XTC альбомы: «Сендердің Жұмысы» және тағы басқалары

the XTC album

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"Senses Working Overtime" was a conscious attempt at writing a commercial single. It is based on Manfred Mann's "5 4 3 2 1" (1964). At the time, Partridge did not think the song was good enough to be a single, and was surprised when Virgin chose to issue it. Moulding remembered that it was "like something Genesis or Queen would have done, and these were the bands that were openly mocked two years before." "Jason and the Argonauts" was born from a guitar riff, with one harmonic line constant and another providing a counterpoint, that reminded Partridge of "traveling across the sea". The lyric idea was inspired by one of his favourite films, Jason and the Argonauts (1963). He said "this was written from a perspective where I knew I didn't want to tour. I knew I was not enjoying the treadmill. I was beginning to feel really like a prisoner. I was just trying to describe this process of traveling the world, and growing up, opening up, seeing things." The recording was originally a couple minutes longer and had to be edited down.

"It's Nearly Africa" is about feeling uneasy about the modern world. It was born out of two unfinished songs Partridge had written, "Jazz Love", a song the band would jam on during sound checks on the Drums and Wires tour and "Primitive Now", where the lyrical theme came from. The song features a saxophone solo from Partridge. It was never played live, but Partridge has said there were plans for him to play drums alongside Terry Chambers. "Fly on the Wall" is about "Big Brother" and was inspired by the fly on the wall documentaries appearing on British television at the time. The song features tremolo guitar, heavily compressed drums, "buzzing morse code synthesizer" and distorted vocals, qualities not heard on the demo recorded by Moulding. He credited Partridge with the "morse code buzzy fly" sound and said it "added a lot to the credibility of the song because it made the music sound funnier and gave an ambiguity to the song. You didn't know whether I was taking the piss or not." "English Roundabout" is about English city life. Fans erroneously assumed that the title referred to a particular roundabout in Swindon. The song is a rare example of popular music written in the time signature. Its ska/bluebeat rhythm was contributed by Chambers.