Previously, we mused about the tracks from the 1979 album, Drums and Wires as part of this year-long XTC album anniversary blog series. You can find that article here.
Popping into the TARDIS, we now find ourselves four years on, in 1983. Now firmly a studio band, XTC started work on their sixth album which would become Mummer. It was during this time that Terry Chambers was becoming disillusioned with the band now that they weren’t touring, and Partridge was already quite controlling in the recording studio. In a 2018 interview with Iain Lee, Chambers reveals that when he told the others he was quitting, Partridge offered to dump the songs they were working on and start afresh to make the drummer stay, but he’d already made up his mind.
Cover Design: The original album cover, and the one I prefer to the one that replaced it which looks like the shadows of three smurfs coming to beat you up. With this cover, you’d be forgiven for thinking the lads had spent larking about doing some arts and crafts before posing for a picture. But no, they’re actually dressed up to represent the mummers of old – medieval bands of men and women who would dress up and entertain crowds during festivals. The original-original idea for the cover was for the band members to wear fruit on their head, sitting outside an old, posh estate and for the title to be “Fruits Fallen From God’s Garden” but their label poo-pooed the idea.
Beating of Hearts (Partridge)
I’ve mentioned on more than one occasion in this blog series how impressed I am with the choice of opening track on XTC albums. I think they went with the right decision in kicking off the album with Beating of Hearts, though it doesn’t have the oomph or atmospheric vibe found in their other album openers. Still, it’s an interesting choice with its indian sound. There’s also a link of sorts to Snowman, the closing track of their previous album, English Settlement: both songs feature Andy singing nonsense words, in places.
Lyrics: For a heart without love is a song without words / And a tune to which no one is listening / So your heart must give love and you’ll find that you shine / Like the rain on the leaves, you’ll be glistening
Wonderland (Moulding)
I’ve read that Andy Partridge thinks this is one of Colin Moulding’s most beautiful melodies. But I’m afraid I’m really not a fan of this synthesizer and overall music of Wonderland. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not against synths at all, and I don’t have an issue with the vocal melody. But to my ears, it just sounds a bit schmaltzy, musically. I don’t know if the Moulding-Chambers band, TC&I, performed this at one of their Swindon gigs during their short-lived stint together, but would love to find out and hear it if they did. I think it’s one of these occasions where I’d prefer a live or acoustic version to this one we got on Mummer.
Lyrics: One day you will break out of your spell / And someday you will want me for your own / And I’ll say ‘Welcome to reality’.
Love On A Farmboy’s Wages (Partridge)
Quite a folksy sound for the post-punk pop band, but I do like it. And at least some of the British public did since the it reached no.50 when released as a single; their best chart placing since Senses Working Overtime. I like the decision to make the lines of the verses stretch out which contrasts nicely with the quick, skipping of the vocals in the chorus. There’s also a nice little nook (nook = briefer/smaller than a hook) where as the line “And it’s breaking my back” ends, we get a sound (a rattle?) which can be heard for a second amidst the fingerstyle guitar that nicely conveys the pain of that line. There are a few genres that I’m not keen on and I won’t automatically love a song if it’s by a band or artist I like (looking at you Paul Heaton with your country-tinged dabblings) but even though I’m not into folk, there is enough in Love On A Farmboy’s Wages for me to have really warmed to. I’m still not going to try and tackle the guitar tab for this one, though!
Lyrics: People think that I’m no good / Painting pictures, carving wood / Be a rich man if I could / But the only job I do well is here on the farm / And it’s breaking my back
Great Fire (Partridge)
I find this a fascinating song to listen to. It’s quite intense sometimes in the sound – those strings (courtesy of musicians Gavin Wright and Nigel Warren-Green)! I like the way the percussion is played at the start to resemble the sound of a fire alarm. The drum pattern that lead into the chorus is something I enjoy whenever I hear it. And I know I often bang on about vocal melodies and rhythm but the way Andy sings the verses is interesting. I don’t know if there’s an unusual time signature during those sections. I’m really not great on music theory so it couldn’t just be my ears hearing things. I love the theme of the song comparing the intensity of his love (for his wife or someone else) to an actual fire, and the imagery in the lyrics.
