Fall Monday Playlist #08 - MES

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I have elected to move to this platform as WordPress has become simply impossible to use!

This week's playlist captures Smith's self-referential moments...

The Spotify playlist is here. The YouTube playlist is here.


Hip Priest

It’s often challenging to assess whether Smith’s lyrics are being delivered from a first or third-person perspective; here, as was frequently the case, it swings between the two: ‘he’ is not appreciated; ‘I’ can teach. He described the song as 'a bit personal at times. Maybe a bit too personal…' This is the sprawling, nine minute Peel session version.


Big New Prinz

An extension of or elaboration on ‘Hip Priest’ (‘drink the long draught for big priest’ who is still ‘not appreciated’), 'Prinz' was a long-standing feature in the setlist from 1988 to 2006, clocking up an almost unprecedented 212 performances. This version is from the excellent live album Nottingham '92.


Just Step S'ways

'This is an important aspect of Big Priest / his hypnotic induction process / his commercial last chance.'


50 Year Old Man

Smith's chaotic, unapologetically bludgeoning tribute to himself for reaching his half century. 'I'm a fifty year old man - what you gonna do about it?'


Carry Bag Man

MES carried his lyrics around in carrier bags. Not, it has to be said, his most inspiring lyric. This version is from Live In Cambridge 1988.


Paintwork

'Hey Mark - you're spoiling all the paintwork!' - a phrase used by one of the decorators of the Smiths’ ‘new house’.


Last Commands Of Xyralothep Via M.E.S.

Fascinating and intense song that casts MES in the role of seer or prophet, warning his audience about ‘cod-science/cod-psychology’ and ‘fat aggressive men and handsome aggressive men’. Also features a bit of a dig at Julian Cope.


Mark'll Sink Us

One of those obscure gems, a b-side to 'There's A Ghost In My House'. All a bit jazzy, proggy and wonderful.

Shoulder Pads #2

'It's MES in shoulder pads.'

The Reckoning

'And you're sleeping with some hippie half-wit / who thinks he's Mr. Mark Smith'.



Next week's playlist will celebrate the '3 Rs' and focus on repetition, repetition, repetition...



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