Fall Down

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Fall Down

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

I've heard him do it live, he sounds like Bob! But that's Geldof solo, not sure about when he was with the Rats...

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Jules wrote:

I've heard him do it live, he sounds like Bob! But that's Geldof solo, not sure about when he was with the Rats...

This would be a good song for someone to cover just as long as it isn't hijacked by the plebs and appears of X Factor sung by some plastic pop star.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Can't think they;d choose a Rats song to destroy, thankfully.

zippaguppis · I Don't Like Mondays

I know this is AGES late, but do any of you happen to have a recording of him singing Fall Down?

-- Edited by zippaguppis on Sunday 4th of August 2019 09:23:19 PM

Noel · Dave

zippaguppis wrote:
I know this is AGES late, but do any of you happen to have a recording of him singing Fall Down?

-- Edited by zippaguppis on Sunday 4th of August 2019 09:23:19 PM

I don't think I've ever come across a live recording of either Bob or Simon singing Fall Down. Lyrically the song is pretty close to the bone in what happened subsequently between Bob and Paula ('And if they ever/take you away from me....').Possibly Bob didn't sing it on the record because it would make him appear too vulnerable? Anyway it's a great song and surprisingly has not been covered by anyone (except the odd YouTuber).

I'd imagine if it was ever sung live Simon would have done the honours as per the album.

The tracklistings from the live cds around the Mondo Bongo period 1980/81 include songs such as Mood Mambo, Straight Up and This Is My Room but to my knowledge/recollection not Fall Down though I could be wrong. Maybe Derek might know as he seems to have a large collection of live recordings?

BTW was never a huge fan of bands with two singers (XTC excepted!)

Mark L · Loudmouth

Great band, XTC, clever lyrics

The Mayor of Simpleton, the 1989 hit that got away, is brilliant.

If depth of feeling is a currency,
(Please be upstanding for the Mayor of Simpleton),
Then I'm the man who grew the money tree,
(No chain of office and no hope of getting one)
Some of your friends are too brainy to see,
That they're paupers and that's how they'll stay

Well I don't know how many pounds make up a ton,
Of all the Nobel prizes that I've never won,
And I may be the Mayor of Simpleton,
But I know one thing and that's I love you

Noel · Dave

Mark L wrote:
Great band, XTC, clever lyrics
The Mayor of Simpleton, the 1989 hit that got away, is brilliant.

If depth of feeling is a currency,
(Please be upstanding for the Mayor of Simpleton),
Then I'm the man who grew the money tree,
(No chain of office and no hope of getting one)
Some of your friends are too brainy to see,
That they're paupers and that's how they'll stay
Well I don't know how many pounds make up a ton,
Of all the Nobel prizes that I've never won,
And I may be the Mayor of Simpleton,
But I know one thing and that's I love you

Out of curiosity Mark how many XTC album's have you heard/bought down the years? Like the Rats they are sort of sidelined from the main punk/new wave approval consensus. Probably way too clever for the masses smile

-- Edited by Noel on Monday 5th of August 2019 05:25:05 PM

Mark L · Loudmouth

I have English Settlement and Oranges and Lemons from 89. And a greatest hits of course, but I can't recall it's title...! So, not a devotee bit definitely admire them and the song writing was always a cut above.... but not quite to Bob's level!

Noel · Dave

Mark L wrote:
I have English Settlement and Oranges and Lemons from 89. And a greatest hits of course, but I can't recall it's title...! So, not a devotee bit definitely admire them and the song writing was always a cut above.... but not quite to Bob's level!

Greatest hits was called Fossil Fuels, another hits package was the Compact XTC. I easily have a top twenty acts I would recommend to people /friends but we all have our own musical sensibilities and sometimes other peoples tastes can be a bit peculiar and baffling.

If I was a celebrity and everyone was asking for me to choose my favourite band I would definitely nominate the Rats.

Mark L · Loudmouth

I think it's Compact XTC. I'm convinced the roots of musical preferences lie deep in the very brain itself. Yes, the Rats are my number one favourite band.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Another great wee band that was underrated Have some singles The loving Making plans for Nigel And the great Senses working over time. I do have the best of double cd Call Fossil Fuel 77 to 92 Some great wee number's on it

Mark L · Loudmouth

Back to Fall Down and just dug out the Record Mirror surprisingly positive review of Mondo Bongo from January 81. Alf Martin says he was touched by Fall Down and said it was striking. Recorded for he says an international market, he ear marked Go Man Go for a single, placing it above the recent top 3 hit Banana Republic. Awarding the album 4 stars out of 5, he gushingly closes the review by saying it's not quite the Rats Sgt Pepper moment, but it's nearly there.

For This is my Room fans, he calls this one of the best tracks the Rats ever came up with. Praise indeed.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Noel wrote:
If I was a celebrity and everyone was asking for me to choose my favourite band I would definitely nominate the Rats.

Maybe up until 1989, but not now. Pulp are my favourite band and Bowie my favourite artist.

That written I did go to see The Bradbury Rats in Dublin in 2012 ahead of Pulp in Sheffield on the basis that it might be the last time The Rats played and I had seen Pulp a fair amount on their comeback and there seemed to be every prospect of more dates. Ironic that the Rats reformed with Geldof and Bremain a few months later and Pulp havent played another gig on dry land since.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

I apologise for lack of apostrophes. I type them in, but they do not appear! IPads eh!

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

manatthetop wrote:
Some great wee number's on it

Ironic...

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Noel wrote:
I easily have a top twenty acts I would recommend to people /friends but we all have our own musical sensibilities and sometimes other peoples tastes can be a bit peculiar and baffling.

I vaguely remember a thread on this and you were pretty leftfield. Will search for it.

Noel · Dave

ArrGee wrote:
Noel wrote:
I easily have a top twenty acts I would recommend to people /friends but we all have our own musical sensibilities and sometimes other peoples tastes can be a bit peculiar and baffling.
I vaguely remember a thread on this and you were pretty leftfield. Will search for it.

Current faves include Costello London's Brilliant Parade/New Amsterdam/Man Out of Time

Steely Dan: Dr Wu/ Kid Charlemagne/New Frontier (Donald Fagin)

Ian Dury What a Waste/ I Wanna Be Straight

Gerry Rafferty Night Owl/Get It Right Next Time

Sometimes individual songs just work without having to go through an entire catalogue. I like making my own playlists and cutting out the middleman. smile

-- Edited by Noel on Friday 9th of August 2019 06:04:50 PM

Mike menzies · V Deep

Some of my favorite songs are from 80s artists ( Joe Jackson , strange land off his latest CD fool ) also some of prefab sprout tracks from various albums and I love one lot of their stuff

Derek The Dane · V Deep

I have never heard a live version of Fall Down anywhere.None of the live cds have it on and that includes a couple from the Mondo Bongo tour.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Fall down not a great song Should have just moved in for the kill