Just seen them in Exeter on their 30th anniversary tour. They were terrific. I felt so privileged to see them. I've always loved this single but was not familiar with their other work. They played this and many other excellent songs in a wonderful 90 minute set. There were probably fewer than 100people watching. A band who deserve a much wider audience.
i saw it on snub tv when i was 13..none of my mates watched snub...i forgot the group and it took me 3 years to stumble upon it...snub was good...from stone roses to birdland...crazy
I saw it on Snub TV when I was 40. Had to write to Snub to find out who the group were. This song (as the record shop assistant informed me) was the best thing they ever did, but what a song. Snub was great.
Love this tune! I used to play it for my son when he was a baby, and the beautiful haunting vocals put him to sleep in seconds!! What a great 80's tune.
No, now go and check out The Pine Valley Cosmonauts, another band/project of Jon Langford. Their The Executioner's Last Songs, Volumes 1, 2, and 3 are great. Also, Sally Timms’cover of Hank Willams’ Cry, Cry, Cry.
I was listening to John Peel some time way back in the eighties ( in my room at RAF Coltishall) when I first heard this song and I knew I absolutely loved it after the first 30 seconds or so. Agree with tcmcentee; one of the best tracks of the whole eighties. Thanks very much for posting I only have it on 45 single and can't play anymore
I've loved this since 1988, gorgeous imagery, anyone got 'Dora' from same album (So Good It Hurts). You'd make an old(ish) man feel young(ish). Gabba Gabba Hey!
saw this on some show (?MTV before it became too commercial) when it first came out- bought album...lost album...great song reminded me of 1969 Marines
I heard this in 1987 and over the years, sometimes wondered if I'd imagined it as noone else had heard of this track and I couldn't remember the name of the band! Thank you so much for posting this.
i first heard this at 5 am on radio 6 this summer whilst driving to mid wales. never heard of the Mekons but got a compilation for xmas. i wish more of the 80s had sounded like this.
Mekons "Natural" (2007) is a brilliant album, though quite a departure from this and much of their earlier work. They're still creative and remaining truly idiosyncratic and entertaining in process.
Great track! I was always impressed with the video quality too. Back then it was really only 4AD and other Fake indie royalty bands (so called Indie labels which where just subsidiaries of the corpsorations) that had the means to make a half decent video. So extra props to the Mekons , who where propa indie ...POOR!😅
So was there a real napalm factory or was it hypothetical? I remember going to a demonstration outside a factory where when they weren't making fireworks they produced rubber bullets used on the streets in Northern Ireland, but I think that was closer to Huddersfield.
This one is off the LP or CD "So Good it Hurts" which has songs in a similar style. Then go with Mekons "Rock n Roll" which came shortly after. Then Singer Sally Timms solo album(s). They're sound changes as they go along in their career, and the experimentation and tangents are dissimilar to the sound of this tune, at least to me. Hope that helps!
heard this years ago on snub and it should have been massive ,pisses over anything today and yesterday.shows how shit the charts are as yardsticks to music
posting songs for american idol season 10 which begins wed jan 19th on fox, also posting songs with the words american in them :) posted your video about ghosts on a my paranormal writings blog.
+Sam Anderson not for this song, but in general, i associate them with television personalities and camper van beethoven. but maybe that's just because those are the bands that i love and know no one else who likes (or even knows) them,
Hey mana, not every song is about today or the day before yesterday. Every song on the album is about nixon and vietnam??? I think you're on some bad drugs. Check out these great Mekons songs--Last Night on Earth, Millionaire, Revenge, Tina, Wild & Blue, Ordinary Night, Come and Have a Go If You Think You're Hard Enough, Fletcher Christian, Robin Hood, Antigone Speaks About Herself, Insignificance, Men United, Never Work, Cast No Shadows, Poxy Lips, by the most underrated band ever.
@s36e175 Plus their introductions are sometimes plodding and too long, as here. Shame, they have some great songs once they get going, and Me is one of my favorite albums of all time
Ha! Don't think they're big fans of the British establishment / Govt. / industrial war machine either. And they don't 'pose' with their left wing politucs either. They live it. And they lived in the States when this was recorded, so some of that is going to seep in. All time favourite, beautiful song!
Charles Hodgson it just seemed back then when all these bands were passing out their anti American drivel, they sure didn't mention what we were up to in N.Ireland or even in African affairs
Just seen them in Exeter on their 30th anniversary tour. They were terrific. I felt so privileged to see them. I've always loved this single but was not familiar with their other work. They played this and many other excellent songs in a wonderful 90 minute set. There were probably fewer than 100people watching. A band who deserve a much wider audience.
