Shame Me No Further

Taken from "Lightning Head To Coffeepot" 2005

"THIS IS YOUR FIELD-NO PLACE TO GO,
LET THE PEOPLE KNOW,
SHAME ME NO FURTHER,
NOW THAT YOU THINK AND HAVE A WILL,
INCARCERATE AND KILL,
SHAME ME NO FURTHER,
DON’T TAKE ME AS A CHILD,
DON’T TRACE ME WHERE
I’M BOUND,PLEASE YOUR TONGUE,
KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GONE,
FILM WITHOUT PEOPLE,WITHOUT NAMES,
IN A HOUSE OF GAMES,
SHAME ME NO FURTHER,
NEW FORM OF ALIEN IS HERE,
TELESCOPES ARE QUEER,
SHAME ME NO FURTHER"

One of my favourite songs from the Moping Swans offshoot album. What I like about Moping Swans is the sound of a real band playing togethers, something that is lacking from some Solo Pollard Projects. I love the choppy guitar and the bass and the tempo changes. Great rock song. Makes you wanna do that 70s Woodstock head shake type dance.

Fairly Blacking Out

Taken from "Turn to Red" 2006

Lyrics Unknown.

A quite recent track from The Takeovers offshoot. This is has a very funky bassline and a great lyrics and I really enjoy the talking section which I get is a dig at the California attitude, or something. What annoys me about the song though is the ending where he repeats the song title and the vocals go a bit goofy, which takes the edge of the song and drops it a couple of points.

Reptilian Beauty Secrets

Taken from "Tonics And Twisted Chasers" 1997

"She's got the face
She's got a face that makes me happy
I never thought about how lovely it was
Until one day she went over and out
Over and out
Over and out
When will she come back to me?
Over and out"

Sh!t nearly forgot to do this today. Had a few glasses of wine and watched "Pick of Destiny" (quite funny) and nearly slipped my mind. Quite a fuzzy little track from "fanclub only" album. Catchy little number with a fuzzed up vocal and fuzzed up almost mechanical beat and guitar. Some good songs on Tonics and this is one of the better ones.

Citizen Fighter

Taken from "Choreographed Man Of War" 2001

"She's on
Now appearing soft and warm
But if need be
She could kill a strong man
If the deal is right for her
If the deal is right for her
Everything turns around inside of her
Exactly ought to know

Hands off
And no more touching permitted
When she explodes
She could strip you to skeleton
If the deal is right for her
If the deal is right for her
Everything turns around inside of her

She's a citizen fighter
She's a citizen fighter
Everyone falls apart in sight of her
She's a citizen fighter
She's a citizen fighter
Everyone falls apart in sight of her
Direct from oblivion"

Is this a song about Pre-Menstrual Tension? A choppy and rocky track that kicks ass for a couple of minutes. The guitar playing sometimes almost crashes into Fugazi territory but always just this side of Pop. A quality song from a good album.

Harboring Exiles

Taken from "Delicious Pie And Thank You For Calling" 2003

"What it was
What it wasn't, what was true
And what I see
What it is not for you

And in all the world
There is no finer place
As such the dream up here is falling
I'll keep it close until the pattern breaks
When it breaks the dream is over
The kind of thing that makes me sing

And here it goes
Quite apparent but not so
The time to live
And pull out stitches as we go

In all the world
There is no finer place
As such the dream up here is falling
I'll keep it close until the pattern breaks
And when it breaks the dream is over
The kind of thing that makes me sing

As such the dream up here is falling
I'll keep it close until the pattern breaks
And when it breaks the dream is over
The kind of thing that makes me sing
Yah!"

A rather fast outtake from "Self-Inflicted Aerial Nostalgia" and is therefore quite an old Pollard song and recording which you can tell from his vocal style. Pollard vocal style did change over the years from his younger sharper voice to his slower gruffer delivery in later recordings but always maintaining that unique Pollard delivery. Its amazing how sometimes he sound so "damn american" and then so "bloody english". Back to the song. Not too bad.

