US CDx2 Soleilmoon SOL46
disc a
disc b
Edward Ka-Spel - voices, keyboards
The Silverman - keyboards
various others...
A collection of tracks from early cassette releases, compilation appearances, and other material.
These tracks were originally planned to be included on the Soleilmoon CD editions of the first four albums but had to be left off for "contractual reasons."
A1 is from a compilation which will remain nameless
A2 is from the compilationQED
B2 is the oldest surviving recording of The Legendary Pink Dots. The band was still named "One Day..." at the time. The name change occured one month later
B7 is from the compilation Flowmotion
the rest is unreleased
In a hollow stone beneath a mossy log, somewhere in a deep green forest far
far away, dwells a race of tiny people who call themselves "the ancient ones."
Their history goes back so far that not one of them remembers exactly where
they originally came from, or how they arrived here. It's safe to say that
they've been around longer than us "tall folk". Their best friends are
mushrooms, and they claim to know who built the pyramids in Egypt, but they're
not telling anyone. Not yet anyway.
The Legendary Pink Dots found these small apparitions one summer day when
their bus overheated and broke down at the edge of that far away forest. It
was a happy accident that led them to meet each other, for the "ancient folk"
were in search of a new source of peppermint, from which they liked to brew
their favorite drink. The Legendary Pink Dots happened to be carrying several
bags of peppermint tea, the delicious aroma of which could be smelled by the
little people, even though they were on the other side of the mountain. Flying
on the backs of dragonflies they went directly to shiny pink bus parked by the
side of the road, where they found the Dots practicing their music and waiting
for the motor to cool down. They introduced themselves.
Within moments The Legendary Pink Dots had overcome their shock at meeting such
strange folk, and soon a deal was struck to exchange a modest amount of peppermint
tea for a magical spell that would give whosoever learned it the ability to write
the most beautiful songs ever heard in the world. The power of this spell was such
that the songs composed by The Legendary Pink Dots after this encounter travelled
to every corner of the planet, inspiring mass outbreaks of vegetarianism and other
gestures of love and optimism.
This collection of songs brings together tracks from numerous rare cassettes,
compilations and unreleased recordings, including the oldest surviving recording
of the LPDs, made when the band was still called One Day. It should very much be
considered a companion to Under Triple Moons, released recently by ROIR. Both CDs
present the band's earliest works, many of which have been impossible to obtain
until now.
A Pale Green Introduction/Love On A Pale Green Postage Stamp
The lights went down in Lemon Town and the peeler shed her snake. I dived
inside her birthday cake, then watched them diving blind though exits
leading nowhere. Yes, we caught their screams on tape. I watched as they
fell into the abyss... (if God had meant us to sin, he would have given
us horns!)
Premonition 12
Little Winston waded across the pond. He stroked his swan, which spat and
said "I'll break your leg. Tread carefully." He did. He reached for his
waterwings, he tried to swim, but he scraped his abdomen and howled. While
mummy growled and grabbed a towel. Now now. There there. A tear is worse,
a tear will fall, but nothing more. They huddled in the sun. They pointed
at an object in the sky which hovered, spraying gentle rain. They fainted.
Then they melted. Not a hint of pain, all that remained was just a chair.
A pile of clothes. A radio disclosing "One of our satelites is leaking"
Stereo "One of our satelites is leaking. Keep inside, keep inside. One of
our satelites is leaking!"
MMMmmmm......
Pig sucked on a cigarette and mucked the stable. Draped a cable `round the
farmers neck and pulled and called the vet who galloped `round.
Pronounced him dead. They laid the table. Turned the spit and baby kitten
chewed a finger, lingered on a leg and licked his paws. It's neat to be a
carnivor! Passed the plate with farmer's head on. Sheepy shook a fist and
said he looked like John the Baptist. Piggy did the twist said `Try me -
I'm salami'. Threw the garlic salt and waltzed across the floor. They
stuck their forks in. They ate him raw. It's neat to be a carnivor!
