A gorgeous, rural, English sound.
     
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  8. DirkM

    DirkM Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA, USA
    Sacrificial Bonfire is one of the most evocative songs I've heard (and not just those by XTC!). You can smell the fire, you can hear the people standing around it, you can see the sparks rising into the air...it's such a beautiful, wondrous accomplishment, featuring one of Colin's absolute best melodies, that you don't even realize just how horrifying the song actually is. The short melody lines force the lyrics to be economical, and they work perfectly.

    "And the clothes that were draped/Was all that told man from ape." Was this really written by the same guy who did the blunt, heavy-handed The Smartest Monkeys?! IMO, Colin and Andy both peaked with The Big Express/Skylarking, with barely a dud song from that era.
     
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  9. George Co-Stanza

    George Co-Stanza Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    America
    Totally! Fantastically stated. :cool:
     
  10. George Co-Stanza

    George Co-Stanza Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    America
    Time to follow one great closer with another! And I will borrow a word from DirkM's last post. ;)

    Today's song is "Chalkhills and Children"



    Similar to the closer on their prior album, Oranges and Lemons' closer is a mellow, evocative song that does a great job at filling your head with wonderful imagery. I know this album is a bit hit or miss for some, but it seems like everyone absolutely adores this song, and for good reason; it is a perfect song. I have to wonder if Andy Partridge realizes how much he nailed this song.
     
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  11. Sacrificial Bonfire is another highlight for Colin! Loved this right out of the gate.
     
  12. Chalkhills and Children is perfect! The Brian Wilson influence is worn on Andy’s sleave. Love it!
     
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  13. misterdecibel

    misterdecibel Bulbous Also Tapered

    The album may be debatable, but it closes on a high note.
     
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  14. DirkM

    DirkM Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA, USA
    Maybe it's because I'm not a huge Beach Boys fan, but I've never really rated Chalkhills & Children all that highly. There are definitely parts that I like, and I can respect what they went for and what they achieved, but ultimately, it's just not for me.
     
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  15. Splungeworthy

    Splungeworthy Forum Rezidentura

    If you're gonna ape the Beach Boys, this is the way you do it. Andy does this quite a bit, but the ornate production of this song (from a fairly dense-sounding, boisterous album) fits the lyrics so well, and is the perfect album closer.
     
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  16. George Co-Stanza

    George Co-Stanza Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    America
    I must be goofy or something because I do not hear the (apparently) overtly obvious Brian Wilson vibe in Chalkhills and Children.
     
  17. Fastnbulbous

    Fastnbulbous Doubleplus Ungood

    Location:
    Washington DC USA
    Me neither. I hear a pretty song with nice vocals and keyboards.
     
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  18. George Co-Stanza

    George Co-Stanza Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    America
    Today's song is "Generals and Majors"



    What a fun song! I love these kind of rock-out songs that just sound fun and effortless, ya know, the ones you just crank up and enjoy the heck out of. Easily one of the best songs Colin ever wrote, and I am sure I am not only who always yells out the "hey!" during the second chorus (is that Andy or Colin??). Very fun song to air drum to as well! Love this one.
     
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  19. Brian Wilson wrote quite a few pretty songs with nice vocals and keyboards. Hint: listen to the harmonies in Chalkhills for the BW influence.
     
  20. DrJ

    DrJ Senior Member

    Location:
    Davis, CA, USA
    It's definitely there, though I'd just say "Beach Boys" vibe since to me it sounds most like some of the early 1970s Beach Boys stuff NOT written by Brian (though admittedly heavily influenced by Brian), like Carl's "Feel Flows" especially.
     
  21. “Generals and Majors always seem so unhappy unless they got a war”.
    Right on Colin!
     
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  22. DrJ

    DrJ Senior Member

    Location:
    Davis, CA, USA
    "Sacrificial Bonfire" and "Chalkhills and Children" are both absolute stunners, two of the highest high points in a deep catalog. Fascinating to compare and see so many similarities and so many differences in how Colin and Andy approach less traditional pop material like these pieces. Just wonderful stuff, can't really be any more coherent or articulate about it, these are heavenly bits of work. That "but I'm getting higher..." part where the music literally lifts you up, wow.
     
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  23. DrJ

    DrJ Senior Member

    Location:
    Davis, CA, USA
    Like it, extremely solid, but frankly never deeply loved it. Like a lot of the early "rocking" XTC pieces, I think they take using repetition just a bit too far, my attention starts to drift about mid-way. To me they never fully figured that "repetition for effect" approach out until ENGLISH SETTLEMENT (well except maybe for "No Language In Our Lungs" which for my money may be their first truly extraordinary song). And I'd personally say far from Colin's best, he was still maturing as a writer. But still, very good, and kind of a quintessential song from their "first glimmers of musical maturity" phase. (Full disclaimer, by and large I've always been most knocked out by their more psychedelic and pastoral stuff)
     
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  24. Fastnbulbous

    Fastnbulbous Doubleplus Ungood

    Location:
    Washington DC USA
    This song always struck me as catchy but lightweight, especially the "seem so unhappy 'less they've got a war." Just a trite line. Also, colonels outrank majors. Why isn't it "Generals and Colonels"? Oh well.
     
  25. DirkM

    DirkM Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA, USA
    Ironically, despite its dark subject matter, Generals & Majors is little more than a catchy little pop song. It's a great one, to be sure, but on a lyrical level, XTC were never very good at making Serious Political Statements (c.f. Melt The Guns, War Dance, Here Comes President Kill Again, etc.).

    On another note, the segue from "this is RE-SPECT-A-BLE STREET!" into those whimsical, chiming opening chords of Generals & Majors is one of my favourite transitions on any XTC album.
     
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