Instrument Beetle

Taken from "Choreographed Man Of War" 2001

"Now I am standing here alone
But I can run
Watch me run
I'm not happy to be here
I love no one in this world
Watch me run
I can run
So unhappy to be here
You are my world

Believe me baby
I'm question mark six degrees
Believe me baby
I can only see the truth
Stand by me
Hold my hand
Wake me up
I'm your man
We will walk
Undecided
Without hope
Without love
Without dreams
From above
Dope religion
And I'm waiting for you

I'm nobody to play with
I'm nobody to play with
Sit down, sit down
Sit down. sit down
I'm don't think I want to
We'll sing and dance
We'll act fly
In the ether
In the street
In our prisons
Where next we cry
Where everywhere is everywhere
And everyone is anyone
Look, been here
Lay down your head"

Possibly one of the longest Pollard compositions with a running time of over 7 minutes, which coming from the man of 1 minutes quality pop a bit of an epic. Starts with a solitary guitar chord then Bob comes in with a very R.E.M. sounding lyric. A very downbeat Pollard sings of being alone, having no-one to play with, No one to love whilst a voice that sounds like Hal from 2001 starts up adding to the forbidding and downbeat mood. The song then begins to loose itself in a repetitive drumbeat and increasing feedback whilst the voice continues with only half-decipherable words. Eventually the feeback fizzles out and we fully hear the voice and its a friend of Bob describing a cool chick he met but seems to have problems asking her out or something. Sad song.

Bloodbeast

Taken from "Suitcase 1" 2003

"Bloodbeast enters heaven
The battle has begun
Put him on the guestlist
Bloodbeast plus one
In the garden bloodbeast
chewing apple gum
Only wants a good time
Should we let him come?
He wants to be
You're good to your baby
I think that you should never ever leave him alone"

A stuttery effort with Bob singing over a single electric guitar. Some of his singing at the end reminds me of Roger Daltry at his most shouty and is the good bones of a decent song running at just a smidgen over 60 seconds long. Its amazing how many great little songs and snippets of songs are tucked away on these Suitcase albums and you kinda wish some of them saw the light of day on a "proper" album with "proper" production, but thats just not the Pollard way.

(I'll Name You) The Flame That Cries

Taken from "Demons and Painkillers" 2003

"Cherub blown apart
baby's in the bed
sit around and mope
better not
can't be long from me

Here they linger
probably in danger
read it on a flyer
glisten on the burner
king shows anger, "reign, man!"
he will deal with it later, send them away
send them away then
not gonna spank you
and we thank you from all of our hearts
send them away then
they're developing rashes
down on the ashes
and after the body-parts
visiting down there
trying to cling there
it don't mean a thing there

Warlock bought her,
animal's little daughter
smiling in spite that she's a spy
while she's singing, an insect stinging
glowing, winging by
if this one will call you like a tide
it can only breed alone
so alone it flys
to enslave you by the night
you can only weep alone
I'll name you the flame that cries

Yeah we did it
we brought you in this ready
takes a quick one to find the light
high speed child in motion
and you can't come along for the ride
yeah we made it with a pitchfork and machete
wow, that's amazing, can I try?
no dangerous weather is approaching
and we wouldn't want you to slide

Visiting down there
trying to cling there
it don't mean a thing there"

A gentle acoustic number will a bit of weird The Day The Earth Stood Still 50s type Sci-Fi sounds in the background which breaks into a full band number halfway through. Some good production on this song and some great playing off each other really well and sounds very much like The Who at times. The lyrics, as ever, conjure up a number of different images. It could almost be sound sort of Fantastical story of Kings and adventure or a story about S&M and STDs. The choice is yours.

Plasma

Taken from "Pinball Mars" 2004

No Lyrics.

A psycadelic instrumental piece that feels like a bridge between some of the weirder tracks on the second half of the Circus Devils "Pinball Mars" experience. Freaky Man! Not much else to say.

What Are We Coming To?

Taken from "Suitcase 1" 2003

"We are moving out to meet the others,
They are always happy when they see you,
Making time like on the spot we borders (?)
You can talk to them by speaking,
You can keep the truth from leaking
That sounds weird ??? and ??? for coming,
But you haven't asked the right question,
Is this ??? breeding"

An obscure strummy track from Suitcase 1. The oddest part of this song is the bizarre "goggly" noise halfway. I'm not sure if its a toy or a sample being manipulated. I do enjoy the strumming in this song and its a highlight from Suitcase with a melody that lodges itself in your head, much like many Pollard compositions.

Blatant Doom Trip

Taken from "Same Place The Fly Got Smashed" 1990.

