On June 29, 1989, I was walking down the street during my lunch break in NYC (I was a 23-year-old in an entry-level advertising job) in midtown near Sixth Ave, and saw three interestingly dressed men and a little girl walk by me in the opposite direction. After a second, I realized they were Colin and his young daughter, Dave and Andy from XTC and I turned around and followed them for a couple of blocks. When we got to a DON'T WALK sign, I said "Excuse me, are you guys XTC?" and they all turned around. I told them I was a huge fan and had all of their records. Colin thanked me and said "tune in, we'll be on David Letterman tomorrow night." I don't remember the other two guys saying anything. I was completely blown away, especially considering they had stopped touring and become a studio band and weren't exactly out in public much. I went back to the office and told two of my friends that I had just met XTC on the street downstairs and they both said, "Who's XTC?"
What a disgrace that this song got nowhere in the charts. XTC sure wrote a lot of quirky music, music that was decidedly not radio friendly, but when they chose to write accessible pop music they nailed it! People throw around "underrated" all the time, but XTC was truly underrated.
XTC were in a league of their own, on a par with the early Joe Jackson, Police and some early Costello. Great time to be 16 when these giants were around.
@@wwbuirkle Yes and no, I feel like that and if Andy wasn't a huge egomaniac AND them constantly being screwed by their label yeah they could've been just as big if bugger than The Beatles in my honest opinion
@@JD-eq4dp you bet! It’s laughable to think that the Beatles could write a song or a record anywhere close to the level of Oranges and Lemons. And I would tel you this sober as well
Not underrated so much as too complex for mass consumption. They would have been more successful if not for Andy's stage-fright. There's still time to get the band back together boys!!!
I listened to this song a ridiculous number of times on repeat. This is a Rockin version. And also a reminder of how ridiculously great the World’s Most Dangerous Band was in its original form. The 80s is pre-corporatocracy and among several decades of high artistic achievement. God willing somehow similar times will return. I do not hear such innovation in millennial and Gen Z music for the most part.
This is my favorite English band. Funny, nobody ever pegged them into a "genre". That's true magic. Thanks for all the music and advice. I was listening.
I'd read somewhere that Andy said he's somewhere on the spectrum (autism)...which is okay with me. I am on the spectrum as well. There's zero shame in it and nothing but pure heart & talent. Here's to autism!
This is a great song! XTC was a very underrated band. I know this was a big deal because they didn’t perform live for a long time because of Andy Partridge’s crippling stage fright.
Swindon's finest. The most Northern Southern town. Great track from a great album. Bought it on release week as a 3 mini CD box. Chalkhills is a sublime closing track.
Unbelievable talent on that stage. Extremely tight. How refreshing to hear live music so tightly woven on stage... no mistakes except for one from this live recording... and it wasn't coming from any members of the band.
+Timothy Pane me too...I saw the Clash twice, the Smiths once and the Police twice.....but never got to see XTC - i was going to see them on the English settlement tour - but it got cancelled
+rebjiii I once worked with a guy who saw XTC open for the Police in Minneapolis back in about 1980. He said XTC really outperformed the Police - he was a fan of both. I too would have loved to have been to their early shows. Their twitchy, frenetic energy was palpable on record and their attention to detail suggests they would have been an uproariously exciting yet still particularly exacting live band.
+Timothy Pane Saw XTC when they opened for the Police (along with The Thompson Twins, meh). While I was (still am) a Police fan, it was XTC I came to see, and I was thrilled. Their slotted time was criminally brief.
Don Gillard I was going to see them on the English settlement tour in Washington DC in 1982 or 1981 - they had a concert scheduled - but they cancelled it when Andy then decided he would no longer perform live
I was so excited to see this and to see Andy playing live for an audience again. Forget about charts and sales, just focus on the quality of the music and I would put XTC's ENTIRE discography up against any band of their era and since. The quality of the songwriting and musicianship was just that good.
I kinda expected as much, I could hear the two basslines on the original recording. Very wonderfully intricate. And the countermelody was utterly stellar.
