"Shorty's Lament (Intermission)" is a song by The Residents, first heard by fans as pre-recorded intermission music during the group's Mole Show live tour (beginning in 1982), and then released on the EP Intermission: Extraneous Music From The Residents' Mole Show on Ralph Records on October 10h 1982.
The song (which subtly references the impending near-dissolution of Ralph and its management company The Cryptic Corporation) was later included as part of a medley of songs performed on the group's Wonder of Weird live tour in 2013.
History[]
Background[]
When Ralph Records was formed in 1972, its owners could hardly imagine that The Residents would, in just a few years' time, become one of the most popular underground acts of their day. Nor could they imagine that by 1980, the label would be successful enough to finance a number of additional acts, such as Tuxedomoon, MX-80 Sound and Yello, while also promoting and distributing independent acts like Renaldo & the Loaf and Fred Frith.
While Ralph received critical praise for supporting such groups, it was quickly proving infeasible to continue supporting them financially them. So in 1982, the label had no choice but to abandon these acts, aside from the self-financed few. To recoup some of the money they had lost, The Cryptic Corporation decided that it was essential for The Residents, their most successful act, to make money through live performances.
The Residents eventually decided to create The Mole Show, an elaborate touring adaptation of their Mole Trilogy of albums (then consisting of the first two parts, Mark of the Mole and The Tunes of Two Cities). However, this did not stop the gradual dissolution of the Cryptic/Ralph partnership, as Ralph's managing director Jay Clem resigned from the Corporation in July 1982.
The Residents adapted Mark of the Mole's two part structure for The Mole Show, presenting two acts separated by an intermission, during which new, pre-recorded music would be played. A prelude and "recessional" were also composed, with the resulting five tracks being released as the EP Intermission. After the apparent success of a Mole Show test performance in April, Cryptic organized a five-date tour of California for October 1982.
Composition[]
The first of the three "intermission" songs, "Shorty's Lament" expands on the narrative of the 1981 album Mark of the Mole, the first in The Residents' epic - and unfinished - Mole Trilogy. In the context of The Mole Trilogy, the song takes place immediately following the events portrayed during the first side of that album, and draws narrative parallels between the Moles' chaotic journey across the sea and the financial disaster which befell Ralph Records and The Cryptic Corporation during the creation of The Mole Show.
It introduces the characters Shorty, Willie/Bill and Jay. Two of these names had previously been used for fictional characters appearing in The Residents' abandoned feature film Vileness Fats; Uncle Willie was the enigmatic nightclub owner portrayed by Hardy Fox, who leads Arf and Omega to their deadly confrontation; and "Shorty" is an unwanted nickname the twins gave to the film's protagonist Steve, portrayed by Jay Clem. "Shorty" was also later used as the name of a puppet in the Cube-E live show from 1989 to 1990.
The lyrics also appear to directly reference Cryptic's internal issues; "Jay" likely refers specifically to the recently departed Clem, with the lyrics hinting at his impending departure from Cryptic and Ralph. The song ends with the lyrics "Is anybody, is anybody driving? Is anybody driving at all?", suggesting a lack of direction.
The song features prominent backing vocals from guests Annie Stocking, Jeanette Sartain and Joan Cashel; the backing vocals were arranged by the group's friend Joshua Raoul Brody (credited as Raoul N.D. Seimbôte for the Intermission EP).
Legacy[]
"Shorty's Lament" was later included on the 1986 compilation Hell!.
"The Moles Are Coming" (also from the Intermission EP) has twice been listed incorrectly under the title "Shorty's Lament"; on the 1995 promotional compilation Louisiana's Lick, and on the Klanggalerie CD release of Randy Rose's one-off Moravian Meeting with Czech band Už Jsme Doma.
Later versions[]
For The Residents' 2013 40th anniversary tour The Wonder of Weird (which was also the 30th anniversary of The Mole Show), the group performed an abridged version of "Shorty's Lament" as part of a medley of songs from Intermission. This version also musically quotes "Constantinople".
Two demo versions of an alternative arrangement of "Shorty's Lament", recorded in 2012, were later included on the WOW Demos compilations in 2021. The second demo (with an alternate outro) had been released for Halloween 2015, credited to Residents off-shoot project Black Tar and the Cry Babies, as part of the EP Season of the Witch; this version was also featured on Black Tar's self-titled compilation on Klanggalerie in 2019.