"Jill and Viki liked to drag out,
Doin' the negative thing like Crips,
Ain't no angels in this part of town,
Take me on a blatant doom trip, yeah,
Take me on a blatant doom trip,
We'll go down and smell around,
Take me on a blatant doom trip
So outrighteous, no time to back out,
Obey all commands at the crack of a whip,
I don't care if the rain causes pain,
Just take me on a blatant doom trip, yeah,
Take me on a blatant doom trip,
Sonic boom - Legion of doom,
Take me on a blatant doom trip
Scags, fags, and scalliwags blackout,
Far too serious and socially hip,
Figure it out when it's over without a doubt,
And take me on a blatant doom trip, yeah,
Take me on a blatant doom trip
Bottomless hole - Rock and roll,
Take me on a blatant doom trip, yeah,
Bottomless hole - Rock and roll,
Take me on a blatant doom trip, yeah"

Going way back in time again to an early Guided By Voices recording from 1990. This song starts off quite darkly and with a certain level of menace but eventually grows and seems to flower and expand into a more delicate song about halfway through. Is it a song about escaping the small mentality and discovering Rock N Roll and breaking free? Could be. Good song.

Kingdom Without

Taken from "From A Compound Eye" 2006.

Lyrics Unknown.

From probably one of the most consistent albums and one my favourite Robert Pollard solo projects of the last few years "From A Compound Eye" comes the latest song in my on-going quest to review every Robert Pollard song I have. This sound has the distant rumbling sound of thunder underpinning a dark melody which eventually builds into a chorus and ends with Pollard on his own shouting "Alright! In The Kingdom Without!". As I say, its dark and swirly and a good song but not up there with the other classics from the album.

Every Man

Taken from "Suitcase " 2005

Lyrics Unknown.

What sounds like a live track another obscurity from the Suitcase collection. The recording goes a bit wobbly at times and the vocals are really muffled but there is a nice 60s pop sounding tune with a repeated chorus of what sounds like "Every Man, Every Woman" and then it ends with a few applause. I think Pollard can do songs like this in his sleep.

Circus World

Taken from "Propeller" 1992.

"It's a storm,
Understand me,
They never will this,
All we do we do for you,
Shit gets old and demanding,
It never fails to amaze me,
When I see it all before me,
If I were a freak who self-destructs,
A ride for boys in monster trucks,
The painted sluts training monkey men,
I call to the door but they won't let me in,
And the human fly gets smashed again,
He mixes his blood with tonic and gin,
And I choke on the sheep stuck in the company of wolves,
As you raise up on your hind hooves,
Daylight breaks,
I see a face that used to cry,
Where were you then,
Somewhere off to yourself,
There's too many people involved in the game"

Going back to when Guided By Voices started to get noticed by those in the know and the press this is a slow and slightly lumbering track with pollard almost petulantly moaning out the lyrics. At this time GBV were just starting to find their feet musically and there is a nice little guitar flourish a couple of minutes in by Mitch Mitchell before the song song of slumps to its finish. Not one of my favourite songs off Propeller as it feels a bit half-arsed at times but not too bad.

Break Even

Taken from "The Grand Hour" 1993

"Jagged purple rocks,
Drunk with the tours and the travel guides,
We've all come to Hope Cove,
Singing the ??waning?? pop standard,
In the haven of our love,
Trying to break even,
Most of us will not turn back,
Somehow I know you will not,
Carry all the ancient medicine,
Steal my rosy red invention,
Gather the amps,
And dampen the camps,
The day is done,
When we see the sun,
Perhaps then the race is won"

This song starts of with what sounds like an alarm going off then we are into some fast tribal drumming and a real 60s pop/rock song feel with a hint of Prog-Rock. A fantastic piece of wah wah breaks in towards the end of the song and we are left wanting more. A good song that has a harder edge to it than a lot of Guided By Voices releases at this time and as usual is a bit of a belter.

I Feel Gone Again (Live)

Taken from "Moon" 2006.

Lyrics Unknown.

A live track of a song that appears on "Normal Hapiness". A pean to getting drunk? Most of his songs are. The live version is very very similar to the low key 70s sounding original version. A good song and a decent live rendition.

Now To War (Electric Version)

Taken from "Demons & Killers" 2003.

"There is no boy in me now,
There is no time and I'm alone,
But I am only breathing - breathing around,
I get involved with your crowd,
They make me feel so alone,
If you could only see me when I'm around,
But this is you and this is war,
It makes me drink even more,
And I'll have fun then I'll make a mark on you,
I'll tell you all that I am,
How simple feet will walk for free,
Until you injure me again"

This is the rarer souped up full band version of "Now To War" which was originally in an acoustic version on "Mag Earwig!". I must admit I prefer the acoustic version but this is still a strong song in the Electric version. I like this song a lot. I think its one of Bob Pollards strongest lyrical songs hes ever written. I don't know if I'm missing the meaning but it sounds to me a song about a someone trapped in a relationship, having to mix with their partners friends and not enjoying it much and loosing them self in drink which eventually turns to domestic abuse. Very sad but a very strong lyric. A Quality song but try out the acoustic version first.