I saw them play at our local roller rink in 1980. We all sat cross legged on the floor for the warm up band. When XTC came on stage Andy said "Stand Up" and we all stood and the place went crazy. Too much touring must have freaked him out. Too bad. A great new wave band they was.
These guys were true musical craftsmen! From arrangements, to vocal harmonies, the colors of the instrumental blend - it's all so beautifully put together. And their sound really holds up, sounds so fresh. Did they even make a bad album - or half of one? NO! And while you can hear influences, they really sound like no one else! They should have been every bit as popular as The Police. The era for commercial music to have such high quality - really, it's pretty much gone. Thank God for RUclips!
They always wrote such fantastic bridges in their songs...love this one starting at 2:33...you're only here once so you gotta get it right...XTC were fantastic...miss them!
One of their many Beatles references, and the SECOND time they ripped "We Can Work It Out" -- see the "Earn Enough for Us" outro. Always with the highest respect.
I left Ireland...seeking work (and freedom of sorts) and landed in Vancouver that June '89. A few weeks later I discovered 'Oranges & Lemons' by finding it at a Saturday morning house yard sale....and fell in love with XTC all over again. What an album
What lucky audience members. These guys are so F-in' good, it makes me emotional. Man, I'd love to see them live. One of my all-time musical influences. That's all I can say.
@105553793339323307485 Was fortunate enough to see them live twice on one tour of the US in 1979 and 80-- they stand out as two of the best live shows I've ever seen. At Irving Plaza in NY and at the California Music Hall in San Francisco. Lucky me, indeed
terry chamber and colin have got together and are calling themselves TC&I, and are playing some of colin's stuff and new stuff in october and november at swindon arts centre....at last checking there are a few tickets left for the 20th november...which is when im going....the original few gigs sold out really quickly so the added 2 more dates in november
The vocal was live, sung by Colin. Andy and Dave dutifully sang backup, live, as well. This was a very good performance. I'm happy that Paul and the band learned enough of the song that afternoon to accompany them. But Paul may have already been a fan and knew the song, already.
@@Nor1961 Right, but I think the point is, beyond the drums (since XTC didn't have a full-time drummer at this point), the house band's presence on this is totally superfluous. Colin didn't get to play his own bass part, and Will Lee kind of mangled it on the verses.
They got a decent amount of airplay on college stations in the 80's. Along with a lot of other great bands that never made it "big" (in the US) ;The Replacements, The Plimsouls, Husker Du, and on and on... I'm afraid they wouldn't be the same band if they wound up playing sports stadiums with Guns-n-Roses or Poison.
I stayed up late in 1989 (high school days) to watch XTC on Letterman on my 13" Sony Trinitron. I remember this like is was yesterday. Even at that age I knew that it was Andy Patridge's first performance since his meltdown in 1982. I only wish he carried on with regular live performances.
I recorded this on my VCR nearly 35 years ago now, and played it over and over before RUclips came along. I love how the bridge of this song at 2:34 reminds me of the bridge in The Beatles' "We Can Work It Out."
This is fantastic. A snapshot from a very wonderful time to be young, to be alive. Just great music. Can you believe that I get the biggest kick out of Paul, playing the iconic keyboard riff? What a musician! Added to favorites.
There's an old saying that goes "Unrewarded genius is a proverb!" And you know? They're right. Only performers who get noticed get there by "putting tongues where they didn't ought to be". XTC never compromised on the music and neither did the members. Record labels hate being put in their rightful place...that is how they reward real performers.
me & you Most obviously in the rhythm. It’s played in a swung rhythm and has a lot of syncopated chord hits. Also, a lot of the chords are minor 7ths and so-called «slash chords» - that is, chords with a different bass note than the root. Of course, slash chords were pretty usual in the 80s, but the way it’s used here with the rhythm does indeed give it a jazzy feel.
Axel Magnus Gaasø Yep, that’s a perfect way to explain it. XTC sound like they are more than the sum of their parts. They all learned to play together, at the same time, too. It never gets old to me.
