Radios in Motion

(Partridge)

Radios In Motion ... A History of XTC promo compilation

Recordings XTCfans interview with Andy Partridge Art Lyrics Chords and Tablature

Recordings

An early title for this song was "Volcano".

1. Album version, 2'52.
   Released on White Music.

   Andy: “We couldn't think of any better way to start off our first album than with the ‘kick the door in’, breezy opener we used in our live set. On stage we'd play a tape of radio static and fast band sweeping as we plugged in our instruments and got going, but by the time we came to record it for White Music we considered these sound effects a little too Be-Bop Deluxe, and dropped them from the mix. Of course, the lyrics are very silly, picked for their sonic effect rather than meaning. The first refuge of an inexperienced song writer, forgive me, but they do have a youthful scattergun energy. I've just remembered I used to sing the line ‘The songs are too slow’ impersonating a tape recorder slowing down or turning off. Why I didn't just ask John Leckie to do this for real I don't know. I think I was far too excited to be in a recording studio to think straight at all. In fact, too wound up to even remember to eat or shit.”

2. Live version.
   Recorded live 9 March 1978 at The Hippodrome, Golders Green, London, for Sight & Sound in Concert.
   Produced by Jeff Griffin for the BBC.
   Released on 16 November 1998 on Transistor Blast in the U.K.

3. BBC version (Peel Session).
   Recorded 20 June 1977 at BBC Studio Maida Vale 4.
   Produced by Malcolm Brown. Engineered by Dave Dade.
   First broadcast 24 June 1977 on “Top Gear with John Peel”, BBC Radio 1.
   Not released.
   Andy Partridge (guitar, vocal)
   Colin Moulding (bass, vocals)
   Barry Andrews (keyboards, saxophone)
   Terry Chambers (drums)

[Thanks to R. Stevie Moore]

Art

“Radios in Motion” live on The Old Grey Whistle Test, 1978

artwork for XTC: Peel Sessions from Mondo de Muebles

artwork for XTC: John Peel Session from Back In The Fire

Lyrics

There's a message up in China
That they getting in Japan
Bouncing off an ocean liner
Make em shake em in Siam
All the kids are complaining
That there's nowhere to go
All the kids are complaining
That the songs are too slow
All I'm saying is you're deaf
To the fact that there's....
Radios in motion
Atmosphere to ocean
Radios in motion
Gets you out of your red white and blues
When we move then so do you'se
There's a message in Milwaukee
That they getting in Moscow
Everybody walkie talkie
Everybody learning how
All the kids are complaining etc....

© 1978 Virgin Music (Publishers) Ltd.

Chords and Tablature

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