The Wheel and the MayPOLL: The XTC Poll Results Thread

exack

Hmm, I've always thought XTC's version was pretty worthless and always skip, I may revisit but I'll prob still not like.

if yer gonna murder a classic, do it properly

admittedly I'm not a big fan of XTC - even my fave albums by them (Drums & Wires through Mummer is the sweet spot (hon mention Skylarking) would rate no better than a 4 out of 5 (RYM-style) each at most. (I didn't like The Big Express, though haven't heard it since the '80s. and Andy's solo Take Away/The Lure Of Salvage is prob my overall fave XTC album/thing)

but had I voted "Ladybird" would have been my #1. reminds me a bit of Bacharach/David "This Girl's In Love With You". I also like the Colin Moulding pop songs like "Ten Feet Tall", "Love At First Sight", etc.

Being American, I only just realized while preparing for this poll that the Ladybird ain't no bird--she's a ladybug.

Tell that to Mrs Johnson.

Congratulations to Andy Partridge for winning the Classic Songwriter award at the Q Awards!

Man do I wish now that I could have snuck a few more B-sides onto my ballot: 'Jump', 'Extrovert' and 'Happy Families' in particular.

did we do an albums poll?

*tumbleweed*

I'm just getting stuck into the XTC back catalogue now after having lived with the Fossil Fuels compilation. I know Skylarking is often held up as their best work but so far it's gotta be Mummer that stands out. Loving the steam-age imagery and Hardy's Wessexiness of Love On A Farmboy's Wages / Great Fire... it's just so anti-punk. No wonder their drummer quit in a pique

oh and I just got Black Sea, Mummer and an XTC singles compilation in the post. Nice!

mummer might have done better if the tracks were sequenced differently. all the songs are excellent but it plays out like an inverted bell curve.

No wonder their drummer quit in a pique

Ha, I think he quit because just playing in the studio without touring wasn't gonna pay the bills. But yeah, I don't know if he could've handled, say, "Ladybird."

I haven't listened to Mummer since...eep...1987, but relistening now I'm reminded of how much (and why) I loved it at the time. It initially struck me as an early attempt at what they'd explore more fully on Skylarking, but it's totally its own thing. And it's all killer, no filler.

I'm new to the band's wider catalogue, as I say. Ladybird hasn't grabbed me yet but all the songs leading up to it are FANTASTIC. I'm so pleased I own a hard copy of this now.

According to the Chalkhills website, Andy P says it was LOAFBW that was the last straw for the drummer. He couldn't be dealing with the beat

Interesting, didn't know that!

No way is Mummer all killer, no filler... it's got 'Human Alchemy' on it, for one, which is one of the worst songs that Partridge ever wrote.

Chambers quit because a huge part of the appeal of being in XTC was the touring, and he'd gotten married to an Australian, so there was pressure to relocate.

I like Human Alchemy

Also, he wasn't going to earn as much as he did when XTC were touring, and had a disagreement with the rest of the band over the choice of producer. Chambers wanted to wait for Hugh Padgham to become available, Partridge didn't want to wait and wanted to press on with Steve Nye.

Chambers recorded 'Beating of Hearts', 'Wonderland' and 'Toys' before he left, which yes was during an attempted recording of 'Love on a Farmboy's Wages' ...

xp I dig "Human Alchemy" too, I love Andy's dubby focus around this time. Turrican, try the demo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvOqne5nmFM

Huh, I can't remember hearing this before!

how do y'all rate those extra tunes on the Mummer reissue?

which ones - Gold, Toys and Jump? Toys runs it's sole lyrical conceit into the ground but I like the other two quite a bit and think they fit well on the album

Frost Circus and Procession Towards Learning Land are v out of place tho

'Jump', 'Gold', 'Toys' and 'Desert Island' are as good as anything on the album and in some cases better.

Word.

And the entire Homo Safari series is really cool and very much its own thing.

