Week Fifty-Six: 56 Years of Siouxsie Sioux - Siouxsie - "They Follow You" - MantaRay

In honor of Siouxsie's 56th birthday, which was celebrated on May 27th, I am having another week to pay tribute to my favorite band in the whole wide world: Siouxsie and the Banshees.

<3 ** <3 ** <3 ** <3 ** <3 ** <3 ** <3

I had originally intended to close this week out by attempting to impress you with more of my Siouxsie memorabilia  - like maybe my super-rare back patch, or my autographed album that an ex-boyfriend acquired for me, or possibly some shirts that sell for a small fortune on eBay, or even some singles that are extremely hard-to-find. However, I am too tired to scan or photograph all of it, so I am going to instead share with you a fan-made video that is set to this song and that is quite impressive. In fact, I will have to admit that my collection pales in comparison to this guy's collection.

Tomorrow is my very last day to teach, and believe me, I am anything but sad about it. I am, however, just completely worn out from all the demands that come with closing out a school year.

I will most likely have a week for The Creatures at some point, and I will promise to give you more Siouxsie and Budgie treats then... until that time, enjoy the following YouTube clip:

Wounds heal in time
Scars leave their signs
Sewn up inside
Sewn up in mind
They follow you - follow you

Swallowing pills
Intoning spells
All potions spill
Down the wishing well
They follow you - To sorrow you

It doesn't work anymore
They follow you - To sorrow you

Sew up this eye
Stitch up this smile
Embroidered tears
Down the wishing well
They follow you - To sorrow you

It doesn't work anymore
They follow you - follow you

Mix me a brew - An elixir to soothe
Mix me a brew - An elixir to soothe
A cure!

Wounds heal in time
Scars leave their signs
Sewn up inside
Sewn up in mind
They follow you - follow you

And here's a mellow one to take you into the weekend and to calm you after last night's treacherous storms:

Week Fifty-Six: 56 Years of Siouxsie Sioux - Siouxsie and the Banshees - "Song From the Edge of the World" - The Best of Siouxsie and the Banshees

In honor of Siouxsie's 56th birthday, which was celebrated on May 27th, I am having another week to pay tribute to my favorite band in the whole wide world: Siouxsie and the Banshees.

<3 ** <3 ** <3 ** <3 ** <3 ** <3 ** <3

This song was originally released as a single in 1987, but you can acquire a copy of it on The Best of Siouxsie and the Banshees, which is a double CD of some of their greatest hits. I'll include a scan of it below:

Another fantastic way to learn more about this lovely band is through Siouxsie & The Banshees: The Authorised Biography by Mark Paytress, which also includes a foreward by Shirley Manson (of Garbage). I will include a scan of it below, along with a blip about what Martin McCarrick had to say about today's tune, "Song From the Edge of the World":

And one other treasure that I picked up along the way that I will share with you is a photo book:

And here are some fun band member pages from the photo book:

Let me take you down

To testify

Under the brow of a sparkling sky

We'll dance away

A distant day

And shout our sins

In a passion play

Over we go

Diving for pearls

Over we go

From the edge of the World

Let the fire fall in

The footsteps we leave

Painted on the ground

We'll watch the stars

Come crashing down

Upon our heads

Like a madding crown

Over we go

Diving for pearls

Over we go

From the edge of the World

Let me take you down

To testify

Under the brow of a sparkling sky

We'll dance away

'Til the day is done

Then rise again

To unwrap the Sun

Over we go

Diving for pearls

Over we go

From the edge of the World

This is the song from the edge of the World 

And here's another favorite that can also be found on The Best of Siouxsie and the Banshees called "Spellbound":

Week Fifty-Six: 56 Years of Siouxsie Sioux - Siouxsie and the Banshees - "Oh Baby/Stargazer" - The Rapture

In honor of Siouxsie's 56th birthday, which was celebrated on May 27th, I am having another week to pay tribute to my favorite band in the whole wide world: Siouxsie and the Banshees.
<3 ** <3 ** <3 ** <3 ** <3 ** <3 ** <3

Most people that I know were not at all impressed by the 1995 release, The Rapture. I, on the other hand, absolutely loved it!!! In fact, I am giving you two tracks off the album today --- "Oh Baby" and "Stargazer". The Rapture tour was the first time that I ever got to see the band perform live. I wanted desperately to see them at Lollapalooza '91, but tickets sold out before I could even get my hands on my parents' credit card to try to acquire a pair. So I had to wait four more years. 

