Meet The Residents Wiki

"Breath and Length" (alternatively "Breadth and Length") is a song by The Residents, part of the medley on side one of their debut album Meet The Residents, released April 1st 1974 on Ralph Records. It is the first track on Meet The Residents to feature a guest musician: Ruth Essex, who performs the song's vocals.

History and content[]

An early version from the Meet The Residents sessions, already featuring Ruth on lead vocals, can be found on the 2018 pREServed edition of that album. Instrumentally it does not differ much from the album version, although the early version features what sounds like manmade barking noises, which were replaced with organ effects and chimes on the final version. Ruth sings the song's lyrics in oblivious repetition until she breaks out in amused laughter, and the track smash-cuts into the next song, "Consuelo's Departure".

Lyrics[]

Breath and Length and
Breadth and Width and
With and Without
In Our Dance
Breath and Length and
Breadth and Width and
With and Without
In Our Dance
Breath and Length and
Breadth and Width and
With and Without
In Our Dance
Breath and Length and
Breadth and Width and
With and Without
In Our Dance
Breath and Length and
Breadth and Width and
With and Without
In Our Dance
Breath and Length and
Breadth and Width and
With and With...[1]

Credits[]

List of releases[]

List of versions[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 El Ralpho studio recording, February - October 1973 (original mono version, 1:45)
  2. 2.0 2.1 El Ralpho studio recording, February - October 1973 (1977 stereo remix, 1:41)
  3. El Ralpho studio recording, February - October 1973 ("Breath and Length Version", 2:04)

External links and references[]

Meet The Residents
(1974)

Side A
"Boots" · "Numb Erone" · "Guylum Bardot" · "Breath and Length" · "Consuelo's Departure" · "Smelly Tongues" · "Rest Aria" · "Skratz" · "Spotted Pinto Bean"

Side B
"Infant Tango" · "Seasoned Greetings" · "N-ER-GEE (Crisis Blues)"

Personnel
The Residents · Ruth Essex · Barry "Wool" Eiland · Pamela Zeibak · Philip Friehofner · Jim Whitaker · Bob Tangney · James Aaron

Related works
"Russian Love Song" · 1-10 (With A Touch of 11) · "7733 Variations" · Tuesday tapes ("Sokurha") · "Overday" · "Inka Don't Dry" · "Horny Song" · "George's Horn" · "The Ralph Records Guided Tour" · Meet The Residents Sampler · "Saint Nix" · Clank Clank Clank · "Poisoned Popcorn"

Related articles
N. Senada (Theory of Phonetic Organization) · Residents, Uninc. · Sycamore St. studio · Santa Dog · Ralph Records · Porno/Graphics · Vileness Fats · "Nobody But Me" · The Beatles

Resources
Image gallery