This episode, and XTC’s heyday in general, outdated my coherent years. I discovered their music in college and have appreciated them ever since. Then afterward, I learned about Andy’s issues. It’s nice to go back in time and visit this, and to also see Paul and the band support them when (and where) they needed it the most. Very cool and memorable performance.
XTC, one of the very few post 60s-70s artists that were (and are) eloquent poets + song writers + musicians. On top of that, they refused to be like any other bands at all. For this they paid the price, low airplay at a time where sadly that actually mattered. Had things gone a bit differently, they would have been wildly popular. But then, maybe by not being - they didn't succumb to the pressure to sell out. Regardless, even their early work still sounds crazy relevant today. Cheers Andy, Colin, and Dave! You guys unrock!
I've wondered about that myself. Would they have continued making the brilliant music they did, if they became big. The star making machine does not encourage art, imho.
I like that they did do it on terms they could live with. They lived in Swindon and didn’t tour. Those criteria kept them together. Anyone who’s experienced a panic attack will say they thought they were going to die. Andy knew to avoid that situation and his mates stuck with him.
Remarkable here that the great Will Lee plays the bass part on the record so beautifully, while Colin plays up the neck. Andy was of course chief songwriter, but Colin's voice and bass playing are for me such a huge part of XTC.
XTC were so great during their run from ‘79’s Drums and Wires up to ‘89’s Oranges and Lemons but even after that they were still producing some fine music,even in the offshoot band The Dukes of Stratosphear Andy Partridge was still producing so really wonderful songs!
Brilliant album. I was standing in line of the Hollywood Palladium that fateful day in 1982 with my XTC ticket clutched tightly in my hand, when it was announced that the show was canceled. I was crushed. XTC would tour no more, but just like when the Beatles decided to quit touring, they would continue to record some of the greatest music of all time.
I remember watching this performance when it aired. XTC is wonderful and TWMDB just kills it! Will played Colin's descending bass riff perfectly! The World's Most Dangerous Band could back anyone and this demonstrates it brilliantly. Paul Shaffer - keyboards and conductor Anton Fig - drums Will Lee - bass Sid McGinnis - guitar Dave names the members of XTC at 4:09 (Andy, Colin et. al.)
My first exposure to XTC was Oranges and Lemons. A little late to the game but wow what an album. King For A Day was my favorite song off the album, and this performance was just as good as the original studio version. Glad I stumbled upon this vid!!
My first exposure to XTC was when I asked a friend to make a cassette of the first Specials album, and in the other side he put on 3 or 4 songs each from Buzzcocks, XTC, & 999. Nigel, Helicopter, Life Begins At The Hop, Ten Feet Tall. 1981. Never saw them live, but a local band I saw often played Melt the Guns a lot.
Who else had this on CD in the late 80s/90s? Then, we forgot about it when we switched to digital. This guys are so, so good. It's like re-discovering a great treasure.
Such a thrill of excitement to watch them playing what looks and sounds like a live performance as late as 1989. Interesting to see them play a song which they claimed wasn't written to be performed anywhere except in the studio. Sure, they had to have some extra musicians, but it sounds wonderful.
I remember like yesterday when they did this, and I could see my heroes play live again!! They WERE great live! (despite their unnecessary self deprecation)
I first heard this release in a record store in Bellevue, WA and was so impressed with it. I'd already been a fan of XTC for a few years, and they were still at their peak with "Oranges and Lemons".
![XTC - King For a Day + Great Fire & Dear God (medley) [July 1989]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/buENneEy4bc/mqdefault.jpg)
On June 29, 1989, I was walking down the street during my lunch break in NYC (I was a 23-year-old in an entry-level advertising job) in midtown near Sixth Ave, and saw three interestingly dressed men and a little girl walk by me in the opposite direction. After a second, I realized they were Colin and his young daughter, Dave and Andy from XTC and I turned around and followed them for a couple of blocks. When we got to a DON'T WALK sign, I said "Excuse me, are you guys XTC?" and they all turned around. I told them I was a huge fan and had all of their records. Colin thanked me and said "tune in, we'll be on David Letterman tomorrow night." I don't remember the other two guys saying anything. I was completely blown away, especially considering they had stopped touring and become a studio band and weren't exactly out in public much. I went back to the office and told two of my friends that I had just met XTC on the street downstairs and they both said, "Who's XTC?"
