Primary
members: Ian McCulloch, Will Sergeant, Peter de Freitas, Les Pattinson
Band
Biography
Albums of focus: Crocodiles (1980), Heaven Up Here
(1981), Porcupine (1983)
Songs for study:
McCullough mentions where he grew up, in "the now infamous" Norris Green council housing in Liverpool. One commentator noted: "Norris Green – like many similar estates – had become (or was seen as) a ‘no-go area’ – rife with drug-dealing, gangs, car crimes and muggings. If crime was a potent factor in impoverishing its residents’ lives, fear of crime was equally so." |
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"Rescue"
- from Crocodiles (1980)
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If
I said I'd lost my way Would you sympathize? Could you sympathize? I'm jumbled up Maybe I'm losing my touch I'm jumbled up Maybe I'm losing my touch But you know I didn't have it anyway Won't
you come on down to my |
Things
are wrong Things are going wrong Can you tell that in a song? I don't know what I want anymore First I want a kiss and then I want it all Won't
you come on down to my Things
are wrong Is this the blues I'm singing?.... |
"Show
of Strength"
- from Heaven Up Here (1981)
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Realistically It's hard to dig it all too happily But I can see It's not always that real to me A funny thing It's always a funny thing And those sadly things Just get in the way Open
to suggestion Hopefully Bonds
will break and fade |
Realistically Hard to dig it all too happily But I can see Not always that real to me A funny thing Is always a funny thing And those sadly things It's always a sadly thing Bonds
will break and fade A
show of strength Hey
I came in right on cue |
"The
Disease"
- from Heaven Up Here (1981)
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My
life's the disease That could always change With comparative ease Just given the chance My
life is the earth
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As
prospects diminish As nightmares swell Some pray for Heaven while We live in hell My
life's the disease If
you get yours |
"All
My Colours"
- from Heaven Up Here (1981)
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Flying And I know I'm not coming down You're trying But you know you must soon go down All my colours turn to clouds All my colours turn to clouds Zimbo... |
What
d'you say When your heart's in pieces? How d'you play Those cards in sequence? That box you gave me burned nicely That box you gave me burned nicely Zimbo... Flying
down Hey,
I've flown away |
"Clay" - from Porcupine (1983) |
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Am I the half of half-and-half Are you the heavy half When I came apart Am I the half of half-and-half
Or am I the half that's whole? Am I the half that's whole Am I the half that's whole Are you the wrongful half When I came apart I wasn't made of sand When you fell apart Clay crumbled in my hands When I came apart I wasn't made of sand When you fell apart Clay crumbled in my hands |
If we exercise just some control
When we exercise our sum control Oh isn't it nice
When your heart is made out of ice? Oh isn't it nice When your heart is made out of ice? Are you the heavy half Am I the "shall" in po-ten-tial
Or am I the "suck" in "cess"? Pools of delusion Deluge me Am I the more or less? Am I the more or less? Am I the more or less? When I came apart
I wasn't made of sand When you fell apart Clay crumbled in my hands When I came apart I wasn't made of sand When I was the cain You were the abel When I came apart Clay crumbled in my hands
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"Heads Will Roll" - Live in Spain (1984) |
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Partly politic
Heads will roll Mostly politic God must call 'Til the winning hand does belong to me What if no one's calling If I ever met you
In a private place I would suck you You into my mouth That's how I'd articulate
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The value of my face What if no one's calling What if no one's calling God then must be falling
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"In Bluer Skies" - from Porcupine (1983) |
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What needs must be
I realized I'm walking out From blackened skies You say belief I'm counting Have we been born to follow
Tied to a bitter rein Or will we begin to grow Bound by this simple chain Will we evolve tonight I'm counting
On your heavy heart Could it keep me From falling apart
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I would be ready
Ready to go Was your heart heavy Heavy with sorrow Had you been heavy I'm counting What needs have been
You'll realize I've found myself In bluer skies I know belief I'm counting
On your heavy heart To keep me From falling apart |