Atom Age

(Partridge)

White Music

Recordings XTCfans interview with Andy Partridge Art Lyrics Chords and Tablature

Recordings

This song is also known as "Into The Atom Age".

1. Album version, 2'32.
   Released on White Music.

2. BBC version (Peel Session), 2'27.
   Recorded 21 September 1977 at BBC Studio Maida Vale 4.
   Produced by Malcolm Brown. Engineered by Dave Dade.
   First broadcast 26 September 1977 on the John Peel Show, BBC Radio 1.
   Released on 5 October 1994 on Drums and Wireless in the U.K.
   Also available on Transistor Blast.
   Andy Partridge - vocals and guitar
   Colin Moulding - vocals and bass guitar
   Barry Andrews - keyboards
   Terry Chambers - drums

   Andy: “I intended for this to sound very fast and futuristic, and for some reason everyone says it sounds like Rush.”

3. "Atom Medley" live version.
   Medley with "Hang On To The Night" and "Neon Shuffle".
   Recorded live 20 July 1979 at the Marconi Club, Sydney, for JJJ radio, Australia.
   Engineered by Keith Walker.
   Released on 25 March 2002 on Coat of Many Cupboards.
   Andy Partridge - Guitar, Keyboard and Vocals
   Colin Moulding - Bass and Vocals
   Dave Gregory - Guitar, Keyboards and Vocals
   Terry Chambers - Drums

   Andy: “The stunned Aussies made enough noise to warrant an encore so they got a selection of old toss from the White Music album. The enigmatic statement by Colin, at the start, ‘Get these fans down, they're ruining my hairdo’ has, alas, nothing to do with generous breasted girl admirers spilling onto the stage. Merely the fact that the industrial size cooling fans we'd brought to keep down the stage temperature, were making him look like every member of Split Enz simultaneously.

   “We trooped back on stage in the dark, the lights had failed. But gave it our all, and carried on giving it our all despite the power to the amps momentarily giving out (at 2.25). Prompting the tetchy remark ‘get the fucking shillings going!’ Terry, bless him, kept on hammering.”

[Thanks to R. Stevie Moore]

Art

artwork for XTC: Peel Sessions from Mondo de Muebles

Lyrics

I'm heading into the atom age
My contemporary house is all the rage
My wife's getting lazy going gadget crazy
Wants a pallette shaped coffee table and a matching settee
I'm heading into the atom age
My kids have gone obscene want to marry at fourteen
Want a pallette shaped coffee table and a matching settee

I'm heading into the atom age
I flick on the video to soothe me
It's better colour than the real thing!
I relax to a three D porno movie
Hey does anyone remember whatever happened to string?
I'm heading into the atom age

© 1978 Virgin Music (Publishers) Ltd.

Chords and Tablature

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