What a disgrace that this song got nowhere in the charts. XTC sure wrote a lot of quirky music, music that was decidedly not radio friendly, but when they chose to write accessible pop music they nailed it! People throw around "underrated" all the time, but XTC was truly underrated.
Dave knew talent. In the 80’s these guys were right there with the Clash/the Smiths. XTC songwriting was A+.
right there WITH? Puhleeze ;)
I consider Strummer/Jones the best.
@@TonyLovellYeah Xtc is far superior the greatest band
XTC were in a league of their own, on a par with the early Joe Jackson, Police and some early Costello. Great time to be 16 when these giants were around.
The Clash are pathetic lol
These weren’t just perfect pop songs, these were perfect songs, full stop.
XTC should be in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame.
Absolutely
HOF is a fucking joke! I love this band. They are so much smarter than 90% of the rest. Just kings!
XTC the most underated band of all time
I agree man. :(
Yeah definitely, I think people are starting to appreciate their genius more these days.
I think if they toured more and didn't stop playing live that wouldn't be the case
@@wwbuirkle Yes and no, I feel like that and if Andy wasn't a huge egomaniac AND them constantly being screwed by their label yeah they could've been just as big if bugger than The Beatles in my honest opinion
I love XTC and they were underrated but the MOST underrated band of all time was Big Star.
Oranges and Lemons is a superb album. One of my favorite albums of all time. So quirky yet catchy and lush and melodic and dynamic.
Their music and style had matured from early days, wonderful to see the progression of talented artists
The music The Beatles would be doing in the 80s.
These guys carried the staff effortlessly but barely anyone noticed their greatness.
beatles can't even hold a candle to xtc's genius
@@gautamramdas92
Have you been at the ganja again ?
@@JD-eq4dp you bet! It’s laughable to think that the Beatles could write a song or a record anywhere close to the level of Oranges and Lemons. And I would tel you this sober as well
About as accurate a comment as I've ever seen on RUclips.
XTC ⏰ WAKEUP!!!
Every XTC album is a joy. I keep going back to listen to them again and again.
The most criminally underrated Brit band. The Wiltshire accents are a bonus. Just like my ol' mums.
tecdessus Yeah, my mistake. I realized I was a dumbass in hindsight for saying that, but just never deleted the comment.
tecdessus Definitely, it was stupid.
Possibly the BEST brit band after The Beatles.
Criminal tripe more like it me thinks. Ugh 🤮
Not underrated so much as too complex for mass consumption. They would have been more successful if not
for Andy's stage-fright. There's still time to get the band back together boys!!!
The way I see it XTC dug a catalogue that was so deep and rich with quality it was hard for people to fully appreciate it back then.
I was there in the audience!!
Historical Fact....i wasn't
Lol
Rob i saw them...well colin, terry, steve and gary as tc&i about 2 weeks ago...they were blisteringly good
Omg
I've watched this video about 10 times and always get the impression that Colin and Dave would just love to play live again. Andy...not so much.
I listened to this song a ridiculous number of times on repeat. This is a Rockin version. And also a reminder of how ridiculously great the World’s Most Dangerous Band was in its original form. The 80s is pre-corporatocracy and among several decades of high artistic achievement. God willing somehow similar times will return. I do not hear such innovation in millennial and Gen Z music for the most part.
I'm about 12 miles away from Swindon Xtc central what a fantastic band 😊
Another masterpiece from XTC ,. One of the greatest bands of all time ,such gifted musicians and songwriters . Thanks XTC .
Dave Gregory is a masterful guitarist
..this brings sweet tears..... dynamics on fire!
Still regret that I was never able to see them live. Their catalog is unmatched.
This is my favorite English band. Funny, nobody ever pegged them into a "genre".
That's true magic.
Thanks for all the music and advice. I was listening.