The Lifesucker
A talon stretches east, and a claw's extending west. Spider's crawling
'round his eyes. Eagle tattooed on his chest, he looks a mess. Skin and
bone. Too many nights alone. He's staring at the phone, it never rings.
And he lights candles, red and orange. Calls her name, she 's there.
He's there, he's flying. Swear I heard her wicked laugh. He snapped a
photograph. Her fingers clutched around his heart. And squeezing ,
Teasing triumph in her eyes. What a way to die. Another sucker for
the life sucker.
The Divorce
Time slips by in lines, and [parades] are
slowing down, the flowing gown. Now thread bare. Locked up in the
cupboard with the yellow photographs, she hasn't seen for years. Mirrors
lie. The ring has blackened round her little finger. She'd like to cut it
off and float back to the summer when she still believed in love, still
believed in love. Still believed in love.
Jungle (First Version)
Parcels for the kids, the parcel bombs were left in bins... They were
singing hymns and rattling tins. A hand stretched out and caught him,
knocked him through a window. And they were fingering his coat, looking
for the price tag. Took his fags. Shook his wallet. Stripped him of his
shoes. Left him naked - like a mannequin that's bleeding. A weeping doll
without a string to pull. A shop assistant hauled him to the dump with all
the others. Struck a match and up they went! Only brave men make it in the
jungle!
The Haunted Supermarket (Instrumental)
No Bell No Prize
transcribed by diogon
Someday we took these silver coin, She pushed them down went spinning
round and round, and rattle clean away, she didn't mind 'cause Sylvie
loves to play. Little bells don't ring. Hold hands and freeze just tease,
say it, try again. No change. Takes change in handfuls, pulls the handle
the story stayed the same. She kicked and she choked and she had a stroke.
They stretchered Sylvie away=2E And down she rolled to Hell was Hell like
bells. Two little signs say sold and I've locked on hold, but still she
plays, yes Sylvie loves to play, she'll play all day. Play all day.
Sylvie loves to play all day, loves to play. Love all day.
Plague 2
Everybody, do the plague, do the funky plague. Bubonic Plague, you call
it plague. Rolling in the gutter, riding in the butter. They're
burning down the church, and you've got the plague. I see the rivers, the
rivers of blood. Rivers running, rivers running. Rivers running, scarlet
rivers. The bells are ringing, the bells are ringing. The bells are
ringing for me and my girl and she's got the plague, I've got the plague.
We've all the plague! We're all gonna die. (Laughter as only Ka-spel can
do it...) [conscious cats] Bring out your dead. They're all in the
barrel. The angel streets, the kids are playing, knock down ginger
fingers on the helm, they run away. The Under God says go to hell. A
yellow cross up on the door, yellow splashes on the floor. A smell of
[juice and dinner]. And the (?) isn't sure. Know the rats are biting, the
city's men are fighting. Cracks collapse the wall away. "Ring a ring of
roses, ring a ring of roses. Ring a ring of roses," sing the ghosts. "A
ring a ring of roses a pocket full of posies a tissue, a tissue, all fall
down. Ring a ring of roses a pocket full of posies a tissue, a tissue,
all fall down. Ring a ring of roses a pocket full of posies, a tissue, a
tissue, all fall down."
Find the Lady
Dominoes and poison darts piled in a cart. Your lucky day! you choose your
game, you pick a card, you find the lady, chase the ace. It's double
spades. She's staring straight at you and you know she knows something
you're not aware of, sees the shadow blocking out the sun. The column in
the paper. In memorium. In your name. Sees you sliding in the pit as the
preacher spits, as the rats run in the crypt. The congregation getting
smaller - crosses stretch for miles. A consecrated camp, the marble zoo
and she begs to joins the queue, It's Judgement Day=2E Anne Boleyn is
shouting Boo! (Because a ghost cannot applaud). She throws confetti from
the stalls, from the stalls. [reaches] for the bell, helps you slide into
hell. Smell of burning tar. The Devil turning cards. It's Double
Spades, crown your Lady. Double spades you crowned your Lady. Alone
again. Alone again. Alone again. Find the Lady. Slide the other way.