One of the absolute best tunes of the '80's!! Still love it today. Thanks for posting!
i saw it on snub tv when i was 13..none of my mates watched snub...i forgot the group and it took me 3 years to stumble upon it...snub was good...from stone roses to birdland...crazy
I saw it on Snub TV when I was 40. Had to write to Snub to find out who the group were. This song (as the record shop assistant informed me) was the best thing they ever did, but what a song. Snub was great.
Sallys voice on this track gives me goosebumps everytime :-)
I absolutely love this song and love the Mekons. One of my favourites of all time. Haunting and evocative.
Love this tune! I used to play it for my son when he was a baby, and the beautiful haunting vocals put him to sleep in seconds!! What a great 80's tune.
Been searching for this song for years.
One of the best songs ever.
Cool video too.
Thanks for sharing it.
I just discovered the Mekons. Will my life ever be the same again?
razorboy251 no.it is irrevocably better!
+dobbsiancant Too True!
+razorboy251 It never will be
no
No, now go and check out The Pine Valley Cosmonauts, another band/project of Jon Langford. Their The Executioner's Last Songs, Volumes 1, 2, and 3 are great. Also, Sally Timms’cover of Hank Willams’ Cry, Cry, Cry.
This song is so cognitively dissonant.
Brutal words and beautiful sounds.
What a beautiful haunting song. I've never heard it before. I want to listen to all their songs now.
I was listening to John Peel some time way back in the eighties ( in my room at RAF Coltishall) when I first heard this song and I knew I absolutely loved it after the first 30 seconds or so. Agree with tcmcentee; one of the best tracks of the whole eighties. Thanks very much for posting I only have it on 45 single and can't play anymore
I've loved this since 1988, gorgeous imagery, anyone got 'Dora' from same album (So Good It Hurts). You'd make an old(ish) man feel young(ish). Gabba Gabba Hey!
I downloaded this song off lime wire many years ago use to listen to this song when I would fall asleep at night its a beautiful song .
that's one of the greatest songs I've heard in my life. thank you Lester Bangs.
Don't shoot me for this, but in the very very best way, this song reminds me of the Carpenters
Love the fact this song starts in Bradford
i love astronauts and mekons , this song is spectacular enough for anything in any universe. i'm glad they are in mine
saw this on some show (?MTV before it became too commercial) when it first came out- bought album...lost album...great song
reminded me of 1969 Marines
Razorboy; Well, mine wasn't - since '87. Welcome to the cruise.. Thanks again Mekons. xxx
That's the decline of American culture right there, all wrapped-up in a perfect four minute pop song. Love the Mekons.
I heard this in 1987 and over the years, sometimes wondered if I'd imagined it as noone else had heard of this track and I couldn't remember the name of the band!
Thank you so much for posting this.
i first heard this at 5 am on radio 6 this summer whilst driving to mid wales. never heard of the Mekons but got a compilation for xmas. i wish more of the 80s had sounded like this.
Directed, during 1988, by former Slits guitarist - Viv Albertine
SoulStylistJukeBox commentary by Vincent Gallo
thanks for posting - I taped this off the telly sometime in the late 80s and always loved the song and video, but have misplaced the tape. great
yes i saw it on the chart show and taped it. great to see it.
Definitely, one of the best songs ever written....
This band is so much fun in concert. Hope to see them again in Seattle!
Simply beautiful.
I fricken love this tune!
Love this tune
Such an evocative tune. Love it!!
Mekons "Natural" (2007) is a brilliant album, though quite a departure from this and much of their earlier work. They're still creative and remaining truly idiosyncratic and entertaining in process.
I love this song. Still have Snub on VHS somewhere, just don't have a player :(
So thanks for posting :)
I have always loved this song....thanks for posting m8
England love ...Nostalgia ..corazones
Really like this. Im 66 next month.
the algorythm doing its holy magic again
This is one of my favourite memories
And isn't "Up in the hills above Bradford" the best opening line ever.
Yep..
Another one to add to the list of Number One Records in a more enlightened universe.
A very unqiue band and this is the first Mekons song i heard before where were you and all week
beautiful!!!
"Nixon sucks a dry Martini"
Great stuff.
Great track! I was always impressed with the video quality too. Back then it was really only 4AD and other Fake indie royalty bands (so called Indie labels which where just subsidiaries of the corpsorations) that had the means to make a half decent video. So extra props to the Mekons , who where propa indie ...POOR!😅
Beautiful.
beautiful song
Well someone said "beautiful" so I'll say "perfection"
Where were We Then... and Where will We ever Be if We are 'Ever' to be 'There' again... America...