Great to see Andy Partridge playing live. Thank god he never turned into another Syd Barrett.
And thank God he gave us NONSUCH in 1992!
More like another Roger Waters ...
I'd read somewhere that Andy said he's somewhere on the spectrum (autism)...which is okay with me. I am on the spectrum as well. There's zero shame in it and nothing but pure heart & talent. Here's to autism!
@@GearJamminSalmonself diagnosed. If I took a stab. I'd be closer to calling him bipolar.
Yes he says he's autistic and has ADHD.. why on Earth would you attempt to guess he's bipolar??
This is a great song! XTC was a very underrated band. I know this was a big deal because they didn’t perform live for a long time because of Andy Partridge’s crippling stage fright.
Joe Jackson mentioned that when he performed "Mayor of Simpleton" live one time.
Andy Partridge is hardly playing his guitar this clip
I have crippling stage fright also, and I use propranolol. Lots of musicians do.
andy patridge stopped using it because it started to turn in to a addiction@@robertmcmanus636
Underrated band. This song is magic and XTC was at the peak of their powers back then.
i never heard this in 1989
They might’ve really gone somewhere if they had called themselves “the partridge family“😊
LMAO under rated under rated under rated under rated LMAO everything is under rated even your face
This is an awesome performance. I did not want the song to end.
I love how they shared vocals
great harmonies, Andy has probably 1 of the greatest voices ever!!!
Colin is singing lead on this one.
Swindon's finest. The most Northern Southern town. Great track from a great album. Bought it on release week as a 3 mini CD box. Chalkhills is a sublime closing track.
Unbelievable talent on that stage. Extremely tight. How refreshing to hear live music so tightly woven on stage... no mistakes except for one from this live recording... and it wasn't coming from any members of the band.
Seen The Clash. Seen The Smiths. Seen The Police. One band I wish to have seen.
+Timothy Pane me too...I saw the Clash twice, the Smiths once and the Police twice.....but never got to see XTC - i was going to see them on the English settlement tour - but it got cancelled
+rebjiii I once worked with a guy who saw XTC open for the Police in Minneapolis back in about 1980. He said XTC really outperformed the Police - he was a fan of both. I too would have loved to have been to their early shows. Their twitchy, frenetic energy was palpable on record and their attention to detail suggests they would have been an uproariously exciting yet still particularly exacting live band.
+Timothy Pane
Saw XTC when they opened for the Police (along with The Thompson Twins, meh). While I was (still am) a Police fan, it was XTC I came to see, and I was thrilled. Their slotted time was criminally brief.
Don Gillard I was going to see them on the English settlement tour in Washington DC in 1982 or 1981 - they had a concert scheduled - but they cancelled it when Andy then decided he would no longer perform live
All 3 bands had lots of awesome songs. My fave is actually the Thompson Twins.
XTC can deliver in a way that most bands can't. Impressed with this. I bet Colin enjoyed the spotlight.
I was so excited to see this and to see Andy playing live for an audience again. Forget about charts and sales, just focus on the quality of the music and I would put XTC's ENTIRE discography up against any band of their era and since. The quality of the songwriting and musicianship was just that good.
I would love to be 25 feet away from Andy just to feel the buzz of his aura.
The quality of your own music!
such an amazing song with a great message.. rings true to this day
live performance absolutely faithful to the studio original - with 3 guitars and TWO basses - amazing :-)
I kinda expected as much, I could hear the two basslines on the original recording. Very wonderfully intricate. And the countermelody was utterly stellar.
I saw them play at our local roller rink in 1980. We all sat cross legged on the floor for the warm up band. When XTC came on stage Andy said "Stand Up" and we all stood and the place went crazy. Too much touring must have freaked him out. Too bad. A great new wave band they was.
Ahh, the warm sound and slight yellow haze of VHS. It never gets old.
These guys were true musical craftsmen! From arrangements, to vocal harmonies, the colors of the instrumental blend - it's all so beautifully put together. And their sound really holds up, sounds so fresh. Did they even make a bad album - or half of one? NO! And while you can hear influences, they really sound like no one else! They should have been every bit as popular as The Police. The era for commercial music to have such high quality - really, it's pretty much gone. Thank God for RUclips!
