Chalkhills Digest Volume 1, Issue 277
Date: Thursday, 13 May 1993
Chalkhills, Number 277
Thursday, 13 May 1993
Today's Topics:
It's snowing angels...
The Horse, of course
Re: Chalk Horse
A few points...
So-So Towers of London Transcription
XTC Music and Friends Convention '93
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Date: Sun, 9 May 93 15:20:00 +0200 From: hanneton@magbio.ens.fr (Sylvain HANNETON) Subject: It's snowing angels... I may be opening an already open door, but I suddenly realized yesterday, without any reason (??), that "It's snowing angels" sounded quite familiar to me as soon as the very first listening, because in fact, at least the intro is a total rip-off of Donovan's "Mellow Yellow", and the overall structure of the song is reminescent of Donovan's style.. Just a thought.. A few words about the "controversy" about Dan's strange (elabor8 ? :) ) way of writing.. remember some members here are not bilingual and slang can be painful and phonetical too.. Ca t'f'rait rien de d'voir prendre ton dico sans arret pour dechiffrer c'que l'aut'gars veut dire ? :) Emmanuel.
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From: schrey@vfl.paramax.com
Subject: The Horse, of course
Date: Mon, 10 May 93 13:42:38 EDT
> From: Steve Levenstein <70750.1117@compuserve.com>
> Subject: other chalk figures
>
> Fellow Chalkhiller Andrew Mutchler reminded us of the
> Uffington White Horse, one of several chalk horses frequenting
> the Wiltshire area and the one gracing the cover of English
> Settlement. This horse is striking in it's power expressed
> in a few simple lines, a metaphor for XTC's music, perhaps?
I was very pleased the other day to find a small special on the
chalk figures on The Learning Channel or Discovery or something.
The were going over many of the figures and I kept thinking,
"Please do the horse, please do the horse,...". Well they saved
about till the end because they think that it may be one of the
oldest of the chalk figures. While most of the chalk figures
sport totally connected lines, the Effington Horse (I think it's
with an 'E' not a 'U') is disconnected. This style was traced
back to the very stylistic rendered on the very first coins of
England. Prior to someone making this discovery, many were puzzled
as to why the horse was rendered the way it was.
> Actually, there are a number of other chalk figures in
> England. I'm reminded of a certain "Giant" (can't recall the
> full name)... OK, here's a wild theory: Andy's first choice
> for the Eng.Sett. cover was this chalk giant, a figure of a
> man standing upright. However, since this figure is sporting
> a HUGE erection, Virgin nixes Andy's plan and he is forced
> to choose the white horse. Just a theory, but imagine the
> controversy that would have caused...
There was also a good bit on the Giant, since historians were
having trouble figuring out who it was supposed to be with many
deciding it was some fertility god or other because of its more
than evident "Pink Thing". (And I don't mean a baby!:-)
Some scientist with a mass detector or something set up a grid and
found a lion skin hanging from the Giant's left arm, and so they
discovered it was Hercules and matched a famous brass statue they
had around. Maybe it's really Jason with the Golden Fleece?!
The historians also had a chuckle about local women who have gone
up to the Giant for ages and spent the night sitting (naked) up
there to ensure their fertility! :-)
In other news:
> From: Jemiah.Levon.Jefferson@altosax.reed.edu (Jemiah Levon Jefferson)
> Subject: fingertips -xtc style
>
> This guy who wrote to me from the back pages of the Little Express sent me a
> tape that he made, doing a weird medley a la "Fingertips" by TMBG, but using
> XTC songs. It's hilarious.
> eeyore
>
I'm a TMBG fan of sorts, tell me more about "Fingertips" and which
album I should go to to find it.
Thanks.
Tim
"Can there be no Gloden Fleece? The human riches are released."
