The Robyn Hitchcock Oevre, version 2.3, August 1995. This list represents an attempt to document the songs of the man ROBYN HITCHCOCK, from the most radio friendly to the most impossibly rare. It's been almost a year since version 2.2 came out and a lot has happened. The Reissues are out, all that great stuff is available again, and now we have access to some songs from the tapes in Robyn's attic (_You & Oblivion_.) Robyn has done two tours and will soon being touring in support of the new album. And Glash Flesh, the internet tribute to Robyn, is completed and about to be released. With Robyn recording songs for the next album perhaps at this very moment, it has truly been an exciting year. If you have any additions or corrections to this list, however minor, please feel free to send them to me at the email address below. You may comment on a song or tell me about a rare song he played live (I think all the released stuff is now documented here). Many thanks to Ben Adams, Simon Kunath, Jonathan Turner and Rob Zarzecki and everyone else for their many additions to this list. bayard catron walden@universe.digex.net For the purposes of this listing, the following abbreviations will be used. The albums [":" indicates CD with bonus tracks] (note: all Ryko and Rhino reissues contain bonus tracks, with the exception of ho). cb a can of bees (:) 1978 um underwater moonlight (:) 1980 ih invisible hits (:) 1983 pa live at the portland arms lm live at lady mitchell hall th two halves for the price of one 79 1979 sessions, aka "missing" second album (not "legendary") (songs noted as ^79 are mentioned by Robyn in the cb liner) sb soft boys double cd compilation 1976-81 (38 rare tracks) 1993 bs black snake diamond role (:) 1981 gD groovy decay (albion) (same titles as gd) (:) 1982 t i often dream of trains (:) 1984 gd groovy decoy (different track order, remixes of gD) (:) 1985 ho gotta let this hen out! (live) 1985 f fegmania! (:) 1985 i invisible hitchcock (:) 1986 el element of light (:) 1986 gf globe of frogs 1988 qe queen elvis (:) 1989 e eye 1990 (:) pi perspex island 1991 r respect 1993 sg surfer ghost 1995(6?) s spectre 1993 ld live death 1992 ks the kershaw sessions 1994 fc fegmaniax A&M covers session tape (RH does covers) 1994 ft glass flesh, tribute tapes (fegs do RH covers) 1995 yo you & oblivion, 80's rarities compilation 1995 iH invisible history (rarities bootleg) 1995 McC mccabe's guitar shop, santa monica, ca tdtab the day they ate brick olpoe one long pair of eyes bord the borderline, london maxw maxwells, hoboken, nj wloo waterloo records, tx 430 total known songs as of 8.10.95 ~87 covers (=credits appear 1st in the description)(some rumours) Beatles: 14 Dylan: 8 Barrett: 6 Thompsons, VU/Lou Reed: 4 Presley, Roxy Music: 3 Byrds, Hendrix, Van Morrison: 2 PERSONNEL D Dennis & The Experts S The Soft Boys R Robyn E Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians N Nigel & The Crosses (P. Buck, Holsapple, etc) B Bingo Hand Job/Bozo & the Stooges (REM) A Additional or alternate personnel (usually 1980-1983) Recordings of Maureen and the Meatpackers (aka The Worst Fears) are known to exist, but apparently noone has heard them. The first band Robyn is known to have participated in, the Symptoms, apparently has no tapes in existance. = cover song ~ covered by other artist(s) $ robyn-assisted song by another artist ; robyn-assisted album by another artist * alternate version # instrumental @ a cappella, spoken, written, read, or chanted + bonus track & b-side or compilation (w/a-side listed) - outtake/rehearsal ^ based on rumor/hearsay only, neither released nor available ! ONLY live, never officially released % improv (apparently made up on the spot) / multiple versions on same disc | a mystery. ' Song titles posed as questions: 4 ` Song titles with an explicit first-person perspective: 24 13 "I..." 6 "my..." 5 "..me..." 2 "When I..." 2 "...I..." Most popular letters to begin titles: S 44 I 35 (no less than 20 of which begin with the