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"Death In Barstow" is a song by The Residents, recorded in October 1974. At one point intended for the "third side" of the group's fourth studio album Fingerprince, the song first appeared on the promotional release The Residents Radio Special in 1977.
It was later released on the Babyfingers EP, originally released by Ralph Records in September 1979 in an extremely limited, hand-decorated edition of approximately thirty copies.
History[]
The song was recorded as a tribute to Harry Partch, who had died in September 1974. It was originally meant to appear on side 3 of Fingerprince, but was eventually left off when the 3 sided idea was abandoned.
It's first release was in 1977 on The Residents Radio Special, and in 1979 was released on the Babyfingers EP, which collected outtakes from Fingerprince.
In 1987, the track was included in it's original intended position on the first CD pressing of Fingerprince.
A reworked version of the song appeared on the digital Summer Songs EP in 2010.
From 2010 to 2011, the song was performed as part of the Talking Light touring show, re-titled 'Once I Went To Barstow' It was also performed at the "Moravian Meeting" show featuring Už Jsme Doma
Ben Folkwein's cover of Death In Barstow appeared on the LP version of I Am A Resident, whereas Cake Boy And The Caker Street Boys' version appeared on the CD edition.
Lyrics[]
Once I went to Barstow Then I went to bed First my friend was with me Then my friend was dead All his clothes were burned up And his thighs were red After all we've been through What more can be said?
List of releases[]
- The Residents Radio Special (1977)
- Babyfingers (1979)
- Fingerprince Expanded (1987)
- In Memoriam Torso (1994)
- El Año Del Muerto (2009)
- Summer Songs (2010)
- 2010 Demo Version
- Talking Light Live In Rehearsal, Santa Cruz, California
- 2010 Rehearsal Version
- Talking Light First Leg (2010)
- 2010 Live Version
- Talking Light Second Leg (2010)
- 2010 Live Version
- Talking Light Third Leg (2010)
- 2010 Live Version
- Talking Light Fourth Leg (2011)
- 2011 Live Version
- Talking Light Bimbos (2011)
- 2011 Live Version
- Residue Of The Residents Expaned (2014)
- Finger Ephemera (2018)
- 2011 Live Version
- I Am A Resident CD (2018)
- Cake Boy And The Caker Street Boys version.
- I Am A Resident LP (2018)
- Ben Folkwein version
Versions[]
- 1974 Version (2:05)
- 2010 Demo Version (2:55)
- Talking Light Rehersal Version, 2010 (3:37)
- Talking Light Version 2010 - 2011 (5 Minutes)
- Už Jsme Doma & Randy Version (2010) (2:08)
- Ben Folkwein Version, 2017
- Cake Boy And The Caker Street Boys Version, 2017
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Tourniquet of Roses Fingerprince / Babyfingers (1976-1979) Side A |
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Residue of The Residents (1983) Side A |