--
Timothy M. Schreyer schrey@vfl.paramax.com
Software Technology R&D (215) 648-2475
Paramax Systems Corporation FAX: (215) 648-2288
PO Box 517, Paoli, PA 19301
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Subject: Re: Chalk Horse Date: Tue, 11 May 1993 09:20:49 -0600 (CDT;export TZ) From: Kent Williams <williams@herky.cs.uiowa.edu> As it happens I had just completed a course called 'Celtic and Norse in Translation' about the time that English Settlement came out, & I can provide MY interpretation of the cover. It seems that the white chalk horse is the emblem of Epona the horse goddess, the deity of the Celtic matriarchal religion that existed in Europe and the British Isles before the rise of the Roman Empire. Epona was either a woman riding a white horse, a female white horse, or both. White animals in general are indications in Celtic folk lore of magic. Other images of white horses are found as far afield as Switzerland. When the Roman church 'converted' England, a concerted effort was made to stamp out the indigenous religion, so little original source material remains. What does remain, though, is the enduring image of the white horse, and the woman on the white horse. For example We're riding a CockHorse To Banbury Cross To see an old woman upon a white With bells on her fingers and bells on her toes Music will follow where ever she goes (I may not have the words exactly right) Or consider 'Slim Slow Rider' from the album 'Veedon Fleece' -- Slim Slow Rider Horse she rides is white as snow (As it happens, that song is a lament for a junky which fits also) Or consider the legend of Lady Godiva. But back to XTC (a subject I've noticed Chalkhills contributors seem pretty passionate about ...) I always interpreted 'English Settlement' as meaning the settlement of England by successive waves of outsiders -- the Romans, the Vikings, the Normans. And songs like 'Down in the Cockpit' have a decidely matriarchal feel about them.
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Date: Tue, 11 May 93 14:52:36 MDT
From: jrcampbe@mines.utah.edu (James Robert Campbell)
Subject: A few points...
Just a few things that I have been ponering about,
1.) At the end of 'Funk Pop A Roll' when the band yells
'Bye Bye', was that put there intentionally to address the fans
at the end of the album?
2.) If Black Sea were released today, would it bring XTC
the long elusive mega-album?
3.) Would 'Towers of London' bring them the long awaited
top 40 hit? What about 'Respectable Street'?
Finally, how much longer are we going top have to wait for
a new album?!?
By the way, many of you have been mentioning the band Jellyfish as
XTC clones. Last summer I worked with a guy who was a member of a band
that was very close to Jellyfish. He said that both his band
and Jellyfish had definitely been influenced by XTC and Andy in particular.
Does anybody think the Spin Doctors sound like XTC?
--James
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From: Fred_M_Hamilton@cup.portal.com
Subject: So-So Towers of London Transcription
Date: Wed, 12 May 93 20:43:38 PDT
Hi folks,
This is a semi-accurate, definitely incomplete transcription of
Towers of London. It's more-or-less arranged for a solo guitar
and voice. It's missing many of the neat fills, but the feel of
the song is mostly preserved. It should be a good starting point
for anyone wishing to learn the song. If anyone wants to add
to and/or correct it, feel free! I just want to help get this XTC
tablature collection going.
Forgive me, Andy, Colin, Dave...