word "I") W 28 M 28 (upside down W, as it has seeped into the titles) B 27 A 27 least popular: X none (someone should notify him of this) J 1 or 2 Z 1 Format as follows: TITLE (=credits)(album/single/compilation)(when live)personnel. e.g.: MYSTERY TRAIN (=Parker/Phillips)(th)(Leicester 11.21.78)S To scan for band lineup (personnel), enter: )S (for example, to search for Soft Boys songs.) Many other types of scans may be performed, obviously. Single quotes surround bits of songs. Double quotes enclose Robyn's comments from interviews, live, or liner notes. Other comments are mine; based on fact as much as possible, but there is some conjecture. Again, corrections are welcome. WARNING: S P O I L E R S . This complete A-Z file contains all known (by me) explanatory information for each song. I no longer bother with the one that just lists titles. You may enjoy hearing the songs for yourself, and hearing robyn explain them to you during a gig, rather than reading about the songs here. If you just can't resist, read on, but you have been warned.... ABANDONED BRAIN, THE (+i,ft)R ACID BIRD (bs)A ACROSS THE UNIVERSE (=Beatles)(JC Dobbs Phila PA 6.91) AETHER (yo)R AGONY OF PLEASURE (e)R Features a backwards count-off. (could perhaps be the sequel to 'How Do You Work this Thing?') AIRSCAPE (el)E Most everybody likes this one. '...Sorrow' replaces "release of 'heat'" in later (post '90) performances. ALIEN (^"missing" 2nd album)S ALL I WANNA DO IS FALL IN LOVE (`i)A A legend in college radio. ALL SHOOK UP (=Presley, Blakewell)(pa)S ALL TOMORROW'S PARTIES (=Velvet Underground)(!McC)R ALLIGATOR MAN ($Knox single b side also featuring Alex Chilton)R Robyn provides guitar work. ALRIGHT YEAH (&driving aloud promo cd5)(1st played 10.91 whfs; live 92)R/E AMOEBA ($J. Hegley)(&i saw my dinner on tv)Features Robyn, Morris, and Vince Ely of the Psychedelic Furs. AMERICA (gd)A ANNOUNCEMENT (%kusf)R ANOTHER BUBBLE (f)E ANGEL UPSTAIRS, THE (!McC)R ANGLEPOISE LAMP (see I WANT TO BE AN...) APPRECIATE YOU (-um)S AQUARIUM (e)R ARABIAN TAKEAWAY (^79)S "The guitars were so loud on this that the tape disintigrated." ARMS AROUND THE RAINBOW (=?)(fc)R ARMS OF GOD, THE (released as ARMS OF LOVE) "Arms of God sounded too much like being about to be dead." ARMS OF LOVE (&mt stage vol 2, r, ~REM &man on the moon, Automatic Box; ~Michael Stipe &in defense of animals comp)A/E "REM did a more country version of this, they changed the chords around slightly." Opinons vary widely on the cover versions, with the majority giving (especially the REM version) thumbs- down. Four released versions by RH have this song vying with When I Was a Kid for title of most versions of a RH song. AS LEMONS DROP (CHOP?) Ptolemaic Terrascope Flexidisc. ASKING TREE, THE (ih)S ASTRONOMY DOMINE (=Barrett, The Pink Floyd's first album.)(th)S AUGUST HAIR (yo)R AUTUMN IS YOUR LAST CHANCE (t)R "I feel some small shred of sympathy for the person in this song. Not much." AUTUMN SEA (@qe)E AVALON (OH YEAH) (=Roxy Music '80)(!McC) BABY YOU'RE A RICH MAN (=Beatles)(rough trade records 4.29.93)R BAD CASE OF HISTORY, A (!Leeds 1.24.87, Glastonbury 87) BAD DECISION (title?^)S Kimberly sings? BALLOON MAN (gf,7",12"x2)E "It was a good radio song." {"I hope we never have to play that one again."(93)} He played it again. BANANA BOAT SONG (=Belafonte)(@ks)E BASS (el)E LP sleeve lists an extra verse. BEATLE DENNIS (see FLESH NUMBER 1) (gf)E BEAUTIFUL GIRL (e)R Cynthia is a safe bet as the topic of this song. 'I'm a charming and seasonal guy.' Featured in the (e) promo video. BEAUTIFUL QUEEN (sg)(!McC 9.17.94 early show) BEAUTIFUL SCREAM (^79)S "Inverted calypso in 5/8 that only Morris could ever finish. Nifty piece of gate on the snare." BEETLE TRAIN WITH ANTLERS (!canada 5.94)R BELLS OF RHYMNEY, THE (=Davies/Seeger, arr. McGuinn) (+f)(th)(12" benefit single for striking miners)S/E BIBLE OF BOP, THE (;Kimberley Rew)S BIG EYED BEANS FROM VENUS (=Beefheart)(!McC) BIRDS IN PERSPEX (pi)E "This is about sexual potency. Actually, it's not." BIRDSHEAD (&pave the earth promo)R BLACK CROW KNOWS, THE (+el)E BLACK SNAKE DIAMOND ROCK (+um,th)S BLUES IN A (i)R "I'll beat you up with a fish 'til.... 