Judith A Hum/Praum Naizh/ A Pale Green Sequel
(Instrumental)(Besides some strange vocal sounds, the only sentence I can
understand in the song is "Don't leave me" This is otherwise a song full
of typical Pink Dottiness).
Suicide Pact
Pick a straw, or spin the bottle. Spin the barrel. Draw. You're quicker
from the hip. And the trigger never sticks. But will you take it further?
Taste the metal, squeeze again, complete the bargain. Hold my hand, as
cities burn away. And children turn to ash in charcoal gardens... will you
pardon my concern? I think I'll catch the bullet in my teeth, join the
circus with the freaks. The bearded ladies, the babies with a dozen heads,
the jelly legs and the green albinos. They're queuing at the door. So many
more to choose from since the world went up in flames. Forget the names,
we're only faces in the fire...
Waiting for the call - You 'n' Me (September 1980)
Shuffling through the ciggy packs, the broken bottles, plastic bags.
Sprinkling crumbs in corners for the vermin. There's a feast in the old
rat-hole tonight. Little lady fair and rats from miles around will come to
fight for their rat's full share. It's a pity that the party will be ruined by a
guest armed with a spray. Spraying murder. Playing plagues. It's early, I
should be in bed. They're bombing Brixton in my head. But still I slink in
silence to the station. A busker in the subway hums a tune apathetically,
while showing me the windows in his shoes for some sympathy. The sun
turned to a nova as he stroked his beard, swiveled dim blue eyes. Gave
him nothing. He sold me knives. You and me alone together, you in suede,
me in leather. Laughing on our island blowing bubbles at the world. Free
from business complications, sleeping pills, bitching nations, hemorrhoids
and constipation. What a thrill! Heaven indeed, sad he's only dreaming.
It's time that I accepted things the way they really are. You, me, me, your
supporting cast of thousands, squash into a chute, we're sending maydays
out for air. If you smashed the other cheek I wouldn't feel it. Stand on me,
stamp on me, stamp out my existence. I've got this dread disease, you'd
better throw me out of town. Don't you recognise the eyes of a loser?
String me up, cut me down, bury me in concrete. Don't waste a slab of
marble on an alien like me. It might make it that much harder to forget me.
You, me, alone together, us in leather, lovely leather. The whole world,
dressed in leather, lovely leather. In lovely weather. What a dream. It suits
me, does it suit you? Old man tried to make a dash. He's blind, he just ran
out of cash. Inspector smirked and smashed him in the ribcage. Told him
"Wait, you're not going anywhere. You're in custody. I'm bored, got a
headache, couldn't care about your poverty. How old you are, how poor
you are - don't matter, everybody's gotta pay. Pay the money. Pay the
man." Deities in uniform spout up from unseen barriers. Fingers tapping
"Chopsticks" on their holsters. It's your time or your money, perhaps your
shirt, little lady fair. Slip a hand inside your raincoat, you're a cert for
intensive care. For your local laughing policeman's only happy when you're
writhing in a heap. Learned our lessons. We keep in line.
April's Song (August 1980)
Always tell a woman what a woman wants to hear, with words that say
she's lovely, and songs that draw her near. The world is full of sorrow,
make people happy where you can. As it's best to be dishonest. [can't I
reget in your poem] you say don't be so crazy, you've got to be cruel to
be kind. So fly, 'til you come back there. To love me time after
time. You say don't wait for me, girl. And don't you waste your life for
me. Don't you know I'll refind us and love you all the time. Time! All
the time. (x2)
Frosty (September 1980)
He always looked behind him, scared somebody would jump him. Put him on
the ground so he'd come around to the sound of people laughing. 'Cos the
whole world loved to mock him. Sun and moon both pointed at him. Kids
would crick their necks to get a better view. Well, it really did his mind
in, and we wanted to protect him. So we placed his face in a smash-proof
case and placed it in the fridge. They giggled in the corners, whispered
lies across the borders. They derided him and chided him 'til he carried
out their orders. But he dashed into the limelight, played at Hamlet for a
fortnight. Waved his arms and screamed demands for some respect. But they
just could not excuse him, it was really too amusing. So he packed his
sack and scrambled back to safety in the fridge. And I swear I saw his
spirit skim the sky with nothing near it. Piled armour-plated roller
skates, white feather train to steer it. Scared somebody would look up,
gesticulate and throw up. Send him flitting, flitting scarred behind a
cloud. But for him, there's no escaping, no hole big enough to hide in.
