Happy Families

[jsd%UMASS.BITNET@MITVMA.MIT.EDU (Jonathan S. Drukman)]

Being away from my funky editor, I can't include John M. Relph's
comments on "Happy Families" verbatim, but the basic gist is that it's
a less than fan-fucking-tastic tune, and the fact that it appeared on
the fan club demo tape ("Jules Verne's Sketchbook") somehow makes it a
throwaway tune.  Wrong Wrong Wrong!  The demo tape was put together by
Andy Partridge personally and includes cover art and liner notes by
him.  The liner notes (I think) specify "Happy Families" as a song
that was rejected by Todd Rundgren for Skylarking.  As you may recall,
XTC submitted some 55 songs to Rundgren and he picked the 14 or so
that he thought fit in with his concept.  Andy spent as much time and
effort on "Happy Families" as any other song there.  Don't get me
wrong - I don't particularly think it's mind bogglingly unbelievable,
but I don't want the impression that it's a throwaway swimming around
either...

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Jon Drukman                        BITNET: jsd@umass
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"It is this that brings us together"