'Til you're screaming with pain." BLUES IN THE DARK (leicester 11.21.78)S BONDE M'TEKO STOMP (^#79)S "Only half a take of this exists. Even Morris couldn't get to the end of it. Named after the damp bungalow where we rehearsed _Invisible Hits_. Kimberley rented it off the explorer, Sir Raymond Hoon, and we ate lots of ravioli." BONES IN THE GROUND, THE (+t, &rhymney 12")(Kennel Club SF 5.91)R BOOK OF LOVE, THE (=Monotones;Davis/Malone/Patrick)(@pa)S BRAIN DEATH (%rough trade records SF 4.29.93) R BRAND NEW DAY, A (!4.15.89)N BRENDA ($Sensible/Hitchcock) BRENDA'S IRON SLEDGE (bs,ho,ks)A/E Thumbnail sketch of Margaret Thatcher/"thinly disguised political allegory.". The live version on 'hen out' features a brief interlude with a spontaneously created language that seems to simulate backwards speech. The version on ks features a 'train announcement', thus I suppose the two tracks were recorded at the Marquee at different times, or perhaps the mix has been "fixed". BRIGHT FRESH FLOWER (&yip song cd5)E CALVARY CROSS (=Thompson)(fc)N/R CAN OPENER, THE (Hitchcock/Metcalfe)(@&priest 12")E In this chanted poem, a dangerous can opener roams the seas, opening up ships and submarines. Anybody know who recites which verses? CAPTAIN DRY (yo)R CAROLINE SAYS (=Lou Reed)(lm,sb) CARS SHE USED TO DRIVE, THE (gD, *gd(demo))A CATHEDRAL (t)R CERTAINLY CLICKOT (e)R Contains Robyn's only known Monty Python reference, the fish license sketch. CHAIN MARY TO THE BED (!Bogart's 10.20.90) CHARLOTTE ANNE (=Cope) (!McC 4.27.89) CHILD OF THE UNIVERSE (pi)E CHINESE BONES (gf)E (~Suzanne Vega/Grateful Dead, NY 88) {Juliet shoots up heroin with a serpent as Romeo masturbates by a lake.} "I didn't create Shakespeare's characters, I just twisted them." CHINESE WATER PYTHON (#+e)R CITY OF LOVE (bs)A CLEAN STEVE (e, ld)R "Somebody nobody knows, but everybody knows somebody who knows _him_. Like God. Or Keith Richards." CLEAR SPOT (=^Beefheart)D COLD TURKEY (=Lennon) (cb)S COLLEGE OF ICE (+#e)R CONSIDER HER WAYS (!max 9.89)R CRAWLING, THE (el)(&priest 7")A CREATURES OF LIGHT Ptolemaic Terrascope flexidisc. CROSSROADS (=^Cream)S CROYDEN ($Sensible/Hitchcock) CRYSTAL SHIP, THE Solo RH live on the radio by request. CYNTHIA MASK (e)R The struggle of name versus identity. D SONG, THE (^79,-um)S "It never had a title-- just a key-- so it never had an identity. So it never came out. Every baby needs a name, even if it's only Zoot." DANCING ON GOD'S THUMB (+bs)(&man who invented...)A DANCING ON YOUR THUMB (the Eighties NY 8/80)S DARK GLOBE (=Barrett)(!Maxw 7.28.88)R DARK GREEN ENERGY (-pi)(&ultra unbelievable love cd5)E+PB+stipe DAY IN THE LIFE, A (=Beatles)(&bob flexi 5/91, Live Death 92)R/E DE CHIRICO STREET (sg)(!94) DECK OF CARDS (=Aerosmith) (demo/flesh #1 flexi)S/+PB DEVIL MASK (see SLEEPING WITH YOUR DEVIL MASK)E DEVIL YOU KNOW, THE (@not yet released) The story in the QE liner DEVIL'S COACHMAN, THE (qe)E "This is a song about slicing. I mean, you can slice a salami. You can't slice a relationship into thin pieces, put it between pieces of bread and eat it. But you can _try_." DIGITAL SPACESHIP (!%birchmere va 04.23.90)R Possibly a misinterpretation of a request for 52 Stations. DO POLICEMEN SING? ('bs)A DO RIGHT MAN, DO RIGHT WOMAN (=Aretha Franklin/Burrito Bros)N DO THE CHISEL (cb)S DON'T YOU (yo) DOMINOES (see YOU AND I AND DOMINOES) (=/fc)R DONNA SUMMER (!McC 87)R DR. ROBERT (=^Beatles)(soundcheck)E DR. STICKY (&eaten by her own dinner single '82)R DREAMS (+um)S DRIP DROP (!3.15.89)N DRIVING ALOUD (RADIO STORM) (r, Alt lyric version on s)E DUKE OF SQUEEZE, THE (pa)S DUST, THE (yo)R DWARFBEAT (+f)(&heaven 12")E EACH OF HER SILVER WANDS (sg)(!94) EATEN BY HER OWN DINNER (+i, 12" single)A Was originally intended to be Robyn's final song, ca. 1982. Response to interviewer's compliment, "That's one of the best things