Towers of London
The riff: (play twice)
E-----------------------------------------------------------------
B------------1----------------------------------------------------
G---------------------------------5-----4---0---------------------
D----2->3-------3->2--0-------------------------------------------
A--------------------------3->5------5----------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------
bendup1/2 benddown slideup
T of L/When they had built you/Did you watch over the men who fell
F G
E--1-------------------------------------------------------------3---
B--1-------------------------------------------------------------3---
G--2-------------------------------------------------------------4---
D--3-------------------------------------------------------------5---
A--3-------------------------------------------------------------5---
E--1-------------------------------------------------------------3---
TofL/WTHBY/Victoria's gem found in some-bod-ies hell
F F
E--1------------------------------------------------------------1---
B--1------------------------------------------------------------1---
G--2------------------------------------------------------------2---
D--3------------------------------------------------------------3---
A--3----------------------------------1----0--------------------3---
E--1-------------------------------------------3---1------------1---
Pavements of gold leading to the underground
Grenadier Guardsmen walking pretty ladies around
Fog is the sweat of the never never navies who pound
C F FFFFFFF
E------------------0---------------------------------------1------1111111--
B------------------1---------------------------------------1------1111111--
G------------------0---------------------------------------2------0200220--
D----------3---2-0-2---------------------------------------3------3333333--
A------0-1---1-----3---------------------------------------3------3333333--
E--1-3-----------------------------------------------------1------1111111--
(What I do
on acoustic,
not really
part of song)
Spikes in the rails to their very own heaven
G G G G G G G G C C/D C/E C/F G G
E--3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3----0---------------0---0---0--------3-3-
B--3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3----1---------------1---1---1--------3-3-
G--4---4---4---4---4---4---4---4----0---------------0---0---0--------4-4-
D--5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5----2---------------0---2---3--------5-5-
A--5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5----3---------------X---X---X--------5-5-
E--3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3----X---------------X---X---X--------3-3-
I've seen it in a painting I've seen it in engravings
F#m D F#m D
E--------------2-----------------2------------2-----------------2-------
B--------------2-----------------3------------2-----------------3-------
G--------------2-----------------2------------2-----------------2-------
D--0-----------4-----------------0------------4-----------------0-------
A----4-2-0-----4------------------------------4-------------------------
E----------2---2------------------------------2-------------------------
And I've seen it in their faces clear as children's chalklines
F#m D Bm
E---2-------------------------2--------------2--------------------------
B---2-------------------------3--------------3--------------------------
G---2-------------------------2--------------4--------------------------
D---4-------------------------0--------------4--------------------------
A---4----------------------------------------2--------------------------
E---2-------------------------------------------------------------------
On the pavement (Towers of London solo in G (up 1 step from top)
C G
E---0---------------3---
B---1---------------3---
G---0---------------4---
D---2---------------5---
A---3---------------5---
E-------------------3---
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fred Hamilton Unlike most of you,
I am not a nut.
fred_m_hamilton@cup.portal.com -Homer Simpson
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Date: Thu, 13 May 93 14:06:09 PDT
From: Chalkhills Administration <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org>
Subject: XTC Music and Friends Convention '93
Yes, May 30th 1993 is the date of the forthcoming
North American XTC Music and Friends Convention!
Even more riveting than Ross Perot, and certainly more musical than the
Republicans and Democrats (for that matter any political "party"), this
next XTC Convention promises to be the ultimate binge for all fans.
Chris Twomey (XTC biographer, Chalkhills & Children) has accepted an
invitation, and live performances are being negotiated with a number
of groups including ex-Gentle Giant guitarist Garry Green whose
current band Mother Tongue has apparently rehearsed half a dozen XTC
songs! Other performers may include members of the Simpletones
(1991's brilliant Convention Band) and of course the talented fans
(that means you) who will bring along their instruments for some
audience participation. Video presentations, an Auction, a section
where you can Buy, Trade or Sell, along with commemorative T-shirts
and Buttons are some of the events and items being planned.
The organizers Jeff Day and Jim & Virginia Lovejoy are very eager to
hear from you, they have all the details as regards tickets, location,
accommodation, etc. Don't delay in writing to them, and we look
forward to seeing you there!
Mail a S.A.S.E. to:
XTC MUSIC & FRIENDS
CONVENTION '93
P.O. Box 203
Princeton, IL 61356
U.S.A.
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Remember! If the end of the semester beckons, remember to send your request to cancel your subscription to <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org> Yes, that's right. For all administrative issues, such as change of address, withdrawal from the list, fan club addresses, discography requests (last update 24 March), back issues, FAQ list, etc., send a message to the following address: <chalkhills-request@chalkhills.org> The Chalkhills archives are available at "http://chalkhills.org/". All views expressed in Chalkhills are those of the individual contributors only. Big day come and big day go...
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