No Language In Our Lungs

(Partridge)

Black Sea

Recordings XTCfans interview with Andy Partridge Art Lyrics Chords and Tablature

Recordings

1. Album version, 4'52.
   Recorded at Townhouse Studios, London, in June 1980.
   Released on Black Sea.
   Voices taken from Whicker's World TV programme.

   Andy: “I loved playing this one live. It was the sense of power held under and I think Hugh and Steve captured that really well for us. At this point we were pushing them on to drum sounds of greater and greater violence. Hugh was single-handedly inventing the 80's explosive snare. Take one stone lined room, a handful of microphones, some noise gates, one Terry Chambers and you're half way there. The burbling conversation was taped from whatever was on the control room television that evening. It was Whickers World.”

2. Live version, 4'59.
   Released on BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert.
   Also available on Transistor Blast.

   Andy: “We all enjoyed playing ‘No language in our lungs’ live. It was a chance to look into a more purpose placed lopey groove, like moving big wooden bricks from one point to another. Shred them vocal chords Andy!”

3. 2017 stereo mix.
   Mixed and produced by Steven Wilson from the original multi-track tapes.
   Released on the reissue of Black Sea on 17 November 2017 in the U.K.
4. 2017 5.1 mix.
   Mixed and produced by Steven Wilson from the original multi-track tapes.
   Released on the reissue of Black Sea on 17 November 2017 in the U.K.
5. 2017 instrumental mix.
   Mixed and produced by Steven Wilson from the original multi-track tapes.
   Released on the reissue of Black Sea on 17 November 2017 in the U.K.
6. Live studio demo.
   Phonogram Studio recording.
   Mixed and produced by Steven Wilson from the original multi-track tapes.
   Released on the reissue of Black Sea on 17 November 2017 in the U.K.

[Thanks to R. Stevie Moore]

Art

[THIS SPACE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

Lyrics

There is no language in our lungs
to tell the world just how we feel
no bridge of thought
no mental link
no letting out just what you think
there is no language in our lungs
there is no muscle in our tongues
to tell the world what's in our hearts
no we're leaving nothing
just chiselled stones
no chance to speak before we're bones
there is no muscle in our tongues
I thought I had the whole world in my mouth
I thought I could say what I wanted to say
For a second that thought became a sword in my hand
I could slay any problem that would stand in my way
I felt just like a crusader
lionheart, a holy land invader
but nobody can say what they really mean to say and
the impotency of speech came up and hit me that day and
I would have made this instrumental
but the words got in the way
there is no language in our...
there is no language in our lungs
to tell the world what's in our hearts
no we're leaving nothing behind
just chiselled stones
no chance to speak before we're bones
there is no language in our lungs.

© 1980 Virgin Music (Publishers) Ltd.

Chords and Tablature

Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2017 17:29:08 +0100
From: Florian Decros <flodecros (at) gmail dot com>
Subject: Bass tabs for Black Sea
Message-ID: <CAPtZtiMEot5AHL_+cxMcr+04FpjkfeJhrP8+8hK7B15ycOk_KA (at) mail dot gmail dot com>

Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2001 21:40:04 EDT
From: ETABBA (at) aol dot com
Subject: No Language In Our Lungs
Message-ID: <13d.159d931.28d16874 (at) aol dot com>


This may not be complete and I haven't transcribed the solo yet but here's
what I have, taken from the March 1982 performance.

Intro B B/C# B/D#

B
There is no language in our lungs
                               F#
to tell the world just how we feel
no bridge of thought
no mental link
C#m                           F#    F#aug
no letting out just what you think
B
there is no language in our

           + - - -
Bm7     e - 2 - -
lungs       b - - 3 -
            g - - - 2

           + - - -
C#7     e - - - -
lungs       b - 6 - -
            g - - 4 -
            d - - - 6

           + - - -
G           e - 3 - -
lungs       b - - 3 -
            g - - - -
            d - - - 5

Bsus2
lungs

B
there is no muscle in our tongues
                                            F#
to tell the world what's in our hearts
no we're leaving nothing behind
just chiselled stones
C#m                                     F#    F#aug
no chance to speak before we're bones
B
there is no muscle in our tongues

           + - - -
Bm7     e - 2 - -
tongues b - - 3 -
            g - - - 2

           + - - -
C#7     e - - - -
tongues b - 6 - -
        g - - 4 -
            d - - - 6

           + - - -
G           e - 3 - -
tongues b - - 3 -
            g - - - -
            d - - - 5

Bsus2
tongues

C#m
I thought I had the whole world in my mouth
I thought I could say what I wanted to say
For a second that thought became a sword in my hand
I could slay any problem that would stand in my way
A
I felt just like a crusader
lionheart, a holy land invader
B
but nobody can say what they really mean to say and
the impotency of speech came up and hit me that day and
I would have made this instrumental
                                  F#
but the words got in the way
F#  F#/G#   F#/A#

That's about it and then it goes back to the verse. Anyone with questions or
complaints write me at etabba (at) aol dot com

Ben

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