you've done": "I don't know what your eardrums are like, I wouldn't want to live in them." EGGBALLS (@free verse poem in (t) lp liner) Not recorded. EGYPTIAN CREAM (f,+ho)E An elixir that invokes sexual change. EIGHT MILES HIGH (=Byrds)(&sytyil cd5)E '(When the Byrds flew over to England,) I was twelve. You weren't even born yet.' ELEMENT OF AIR (not Airscape)(!McC 4.27.89)R EMPTY GIRL (ih)S EVERYTHING YOU'D EVER WANT see YOU'VE GOT EVERY DAY IS LIKE SUNDAY (=Morrissey)(fc)R EVIL GUY (-qe)E EXECUTIONER (e)R EXPLODING IN SILENCE (12" picture disk featuring 6 (ho) tracks) Pictures a happy Robyn with a handful of radishes. FACE OF DEATH, THE (Hitchcock/Alan Davies)(ho, &give it to the soft boys RAW '77)S/E *Single reissued in 87: 600 yellow, 400 white and 15 gold vinyl. Well, anyone have a gold one? FAIR PLAY (=Van Morrision)(see also LINDEN ARDEN...)(&german cd5) FALLING LEAVES (+i, &rhymney 12" miners benefit)A FATMAN'S SON (cb,sb,&anglepoise 7")S Listed as Fat Man's Son on the 7". FEED THE TREE (=Belly)(^93 HFStival DC)R According to the lead singer, RH is the first and only artist to cover them FERRYBOAT BILL (=Lou Reed)S FIEND BEFORE THE SHRINE (yo)R FIFTY TWO STATIONS (gd)A Fegmaniax travellers report this is the correct number. A favorite song from gd. FIGHTING SOMEONE'S WAR ($Kimberley Rew, _bible of bop_)S FLAVOUR OF NIGHT (t,ft)R FLESH CARTOONS (e)R FLESH NUMBER ONE (BEATLE DENNIS) (gf,*flexi BOB 23)E/R & P. Buck. Sometimes interpolated MORE THAN THIS. FLY, THE (f,+ho)E FOOTBALL FOR THE COACH (!McC)R FORMING (?)(!McC)R FORTHCOMING ATTRACTIONS (!lounge ax chicago 7.28.90) FOXY LADY (=Hendrix)(&queen of eyes flexi)N FREEZE (qe)(/shatter mix)E FURRY GREEN ATOM BOWL (@t)R GET BACK (=Beatles)(!93) GHOST IN YOU, THE (=Psychedelic Furs)(&olpoe 12")(fc)R GHOST SHIP, (THE) (&balloon man, yo, tiny piece after unsettled on gf)R GIGOLO AUNT (=Barrett)(sb)S GIVE IT TO THE SOFT BOYS (cb)(live 7")S "Crawling, boneless, bloodless and colorless things that had a lot of power but were invisible." The group was named after the song the same day it was written. GIVE ME A SPANNER, RALPH (`i,pa)S/A/R GLASS (f)E GLASS HOTEL (e,ft)R GLASS HOTEL, THE (@not yet released) The story in the (e) liner GLOBE OF FROGS (*electric: &balloon man cd5)E "Leading a rock band through all that torturous stuff is really good fun." GOD OF BEAKS (^79)S "Kimberly on piano; Andy on string bass; Jim and Morris playing cutlery though a heavy delay and then compressed. Vocal through a colander, ADT'd." GOODNIGHT I SAY (el)E GRANDAD'S GLASSES ($J. Hegley)(&I saw my dinner 12")R GREAT CRUSTACEANS, THE (^79)S "There was a great mix of this, with tremelo tom-toms and Kimberley on Jew's harp, but it vanished. It would have been a smash -- loping bass lines and savagely phased harmonies." GREEN Solo; Robyn stream of conciousness live on the radio. GROOVING ON AN INNER PLANE (gD/+gd/i/&dinner 12"/&mystic trip flexi sometimes given free with the man who invented himself.)A "'Wang Bo', as seemingly chanted at the end of the gd version, was the nickname of the original Soft Boys lead guitarist, Alan Davies. Another song with at least 3 versions. GYPSY, THE (=Dylan, from _John Wesley Harding_)(!McC 87)R HANGING OUT WITH DAD (-qe)E HAPPY BIRD IS A FILTHY BIRD, A (sg)(!london 94) HAPPY THE GOLDEN PRINCE (@bob flexi, &dinner 12")R A sexual epic poem with quiet accompaniment. 10 hard vinyl test pressings, rarest Robyn release. All three formats are the same version. HAVE A HEART, BETTY (I'M NOT FIREPROOF) (/ih)S HE'S A REPTILE (ih,sb)S Post-Metcalfe Softs. HEAR MY BRANE (raw cuts ep)S HEARTBREAK HOTEL (=Axton/Durden/Presley)S HEARTFUL OF LEAVES (#t)R HEAVEN (f, *12", 7" mid mus promo, relativity promo, slash single b/w higsons (live), _Ruta 66_ flexi)E Improv speech at climax. HEDGEHOG SONG (^request Maxw 7.87) (not played) HEY MR. SPACEMAN see MR.SPACEMAN HELIOTROPE (!McC 9.17.94 8:00) HORNS LARGE HORNS (=trad arr Carthy, Harris, Hutchings, Kirkpatrick, Nicol, Swallow)(pa)S HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS (;Paul Roland)R Robyn plays. HOW DO YOU WORK THIS THING? ('+gD,+gd)A Self explanatory, really... for more hints, turn around the backwards bit at the beginning; the part that goes 'ngorp nglofnen... ptin er hip.' HUMAN MUSIC (cb)S I AM NOT ME (`) I DON'T KNOW WHY (!Atlanta 85) I DREAMED I SAW ST. AUGUSTINE (!WV 5.3.92) I GOT A MESSAGE FOR YOU (`i)R an "English reproduction song". I GOT THE HOTS (`um)S I GOTTA SPLIT (Modern Rock Live 92)(Released as 'Alright Yeah')R I LIKE BANANAS (BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO BONES) (=Yacich)(`sb)S I OFTEN DREAM OF TRAINS (`t)R I SAW HER STANDING THERE (=Beatles)(!bord 5.89)N I SAW MY DINNER ON TV ($J. Hegley and the Poptitians)(12" EP)R,M I SOMETHING YOU (sg)(`!94)R I THOUGHT I SAW SOMEBODY ELSE(`!ny 90)R See CHAIN MARY TO THE BED I USED TO SAY I LOVE YOU (`92 +t)R I WANNA APPRECIATE YOU (see APPRECIATE YOU) I WANNA DESTROY YOU (`um,ft)(~Replacements, Uncle Tupelo, Other Days, Mood Six, Let's Talk About Girls, many others)S I WANNA GO BACKWARDS (`^79)S I WANT TO BE AN ANGLEPOISE LAMP (`cb)S The only track to surface from the 'Legendary' Radar Sessions. The single released in '78 has different lyrics. I WATCH THE CARS (`bs)A Recorded the day John Lennon was shot. I'M A SPIDER ($Sensible/Hitchcock) RH drawings on single sleeve. I'M AN OLD PERVERT (see OLD PERVERT) I'M ONLY YOU (`f)E IF I COULD LOOK (yo)R IF YOU GO AWAY (=Jaques Brel?)(!Bogarts, LA, 4.21.91)R IF YOU GO AWAY (`pi)E The rift that war drives between loved ones; written prior to, not during, the Gulf War. IF YOU WERE A PRIEST (`e, 7", 12", 12" promo)E I still hear this one on the radio occasionally. IN THE MOOD (=Miller; Garland/Razaf)(pa)S Percussionist Jim Melton sings lead vocals. INNOCENT BOY (=Hitchcock/Mayers)(th)S INSANELY JEALOUS (um)S INSECT MOTHER (f)E INTERLUDE (!cambridge 3.79) INTO IT (yo)R IT TAKES A LOT TO LAUGH, IT TAKES A TRAIN TO CRY (=Dylan)(fc)R IT WAS THE NIGHT (+gd)R IT'LL BE ME (=^Jerry Lee Lewis)D IT'S A MAN'S LIFE (=?) (on the edge)R IT'S A MYSTIC TRIP (i)A Most of the drug-related songs seem to express irritation with the whole scene. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE I'M NOT ($Sensible/Hitchcock) IT'S NOT BECAUSE I'M NOT Rewritten by Sensible into "The Ballad of Shula and Mark," a tribute to "The Archers" radio soap. IT'S NOT JUST THE SIZE OF A WALNUT (sb)S JERRY SCUD, HOOF-LIPS! (^79)S "A bit too folky for 1979." JOLLY HANGMAN, THE (see POOR WILL AND THE...) KEEPING STILL (yo)R KINGDOM OF LOVE (+um, ho, &trinidad *disco remix 12", near the soft boys ep 7")S/E "What I do remember... is recording (KOL), and thinking immediately afterwards, 'God, I might go to hell, but this is great!'" KNIFE (qe)E Being threatened [o'donoghue int] KNIGHT AND THE CHILD, THE (=trad) KUNG FU FIGHTING (=?)(-e,&alvin lives in leeds comp)(dc 5.17.93)E KUSF SONG (%sf 4.28.93) LADY WATERS AND THE HOODED ONE (el)E LAUGHTER Robyn has played it only in one of Terry Marks' dreams. LEGALISED MURDER (&flesh number one 12", blue vinyl)E LEOPARD, THE (+el)E LEPPO AND THE JOOVES (/cb,ho)S/E LET ME PUT IT NEXT TO YOU (`ih)S LET THERE BE MORE DARKNESS (i, &don't let the hope close down benefit comp)(=Hitchcock/Kunath)A Scary spoken narrative; Grimaldi on congas, Kunath on radio. LIBRARIAN, THE (!McC 4.27.89)R LIKE A REAL SMOOTHIE (-um)(&1980 rehearsals ep) LINCTUS HOUSE (e)R LINDEN ARDEN STOLE THE HIGHLIGHTS (=Van Morrison)(&german cd5) LISTENING TO THE HIGSONS (ho, ks, &heaven, &dinner 82)S/E LIVE IN LONDON (;Alex Chilton)Morris and Kimberly provide rhythm. LIVE-IN YEARS, THE (&yip song cd5) LIVE MAN DIE (-qe)E LIZARD, THE (bs)A It's about Jim Morrison. LOBSTERMAN (-pi)(!Kennel Club SF 5.21.91)(^79)R "The follow-up that never was, Lobsterman featured Morris on clarinet, Andy on Banjo and was in two time signatures at once, like a lot of our best stuff." Live -pi version mentions Arnold Schwarzenegger. LONESOME DEATH OF IAN PENMAN, THE (^"missing" 2nd album)S LOOK INTO YOUR MIRROR (&1980 rehearsals ep)(live 79)S LOVE (bs)A LOVE IN THE GARDEN OF LIGHT (=?)