Complicated Game

(Partridge)

Recordings
XTCfans interview with Andy Partridge
XTCfans interview with Dave Gregory
Art
Lyrics
Chords and Tablature
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Recordings

  1. Album version, 4'48.
    Released on Drums and Wires.
    Colin Moulding — electric shaver.
  2. Demo version.
    Released on 2 December 2002 on Fuzzy Warbles Volume One in the U.K.
    Andy: “This is here for purely archaeological reasons. A dusty broken artifact from the punk wars of 78. Me, pushing Kingshill Road's swish recording facilities to the limits of drop out and warble, twin planets of the Woolworth C10 system. Cassette the controls. . . etc. Well, I had an idea for a song and I thought I'd better capture it quick, (brain of a fruit fly). The lyrics are improvised babble, don't ask me to pick them all out. You can guess the gist.”
  3. 2014 stereo mix.
    Mixed and produced by Steven Wilson from the original multi-track tapes.
    Released on the DVD and Blu-ray reissue of Drums and Wires on 27 October 2014 in the U.K.
  4. 2014 5.1 mix.
    Mixed and produced by Steven Wilson from the original multi-track tapes.
    Released on the DVD and Blu-ray reissue of Drums and Wires on 27 October 2014 in the U.K.
  5. 2014 instrumental mix.
    Mixed and produced by Steven Wilson from the original multi-track tapes.
    Released on the Blu-ray reissue of Drums and Wires on 27 October 2014 in the U.K.
  6. Tudor Barn rehearsal first version.
    Recorded live at Tudor Studios, Shaw Ridge, Wiltshire, England, 10-17 June 1979, during rehearsals for Drums and Wires.
    Released on the Blu-ray reissue of Drums and Wires on 27 October 2014 in the U.K.
  7. Tudor Barn rehearsal "Game set-up" version.
    Recorded live at Tudor Studios, Shaw Ridge, Wiltshire, England, 10-17 June 1979, during rehearsals for Drums and Wires.
    Released on the Blu-ray reissue of Drums and Wires on 27 October 2014 in the U.K.
  8. Tudor Barn rehearsal second version.
    Recorded live at Tudor Studios, Shaw Ridge, Wiltshire, England, 10-17 June 1979, during rehearsals for Drums and Wires.
    Released on the Blu-ray reissue of Drums and Wires on 27 October 2014 in the U.K.
  9. Tudor Barn rehearsal "Complicated analysis/Scissor set-up" version.
    Recorded live at Tudor Studios, Shaw Ridge, Wiltshire, England, 10-17 June 1979, during rehearsals for Drums and Wires.
    Released on the Blu-ray reissue of Drums and Wires on 27 October 2014 in the U.K.

[Thanks to R. Stevie Moore]

Art

[THIS SPACE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

Lyrics

I ask myself should I put my finger to the left, no
I ask myself should I put my finger to the right, no
I say it really doesn't matter where I put my finger
Someone else will come along and move it
And it's always been the same
It's just a complicated game

A little girl asked me should she part her hair upon the left, no
A little girl asked me should she part her hair upon the right, no
I said it doesn't really matter where you part your hair
Someone else will come along and move it
And it's always been the same
It's just a complicated game

A little boy asked me should he put his vote upon the left, no
A little boy asked me should he put his vote upon the right, no
I say it really doesn't matter where you put your vote
Someone else will come along and move it
And it's always been the same
It's just a complicated game

They wanted Tom
They wanted Joe
To dress 'em up and stick 'em out on show
They were arrows in a very bad aim
It's just a complicated game

God asked me should he ought to put his world on the left, no
God asked me should he ought to put his world on the right, no
I said God, it really doesn't matter where you put your world
Someone will come along and move it
And it's always been the same
It's just a complicated
Game

© 1979 Virgin Music (Publishers) Ltd.

Chords and Tablature

Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 23:09:19 -0700 (PDT)
From: Randy Posynick <posynick (at) netcom dot com>
Subject: Complicated Game
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9605292251.A12704-0100000 (at) netcom21>

Richard Pedretti Allen wrote:

  >  Seriously, the bridge lyrics in Complicated Game have me stumped.
  >  They are so wet with echo that I can't decipher them.  Is there some
  >  edition of DRUMS AND WIRES that list the lyrics?  HELP!

  >  It may be something like:

  >     They want to talk, they want it rolled
  >     Do just ......  stick ......  show
  >     Little (friendly?) arrows and a very bad aim
  >     It's just a complicated game

  >  If you know please reply!  Additionally if you are better at
  >  deciphering chords than me (not surprising) and have any idea what
  >  these are (some are easy for me, a few are not), send those too.

Here are the bridge lyrics (from D&W liner notes):

   they wanted tom
   they wanted joe
   to dress 'em up and stick 'em out on show
   they were arrows in a very bad aim
   it's just a complicated game

Here are the chords (my basic interpretation):

  main bit:

  G           Gmaj7/F#    G           Gmaj7/F#
  +  .  .  .  +  .  .  .  +  .  .  .  +  .  .  .

  D7          B sus4 - 3  C     D
  +  .  .  .  +  .  .  .  +  .  .  .

  Gmaj7/F#    G           Gmaj7/F#    G
  +  .  .  .  +  .  .  .  +  .  .  .  +  .  .  .

  bridge:

  A -   F     D     E     A-    F     C     D
  +  .  +  .  +  .  +  .  +  .  +  .  +  .  +  .

The G and Gmaj7/F# chords are played without the third.  Not too sure
about that Gmaj7/F# chord, in general....  Haven't picked apart the guitar
solo for hints yet....

Randy Posynick
posynick (at) netcom dot com
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