Today, I'll include a scan of my ticket stubs for the 1995 Bomb Factory show, as well as the 2004 Gypsy Tea Room show. I'll also include a pre-show newspaper clip and a post-show newspaper clip of the 1995 Bomb Factory show. In addition, I will include a pre-show mention of the 2004 Gypsy Tea Room show:

I'm including fan-made clips for both "Oh Baby" and "Stargazer", as well as a live performance for both songs that was aired on MTV's "Most Wanted":

The cracks in the ground grin up at me

Even the creases in my shoes smile up at me

Thought it would end in tragedy

But I'm swimming around in your glory

O Baby O maybe

I'm the lost and found

Look at the stars they're raining down

Even these jewels want to kiss your crown

Don't be afraid it's just your face

Has that effect on heavens' treasure case

O Baby O maybe

You're a paragon

I haven't felt this way before

Impossible to ask for more

Unanswered prayers that went before

Lie like leaves upon the floor

Hang all the world and universe

When I'm with you they always seem perverse

I'm in a state of weightlessness

When I inhale your angel breath

O Baby O maybe

I'm the lost and found

Been thinking how to escape?

This strait-jacket of constraint

Been thinking what can be wrong?

With feelings that long to belong

Stargazing me

In an upside down sea

So weary this strait-jacket dreamer

So resigned to continue to suffer

But you've learnt that as you grow weaker

There's less hurt because there's much less to hurt

Stargazing me

In a tumbling sea

Up in the galaxy

Staring down on me

Stargazer reach out to touch

With your mind that frees you so much

Stargazer kissing your kismet

With bright jewel encrusted scars

Stargazing me

In tranquility

Up in the galaxy

Staring down on me

And I have to include another track from the album that I really, really like, as well. This one is called "Forever" and was set to one of their live performances at the 100 Club so that you can see the inside of it:

Week Fifty-Six: 56 Years of Siouxsie Sioux - Siouxsie and the Banshees - "Red Over White" - The Thorn

In honor of Siouxsie's 56th birthday, which will be celebrated today, May 27th, I am having another week to pay tribute to my favorite band in the whole wide world: Siouxsie and the Banshees.
<3 ** <3 ** <3 ** <3 ** <3 ** <3 ** <3

From the very moment that I laid eyes on this band back in 1991, when I saw the video for "Kiss Them For Me" on MTV, it was love at first sight. I adored their exotic looks and orchestral instrumentation, and they had that "wall of sound" that Phil Spector was such an expert at creating. And Siouxsie... well, she was just breath-taking!!!

I had to learn as much as I could about this band, and without the convenience of the internet, I had nowhere else to turn but the library. At that time, my closest branch of the library had an Encyclopedia of Rock Music that was kept at the reference desk and was not available for checkout. I thumbed through that encyclopedia and found a teensy write-up about the band, which of course I photocopied and still have to this very day:

It was not until a few years later that I discovered that they debuted at the 100 Club. When I finally made it over to London in 1995, I made it a point to stop by the 100 Club, and I'll share some of my photos of that, as well:

And I first heard today's song, "Red Over White", when I acquired a copy of The Thorn. In fact, I will include a photo of my very own album:

I've included a fan-made YouTube video below:

the woods and the town

covered in snow

all transformed to a fairytale

like the fresh page of a book opened up

ready

waiting

for the story to begin

for you're all in a scene

objects in black ink

fringed in white

breathing and living

and anticipating

a colour

all transformed to a fairytale

unreal and inviting

inviting you to step in

and follow the path neverending

you're now leaving

imprints

and somehow expecting

expecting someone

maybe the prince in disguise

suffering a snow queen curse

but you're wrong of course

it's in reverse

out in the snow

muffled

the last silent night

the last sacrifice

red running over white

red running over white

red

running over white

red

running over white

running red

over white

running red

over white

red over white

red over white

red

over white

(Thorn version adds:)

running red over white

running red over white

all (oh?) red over white

running red

over white

running red

over white

red over white

red over white

all (oh?) red

over white

all (oh?) red

over white

And in 1996, Cleopatra Records released Reflections in the Looking Glass: A Tribute to Siouxsie and the Banshees, on which The Shroud covered this tune and did a phenomenal job, I might add!!! I will include a pic of the CD cover below, as well as a YouTube clip of their version:

Week Fifty-Five: The Smiths & 54 Years of Moz - "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" - Hatful of Hollow

In honor of Morrissey's 54th birthday, which will be celebrated this Wednesday, May 22nd, I am having The Smiths week; however, most of my stories surrounding The Smiths are far too personal to share with the world, so I am resorting to a lovely book I once happened upon called The Smiths: All Men Have Secrets. This book was the original inspiration for my blog as it recounts tales of the meanings particular songs hold for their listeners... Happy Birthday, my dearest Moz!!!