Yeah, I agree... all the Homo Safari stuff should have been placed together on a rarities collection or something as I think the stuff on the Mummer reissue feels very out of place. Otherwise, it's the one album where the "B-sides in between side one and side two" approach could have worked.

Jump is fantastic. Seriously, I think Mummer is my new favourite album. the one track I'd drop is Funk Pop A Roll (this album's 'Crazy Beat'/'Free Huey' lol) but it's easily skipped

'Funk Pop a Roll' is great! Excellent 12-string sound on that.

I recoil from his vocal and the message, though.

Andy Partridge is among the artists from whom I want to hear no gripes about the industry.

otm. he has backstabbed a lot of people, and frankly it turns me off hearing him talk about his work.

btw 'ladybird' ends with a gorgeous organ chord on the edge of hearing, definitely my favourite moment in the whole album.

When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty is another one that went a lot higher on my list when going through their albums just before voting. It's all about those noises that are supposed to symbolise the jellyfish.

Helicopter was just outside my top 10. One of the best bass lines ever and I love how manic Andy sounds on that one.

Karl Malone

Yes to both of these. 'When You're Near Me' is a pretty pedestrian XTC punker but the Jellyfish and Iceman parts just shift it into two completely different worlds

WTF THE IMAGES ARE GONE

>:(

1. Senses Working Overtime (2295 points, 25 votes, 3 No. 1 votes))
2. Respectable Street (1870 points, 22 votes)
3. Earn Enough For Us (1798 points, 20 votes, 2 No. 1 votes))
4. Life Begins at the Hop (1688 points, 19 votes, 2 No. 1 votes))
5. Making Plans for Nigel (1650 points, 19 votes)
6. Generals and Majors (1477 points, 18 votes)
7. No Language in Our Lungs (1456 points, 17 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
8. The Mayor of Simpleton (1448 points, 17 votes, 2 No. 1 votes))
9. Easter Theatre (1444 points, 16 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
10. Towers of London (1426 points, 17 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
11. Grass (1347 points, 16 votes)
12. The Wheel & the Maypole (1335 points, 15 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
13. No Thugs in our House (1303 points, 15 votes)
14. Vanishing Girl (1287 points, 15 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
15. Chalkhills and Children (1238 points, 15 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
16. Harvest Festival (1236 points, 14 votes)
17. Summer's Cauldron (1225 points, 14 votes, 2 No. 1 votes))
18. Wrapped in Grey (1151 points, 13 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
19. Complicated Game (1124 points, 13 votes)
20. Love On A Farmboy's Wages (1116 points, 14 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
21. Jason and the Argonauts (1084 points, 13 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
22. Ball and Chain (1073 points, 14 votes)
TIE 23. The Meeting Place (985 points, 12 votes)
TIE 23. Snowman (985 points, 11 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
24. Ballet For A Rainy Day (975 points, 12 votes)
25. You’re The Wish You Are I Had (950 points, 12 votes)
26. Rocket from a Bottle (937 points, 12 votes)
27. Helicopter (917 points, 12 votes)
28. When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty (912 points, 12 votes)
29. Then She Appeared (876 points, 12 votes)
30. King For a Day (861 points, 11 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
31. Season Cycle (858 points, 10 votes)
32. That's Really Super, Supergirl (854 points, 11 votes)
33. This Is Pop? (847 points, 10 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
34. Another Satellite (835 points, 10 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