Best just to stay nicely out the way in safety in the fridge. In the
village bells were tolling, in the town the dogs were howling. It was
Armageddon, tanks crashed head-on, planet Earth was drowning. Then the
Devil sent a shower, Europe died in half an hour. And a demon wind just
finished off the rest. But our friend, he took a teabreak, idly munching
on a fish-cake. Quite oblivious and ignorant but cosy in the fridge. It's
so cold there, in the fridge. It's so icy, frosty. So cold in the fridge.
Defeated (Spetember 1980)
Crazy Garry pulled the blinds + fed the lions + read the lines that skipped
the page + made her dizzy, dozzy. Does she care? Does he? The answer's
'NO!' It's always 'NO'. There's no escape, no secret doors. There's
nowhere you can hide. No way. You're finished, fated, defeated. She
stumbled through the cafe doors down on all fours to loud applause -
ordered a meat mandrax + a belladonna squash to quosh the pain. There's a
difference at madonna's that can carry you away. It made her day, they
pumped her dry; they wiped her eyes. She just survived + she can prove it
with her bracelet. At least the money wasn't wasted. But she's defeated
(nowhere to hide). Still defeated.
A Message From Our Sponsor (Version 1)
I will not desert you, I just stepped back a little. Kept a low profile.
Smiled as you kissed the ground I walked on. But I made the occasional
suprise visit. I like your temples. Those festivals you hold in my
honor. I'm flattered, really. And you abused me at first, but I grew,
well, fond of you. Though somebody fought over me. And some cursed me.
And some thought I died and some thought I never existed. It's OK. I
don't interfere. I'd never interefere, no matter what you do. Take care
now, hear? [How funny, huh?]
Ice Baby Cometh
Bunny wails, the cradle's waiting. Dad stares at his shoes. While doctor
probes the apature. But inside, nothing moves. No answer. Man the
knitted mittens. Grandpa boards a tank. But lo his only daughter's
pushing, he's only firing blanks. No answer. Daddy kisses his lucky
penny. Nurse hums a nursery rhyme. While mommy's screaming for the
morphine. Baby wants more time. Still no answer.
Hanging Gardens (Flowmotion Version)
Jack/Thursday Night Fever #1/Die With Your Eyes On/Opus Dei
If a look could kill, if a touch caused a seizure. You'd be dead as that
rock. No room in the freezer. Squeeze you with my fingers, tease you,
'til you rattle, like an engine, that's collapsing, gasping out for oil.
You nervous? Well you should be. You know how jealous I get. I'm jealous
boy. As for your new friend. He'll lend his days down an alley, shall he
call the law. I doubt it. Curtains closing, faster, faster, tense young
lovers. Two statistics. Nervous? Well he should be. You can see how
jealous I am. Your jealous boy. Want you home alone. Ignore the phone,
except when you're convinced it's me, inquiring about your welfare. I
care about your paintings. I care about your poems. Love's like that.
Caring, sharing on our own together. And you'll be there when I'm back
from work. Those jerks who bark their orders, smoulder, leer.
Patronize. It's insincere. But you'll be there. Comfort me. Make my
tea, make me king again. The pain will go away and we'll make plans about
our cottage. Miles away, no interruptions. Us together, never seeing
anyone. And if you want to dance, we'll fit the lounge up with a disco.
The stereo, we'll boogie on our own. (alone) Way it's meant to be. Let's
boogie down. You're coming home with me tonight, leave him. (My girl) I
need you more than he does. To him you're just a game. Just a game.
You're my girl. I own you.
Premonition 18 (Part One)
(Spanish) Instrumental
Premonition 18 (Part Two)
(Instrumental)
compiled/transcribed by Jason Fergus