Wondering Boy Poet

Taken from "Suitcase 1" 2003

"Dream on child of change,
Throw your javelin through the sun,
Pierce the heart of everyone,
Though we push to slave the days,
This is not reality, this is just formality,
The cup is only being filled,
For a chance to have it spilled,
Flowing--just like the days,
Sailing--just like the days"

Bob and a Piano. I cant think of any other Bob Pollard song that features just Bob and just a Piano for accompaniment. This is the Piano version of a song that appeared on Vampire on Titus way back in 1993. I think this version really show the lovely melody of the song and shows a different side to Pollard and his song writing skills. Tobin Sprout plays the Piano on this version and its such a longing song harking back to the "good old days". Love it.

Scuffle With Nature

Taken from "Turn To Red" 2006

Lyrics Unknown.

Taken from Robert Pollards 2006 offshoot project The Takeovers "Turn To Red" this acoustic song starts with Bobs statements that Eggs make him sick. Me also. This song is recorded with a strange vinyl crackle running through it and I don't know if this was added in post-production or just something that was on the masters but it makes the song have a strangely warm, old fashioned almost "around the campfire" type feel to it. It also ends with Rich Turiel repeating his "Every Picture Tells A Story" intro from the album. A very good song from a very good album.

Big Boring Wedding

Taken from "Under the Bushes Under the Stars" 1996

"i have entered a shiny new realm a very different and very spoiled world it's with great pleasure i introduce myself to call and thank you for such delicious pie
the irony is sweet - the bird is paralyzed with one good finger you try me on for size it's hard to imagine that you just wanna leave with yellow photos - pocket-size
revealing mobility, your psychedelic eye, spontaneous and violent but private to the mind with nowhere left to go pass the word, the chicks are back the chicks are back, yeah the chicks are back pass the word, the chicks are back the chicks are back, yeah the chicks are back
the chandelier is spinning and shaking the fireball is already waking
revealing mobility, your psychedelic eye, spontaneous and violent but private to the mind with nowhere left to go pass the word, the chicks are back the chicks are back, yeah the chicks are back pass the word, the chicks are back the chicks are back, yeah the chicks are back"

A classic from a classic era Guided By Voices release. This song is very typical of the Guided By Voices sound that made me fall in love with them. It has one of the best punch-yer-fist in the air choruses "The Chicks Are Back!" (indeed) and has the classic mixed up psychedelic lyrics we all come to expect. This song builds slowly and slightly into a great song that brings back many a happy memory. On a personal note, my Wedding was small and rather excellent.

Blue Gil

Taken from "Suitcase 1" 2003

"(Did you try and catch him?),
Blue Gil,
I've something for youJust for you,
Take stock,
Don't wait for it to come to you,
It won't walk up to you
You and nobody else,
You and nobody else,
Just for you
C'mon Gil,
We're all dying to see you,
We all wanna see you,
Wait Girl,
We want you out of town by sundown,
Get outta downtown
You and nobody else,
You and nobody else,
Just for you"

A sad slow song with Bob almost muttering the versus until the Chorus wakes up and slips into an almost merseybeat type sound. Sometimes the guitar seems to wobble and almost go dischordant but the song holds together and is quite a mellow relaxing hark back to 60s pop. A song about asking someone to move back in? These suitcases are good, full of baby classics.

Mosquitoes Dropped Their Javelins

Taken from "The Completed Soundtrack For The Tropic Of Nipples" 2002

"WAIT! there’s no need for senseless bloodshed the mosquitoes dropped their javelins and looked on oh man far out it’s king frog"

22 Seconds Long. A crunch of feedback from the previous track then Mr Pollard wailing out "Wait!" and him speaking some bizzare words over no backing track, apart from the hiss of the tape machine. Art? Jazz? Nonsense?

James Riot (Live)

Taken from "Live at the Wheelchair Races" 2003

Lyrics Unknown.

A live track that, as far as I am aware, does not appear anywhere else but in live format on the Live at the Wheelchair races compilation CD as part of the Hardcore UFO's Box Set. This song has some great guitar playing and even has a phased guitar solo that breaks through from time to time. A very 70s sounding song with a great funky bass line and its a real shame a studio recorded version never saw the light of day. "I am the Bastard!" indeed.

Black Ghost Pie

Taken from "Suitcase 1" 2003 .

Lyrics Unknown.