35. Yacht Dance (817 points, 9 votes)
36. Burning With Optimism's Flames (812 points, 10 votes)
37. River of Orchids (801 points, 10 votes)
38. 1000 Umbrellas (797 points, 10 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
39. Great Fire (794 points, 10 votes)
40. Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her, Kiss Her (763 points, 10 votes)
41. The Disappointed (758 points, 9 votes)
42. Wake Up (750 points, 10 votes)
43. Are You Receiving Me? (743 points, 11 votes)
44. (The Everyday Story of) Smalltown (736 points, 9 votes)
45. Travels in Nihilon (720 points, 8 votes)
46. My Bird Performs (718 points, 10 votes)
47. Sacrificial Bonfire (656 points, 8 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
48. Sgt Rock (Is Going To Help Me) (654 points, 8 votes)
49. Statue of Liberty (648 points, 9 votes)
50. Beating Of Hearts (644 points, 9 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
TIE 51. Greenman (640 points, 8 votes)
TIE 51. Runaways (640 points, 9 votes)
52. The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead (615 points, 8 votes)
53. Roads Girdle the Globe (613 points, 8 votes)
54. Pale and Precious (602 points, 8 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
55. Dear Madam Barnum (599 points, 9 votes)
56. English Roundabout (586 points, 8 votes)
57. Brainiac's Daughter (583 points, 8 votes)
58. Dear God (569 points, 8 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
59. Ten Feet Tall (559 points, 7 votes)
60. I'd Like That (556 points, 8 votes)
61. I Bought Myself a Liarbird (550 points, 8 votes)
62. The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul (537 points, 7 votes)
63. Scarecrow People (519 points, 7 votes)
64. Mermaid Smiled (510 points, 7 votes)
65. Paper and Iron (Notes and Coins) (509 points, 7 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
66. I Remember the Sun (506 points, 8 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
67. Little Lighthouse (487 points, 7 votes)
68. What In The World??... (480 points, 6 votes)
69. Battery Brides (471 points, 6 votes)
70. Wonderland (461 points, 5 votes)
71. Science Friction (454 points, 7 votes)
72. This World Over (445 points, 7 votes)
73. Garden of Earthly Delights (442 points, 6 votes)
74. Tissue Tigers (The Arguers) (437 points, 5 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
75. Rook (436 points, 6 votes)
76. Poor Skeleton Steps Out (426 points, 6 votes)
77. Scissor Man (406 points, 6 votes)
78. Bike Ride to the Moon (391 points, 6 votes)
79. The Last Balloon (385 points, 6 votes)
80. Ladybird (380 points, 4 votes, 1 No. 1 vote))
81. Love At First Sight (377 points, 5 votes)
82. I Can't Own Her (376 points, 5 votes)
83. One Of The Millions (374 points, 7 votes)
84. Playground (373 points, 6 votes)
85. Neon Shuffle (357 points, 4 votes)
86. That Wave (344 points, 5 votes)
87. Across This Antheap (341 points, 6 votes)
88. Living Through Another Cuba (336 points, 5 votes)
89. All of a Sudden (It's Too Late) (329 points, 5 votes)
90. All You Pretty Girls (327 points, 4 votes)
TIE 91. The Mole from the Ministry (309 points, 5 votes)
TIE 91. Stupidly Happy (309 points, 4 votes)
92. Your Gold Dress (299 points, 4 votes)
93. Red Brick Dream (280 points, 5 votes)
94. She’s So Square (279 points, 4 votes)
95. Dying (278 points, 4 votes)
96. Red (274 points, 4 votes)
97. Funk Pop a Roll (273 points, 4 votes)
98. Chain of Command (267 points, 4 votes)
TIE 99. Radios in Motion (264 points, 5 votes)
TIE 99. Meccanik Dancing (Oh We Go!) (264 points, 4 votes)
100. Punch and Judy (258 points, 4 votes)
TIE 101. Real by Reel (255 points, 4 votes)
TIE 101. 25 O'Clock (255 points, 4 votes)
102. Crocodile (253 points, 4 votes)
103. Smokeless Zone (251 points, 3 votes)
104. Knuckle Down (249 points, 3 votes)
105. Miniature Sun (246 points, 3 votes)