  

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Today, I will share with you a DVD that is one of the best documentaries that I have seen about this band, and it is called The Smiths: Under Review. I lucked out on acquiring a copy of this one. My ex, who wrote for a music magazine, was supposed to return the materials after reviewing them, but he told his boss that he misplaced this particular DVD. Since no one at the magazine was particularly fond of The Smiths, it turned out to be "no big deal" to them...but a very "big deal" to me!!!

She & Him covered this one for the film, (500) Days of Summer, and although a lot of people think it kind of sucked, I really kind of liked it and will include it below:

Oh, and just one more thing... if you are ever looking for a quick and enjoyable read with references galore to the band, pick up a copy of How Soon is Never? by Marc Spitz. You won't regret it... I've read it at least twice now...

Week Fifty-Five: The Smiths & 54 Years of Moz - "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" - The Queen is Dead

In honor of Morrissey's 54th birthday, which will be celebrated this Wednesday, May 22nd, I am having The Smiths week; however, most of my stories surrounding The Smiths are far too personal to share with the world, so I am resorting to a lovely book I once happened upon called The Smiths: All Men Have Secrets. This book was the original inspiration for my blog as it recounts tales of the meanings particular songs hold for their listeners... Happy Birthday, my dearest Moz!!!

  

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And since I opened the week with my favorite song by The Smiths, I will celebrate Morrissey's actual birthday with my second favorite song by them. I remember reading somewhere that Morrissey was once quoted saying something along the lines of there is a light that never goes out...and it's called hope! In fact, I took some time, scoured the web, and located the exact quote so that I could share it with you: 

"When you’re a teenager and in your early twenties it seems desperately eternal and excruciatingly painful. Whereas as you grow older you realise that most things are excruciatingly painful and that is the human condition. Most of us continue to survive because we’re convinced that somewhere along the line, with grit and determination and perseverance, we will end up in some magical union with somebody. It’s a fallacy, of course, but it’s a form of religion. You have to believe. There is a light that never goes out and it’s called hope." 

- Morrissey

I will also share with you another fun page from the Italian lyrics book:

And last but not least, local favorites, Sunglasses & Sugar, have been known to cover this tune at their live shows around Dallas. I didn't get a chance to make it to the show from where I've pulled this particular YouTube clip, so it was definitely a treat to know this was in existence...

Week Fifty-Five: The Smiths & 54 Years of Moz - "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me" - Strangeways, Here We Come

In honor of Morrissey's 54th birthday, which will be celebrated this Wednesday, May 22nd, I am having The Smiths week; however, most of my stories surrounding The Smiths are far too personal to share with the world, so I am resorting to a lovely book I once happened upon called The Smiths: All Men Have Secrets. This book was the original inspiration for my blog as it recounts tales of the meanings particular songs hold for their listeners... Happy Birthday, my dearest Moz!!!

  

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To start out, here's a fun picture and a quote from the Italian lyrics book that I mentioned yesterday...

Week Fifty-Five: The Smiths & 54 Years of Moz - "I Know It's Over" - The Queen is Dead

In honor of Morrissey's 54th birthday, which will be celebrated this Wednesday, May 22nd, I am having The Smiths week; however, most of my stories surrounding The Smiths are far too personal to share with the world, so I am resorting to a lovely book I once happened upon called The Smiths: All Men Have Secrets. This book was the original inspiration for my blog as it recounts tales of the meanings particular songs hold for their listeners... Happy Birthday, my dearest Moz!!!

  

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Before I post the images of what others had to say about the song, "I Know It's Over", from the above-mentioned book, I will share with you that this is my favorite song by The Smiths. Just a few weeks ago, I came across a necklace on eBay that had some lyrics from this song, and I quickly snatched it up. I will share an image of it below:

And from the opening night of Morrissey's 2012 Concert Tour, which was eventually cancelled due to his illness, here is a live performance of what most of us ultimately missed out on...

And I will be pulling lyrics from another treasure that I picked up somewhere along the way... this book was printed in Italy and includes the lyrics in both English and Italian...