Lyrics: I’ve been in love before / But it’s never been as hot as this / Smoke curling ’round the door / Memories of old loves crack and / Blister, mister fireman / Bet you couldn’t put me out if you tried
Deliver Us From The Elements (Moulding)
This track has an interesting beginning, a sort of bouncy sound to it that reminds me of Australia, and then the drums and guitar riff kick in which makes it become more atmospheric. There’s a nice subtle reverb to Colin’s voice which seems to sit a little back in the mix. There’s an fascinating haunting element to the backing vocal, and what I presume is a synth, at the end of each line in the chorus, which can be heard in a slightly different way in the second verse. I’ll admit I don’t listen to this song as much as some other XTC tracks but every time I do I remember how intrigued I am by the overall production.
Lyrics: And when the world grows old / And we know more than our brains can hold / Nature will be law / Well, we’re as helpless now as we’ve ever been before
Human Alchemy (Partridge)
Human Alchemy was the first song on Side 2 of the original album – we’ll ignore the frankly bonkers CD version where Virgin shoved a quartet of B-sides half way through the album – and continues the uneasiness that the last minute of the previous track gave us, and then some. There’s a ska / reggae sound to the guitar which I only just noticed properly when listening to it as a I write this (which shows you how often, or not, I listen to this particular track). The drums are very prominent in the mix. Drummer Pete Phipps was brought in to finish the album after Terry’s departure and I think it was his playing we can hear. Musically, just like Deliver Us From The Elements, I find this quite fascinating to listen to. I wouldn’t say I enjoy it as a piece of music to dance or sing along to (though I like a challenge). It’s a bit like a looking at a painting in a gallery. You don’t necessary want to buy it or have it displayed in your home but you appreciate the elements (there’s that word again) that went into its creation. Though with that being said, I do want to try and play this acoustically on the guitar to hear what a stripped-back version would sound like.
Lyrics: Other lands became a larder full of all the good things / All we had to do was go and take / Blood, the colour of the rain that grew our wicked harvest / Black, the colour icing on our cake
Ladybird (Partridge)
A hugely underrated and probably much-forgotten gorgeous track. This is the kind of song Ken Bruce would have played often on BBC Radio 2. Definitely radio-friendly and I do wonder if this was considered as a single. A little nook I really like on this is the second time “name” is sung in the chorus where I think he goes up an octave half-way through the word. The piano in the dying seconds could have been brought in a little earlier.
Lyrics: Oh ladybird / I have heard you wish to walk me through your meadow / You’ll spread no wings to fly in fright if I’m beside you / Ladybird
In Loving Memory of a Name (Moulding)
This is a really good-sounding song. Quite chirpy in the verses. Interesting theme for a song – wandering around a cemetery and thinking in particular of soldiers buried in their hometown. I’ve just played back the first 30 seconds of In Loving Memory a couple of times and, music-wise, I think this could have been a possible opener to Mummer.
Lyrics: Boom goes my heart / Dancing around your daisies / Church bells will start / Sat on you reading your ages / I drift away / In loving memory of a name
Me And The Wind (Partridge)
For many fans this is a track about Terry Chambers, though it seems to be because of two single words in the lyrics: “stool” and “snare”, though I believe Andy Partridge has refuted the rumour. I love the prominence of the piano. It’s quite a curious track with the vocal rhythm and melody being the most memorable thing about it, especially in the verses.
Lyrics: And when you lured me into your syrup / All I could think of was what a lovely way for me to go / I never really realised that / Just like the struggling summer flies that / I was drowning no matter how sweet or how slow
Funk Pop A Roll (Partridge)
An absolute banger is Funk Pop A Roll. Written by Andy who doesn’t hold back with his thoughts about the music industry (though he could have easily been more scathing). An angular bop that could have been a single. Like much of the songs on Mummer, a promo video was made for this album closer which surely Peter Gabriel’s team must have seen and thought “Oh, that’s a good idea…”. It’s such a departure in sound from the rest of the album, it was right they left it as a memorable ending.
Lyrics: Funk pop a roll, the only goal / The music business is a hammer to keep you pegs in your holes / But please don’t listen to me / I’ve already been poisoned by this industry
Next time… We’ll take a look at one of the most popular XTC albums, Black Sea (1980), released when the band were hitting the height of their success.
Over on Bluesky, the next XTC listening party will be on Wednesday 16 September at 9pm BST, where we’ll be listening to 1987’s Psonic Psunspot. Get your copy of the album ready and join in the chat using the tag #XTCmusic!
Further Reading and Listening
Buy Mummer from Burning Shed
Watch XTC Play at Home documentary