106. Pulsing Pulsing (237 points, 3 votes)
TIE 107. My Love Explodes (236 points, 3 votes)
TIE 107. Bungalow (236 points, 3 votes)
108. Me And The Wind (230 points, 3 votes)
TIE 109. Humble Daisy (228 points, 3 votes)
TIE 109. Merely a Man (228 points, 3 votes)
110. You're My Drug (226 points, 3 votes)
111. The Ugly Underneath (218 points, 3 votes)
112. Beatown (213 points, 3 votes)
113. Fly On the Wall (210 points, 3 votes)
114. In Another Life (207 points, 3 votes)
115. Deliver Us From The Elements (200 points, 3 votes)
116. The Loving (199 points, 3 votes)
117. Train Running Low on Soul Coal (197 points, 3 votes)
118. Reign of blows (193 points, 3 votes)
TIE 119. The Rhythm (189 points, 3 votes)
TIE 119. It's Nearly Africa (189 points, 2 votes)
120. Your Dictionary (187 points, 3 votes)
121. Hold Me My Daddy (185 points, 3 votes)
TIE 122. You're a Good Man Albert Brown (Curse You Red Barrel) (177 points, 3 votes)
TIE 122. Don’t Lose Your Temper (177 points, 2 votes)
TIE 122. In Loving Memory of a Name (177 points, 3 votes)
123. The Affiliated (173 points, 3 votes)
124. Outside World (171 points, 3 votes)
TIE 125. Cross Wires (170 points, 2 votes)
TIE 125. The Somnambulist (170 points, 2 votes)
126. Wonder Annual (166 points, 2 votes)
127. Ship Trapped in the Ice (164 points, 2 votes)
128. Hang on to the Night (159 points, 2 votes)
129. Heatwave (158 points, 2 votes)
130. Blame the Weather (157 points, 2 votes)
131. Pink Thing (155 points, 3 votes)
132. Melt the Guns (152 points, 2 votes)
133. Day In Day Out (147 points, 3 votes)
134. Shake You Donkey Up (145 points, 3 votes)
135. The Smartest Monkeys (142 points, 2 votes)
136. Instant Tunes (133 points, 2 votes)
137. I'm the Man Who Murdered Love (115 points, 3 votes)
138. Jump (112 points, 2 votes)
139. Knights In Shining Karma (109 points, 2 votes)
140. I set myself on fire (104 points, 2 votes)
141. Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down (102 points, 2 votes)
142. When We Get to England (99 points, 2 votes)
143. Young Cleopatra (96 points, 1 votes)
TIE 144. Dance Band (93 points, 1 votes)
TIE 144. Life Is Good In The Greenhouse (93 points, 1 votes)
145. All along the watchtower (91 points, 1 votes)
146. Leisure (89 points, 1 votes)
147. That is the way (88 points, 1 votes)
TIE 148. super-tuff (87 points, 1 votes)
TIE 148. Shiny Cage (87 points, 1 votes)
TIE 149. Take This Town (86 points, 1 votes)
TIE 149. Extrovert (86 points, 2 votes)
150. Born Out Of Your Mouth (85 points, 1 votes)
151. Buzzcity Talking (84 points, 1 votes)
152. Down in the Cockpit (83 points, 1 votes)
153. The Bland Leading The Bland (82 points, 1 votes)
154. Books Are Burning (80 points, 1 votes)
155. Heaven Is Paved With Broken Glass (77 points, 1 votes)
TIE 156. Big Day (76 points, 2 votes)
TIE 156. Young Marrieds (76 points, 1 votes)
TIE 156. Thanks for Christmas (76 points, 2 votes)
157. Sleepyheads/Looking For Footprints (75 points, 1 votes)
158. I'm Unbecome (73 points, 1 votes)
TIE 159. Cynical Days (72 points, 2 votes)
TIE 159. Terrorism (72 points, 1 votes)
TIE 160. New Broom (71 points, 1 votes)
TIE 160. You and the Clouds Will Still be Beautiful (71 points, 2 votes)
TIE 161. Tiny Circus Of Life (70 points, 1 votes)
TIE 161. Frost Circus (70 points, 1 votes)
162. Desert Island (61 points, 1 votes)
163. Holly up on poppy (59 points, 1 votes)
TIE 164. Into the atom age (51 points, 1 votes)
TIE 164. The World Is Full Of Angry Young Men (51 points, 1 votes)
165. We're All Light (47 points, 2 votes)
166. Boarded Up (43 points, 1 votes)
167. Church of Women (41 points, 1 votes)
168. Have You Seen Jackie? (39 points, 1 votes)
169. Spiral (24 points, 1 votes)
170. Gold (20 points, 1 votes)
171. New Town Animal (19 points, 2 votes)
172. Dame Fortune (16 points, 1 votes)
173. Collideascope (10 points, 1 votes)
174. President Kill (1 point, 1 vote

