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"Grasshopper" (2006)

by Reticents

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1.
I Protest 02:54
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2.
"Happy Birthday To You" 03:09
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happy birthday to you (lyrics: p.d. hamilton, 2006) standing on the courtroom step will someone please give me a cigarette? i gave them up for the kids and her now i need to see something else get burned and go up in smoke, then left flat by a soulless boot ... happy birthday to you. standing in my least worst clothes seeing her take the house tied up in bows happy never after for this black-hearted baddie here comes prince charming, my girls' new daddy handsome and dashing, driving to their rescue ... happy birthday to you happy birthday to you every day's a happy birthday to you enjoy the present, return the past happy birthday... i hope it's your last. in his car on the forecourt i can see you shuddering but you got what you wanted i've lost all i had surely it's me who should be blubbering and suffering? come on, admit it that you loved me once when we were daft and we laughed before we turned into cunts. the realisation's smacked me in the head; the girl i would have died for - has left me for dead. i've got to pay you to clothe and feed children you won't let me see it sticks in my throat to mention you're taking half my pension i gave you my youth - now you've taken my future too ... happy birthday to you happy birthday to you every day's a happy birthday to you enjoy the present, return the past happy birthday... i hope it's your last
3.
This Town Is Nowhere 02:48
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this town is nowhere (lyric: p.d. hamilton, 2006) this town is nowhere twinned with nowhere else nobody bothers about the shops there's nothing on the shelves nothing on the horizon nothing can we find nothing lasts forever nothing on my mind there's nowhere to go to nobody goes out in the oven, nothing cooking in the fridge - nowt nothing going on and on and on and on all day nothing can stop it no-one will, anyway nothing ever happens nothing's ever resolved no-one did nothing, officer no-one was involved there's always nothing to celebrate nothing near the knuckle a never-ending nothingness that means absolutely fuck-all
4.
Party Politics 02:53
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5.
V. 02:28
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v. (lyric: p.d. hamilton, 2006) you say we were made for each other but that's not entirely true no-one else in the world wants us it's them v. me and you chorus: births, weddings, funerals it's all written in the cards this is the town where the boys are easy and all the girls are hard i'm not even sure i know you at all your wide-eyed innocence could be a convenient smokescreen for shut-mind ignorance chorus the king of the bores in the flat downstairs listens for the squeak of bedsprings a drum roll of boots clatter up the stairs and the bloody doorbell rings chorus i've no hidden past or guilty secrets there are no beans to spill no poetry ever comes to me while i'm chained to the check-out till keep us supplied with burgers and fries beer and cigarettes we'll roar away with saint george for the day this is as good as it gets this is as good as it gets this is as good as it gets
6.
Banjo Strummer 01:45
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banjo strummer (lyric: p.d. hamilton, 2006) i'm wastepaper and you're the basket i'm the question and only you can ask it i'm the coffee and you're the cup i'm the two-three-four and you're the hup! i'm the bus and you're the station i'm the anthem and you're the nation i'm the horn section and you're the flutes i'm the copper's feet and you're the size 20 boots i'm the patient and you're the doc i'm the tick and you're the tock in the sky there's nothing above you i'm three little words that say i love you
7.
Bulletproof 02:04
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bulletproof (lyric: a.a. thomson, 2006) the latest of the cheating lie creators sent from hell to irritate us the thief of goodwill heartless, got no blood to spill self-obsessed, so aloof he knows he's bulletproof ohhhhhhhh, he's bulletproof the son of a gun is bulletproof spoiling on the hoof everybody knows the truth they'd put marksmen on the roof there's no point, he's bulletproof bulletproof bulletproof ahhhhhhhh-ahhh, he's bulletproof that son of a gun is bulletproof bulletproof! bulletproof!
8.
The Blue Lagoon 03:22
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the blue lagoon (lyric: a.a. thomson, p.d. hamilton, 2006) gentlemen, ladies, please take note the time has come to push out that boat you get that lump stuck in your throat he's gonna ride into town on a golden cart with a halo flashing in time to your heart chuckle to himself as you melt and swoon futile resisting, you're face down in the blue lagoon 'onward and upward!' comes the shout not enough heart and a bundle of doubt the impressionist's time has just run out cool it, cat, there's a job to be done don't wanna slow down when you're on the run check your shoulder, the past comes soon it's going tits up, you're face down in the blue lagoon everyone's walking the other way no-one's listening to a word they say progress becomes just a form of decay you ain't in gaol or some fairy tale it takes serious effort to continually fail getting straight or playing the buffoon doesn't matter much when you're face down in the blue lagoon the blinkered bigot's bored with his job tabloided up, he knows when to sob first opportunity, he's leading the lynch mob buried his brains with his head in the sand gave it all up with a flick of the wristband tried to sell his soul to the man in the moon it's a buyer's market way down in the blue lagoon you got me standing to attention, jumping through hoops mind is circling in a tape loop and my right hand jerks to the gun's salute i caged a pretty bird and clipped her wings i click my fingers - she sings drinking to her captive tune and i never have to think of the blue lagoon
9.
Moon Rising Over London 03:57
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about

Recorded in one day in April 2006 (apart from tracks 3,7 and 8 which were re-recorded a fortnight later in one evening session), this was Reticents' debut album. Due to the difficulty in constructing its origami cover (we gave up after folding 30 of them), it never gained an official release and has lain in the family vaults until now.

We have resisted the temptation to tinker, tamper and turd-polish. This is how it was and this is how it is. Take it or leave it. Or take it somewhere else and leave it.

Video for 'Moon Rising Over London' here: vimeo.com/176806593

credits

released August 1, 2016

Reticents:
A.A. Thomson - guitar, croakals (1, 5, 7, 8), triangle on ‘V’.
D.R. Toynton - bass, ukulele (6), guitar (2).
P.D. Hamilton - percussion, jokels (2-6, 9).

Compositions and recordings are copyright-controlled by Smoking Ant Records Ltd. for the benefit of the writers and performers.

Backing vocals on ‘I Protest’ by The Perry Hillbillies (Gemma Gayner, ROBBO! Hamilton, Rachael Field, Becky, Chloe, Reticents).

Sleeve design: Rachael Field. Photography: D.R. Toynton.

Recorded and mixed by Malcolm Gayner at Orange & Blue Studios, Perry Hill, London SE6 in April 2006.
Mastered by A.A. Thomson.
Produced by Malcolm Gayner.
Associate Producers: P.D. Hamilton, A.A. Thomson.
Executive Producer: ROBBO!

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