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Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Huddled Masses is a compilation album by The Residents, released by Rykodisc on June 22nd 1997 to celebrate the group's 25th anniversary. It was issued in two versions, a two-disc edition and an extended four-disc box set.

The fourth disc of the box set version, subtitled "Roosevelt", was released separately with a slightly altered track listing as Roosevelt 2.0 in 2001.

History[]

For their 25th anniversary in 1997, The Residents compiled a set entitled Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Huddled Masses, to be released on Rykodisc in two separate editions; a four disc box set, and a truncated two disc edition. Both editions present selections from the group's (then) 25 year history in approximately reverse chronological order.

The first two discs of the box set edition, "Washington" and "Lincoln", focus on the group's discography of albums. Both discs contain a number of "concentrates"; medleys of approximately 10 minutes in duration combining songs from albums. The "concentrate" concept would later recur throughout The Residents' career and has numerous precedents dating back to their very beginning.

The third disc, "Jefferson", is predominantly devoted to the group's singles and b-sides, and the fourth, "Roosevelt", is a history of rarities dating back to the group's pre-history. In 2001 Ralph America released the fourth disc on its own, with a slightly rearranged track listing, as Roosevelt 2.0. This was released in a limited edition of 1200 copies housed in branded wooden cigar boxes.

The two discs of the shorter version are subtitled "Unum" and "Pluribus", and contain a selection of tracks from the first three discs of the box set edition, arranged in two non-chronological groupings of tracks from 1996-1981 and 1980-1972.

The album art accompanying both versions of the set features the updated eyeball masks originally produced for Freak Show Live in 1995. Images from these photo sessions were used by The Residents in their promotional material for many years, most recently appearing in the cover art and promotional material for The Ghost of Hope in 2017.

Reception[]

Retrospective[]

Reviewing the box set edition of Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Huddled Masses in September 2005,[1] freelance music reviewer Mark Prindle praised the collection's track listing and concept ("[The Residents'] high points thrown together in a jumbled stew") as "a very original idea in box set creation" which "makes a worthwhile purchase even for huge lifelong fans of the band".[2]

Track listing[]

Four disc edition[]

Disc One - Washington (Album History 1996-1981)

  1. Have A Bad Day Concentrate (6:45)
  2. Hunters Concentrate (3:44)
  3. The Gingerbread Man Concentrate (9:06)
  4. Six Amber Things (2:34)
  5. He Also Serves (Ft. Tony Janssen) (2:46)
  6. Ship Of Fools (Ft. Tony Janssen) (4:06)
  7. Freak Show Concentrate (9:17)
  8. Cube E Concentrate (9:57)
  9. God In 3 Persons Concentrate (10:15)
  10. The Mole Trilogy Concentrate (Ft. Penn Jillette) (9:01)

Disc Two - Lincoln (Album History 1980-1972)

  1. Easter Woman (1:01)
  2. Amber (Ft. Nessie Lessons) (1:00)
  3. Red Rider (1:00)
  4. Floyd (1:00)
  5. The Nameless Soul (1:00)
  6. Love Leaks Out (Ft. Don Jackovich) (1:00)
  7. The Simple Song (1:00)
  8. Moisture (1:01)
  9. Loneliness (1:01)
  10. When We Were Young (1:02)
  11. Eskimo Concentrate (Ft. Snakefinger) (10:12)
  12. Constantinople (Ft. Snakefinger) (2:21)
  13. Blue Rosebuds (Ft. Snakefinger) (3:07)
  14. Lizard Lady (Ft. Snakefinger) (1:52)
  15. Hello Skinny (Ft. Snakefinger) (2:40)
  16. Fingerprince Concentrate (7:51)
  17. The Third Reich 'N' Roll Concentrate (10:31)
  18. Not Available Concentrate (Ft. Reed Paulsen) (9:47)
  19. Meet The Residents Concentrate (6:26)
  20. Aircraft Damage (3:49)

Disc Three - Jefferson (Singles History 1972-1997)