Love this....
Wow, I love Sally. So weird to find out she was married to Fred Armisen from SNL. She probably did it for the Green Card.
why wasnt this in the charts .beautiful song
wonderful group! Great song! Had a bit of a crush on both girls!
Never heard this before 😊
It's "Up in the hills above Bradford, outside the Napalm factory" - not labour factory!
So was there a real napalm factory or was it hypothetical? I remember going to a demonstration outside a factory where when they weren't making fireworks they produced rubber bullets used on the streets in Northern Ireland, but I think that was closer to Huddersfield.
This one is off the LP or CD "So Good it Hurts" which has songs in a similar style. Then go with Mekons "Rock n Roll" which came shortly after. Then Singer Sally Timms solo album(s).
They're sound changes as they go along in their career, and the experimentation and tangents are dissimilar to the sound of this tune, at least to me. Hope that helps!
Ffn klassiker
I would have liked a link to this bands website however it was not meant to be I do like this band though !!!
heard this years ago on snub and it should have been massive ,pisses over anything today and yesterday.shows how shit the charts are as yardsticks to music
Amazing song....we will cover this song 2nite @ The Metro...
Directed by Viv Albertine of The Slits.
+Matthew Easton I didn't know that! :)
posting songs for american idol season 10 which begins wed jan 19th on fox, also posting songs with the words american in them :) posted your video about ghosts on a my paranormal writings blog.
What year was this out. Heard this on KJET Seattle 1980s radio on Live365.com.
Good sound here.
one tune
the most comments are boring and useless, but here I found a diamond like yours
THANK UUUUU
A flag flying free in a vacuum
does anyone know about other bands they give out his kind of vibe? I mean, I know these guys are one of a kind, but does anyone have any suggestions?
+Sam Anderson for this song specifically, maybe like ride or slowdive
+Sam Anderson not for this song, but in general, i associate them with television personalities and camper van beethoven. but maybe that's just because those are the bands that i love and know no one else who likes (or even knows) them,
+Sam Anderson belle and sebastian...
The Go Betweens
trashcan sinatras. they actually have a remake of this song.
This song is basically X Files episode 9 of season 1
Hey mana, not every song is about today or the day before yesterday. Every song on
the album is about nixon and vietnam??? I think you're on some bad drugs. Check
out these great Mekons songs--Last Night on Earth, Millionaire, Revenge, Tina, Wild
& Blue, Ordinary Night, Come and Have a Go If You Think You're Hard Enough,
Fletcher Christian, Robin Hood, Antigone Speaks About Herself, Insignificance,
Men United, Never Work, Cast No Shadows, Poxy Lips, by the most underrated
band ever.
in a café in downtown Saigon.
High above them
Just searching, and find diamonds like this, mmmm maybe there is a god.
(apart from John Peel) RIP.
Oh yes. Oh yes.
@2:56 Goodbye Neil
First time I heard this,I thought "NUMBER 1" - wrong!!!!! Still,if it did,I'd have got sick of it by now!
+Dilzappa Zappa The lyrics pretty well guaranteed this wouldn't be a hit. But if it wasn't a little subversive it wouldn't be the Mekons.
Post-punk=Golden Era of Rock
Hi, can anyone write what this song is about?
its about vietnam, the moon shot and a neplam factory near bradford
Outside the napalm factory...
Hey Aurora this is Lynn from Diamond and Silk! Hoping you will see this! I didn't mean you were evil! ; ) Write me back if you get this! Lynn
R A Z A B L A N C A
@s36e175
Plus their introductions are sometimes plodding and too long, as here. Shame, they have some great songs once they get going, and Me is one of my favorite albums of all time
America... beware of your imitators...
Ha-yes SNUB!!!
made state school all boys catholic opression society high school bearable
all the best
man landing on the moon is like a man sleeping with a lesbian.
wht the fuck this is so different from most of their stuff-I mean it's nice, but is it them?
Wow we Brits are pretty self righteous arnt we?
Ha! Don't think they're big fans of the British establishment / Govt. / industrial war machine either. And they don't 'pose' with their left wing politucs either. They live it. And they lived in the States when this was recorded, so some of that is going to seep in.
All time favourite, beautiful song!
Charles Hodgson it just seemed back then when all these bands were passing out their anti American drivel, they sure didn't mention what we were up to in N.Ireland or even in African affairs
Charles Hodgson
what year was this out?
MrAllthatnmore sure they did.you weren't paying attention.
dobbsiancant Examples?