Still Worth Nothing

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

"Senseless child
See you now
Still worth nothing
Never stop, until it stops
Rise and shine
Fall in line
Still worth nothing
That we know seems to show

See him walking around
It's a known fact that
The only thing he knows is this
Hear him talking so loud
It's a rough world
And he can find out for himself, he'll see
Speed up, slow down, go all around
In the end

Came to see
Conveniently
Still worth nothing
After all, some must fall

See him walking around
It's a known fact that
The only thing he knows is this
Hear him talking so loud
It's a rough world
And he can find out for himself, he'll see
Speed up, slow down, go all around
In the end"

Why do hear suspicious minds at the start of this song? Then it jumps into Northside (remember them? Shall I take a trip?). Strange musical touchstones here. Then we are into pure GBV. As usual, catchy tune and 60s sounding. Not a bad little song here that could have easily stood nicely on any early GBV album.

7 Strokes To Heaven's Edge

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

"3,4

Mother, mother it's just not fair
We were so close to death
When the snakes were at your breast
We almost took the pledge
We were seven strokes from the cliffs of heaven's edge

Mighty pillars of shaky dirt
Conceived and planned in an office
We had the power to break the spell
We had the knowledge, we just couldn't tell, oh

Mother, mother it's just not fair
We were so close to death
When the snakes were at your breast
We almost took the pledge
We were seven strokes from the cliffs of heaven's edge

You want to know practical answers
Learn something old everyday
Wish hard and hope that the dead walk the cave
Like fossil fuel in the wheelchair relays

Mother, mother it's just not fair
We were so close to death
When the snakes were at your breast
We almost took the pledge
We were seven strokes from the cliffs of heaven's edge"

A very Mersey beat type early GBV. Its amazing how much Bobs voice has changed over the years. A nice song. A simple song. But a good song.

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!"

Had to have a bit of a few days to contend with flooding and insurance claims but I am back with a clutch of songs. Harboring Exiles has great little guitar bit and a very jaunty vocal with some strange stuttering parts. I like it. Very REMish at times but very early GBV mostly.

You're The Special

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

"Try real hard to be special
'Cause you're something
And you try so hard to be special
It feels new 'cause you're new
That's what happens when you think like you
Hide, it strong
And you know it
'Cause you knew it
Before she or he or me or you
or them and us and them
and you and knowin it
You're showing it
'Cause you're blowing it
Very gradually
Very sadually
'Cause we won it
And we grab it
But it's slipping away from it"

A fastly strummed obscurity from the "Hardcore UFOs" Boxset. Is this pointing out someones self conceit that they think they are better than they are. Most definitely. Its Bobs "Your So Vain". Something about the vocals reminds me of Sebadoh or Sentridoh oddly enough. Wouldn't it be odd going to a Restaurant and finding out that you were indeed the Special.

Trashed Aircraft (Demo)

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

A Demo version of a song that was due to appear on "Do The Collapse" if Im not mistaken and also crops up in another version on one of the Suitcase collections. A choppy guitar led track with a nice hook and an almost Bluesy feel. Lots of reaccuring images of Aircraft appear in Pollard songs and titles. Is he a secret Plane spotter?

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.

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.