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"Melon Collie Lassie" is a song by The Residents, recorded in 1975. It was first released on the 1977 promotional cassette The Residents Radio Special, and then on the EP Babyfingers in September 1977.
History[]

Bridgit Terris in the "Melon Collie Lassie" video, compiled from archival footage in 2016 by Theory of Obscurity filmmaker Don Hardy
The song was recorded during a break from the Third Reich 'n Roll Sessions in 1975, one year later, when the 3 sided Tourniquet Of Roses album was being compiled, it was selected for inclusion on the third side, however as the third side was scrapped and the album was retitled Fingerprince, the song was shelved.
It was first revealed on the promotional album, Radio Special, in August of 1977.
In January 1979, the song was released properly on the limited edition Babyfingers EP, collecting the material intended for the third side. At this same time, the footage that would eventually become the music video for the film was filmed.
The song was performed live for the first time in 2014, as part of the Shadowland tour. It remained part of the Shadowland setlist until 2016.
For the Theory of Obscurity DVD, a music video was created using unused footage from the 1979 Duck Stab film.
Lyrics[]
Boys from home forget to phone And love is like a loan Depending on the bending And the mending of a moan
Melon Collie Lassie knows the needs of new who come To see the Zuider Zee and then they float from one to some Forever while she washes all the clothes are never clean And if you ask her where you are it tends to make her mean Boys from home forget to phone And love is like a loan Depending on the bending And the mending of a moan
Releases[]
- Radio Special (1977) [Version 1]
- Babyfingers (1979) [Version 1]
- Fingerprince / Babyfingers (1987) [Version 1]
- In Memoriam Torso (1994) [Version 1]
- Residue Of The Residents (2014) [Version 1]
- Shadowland (2015) [Version 2]
- Theory Of Obscurity - A Film About The Residents (2016) [Version 1]
- 80 Aching Orphans (2017) [Version 1]
- Finger Ephemera (2018) [Version 2]
Versions[]
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Tourniquet of Roses Fingerprince / Babyfingers (1976-1979) Side A |
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Residue of The Residents (1983) Side A |