Lyrics[]
Original release (1982)[]
Once, there was a Willie and he could see That there was a Shorty, and he could see He could... he could see that Shorty Wouldn't always be short, so he said, "Protect yourself, Shorty, protect yourself!"
Once the fever finds your soul Something else will take control Something dark and from a bowl Something says to me...
But it can be indiscreet And you tend to overeat For the taste is soft and sweet Something says to me...
What can you do when something falls? Walls close from somewhere, close from nowhere, like eyes. Can't... can't think clearly, I can't think, But I can't think clearly.
Believe maybe you can... maybe you can help me, Bill. And... Willie? Willie, can you... doggone it, can you, Bill? Can you, Will? Maybe Jay? No, no, he's... bye, Jay, bye!
I've got this light behind my... my eyes And, believe me, it tells me what... what to do, But I doubt it: it says that if you can't win Then there's no way you can lose; And... if nature hates both a vacuum then the vacuum cleaner too. And then it... then it laughs. I don't know what this means. I don't... what can I do? I don't know.
Love is, love is, love is, ahhhh... Love is, love is, love is, ahhhh... Love is, love is, love is, ahhhh... Love is, love is, love is, ahhhh...
Love is EXPECTATION! Love is EXPLANATION! Love is EXPLOITATION! Ahhh... Somebody's getting somebody happy...
Love is COMPLICATION! Love is CONSUMMATION! Love is CONCENTRATION! Ahhh... Oh... goddamn it, I can't...
Love is CONJUGATION! Love is INSULATION! Love is STIMULATION! Ahhh... It's always "have a good weekend"...
Love is RUINATION! Love is ACCUSATION! Love is NAVIGATION! Ahhh...
Is anybody, is anybody driving? Someone's gotta be, somebody driving? I can't drive, I'm not... is anybody driving? Somebody must be driving. Is anybody, is anybody driving? Is anybody driving at all?[1]
The Wonder of Weird version (2013)[]
Once the fever finds your soul Something else will take control Something dark and from a hole Something says to me...
Credits[]
- Written and Performed by: The Residents
- Guest Vocals by: Annie Stocking, Jeanette Sartain and Joan Cashel
- Guest Vocals Arranged by: Raoul N.D. Seimbôte
List of releases[]
- Intermission: Extraneous Music From The Residents' Mole Show EP (1982) [Version 1]
- Hell! (1986) [Version 1]
- Mark of the Mole Torso/ESD CD reissue (1988) [Version 1]
- In Memoriam Torso (1994) [Version 1]
- Mark of the Mole / Intermission Mute CD reissue (2005) [Version 1]
- Heaven? / Hell! CD reissue (2012) [Version 1]
- The Wonder of Weird (2014) [Version 2]
- Marching To The See: The Wonder of Weird Tour (2014) [Version 2]
- Season of the Witch EP by Black Tar and the Cry Babies (2015) [Version 3]
- Mole Box: The Complete Mole Trilogy pREServed (2019) [Version 1]
- Black Tar and the Cry Babies by Black Tar and the Cry Babies (2019) [Version 3]
- WOW Demos 1 (2021) [Version 4]
- WOW Demos 2 (2021) [Version 5]
List of versions[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Grove Street studio recording, July - September 1982 (6:43)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Wonder of Weird live recording, Muziekgebouw Aan Het IJ, Amsterdam, Netherlands, May 20th 2013 (part of "Marching To The Sea" / Intermission", 1:09)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Wonder of Weird studio demo recording, 2012 (version #2 with alternate outro, as part of "SW", 4:34)
- ↑ The Wonder of Weird studio demo recording, 2012 (version #1, 4:38)
- ↑ The Wonder of Weird studio demo recording, 2012 (version #2, 4:42)
See also[]
Buy Or Die![]
Listen online[]
- "Shorty's Lament" on Spotify
- "Shorty's Lament" on Apple Music
- "Shorty's Lament" (pREServed remaster) on Spotify
External links and references[]
- ↑ Mark of the Mole + Intermission Mute CD reissue liner notes, 2005
