"Semolina" is a song by The Residents, recorded in 1978 for their planned (but never realised) EP Buster & Glen, and first released on the album Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen on November 30th 1978 by Ralph Records.
The Residents have often revisited the song in the years since its release, performing it live on their 13th Anniversary, Talking Light, Dog Stab! and Faceless Forever tours, and have recorded updated studio arrangements on two occasions, in 2009 and 2012.
A live version recorded in January 2023 at The Residents' 50th Anniversary secret show was released as a digital single in February 2024.
History[]
Randy Rose and The Residents performing "Semolina" live on the Talking Light tour, 2011
"Semolina" was recorded by The Residents in August 1978,[1] with their frequent collaborator, guitarist Snakefinger, for inclusion on their planned EP Buster & Glen. Due to complications and meddling from The Cryptic Corporation, the EP was never realised, and the song was ultimately released on the Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen LP in November of that year.
From 1985 to 1987, "Semolina" was performed during the opening suite of The Residents' 13th Anniversary tour, once again with Snakefinger on guitar.
In 2009, The Residents re-recorded the song; this version was featured on the compilation Ten Little Piggies, released later that year. Between 2010 and 2011, "Semolina" was performed on the Talking Light tour. In 2012, The Residents re-recorded the song again for the D*ck S*ab 35th Anniversary album.
In 2021, "Semolina" was performed live in the studio by The Residents for the Duck Stab! Alive! TV special, and on stage for their Dog Stab! mini-tour of California in September of the same year. In October 2022, The Residents performed the song at the Mill Valley Film Festival preview of their upcoming 50th Anniversary tour Faceless Forever; the song was kept in the set-list for the final version of the show, which toured Europe and America between January and April 2023.
In January 2023, the song was performed at The Residents' 50th Anniversary secret show at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music; this version was released as a single in February 2024, in advance of the live album and DVD Secret Show Live in San Francisco, released later that month.
Lyrics[]
Sem-o-lina Loves the seashells. At the shore she Loves the seashells. Sem-o-lina Loves the seashells. At the shore she Loves the seashells.
Sem-o-lina Loves the seashells. At the shore she Loves the seashells. Sem-o-lina Loves the seashells. At the shore she Loves the seashells.
She can see the silver sometimes Shining on the sea; Reflecting from the flying fishes Wishing she could be A little piece of sand that's blown Above the ocean's breeze, But all she has is thoughts of all those fingers peeling seeds, And leaving them to mold among The women watching weeds.
Sem-o-lina Loves the seashells. At the shore she Loves the seashells. Sem-o-lina Loves the seashells. At the shore she Loves the seashells.
Sem-o-lina Loves the seashells. At the shore she Loves the seashells. Sem-o-lina Loves the seashells. At the shore she Loves the seashells.
Sem-o-lina, Sem-o-lina Sem-o-lina, Sem-o-lina Sem-o-lina, Sem-o-lina Sem-o-lina[2]
List of releases[]
- Duck Stab / Buster & Glen (1978) [Version 1]
- Please Do Not Steal It! (1979) [Version 1]
- Live In The USA! 13th Anniversary Tour (1986) [Version 2]
- Liver Music (1990) [Version 3]
- 13th Anniversary Show - Live In Tokyo (1999) [Version 4]
- Ten Little Piggies (2009) [Version 5]
- Talking Light Live In Rehearsal, Santa Cruz, California (2010) [Version 6]
- Talking Light Bimbo's (2011) [Version 7]
- Talking Light: Bimbo's DVD (2011) [Version 7]
- D*ck S*ab - 35th Anniversary (2012) [Version 2] [Version 8]
- 80 Aching Orphans (2017) [Version 1]
- Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen pREServed CD edition (2018) [Version 1] [Version 2] [Version 7]
- Duck Stab Alive! (2021) [Version 9]
- Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen pREServed vinyl edition (2023) [Version 1]
- "Semolina (Live, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, January 14, 2023)" (2024) [Version 10]
List of versions[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Grove Street studio recording, August 1978 (2:50)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 13th Anniversary Show live recording, The First Avenue Club, Minneapolis, Minnesota, February 10th 1986 (3:53)
- ↑ The Eyeball Show live recording, Parco Space, Tokyo, Japan, October 30th 1985 (medley with "Lizard Lady", 6:08)
- ↑ The Eyeball Show live recording, Parco Space, Tokyo, Japan, October 30th 1985 (3:56)
- ↑ D*ck S*ab studio recording, 2009 (3:43)
- ↑ Talking Light live studio recording, Santa Cruz, California, January 20th 2010 (3:43)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Talking Light live recording, Bimbo's, San Francisco, California, April 16th 2011 (3:47)
- ↑ D*ck S*ab studio recording, 2012 (4:26)
- ↑ Talking Light live recording, Bimbo's, San Francisco, California, April 16th 2011 (3:47)
- ↑ 50th Anniversary secret show live recording, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, January 14th 2023 (4:04)
External links and references[]
- Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen at The Residents Historical
- Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen at RZWeb (archived via archive.org)
- ↑ Nibbles liner notes, 1979
- ↑ Ima Buddy, Ima Buddy's Totally Impartial Companion to Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated BIG MAMAS, 1992
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Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen (1978) Side A: Duck Stab! |