A few tracks into the A Pollard A Day blog and another song with Pie in the title. I didn't realise Mr Pollard had a pie fascination. Another tracks also that is under 1 minute long. Has a rough grungy sound that somehow reminds me of Nirvana around the Bleach period. A nice riff but the song seems to fall apart towards the end and is maybe a sketch of a song rather than a fully qualified opus.

For Liberty

Taken from "The Pipe Dreams of Instant Prince Whippet" 2002

"image twisted jilted feeble,
and however we become,
whomever grand marshals,
and naval commanders
enjoy our daughters of joy,
and its the finer things in life,
that allow us to stand up for liberty,
only even without reaching "

Weighing in in under 1 minute (57 seconds to be exact) this little ditty from the Instant Prince Whippet EP is a pretty good example of Pollard twisted and psychedelic verse and electric strumming. The words in isolation don't make much sense but somehow touch you on an emotional level. Pollard does that a lot, a line that means nothing to someone else means a great deal to you. When the song hits the "for liberty" section it feels like a gentle call to arms.

E-5

Taken from "Vampire on Titus" 1993

"Perfect birds sit on plastic bush,
In my cubicle,
I've been knowing this for some reason now,
And anyday I expect the delivery truck,
To bring me mine, the order is late,
But still I wait for the starfire demonor leave it to fate"

This track is not a good one. Well, not a favourite track for my ears. Its dischordant and sounds like a bunch of stoned hippies randomly playing and chanting to themselves without little thought about what each other is playing. I like Pollard. A lot. I like virtually everything he does but this to me is not what I like. Its got the elements of a song in there somewhere but they all seem to be working in ignorance of each other.

King of Arthur Avenue

Taken from "Not In My Airforce" 1996

"Just after the tin can laughter dies down I will hoist my vulgar flag,
Everywhere you are,
Don't blame me Don't maim me,
oh Like a leopard leaping out,
Into your life,
Crashing your nerve,
Who will protect you?,
You'd better stand tall,
Always on call I want a quick taste,
Look at your face changing,
Ideas exchanging,
The world is oblivious so far And it's timeless around me,
And nothing at all,
The world will be better when you fall,
You will recall..."

From one of Robert Pollard many Solo/Side-Project albums, "King of Arthur Avenue" starts as quite a lilting gentle acoustic track but suddenly explodes to life with a deep growly guitar finale and almost feels like two songs melded together. Again quite a longing type song that sounds better in isolation than hidden amongst the album.

Mustard Man

From "Suitcase 2" 2005

Lyrics unknown.

Ah, my first track from the Suitcase albums, which are a mixed bag of oddments, demos, early recording, live tracks and tracks that never quite made it onto the "big" releases. There are some absolute gems on the Suitcase albums and Mustard Man is one of said gems. I think its a live track that sounds like early GBV and have a lovely languorous drum and chord change for the main chorus. The vocals are a bit lost in the recording process (a mixing desk?) but you can imagine yourself at a gig closing yer eyes and doing that head nod thing to it. Good track.

Zoo Pie

Taken from "Do The Collapse" 1999

"Zoo Pie,All I ever wanted by you,Was to be a man
Get by,Every cop I beg I will stand
Come on baby do it,To me you can do it,I've already a plan
But zoo pie,All I ever wanted by you
Come on baby do it,To me you can do it,I know that you can"

A lot of fans had a problem with "Do the Collapse" when it came out and found it over-produced and one of Guided By Voices weaker albums, strangely enough I find it one of their best albums overall with loads of quality songs on it. This is one of the weaker tracks however. Its not bad but just seems to judder and stutter along with the vocals lost in a scratchy distorted vocal effect. Meanings in the song? Random Pollardness I reckon though it could be about eating animals at a zoo. Probably not.

Choking Tara (Demo Version)

Taken from "Delicious Pie & Thank You For Calling"

"Days into weeks, She rattled my mind, We stayed out all week, And got happy this time, She fills empty space, I kinda need it that way, Crybaby says bye to me, I can't imagine that all our troubles will go away, But I could catch her and break the falls, I could snatch her with breaks and claws, Today when every "fake it", Decides to make it, They just can't take it away, Shove it, cus I'll just stay, Like an ugly unwanted stray, Don't care what you say"

Originally a song from Mag Earwig! this demo version is a stripped down acoustic demo version and is the first part of a trio of version of this song (demo, album version and creamy version) and to me is the best of the three. As usual it sounds like a song recorded on a tape deck in a basement (it was) and has a melancholic thread and seems, to me a least, a song about hanging onto a relationship when you feel you aren't good enough. Bit sad really but always sounds defiant and joyful the way it is sung. Its a nice song and a good place to start the "A Pollard A Day" blog.
Any comments welcome.