"The Festival of Death" is the final track on The Residents' 1979 ambient "cultural documentary" album Eskimo. According to the album's liner notes, the titular festival is held by the album's fictional Polar Eskimo people at the end of the six-month Eskimo night.
"The Festival of Death" appears to be a favorite of The Residents; as well as being the only track from Eskimo to have been performed live (during the group's 13th Anniversary tour in 1986), edited versions are featured on several compilations, such as Ralph Before '84, Memorial Hits, Heaven?, Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated Guide To The Residents and Twenty-Five Years of Eyeball Excellence.
The track's melody is prominently featured in The Residents' 1980 "disco" reimagining "Diskomo".
History[]
A four minute edit of the track was released on the compilations Buy Or Die 1980, Ralph Before '84 and Twenty-Five Years Of Eyeball Excellence, and a shorter three minute edit appeared on Best Of Ralph and Heaven?.
Liner notes[]
Perhaps no holiday is more important to the Eskimo than the Death Festival. More than a tribute to the dead, this festival marks the beginning of the yearly cycle by being held at the end of the six month Eskimo night.
Something moved in the dark. A face as tall as a man -- a big, round, evil face wandered at random. More faces and the realization: the dead walk the snow. Whistling and chanting, "We have stolen the sun and you will have to live in darkness".
But the women of the tribe, who were hiding in their igloos, then rushed out shrieking and beating their chests, proclaiming their right as the source of life. The dead spirits were frightened by the women and fled into the darkness.
As the Eskimo band picked up their song, the women gathered in a circle, symbolizing nature's golden orb, and sang a hymn asking the dead to return the sun to the mothers of the snow.
The men, having removed their "dead spirit" masks, joined the women in festive songs and hand-clapping games until, at last, the first rays of sunlight of the Eskimo year began to appear over the horizon, signalling the end of six months of winter darkness. Gratefully, the dead had released their hold once more.
Lyrics[]
The below derives from a "possible phonetic Anglicization" of the Polar Eskimo chants heard on this track, transcribed by noted Residents collector and fan Ima Buddy and featured in the 1992 document Ima Buddy's Totally Impartial Companion to Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated BIG MAMAS.
Tribe: Torn a tick, torn gang Gang green go Soak a sock, tick tock Soak a sock, tick tock Soak a sock, tick tock Sick sock so.
Oooo! Aaaa!
Kokomo on King's Highway An' one in Bos Sha too. Right next door to pak-a-sak And wag-a-bag there too.
You deserve a break today You deserve a break today You deserve a break today You deserve a break today You deserve a break today ???? McDonald's! ????
Please don't squeeze the Charmin Says Mr. Whipple.
We are driven. You asked for it you got it, Toyota.
Coca-Cola adds life Coca-Cola adds life Coca-Cola adds life Coca-Cola adds life Coca-Cola adds life Coca-Cola adds life Coca-Cola adds life Coca-Cola adds life We want Coke, oh yeah!
Angakok: Is a right tall rat Right here now. Can a cap fall up Can a cap fall up Still slang quartets Chat church key.[1]
List of releases[]
- Eskimo (1979)
- Assorted Secrets (1984) (Rehearsal Version)
- Ralph Before '84 (1984) (Excerpt)
- Memorial Hits (1985) (Excerpt)
- Heaven? (1986) (Excerpt)
- Live In The USA! 13th Anniversary Tour (1986) (Live Version)
- Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated Guide To The Residents (1993) (Excerpt)
- Twenty-Five Years Of Eyeball Excellence (1998) (Excerpt)
- Eskimo DVD (2002)
External links and references[]
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Eskimo (1979) Side A: |