(the vic chicago 2.14.92)E LOVE IS WHAT (FRIGHTENS YOU THE MOST)(&soho soda natural sound session) LOVE POISONING (cb)S LUMINOUS ROSE (gf)E LYSANDER (pi)E MADELAINE ($Paul Roland, _House of Dark Shadows_)R MADONNA OF THE WASPS (qe, ks)E The ks version features a chanted intro. MAIN THING, THE (!McC 9.17.94 10:00) MAN IN THE MOON (=REM)(wloo 93) RH (sings lead) & Mike Mills. MAN WHO INVENTED HIMSELF, THE (bs)A It's about Syd Barrett, the beginning of music as we know it. MAN WITH A WOMAN'S SHADOW (sg)(!93,94) MAN WITH THE LIGHTBULB HEAD, THE (f)E "Made very quickly, with (a brief Tony Moon/Hitchcock film) in mind." MEAT (bs)A MEAT HOME (%9.24.94 sf) 'Honey, is the meat home?' Possibly an intentional misinterpretation of a request for Linctus House. MELLOW TOGETHER (+t)R Just who is the character who sings this? MESSAGES OF DARK (i)R? MIDNIGHT FISH (gD/gd*demo, others?)A MILLSTREAM PIGWORKER (tdtab)S (see also Pigworker, The) MOAN (^79)S "15 track Kimberley guitar solo under an Israeli baby food advert, chanted in mono by all 5 of us." MOON INSIDE, THE (r)E "This is a song about female power." MOOSE MARK AND THE PRINCE OF CONES (@not yet released)(r liner) the story was read live on Ratcliffe BBC, 2.94. MORE CHINESE BOYS (!McC)R MORE THAN THIS (=Roxy Music)(madonna of the wasps promo) (see also FLESH NUMBER ONE) MOST PECULIAR VOICE, A (LMH 3.78, Cam 3.79)S MR. DEADLY (i,ft)R MR. LACEY (=^Fairport Convention)S MR. ROCK 'N' ROLL (-qe,yo)(Kennel Club SF 91)R MR. SPACEMAN (=McGuinn, Byrds' 3rd)(!3.15.89)N MRS. ROBINSON (=Paul Simon)(bord, london, 3.19.91/Wloo 93)B MTV INSTRUMENTAL (#! on hosted 120 minutes; harmonica & guitar)R MURIEL'S HOOF/THE MARCH OF THE CLONES (ih)S MY DEAD RELATIONS (`#kusf 04.02.93)R MY EARTHLY PARADISE (`pi)E Subtle anti-pollution message. MY EVALINE (=arr. Hall)(@pa)S MY FAVOURITE BUILDINGS (`i,+t) A/R 'i' version with harmonica. MY WIFE AND MY DEAD WIFE (`f,ld)R/E Based on a movie based on Noel Coward's play _Blithe Spirit_. 'Dennis' substituted for 'Robyn' in later (post '90) performances. MYSTERY TRAIN (=Parker/Phillips)(th)(Leicester 11.21.78)S NEVER STOP BLEEDING (el)E NIGHTFALL see NIGHT'S DAUGHTER NIGHT'S DAUGHTER (=Incredible String Band)(Kennel Club 91)R NIGHTRIDE TO TRINIDAD (gd, *dance vers on &priest 12")A The chant near the end is obstensibly "Irene, the coast is clear" NOCTURNE (PRELUDE/DEMISE) (#t,ft)R NOTHING (yo)R NOTHING'S GOING TO CHANGE ($Kimberly Rew)S (The Bible of Bop) OCEANSIDE (pi,ks)E OCTOPUS (CLOWNS AND JUGGLERS) (=Barrett)(!McC)R OH YEAH (=Roxy Music) see AVALON (OH YEAH) OLD PERVERT (um)(va 10.14.90)R (*disco vers &I wanna destroy you 7")S ONE LONG PAIR OF EYES (qe, &motw promo *'spoken word intro') E,R ONLY THE STONES REMAIN (+um,+ho)S,E A celebration of mortality. OPEN THE DOOR, HOMER (=Dylan)(fc,ks)R,E Sometimes it's Richard. OUT OF THE PICTURE (bs)A OUTLAW BLUES (=Dylan)(th)S PIGWORKER, THE (cb)S PIT OF SOULS, THE (#i country vers; orig pts 1-4 &brenda 12")A PLUTONIUM EXPRESS (;Knox 83)R Robyn plays guitar. POINT IT AT GRAN (i)R (va 10.14.90) POLLY ON THE SHORE (=Fairport Convention)(fc,yo)R POOR WILL AND THE JOLLY HANGMAN (=Thompson/Swarbrick)(-um)S POSITIVE VIBRATIONS (um)S "I had a hangover. The dog was dead. And the world was ending. So I wrote that song." Lends its name to a UK fanzine. POSTMAN'S KNOCK (-pa,iH)S POWER OF LOVE, THE (;Captain Sensible 84)R Cowritten and co- performed. PRESIDENT, THE (el,ft)E PRETTY WOMAN (^"missing" 2nd album)S PROFESSOR, THE (Hitchcock/Fletcher) Short story, not recorded. A quote from this piece was reportedly inscribed (by Robyn?) into the vinyl of at least one copy of el. PSYCHEDELIC LOVE (^"missing" 2nd album)S PUPPET MASTER, THE ($Paul Roland, _House of Dark Shadows_)R QUEEN ELVIS (e)R "The descent into stardom." "This is not a swipe at gay people." QUEEN ELVIS II (+e)R Quiet and electric with lots of reverb. Featured in the e promo video. QUEEN OF EYES, THE (um)S RABBIT