Holy shit! People with instruments, actual melodies and thoughtful lyrics!
Which explains why Beyonce sucks.
My God theyre a good band ,they chose their path and stuck to it ,totally original.
They always wrote such fantastic bridges in their songs...love this one starting at 2:33...you're only here once so you gotta get it right...XTC were fantastic...miss them!
Moulding wrote this song.
One of their many Beatles references, and the SECOND time they ripped "We Can Work It Out" -- see the "Earn Enough for Us" outro. Always with the highest respect.
I left Ireland...seeking work (and freedom of sorts) and landed in Vancouver that June '89. A few weeks later I discovered 'Oranges & Lemons' by finding it at a Saturday morning house yard sale....and fell in love with XTC all over again. What an album
What a great team of songwriters in Andy and Colin, I really really wish they would have come out with more albums. I miss them sooo much 😔
What lucky audience members. These guys are so F-in' good, it makes me emotional. Man, I'd love to see them live. One of my all-time musical influences. That's all I can say.
@105553793339323307485 Was fortunate enough to see them live twice on one tour of the US in 1979 and 80-- they stand out as two of the best live shows I've ever seen. At Irving Plaza in NY and at the California Music Hall in San Francisco. Lucky me, indeed
ClueSign : Especially considering the fact that XTC stopped touring altogether after 83' if I'm not mistaken.
+ClueSign I saw them at least twice, the new songs they did were always as good as the old favourites you were waiting for
Saw them 3x live... they were a little stiff... eac song done "just so" but the first time I saw them I was hooked...
terry chamber and colin have got together and are calling themselves TC&I, and are playing some of colin's stuff and new stuff in october and november at swindon arts centre....at last checking there are a few tickets left for the 20th november...which is when im going....the original few gigs sold out really quickly so the added 2 more dates in november
The vocal was live, sung by Colin. Andy and Dave dutifully sang backup, live, as well. This was a very good performance. I'm happy that Paul and the band learned enough of the song that afternoon to accompany them. But Paul may have already been a fan and knew the song, already.
I got the feeling the musicians were already aware of XTC.
The WHOLE THING was live.
Paul has said he was a big fan already.
@@Nor1961 Right, but I think the point is, beyond the drums (since XTC didn't have a full-time drummer at this point), the house band's presence on this is totally superfluous. Colin didn't get to play his own bass part, and Will Lee kind of mangled it on the verses.
There are two bass parts in the song, so obviously he plays one of his :) plus, they had no piano player
This song is on permanent repeat in my head! Vastly underrated group.
They got a decent amount of airplay on college stations in the 80's. Along with a lot of other great bands that never made it "big" (in the US) ;The Replacements, The Plimsouls, Husker Du, and on and on...
I'm afraid they wouldn't be the same band if they wound up playing sports stadiums with Guns-n-Roses or Poison.
Hats off to Letterman’s band bringing this song live! Well done Boys
I stayed up late in 1989 (high school days) to watch XTC on Letterman on my 13" Sony Trinitron. I remember this like is was yesterday. Even at that age I knew that it was Andy Patridge's first performance since his meltdown in 1982. I only wish he carried on with regular live performances.
Two bassists, playing live, so cool.
That melodic progression kills me. Sublime.
Oh!! What a beautiful era for music!! And this is Live folks!!! Amazing!!
The one and only Colin Moulding and XTC. The band that saved me from being a sixties wonk.
Thanks guys!
I had a similar reaction. I miss them and the Beatles.
The poor guy probably broke his fingers playing bass on "Mayor of Simpleton". One of THE best basslines ever.
I recorded this on my VCR nearly 35 years ago now, and played it over and over before RUclips came along. I love how the bridge of this song at 2:34 reminds me of the bridge in The Beatles' "We Can Work It Out."
This is fantastic. A snapshot from a very wonderful time to be young, to be alive. Just great music. Can you believe that I get the biggest kick out of Paul, playing the iconic keyboard riff? What a musician!
