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Victoria
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Original UK release
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First released 11 January 1988 on Beggars Banquet 7": Beg206; 12": Beg206T (released 18 January 1988); 7" box: Beg206B; and cassette: Beg206C
01. Victoria
(Davies)
2:40
It was bad, called obscene
And the rich were so mean
Stately homes for the Lords
Golden lawns, village green
Victoria was my queen
Victoria, Victoria, Victoria
I was born, lucky me
In the land that I love
Though I'm poor, I am free
When I go I shall fight
For this land I willl die
Let her sun never set on
Victoria, Victoria, Victoria
Canada to India
Australia to Cornwall
Singapore to Hong Kong
From the West to the East
From the rich to the poor
Victoria loved them all
Victoria, Victoria, Victoria
02. Tuff Life Booogie
(Smith, ME/Smith, B/Hanley, S)
2:42
You let me down again
And then your goth, slag brain says
Tuff life yeah baby! X8
All you ever say
Is round revival boogie
It's a revival boogie
It's a
It's a small flat baby
Tuff life yeah baby!
Tuff life yeah baby!
All you ever need
Tuff life yeah baby! X4
With the balding man
You went to the Netherlands
And with a pernicious refrain
You return and say the same
Give it to me baby one more time X5
You forever say
Tuff life yeah baby!
Tuff life yeah baby!
03. Guest Informant
(Smith/Hanley, S/Scanlon)
5:51
Baghdad/Space Cog/Analyst
You'll never guess who informed
It was Craig and Steve
The stool pigeons, cha-cha-cha-cha...
Guest informant, guest informant
Guest informant, guest informant
I followed the colonel to the cheap hotel,
I tapped the beds
I wired the phones as well,
Colonel Boggs Maroley was his mantle
Had not counted on
I had not counted on
Guest Informant, guest informant
I've been split on, I've been touted on,
I had not counted on Guest Informant
In the burning scorch of another Sunday over
The miserable Scottish hotel,
Resembled a Genesis or Marillion, 1973 LP cover
All the hotel staff had been dismissed,
It was me, the Hoover, and the O. A. P.s
Asked: Could he turn killer?
Thought: could I kill him?
Pondered: Or is he itinerant?
But I guess he's just a cog analyst
Guest informant, guest informant
Baghdad/Space Cog/Analyst
I could not comprehend, I could not understand
Had not counted on, I had not counted all
Guest informant, guest informant
I've been split by a first-grade moron
And I had not counted on, I had not counted on
Guest informant, guest informant
Guest informant, guest informant
I've been let down, by a first-grade moron
And I could not comprehend
Had not counted on
Guest informant, guest informant
04. Twister
(Smith, ME/Smith, B)
5:08
The magnificent structure straddled the river
As I dictated my autobiography to my biographer
When I heard this tune
My title was "Renegade Genius"
But was interrupted much too soon
Was interrupted much too soon
I received this line
Twister
From me in Hampstead he received a letter
I headed it "Dear Twister"
Up from West Hampstead I visited Keswick
On permission from the guard
I begun like this but could not continue it
When I heard this tune
(It begun like this but could not continue it)
My ears were burned
By this tune
My head swooned
By this tune
Twister
The train from London on day of lunacy
Was packed with innocents
Children tended by walkman'd parents
Cretins auditioning
For non-existent parts on TV One
The train was a tube
Within the crushing beauty of the countryside
On the London-Keswick run
Twister
([MES in background:
My head burned...burned...da da da da..my ears burned..
countryside has sold out..countryside...cheap phone calls home...
accent all around..cheap phone calls...ramble..grinning...
normally..rambled...in my ear hole...was day of lunacy..some things
like...explosives..of pages turned..shadows..massive fucking noises...
pop stars.. heh heh hackles...try mystic meg..twister...rustic town...
twister)
Twister
(7" side 1: track 1; side 2: track 2)
(12" side 1: tracks 1,3; side 2: tracks 2,4)
(Cassette sides 1 & 2: tracks 1-4)
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Credits
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Mark E Smith - vocals
Brix Smith - guitar, keyboards, vocals
Craig Scanlon - guitar
Steve Hanley - bass
Marcia Schofield - keyboards
Simon Wolstencroft - drums
Produced by: Simon Rogers (tracks 1-2 & 4); Dian Barton (track 3)
Cover artwork: Suzanne Smith and Arabella Ashley
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Recording info & notes
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Recorded at Abbey Road, London; Brixton and Manchester late 1987.
Victoria is a Kinks cover. The 7" box was a limited numbered edition and came with a badge and 2 lyric sheets. Booogie was spelt with an extra "o".
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Overseas releases
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Released in Germany on SPV/Rebel 7": 01-1423 with Hit The North (part 1) on side 2.
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