TRAIN (%kusf?)R RADIO STORM (see DRIVING ALOUD)E RAILWAY SHOES (r)E RAIN (=Beatles)E,N(also at soundcheck) RAIN, THE (gD/gd(demo))A The Decay version has a different beginning and ending. RAINING TWILIGHT COAST (e)R RAT'S PRAYER, THE (cb)S RAYMOND CHANDLER EVENING (el)E (live with extra verse in 86, SUNY 10.2.90) The Evil One may have first appeared in this song. REASONS FOR PARKING (^79)S "This was too dull to record, let alone release. Andy would do a brilliant parody of this when extremely drunk. Oh badass world." RECIPE SONG (%GU gaston hall, DC !5.17.93)E 'Here is the recipe for mousaka, as I have often made...' RETURN OF THE SACRED CRAB, THE ()S REVOLUTION NUMBER ONE (=Beatles)N RIDE (pi)E RIOT ON EASTBOURNE PIER Captain Sensible mentions Robyn in this song (on his cd "Revolution Now") and also on a Damned cd5. ROCK & ROLL PARTS I AND II (?) ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO QUEEN (^"missing" 2nd album)S ROCK 'N' ROLL TOILET (/ih)(~Mark Radcliffe)S ROUTE 66 (= )(!bord 5.98)N RULING CLASS, THE (-qe)E RUN RUN RUN (The 80's, 8.80)S SAD EYED LADY OF THE LOWLANDS (=Dylan)(!McC)R SALAMANDER (1978 outtake)(&give it to the sb's 1979 cambridge live 7")S SANDRA'S HAVING HER BRAIN OUT (/cb) S SATELLITE (e)R SECRETS ($Sensible/Hitchcock) SENOR, SENOR (=Dylan)(fc)R SEPTEMBER CONES (yo)(winchester 6.93, tramps ny 10.4.90)R SERPENT AT THE GATES OF WISDOM (r)E SHAPE I'M IN, THE (=^The Band)D SHAPES BETWEEN US TURN INTO ANIMALS, THE (gf)E SHE DOESN'T EXIST (pi)E SHE REACHED FOR A LIGHT (yo)R SHE SAID SHE SAID (=Beatles)(!bord 5.28.89)N SHE WORSHIPS THE SUN see HELIOTROPE (!McC 9.17.94 8:00) SILVER WANDS (see EACH OF HER...) SIN CITY (=Graham Parsons/Burrito Bros)(!bord 5.89)N SKOOL DINNER BLUES (cb)S SKULL, A SUITCASE, AND A LONG RED BOTTLE OF WINE, A (i)A or R SLEEPING KNIGHTS OF JESUS (see YE SLEEPING KNIGHTS...) (t)R SLEEPING WITH YOUR DEVIL MASK (gf)E "There was a lot of good stuff that didn't make it into that song, and a lot of rather silly stuff that did." SMOOTHIE (-um)(&1980 rehearsals ep) SNOW STRIKE (!whfs dec 90)R Purportedly an old song, but never sung until this time. Includes a mention of 'Delmarva' and a story about Robyn and Cynthia eating shellfish. SO YOU THINK YOU'RE IN LOVE (pi,^79)E 'Straight' here does not mean "not gay". SOME BODY (+f)(&heaven 12")E SOMEDAY MY LOVE (!sf 07.28.88) SOMETHING IN YOU THAT'S JUST NOT IN ANYONE ELSE (!neurotic sf) SOMETIMES I WISH I WAS A PRETTY GIRL (t)R It's about _Psycho_; a person pretending to be someone who is someone else. SOMEWHERE APART (el, &priest 12")E SONG NUMBER FOUR (+um, &he's a reptile 83)S SOUNDS GREAT WHEN YOU'RE DEAD (t)R SPACE ODYSSEY (not Bowie) (!McC 4.27.89)R SPEED OF THINGS, THE (!Tiptina's 91)R ST. PETERSBURG (gd)R Another favourite from the much-maligned gd. STOMPING ALL OVER THE WORLD ($Kimberly Rew)S (the Bible of Bop) STAR OF HAIRS (i)R STATION TO STATION (=^Bowie)D STATUE WITH A WALKMAN (sg, Sequel Sampler cd)(!london 94, US 95) STOP THE WORLD ($Sensible/Hitchcock) STRANDED IN THE FUTURE (yo)R STRANGE (+um)(&KoL near the soft boys EP)S STRANGE GIRL (=Roxy Music)(!winchester 6.93) STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER (=Beatles)(!McC 4.27.89)R STRAWBERRY MIND (f)E STUCK IN THE MIDDLE (=Stealers Wheel)(wloo 93) RH & Mike Mills. SUBSTITUTE (=^The Who)D SUPERMAN (qe, ks)E SURE (AS AN ANT) (!rennie scotts, london) SURGERY (bob flexi 87, -qe, yo) R(E)(5.17.93) SWEET GHOST OF LIGHT (+e)R SWIRLING (qe)E "It makes me seasick." TAKE A CHANCE WITH ME (=Roxy Music) (`fc)R TAKE ME TO HEART (see DO RIGHT MAN...)N (7th st.3.8.89) TAKE THE LOCK OFF MY FRONT DOOR (!3.15.89)N TAKE YOUR KNIFE OUT OF MY BACK (yo)R TED, WOODY, AND JUNIOR (e)E Based on a photograph seen in an old "muscle building" (gay) magazine. "I'm not gay, I just went to good schools." (va 10.23.90) TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DRUGS (`+el)E Seems to be a statement about fans and/or interviewers. THAT'S WHEN YOUR HEARTACHES BEGIN (=Fisher/Hill/Raskin)(sb)S THEME (Kimberly Rew)S THEN YOU'RE DUST (r)E "All it is is what's there." THERE'S NOBODY LIKE YOU (+um,th)S THIS COULD BE THE DAY (t)R TONIGHT (um)S TRAIN ROUND THE BEND (=Lou Reed) (the last Velvets album)S TRAMS OF OLD LONDON (t)R TRANSPARENT LOVER(S) (+e)R TRASH (i)A The ingratiating rock music industry and especially its journalists, perhaps one unknown individual in particular. TROPICAL FLESH MANDALA (gf,ks)E TWIST & SHOUT (=Beatles)N UGLY NORA (cb)S ULTRA UNBELIEVABLE LOVE (pi)E UNCORRECTED PERSONALITY TRAITS (@t)R UNDERWATER MOONLIGHT (um)S UNKNOWN TITLE (1980 rehearsals ep)S UNPLEASANT STAIN, THE ()S UNSETTLED (gf)E VEGETABLE FRIEND (i)R VEGETABLE GIRL (^|)R VEGETABLE MAN (=Barrett)(+um)(&KoL near the soft boys EP)S VEGETATION & DIMES (pi)E VEINS OF THE QUEEN, THE (qe/royal mix)E "Royalty isn't allowed to have an opinion." VIBRATING (gf)E VICTORIAN SQUID (yo)(Maxw 7.87)R VISIONS OF JOHANNA (=Dylan)(!94)R VOMITING CROSS, THE (!kennel club 91)R VYRNA KNOWL IS A HEADBANGER (cb)S WADING THROUGH A VENTILATOR (cb) S WAFFLEHEAD (r)E It's nicer live. (93)E WALCOTT MEDICINE SHOW, THE (=?) (fc)N,R WALK ON THE WILD SIDE (=VU) (MTV) Robyn plays in Central Park(?) WATERLOO SUNSET (=Kinks)(!bord 5.28.89)N (sndchk ottowa 10.94) WANG DANG PIG (^"missing" 2nd album)S WATCH YOUR INTELLIGENCE (-pi)(dc 6.4.90)(&so you think...)E "..People get on MTV and say, 'read a book'." WAX DOLL (qe)E A long tale about mom, dad and the dog may precede this one when live. WE LIKE BANANAS (=Yacich) (see 'I LIKE...') (sb, lm)S WEY-WEY-HEP-A-HOLE (ih, sb)S "This is not a swipe at women." WHEN I WAS A KID (`ih, gD, gd(demo), &love poisoning, flexi in BOB 1, etc)S,A Perhaps more versions than any other song by RH. WHEN I WAS DEAD (`r, Andy's edit on s)E "All it is is what's there." WHERE ARE THE PRAWNS? (+um)(~The King of Luxembourg)S The band wanted this one to be the first single, but "...Destroy You" was "power pop." Also the title of the second Wafflehead live tape. (Soft Boys live 94) WHERE WE WERE BORN IN TIME (9.24.94)"A fairly recent Dylan song." WHFS MORNING SONG (%slightly longer bob waugh tribute '94)R WHFS SONG (%station id '93)R (sung:) 'This is 99.1, WHFS... (spoken:)This was Robyn Hitchcock, telling you. It's... A fact.' WIDE OPEN STAR (!neurotic sf 9.24.94) WHICH OF US IS ME (`1978 outtake, &give it to the sb 7")S WHITE CITY ($Dolby, The Flat Earth)R Robyn plays Keith, contributing a long, muttered rant. Seligman on bass as always. WHITE SHOE BLUES (=RM Johnston arr Heath)(pa)(Morris sings lead)S WILD MOUNTIAN THYME (=Byrds)(&Time Apart, Byrds tribute album)N WINCHESTER (el)E A windy hill overlooking Winchester was the site of a "secret" Robyn & Morris concert in June, 1993. WIND CRIES MARY, THE (=Hendrix)(/fc)R WINTER LOVE (+t, &rhymney 12" miners benefit)R WISH I HAD MY BABY (=J Brown)(pa)S WITHERED AND DIED (=Thompson) (ld, fc)R WOLFPACK (=Barrett)(!Cambridge 08.03.93) WOMEN AND CAPTAINS FIRST (;Sensible 83)R Robyn writes and plays. WON'T YOU TAKE A CHANCE WITH ME (McC 9.18.94 8)(Same as TAKE...?) WRECK OF THE ARTHUR LEE, THE (r)E WUSB RADIO ID (@)R YE SLEEPING KNIGHTS OF JESUS (t, ~Replacements, s.h.t.fans tape, bowery 84)A In response to a request, 93:"I don't like that one." YEAH YEAH HEAVY AND A BOTTLE OF BREAD (=Dylan, Basement tapes) YER BLUES (=Beatles)(fc)R YIP SONG, THE (r)E Robyn's father died of cancer in 1992. Vera Lynn was the Nine Inch Nails of his generation. YELLOW SNAKE, THE (!Maxw 7.28.88)R YODELLING HOOVER, THE (&the face of death yellow vinyl 7")S YOU & ME (yo)R YOU AIN'T GOING NOWHERE (=Dylan)(!bord 3.14.91, 5.89)B/N YOU AND I AND DOMINOES (=Barrett)(/fc)R YOU'LL HAVE TO GO SIDEWAYS (#um)S Andy: "For me, the band has always been about Robyn's lyrics, so I wish they woudn't attempt instrumentals." [um cd liner] YOU'RE NOT THERE YOU'VE GOT (yo) YOUNG PEOPLE SCREAM (gD,*gd(demo))A "I find old people physically repulsive... I don't want to be like that." ZIP ZIP (The 80's, 8.80)S A Maureen & the Meatpackers Tune. ZIPPER IN MY SPINE (!uk 94)S