Added to favorites.
It IS an iconic piano riff to me, so I'm happy it's also for somebody else! It's a part I could listen to on a loop over and over again - magical
I was 13 when this tune was in rotation
A wonderful,if all too rare clip of the boys playing live. Colin and Andy should have been megastars !!
Uhhh...no they shouldn't have been. Would have ended up like Syd...
There's an old saying that goes "Unrewarded genius is a proverb!" And you know? They're right. Only performers who get noticed get there by "putting tongues where they didn't ought to be". XTC never compromised on the music and neither did the members. Record labels hate being put in their rightful place...that is how they reward real performers.
@@GearJamminSalmonBowie never compromised.
That entire album is amazing and the one before it’s even better called skylarking.
They have dozens of great songs. Just a phenomenal band.
King For a Day and Mayor of Simpleton are two of the best songs and records in the history of music.
I love "Garden of Earthly Delights" and "Poor Skeleton Steps Out" as well. Oozing with genius.
Dear God and senses working overtime are great, catchey sing along song even kids loved to sing along to Sgt Rock
This song just kicks ass period!!!! XTC was way ahead of their time.
This beauty is my favorite from this great band.
astonishing. This band was the real deal.
Jazzy... rocking...popping.... I mean, every color of the rainbow here! XTC RULES!!!
Where is the Jazz?
me & you Most obviously in the rhythm. It’s played in a swung rhythm and has a lot of syncopated chord hits. Also, a lot of the chords are minor 7ths and so-called «slash chords» - that is, chords with a different bass note than the root. Of course, slash chords were pretty usual in the 80s, but the way it’s used here with the rhythm does indeed give it a jazzy feel.
Somewhere between Deacon Blue and post-'88 Toto. Ace.
1989! And then all those pretenders came along in the 90s...
Axel Magnus Gaasø
Yep, that’s a perfect way to explain it. XTC sound like they are more than the sum of their parts. They all learned to play together, at the same time, too. It never gets old to me.
the most gifted band of all time, creating music from punk, new wave, prog rock to almost anything
And acid rock!
This episode, and XTC’s heyday in general, outdated my coherent years. I discovered their music in college and have appreciated them ever since. Then afterward, I learned about Andy’s issues. It’s nice to go back in time and visit this, and to also see Paul and the band support them when (and where) they needed it the most. Very cool and memorable performance.
XTC, one of the very few post 60s-70s artists that were (and are)
eloquent poets + song writers + musicians. On top of that, they refused
to be like any other bands at all. For this they paid the price, low
airplay at a time where sadly that actually mattered. Had things gone a
bit differently, they would have been wildly popular. But then, maybe by
not being - they didn't succumb to the pressure to sell out.
Regardless, even their early work still sounds crazy relevant today.
Cheers Andy, Colin, and Dave! You guys unrock!
I've wondered about that myself. Would they have continued making the brilliant music they did, if they became big. The star making machine does not encourage art, imho.
I like that they did do it on terms they could live with. They lived in Swindon and didn’t tour. Those criteria kept them together. Anyone who’s experienced a panic attack will say they thought they were going to die. Andy knew to avoid that situation and his mates stuck with him.
I’ve always loved this song, and 25 O’Clock through Nonsuch is my favorite period for XTC. I pretty much devoured Oranges and Lemons.
Remarkable here that the great Will Lee plays the bass part on the record so beautifully, while Colin plays up the neck. Andy was of course chief songwriter, but Colin's voice and bass playing are for me such a huge part of XTC.
Actually, Colin penned a number of their bigger hits: Generals & Majors, Life begins at the Hop, Making Plans for Nigel, Grass
What a Great Live version with Paul Schafer's band playing as part of XTC!
My oh my what a fabulous song!
They would have needed and deserved more support by the industry.
XTC were so great during their run from ‘79’s Drums and Wires up to ‘89’s Oranges and Lemons but even after that they were still producing some fine music,even in the offshoot band The Dukes of Stratosphear Andy Partridge was still producing so really wonderful songs!