As ever with these polls, I'm surprised at the results on this one. The tracks in the top 4 are okay but nothing to shout about in my view. I like the Beach Boys 'ooo-eee-oooh' parts on Respectabel Street but the chorus is clunky. Similarly, Senses Working Overtime suffers from great verse/okay chorus syndrome.

Also, 'No Language In Our Lungs'? What makes that so good? Each to their own and all that, but...

my guess is the votes distribution between those who prefer their latter stuff vs. those who prefer the earlier stuff worked out such that the hits that are smack in the middle of that transformation (ie, Drums + Wires/Black Sea/English Settlement singles) garnered the most points

Also, 'No Language In Our Lungs'? What makes that so good? Each to their own and all that, but...

― Shat Parp (dog latin),

The way the guitars are mixed, the rhythm section, the way the band keeps reining itself in, the "I Want You" lilt to those guitars.

Shoulda voted, but I was only a casual fan at the time. My top fifteen:

1. Love On A Farmboy's Wages
2. When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty
3. The Wheel & the Maypole
4. Poor Skeleton Steps Out
5. Great Fire
6. Helicopter
7. Wrapped In Grey
8. Beating Of Hearts
9. Scarecrow People
10. Summer's Cauldron
11. The Disappointed
12. Generals and Majors
13. No Thugs In Our House
14. Living Through Another Cuba
15. Making Plans For Nigel

This poll set me off on a massive XTC binge which cemented them as one of my favourite bands - my ballot would be much longer and very differently ordered today.

I really hope those images are preserved somewhere, such excellent work.

No Language In Our Lungs is a masterpiece

man I'm looking at that top 50 and its just classic classic classic

the XTC binge hasn't exhausted itself: one or another XTC thread gets revived every couple days

No Language In Our Lungs is a masterpiece

― imago, Thursday, September 28, 2017 6:22 PM (two minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Too fucking right it is! One of Andy's best ever songs.

ilarly, Senses Working Overtime suffers from great verse/okay chorus syndrome.

― Shat Parp (dog latin), Thursday, September 28, 2017 3:37 PM (two hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

^ WTF?

*-ilarly,

yeah he said as much the other day. obviously he's doing one of the greatest songs ever written a loveably mad disservice and we should probably leave him to it

oh no! those images were so cool. i only became a fan last year after a friend turned me onto them. he wrote this long, almost essay-length post on FB about how "after two and a half decades of nearly constant music consumption, i've come to the conclusion that XTC is my favorite band and no one else even comes close." he posted "Earn Enough for Us" along with it - "my favorite XTC song - at the moment." my 15:

1. That's Really Super, Supergirl
2. All You Pretty Girls
3. I Bought Myself a Liarbird
4. Beating of Hearts
5. Red Brick Dream
6. Are You Receiving Me?
7. Love on a Farmboy's Wages
8. Science Friction
9. Ballet for a Rainy Day
10. Senses Working Overtime
11. Garden of Earthly Delights
12. Melt the Guns
13. Mayor of Simpleton
14. Making Plans for Nigel
15. Fly on the Wall

I'm halfway through this compilation book of the LImelight fanzine, it's a decent read, some nice interview material particularly from the Mummer era, Human Alchemy (which I have always liked and don't really understand the hating) was mooted for a single at one stage.