  1. Jambalaya (3:53)
  2. Don't Be Cruel (Ft. Bruce Anderson) (2:57)
  3. From The Plains To Mexico (3:27)
  4. Double Shot (Ft. Laurie Amat) (3:50)
  5. Harry The Head (Ft. Laurie Amat) (2:55)
  6. Don't (1:54)
  7. The Gingerbread Man (4:02)
  8. Kawliga (3:11)
  9. Where Is She? (Ft. Snakefinger) (2:33)
  10. Jailhouse Rock (Ft. Snakefinger) (3:08)
  11. This Is A Man's World (3:41)
  12. Jingle Bells (2:33)
  13. Satisfaction (4:33)
  14. Loser ≅ Weed (2:09)
  15. Earth Vs Flying Saucers (0:51)
  16. Beyond The Valley Of A Day In The Life (3:54)
  17. Flying (3:24)
  18. For Elsie (Excerpt) (2:09)
  19. Teddy Bear (3:36)
  20. Surrender (1:55)
  21. Hit The Road Jack (Remix) (3:57)

Disc Four - Roosevelt (History Mystery)

  1. Tryin' To Beat It (1:25)
  2. Siren Song (Of The Shrunken Head) (6:08)
  3. Ugly Beauty (4:31)
  4. Anganok (Excerpt) (5:36)
  5. Teddy (3:57)
  6. I Tried To Cry (2:00)
  7. The Cry Of A Crow (3:19)
  8. Struggle (2:56)
  9. Spaghetti Sunda (9:34)
  10. Love Me (3:10)
  11. Hallowed Be Thy Ween (14:06)
  12. America (1:30)

Two disc edition[]

Disc One - Unum (History 1996-1981)

  1. Jambalaya (3:52)
  2. Six Amber Things (2:34)
  3. He Also Serves (2:46)
  4. Ship Of Fools (Ft. Diana Alden) (4:05)
  5. Teddy Bear (3:36)
  6. The Gingerbread Man Concentrate (9:05)
  7. Where Is She? (2:33)
  8. Kawliga (3:13)
  9. Freak Show Concentrate (9:17)
  10. From The Plains To Mexico (3:26)
  11. Double Shot (Ft. Laurie Amat) (3:52)
  12. For Elsie (Excerpt) (2:06)
  13. Harry The Head (Ft. Laurie Amat) (2:55)
  14. Have A Bad Day Concentrate (6:43)
  15. Hit The Road Jack (Remix) (3:57)

Disc Two - Pluribus (1980-1972)

  1. Easter Woman (1:00)
  2. Amber (Ft. Nessie Lessons) (1:00)
  3. Red Rider (1:00)
  4. Floyd (1:00)
  5. The Nameless Soul (1:00)
  6. Love Leaks Out (Ft. Don Jackovich) (1:00)
  7. The Simple Song (1:00)
  8. Moisture (1:00)
  9. Loneliness (1:00)
  10. When We Were Young (1:00)
  11. Eskimo Concentrate (Ft. Snakefinger) (10:13)
  12. Constantinople (2:21)
  13. Blue Rosebuds (3:07)
  14. Lizard Lady (1:52)
  15. Hello Skinny (2:40)
  16. Satisfaction (4:32)
  17. Loser ≅ Weed (2:10)
  18. Fingerprince Concentrate (7:50)
  19. This Is A Man's World (3:41)
  20. Jailhouse Rock (Ft. Snakefinger) (3:08)
  21. The Third Reich 'N' Roll Concentrate (10:28)

Credits[]

Main Personnel[]

Writers[]

Guests[]

Cover Art Gallery[]

4-disc box set[]

See also[]

External links and references[]

  1. Mark Prindle, "The Rich Bunnell Honorary 'What's New?' Page", Mark's Record Reviews, September 17th 2005 (archived via archive.org)
  2. Mark Prindle, "Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Huddled Masses", Mark's Record Reviews, September 17th 2005
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