XTC should be in the R&R hall of fame!!!! It’s criminal they aren’t
Andys backing vocals are so good. The chorus is incredible
Bless 'em for getting that studio sound live with all the guitars!
Brilliant album.
I was standing in line of the Hollywood Palladium that fateful day in 1982 with my XTC ticket clutched tightly in my hand, when it was announced that the show was canceled.
I was crushed.
XTC would tour no more, but just like when the Beatles decided to quit touring, they would continue to record some of the greatest music of all time.
I watch this on a daily basis. It’s so uplifting!
The one song that I can confidently say I could never get sick of
Look at Colin looking back at Andy, sweet! Lads, you were all amazing!!
One of my favorite bands of the 80's.
I'm in XTC world since a few years ago and it's becoming one of my favorite bands... they were so creative and different.
The last time XTC performed live before this was in late 1982. 7 years later.. They sound better than ever.. Cheers mates..
So underrated! What a tight set! They knew their craft so well!
I was glued to the TV that night. Wonderful stuff.
One of my favourite songs for ever !
Me too, one of their best, if one could actually pick their BEST music!
The Original Letterman Band, especially Paul, were so amazing.They could back up ANYBODY !
Does anyone happen to know the exact line-up for this performance?
I know Will Lee on bass, and Paul S. on keys.
I remember watching this performance when it aired. XTC is wonderful and TWMDB just kills it! Will played Colin's descending bass riff perfectly!
The World's Most Dangerous Band could back anyone and this demonstrates it brilliantly.
Paul Shaffer - keyboards and conductor
Anton Fig - drums
Will Lee - bass
Sid McGinnis - guitar
Dave names the members of XTC at 4:09 (Andy, Colin et. al.)
Anton Fig on drums.
Sid McGuinness on guitar.
My first exposure to XTC was Oranges and Lemons. A little late to the game but wow what an album. King For A Day was my favorite song off the album, and this performance was just as good as the original studio version. Glad I stumbled upon this vid!!
Better late than never!
My first exposure to XTC was when I asked a friend to make a cassette of the first Specials album, and in the other side he put on 3 or 4 songs each from Buzzcocks, XTC, & 999. Nigel, Helicopter, Life Begins At The Hop, Ten Feet Tall. 1981. Never saw them live, but a local band I saw often played Melt the Guns a lot.
Back when music was real. No autotune.
Who else had this on CD in the late 80s/90s? Then, we forgot about it when we switched to digital. This guys are so, so good. It's like re-discovering a great treasure.
XTC since I was a kid on 70s still sound 1000000 years ahead
amazing song , totally underated band , wish Id seen them live .
Such a thrill of excitement to watch them playing what looks and sounds like a live performance as late as 1989. Interesting to see them play a song which they claimed wasn't written to be performed anywhere except in the studio. Sure, they had to have some extra musicians, but it sounds wonderful.
how could i not remember this! classic. that BASS playing!
This song is such a delight. 💗
Album is a masterpiece.
One of my favorite songs of all time! Stands up to repeat listens over and over again! Thank you for sharing this!
When someone from XTC did Davy Jones' '80s-era mullet hair better than Davy Jones ...
Best bridges in the biz!
I remember like yesterday when they did this, and I could see my heroes play live again!! They WERE great live! (despite their unnecessary self deprecation)
I love this band!
I first heard this release in a record store in Bellevue, WA and was so impressed with it. I'd already been a fan of XTC for a few years, and they were still at their peak with "Oranges and Lemons".
I discovered this Awesome British band way too late in life and I freaking grew up in Europe from 80 - 84. Ugh, They are so kooky and Kool.
Ahhh... a simpler time..Letterman & GREAT music
..
Loved XTC all my life. Didn't hurt having Lettermens band back then up on that one 😀
love this song/ band
nice live version
Nothing but talent each album different
Glad I saw them at Privates during the Black Sea tour. The greatest band live, and I have been to thousands of concerts!
One of rock’s most underrated bands. Listen to Oranges & Lemons and proove me wrong
A masterpiece of an album.
music like a dream