Looking for Footprints (Sleepyheads)

(Moulding)

Recordings Art Lyrics Chords and Tablature

Recordings

1. "Looking for Footprints".
   Recorded at Abbey Road, London, England, in 1978, during sessions for Go 2.
   Released on 26 February 1982 on a one-sided flexidisc included free with Flexipop magazine No. 16. in the U.K.
   Also available on Rag & Bone Buffet.

   Andy: “Originally recorded for Go 2. Done in 1978 it's the earliest song on Rag & Bone Buffet.”

2. "Sleepyheads".
   Drums and Wires out-take.
   Recorded at Townhouse Studios, Goldhawk Road, London, in October 1979, during sessions for Drums and Wires.
   Produced by Steve Lillywhite. Engineered by Hugh Padgham.
   Mixed by XTC.
   Released on 25 March 2002 on Coat of Many Cupboards in the U.K.
   Colin Moulding - Bass and Vocals
   Andy Partridge - Guitar, Keyboard and Vocals
   Dave Gregory - Guitar, Piano and Vocals
   Terry Chambers - Drums

   Also known as "Disco".

   Colin: “Conceived when the disco inferno was raging, we gave in freely to its intoxication and recorded this out-take from a previous record with just as much spirit as any in the session. Why? I hear you ask. Because we enjoyed this kind of music more than we were prepared to admit. Really? Yes really, consider the evidence. Soundchecks at the time consisted of a drummer who took every opportunity to ‘Pea-Soup it’ all over the place. A guitar player who loved those chinky little riffs that Chic made all their own. Not to mention a recent purchase the whole group was enamoured with. A monophonic synthesizer that made a similar noise to the one that you hear on that well known anthem, Jive Talkin'. No my friend, it didn't need too much persuasion to convince my fellow conspirators to join in the fun. Fare thee well. Fare thee well.”

   Andy: “Sometimes, Rasputinlike, a song needs more than one killing before it'll lay down and die. We'd already tackled this for Go 2 under the guise of ‘Looking For Footprints’, only to have it present itself for a more thorough state funeral on Drums And Wires. But this time we were playing it with much more of a rubber bounce, so much so that for a while it was known simply as ‘Disco’. Not wanting to make an ‘anthology’ like event, or anything, but Colin and I just could not finish the backing vocals for laughing when a very cheeky fly got into the vocal booth and aimed straight at my mouth. Mammoth fit of giggles, couldn't sing another note, end of session I'm afraid.”

3. 2014 "Sleepyheads" 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 "Sleepyheads" 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 "Sleepyheads" 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.

[Thanks to R. Stevie Moore]

Art

UK Looking For Footprints flexi from FlexiPop No. 16 in red	UK Looking For Footprints flexi from FlexiPop No. 16 in yellow	UK Looking For Footprints flexi from FlexiPop No. 16 in blue (starring Robert Blake)
UK Looking For Footprints flexi from FlexiPop No. 16 in green	hand-drawn cover for the Looking for Footprints single

Lyrics

I want a back seat
Because I'm dead beat
I'm respirating
To sounds of the engine

Gives us sleepyheads, sleepyheads
The road ahead it takes us to our beds
Sleepyheads, sleepyheads,
Our minds they race but our bodies are dead
Just like looking for footprints
Looking for footprints

The lights are twisted
Each one is misted
Two, four, and counting
Head nod in twenty

Chords and Tablature

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