(Partridge)
Respectable Street front cover |
Recordings XTCfans interview with Andy Partridge Art Annotated Lyrics Chords and Tablature |
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Andy: “Actually inspired by my neighbour who spends half her life banging on the wall should I so much as sneeze. Not knocking people who have ‘respectable’ ideals (I know I must have a few), more of a song of people with double or hypocritical values. You know the sort, blind drunk one night, church the next. Or the mother who urges her daughter to go out and have fun dear, isn't abortion wonderful. If their daughter got pregnant they would beat her senseless.”
Andy: “The BBC felt the lyrics on the song on Black Sea would upset people. They asked if I could rewrite it and, being a good boy, I did. Contraception became ‘child prevention’ and abortion became ‘absorption’. Still they wouldn't play it. Here's that old peoples, pre-chewed version.”
Andy: “The A&R man decided the BBC wouldn't play this with words like ‘abortion’ and ‘contraception’, so he took out all the words he didn't like. It wasn't a big hit, though, because the BBC still didn't play it. A couple of bands have covered it, and they always get the chords wrong. The second one's a seventh, formed from the E-string up. They always miss it.” Dave: “It's not really a guitarist's chord, that one.” Andy: “Nope, but it's a Partsy one.”
Andy: “The Hammersmith Palais mass choir sings the start of ‘Respectable Street’ for us. Boy do we take off fast on this version? My touring/cold shot voice comes out as a bastard son of Lemmy and Sammy the seal.”
A “caravan” is a small travel trailer or recreational vehicle, in this case one which never moves from the front garden (“front yard”, to you Yanks) of the neighbour's house.
Album version:
It's in the order of their hedgerows
it's in the way their curtains open and close
it's in the look they give you down their nose
all part of decency's jigsaw I suppose
Heard the neighbour slam his car door
don't he realise this is respectable street
What d'you think he bought that car for
'cos he realise this is respectable street
Now they talk about abortion
in cosmopolitan proportions to their daughters
as they speak of contraception
And immaculate receptions on their portable
Sony entertainment centres.
Now she speaks about diseases
and which sex position pleases best her old man
Avon lady fills the creases
when she manages to squeeze in past the caravans
that never move from their front gardens.
It's in the order of their hedgerows
it's in the way their curtains open and close
it's in the look they give you down their nose
all part of decency's jigsaw I suppose
Sunday church and they look fetching
Saturday night saw him retching over our fence
bang the wall for me to turn down
I can see them with their stern frown
as they dispense the kind of look that says
they're perfect.
© 1980 Virgin Music (Publishers) Ltd.
BBC Version:
Heard the neighbour slam his car door
don't he realise this is respectable street
What d'you think he bought that car for
'cos he realise this is respectable street
Now they talk about absorption
in cosmopolitan proportions to their daughters
as they speak of child prevention
And immaculate receptions on their portable
Sony entertainment centres.
Now she speak about diseases
and which proposition pleases best her old man
Avon lady fills the creases
when she manages to squeeze in past the caravans
that never move from their front gardens.
It's in the order of their hedgerows
it's in the way their curtains open and close
it's in the look they give you down their nose
all part of decency's jigsaw I suppose
Sunday church and they look fetching
Saturday night saw him stretching over our fence
bang the wall for me to turn down
I can see them with their stern frown
as they dispense the kind of look that says
they're perfect.
Date: Mon, 15 May 2023 18:15:38 +0100 From: Ilyes Kada <kadailyesm (at) gmail dot com> Subject: XTC guitar tab (Respectable Street) Message-ID: <CAOxvXVWO_eVhD-0e2ML3VeXFETb+wxpCdv+ZLkf0b85DqAB-og (at) mail dot gmail dot com>
Hello there! Chalkhills.org has been a huge help in learning a few XTC songs on guitar. I would like to give back to the community by sharing this guitar tab I've been working on for a few days. This tab of Respectable Street was transcribed by me based on the Steven Wilson instrumental mix.
I would really appreciate it if you were willing to share the attached files on your website so that people may learn this song. Thank you!
Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2018 10:02:11 -0400 From: Lee Neuman <leeneuman1 (at) gmail dot com> Subject: Respectable Street Message-ID: <CALVDvzwCrjV9DSPTZPHKmt6gRXjAY-mKN4=RY=DQ0XHudx1MxQ (at) mail dot gmail dot com> See attached tab. This is from 11 Different Animals/Dave Gregory. Ghord names and shapes are his. I'm working on a guitar arrangement for Rook. Respectable Street - Andy Partridge Chords: *************************************************************************** A B F Bb7 C#7b5 F# C#/F# F#/C# F#* F#maj9 E D#m C#m e 5 7 8 1 X 2 1 9 9 9 0 X 9 B 5 7 10 3 0 2 2 11 11 9 9 7 9 G 6 8 10 1 0 3 1 11 11 10 9 8 10 D 7 9 10 3 9 4 3 11 11 11 9 8 11 A 7 9 8 1 8 4 4 9 9 9 7 X 11 E 5 7 X X 9 2 2 9 X X X X 9 *************************************************************************** C G D/G G/D G* Gmaj9 C* D F Em Dm D7 e 3 3 2 10 10 10 8 10 8 X X X B 5 3 3 12 12 10 8 10 10 8 6 3 G 5 4 2 12 12 11 9 11 10 9 7 5 D 5 5 0 12 12 12 10 12 10 9 7 4 A C 5 X 10 10 10 10 12 8 X X 5 E X 3 3 10 X X 8 10 X X X X *************************************************************************** Intro: A / B / F / Bb7 / It's in the or - der of their hedge - ro - o - ows A / B / F / Bb7 / it's in the way their curt-ains o - pen and close______ A / B / F / Bb7 / it's in the look they give you down their nose_______ A / B / F / Bb7 / all part of de - cen- cy's jig saw I suppose_ A / / / _______________________________ B / C#7b5 / B / C#7b5 / B / C#7b5 / B / C#7b5 / B / C#7b5 / B / C#7b5 / B / C#7b5 / B / C#7b5 / Chorus: B / C#7b5 / B / C#7b5 / Heard the neighbour slam his car door don't he B / C#7b5 / F / C#7b5 / re-a-lize______ this is re - spec- ta -ble street B / C#7b5 / B / C#7b5 / What d'you think he bought that car for 'cause he B / C#7b5 / F / C#7b5 / re-a-lizes_____this is re - spec- ta -ble street Verse: F# / / / / / / / Now they talk a -bout a - bor - tion_______ F# / / / / / / / in cos -mo- po - li - tan pro -por - tions to their C#/F# / F# / / C#/F# / F# / / daugh - ters F#/C# / / / B / F#* / / as they speak of con -tra- cep - tion F#* / / / F#maj9 F#* F#maj9 F#* And im - mac - u - late re - cep - tions on their C# / / / F / F#* E D#m C#m por - ta- ble So - ny en - ter -tain ment cen -tres. Chorus: Verse 2: Now she speaks about diseases And which sex position pleases best her old man Avon lady fills the creases When she manages to squeeze in past the caravans That never move from their front gardens Chorus: Bridge: A / B / F / Bb7 / It's in the or - der of their hedge - ro - o - ows A / B / F / Bb7 / it's in the way their curt-ains o - pen and close______ A / B / F / Bb7 / it's in the look they give you down their nose_______ A / B / F / / G all part of de - cen- cy's jig saw I suppose_ C / / / / / / / _______________________________________________________________________ C / / / / / / / _______________________________________________________________________ Verse3: G / / / / / / / Sun- day church and they look fetching________ G / / / / / / / Sat- ur - day ni - ght, saw him ret - ching ov - er D/G / G / / D/G / G / / our fence G/D / / / C* / G* / / Bang the wall for me to turn down_______ G* / / / Gmaj9 G* Gmaj9 G* I can see them with their stern frown as D / G* / / F# / G* F Em Dm they dis-pense The kind of look that says they're per -fect Chorus: C / D7 / C / D7 / Heard the neighbour slam his car door don't he C / D7 / F / D7 / re-a-lize______ this is re - spec- ta -ble street C / D7 / C / D7 / What d'you think he bought that car for 'cause he C / D7 / F / D7 / re-a-lized____this is re - spec- ta -ble street He Outro: C / D7 / F / D7 / re-a-lized____this is re - spec- ta -ble street He C / D7 / F / D7 / re-a-lized____this is re - spec- ta -ble street He C / D7 / C / / / re-a-lized____this is re - spec- ta -ble street
Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2018 11:32:20 -0600 From: Austin Emerson Lucas Subject: XTC - Respectable Street Bass Tablature Revision 2 Message-ID: <20180201123221.7W00A.5183.root (at) pamxwww11-z01> John, I regret my first revision still had some errors in Respectable Street from 2:19 - 2:47. This should fix it. - Austin XTC - Respectable Street (Album Version) Bass Tab by Austin Emerson Lucas Disclaimer: I cannot accept full credit for this tab, I was using Ohaii Andy's cover for some reference; it's linked here although I don't think he got it 100% correct in that attempt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BiZyWmCVSg Also, this tab is, at best, an interpretation; I'm not certain I got it 100% correct myself! There may be some hammer-ons in place of slides or I may have missed hammer-ons altogether. However, I did go through the notes multiple times. * = Mute String / = Slide Up \ = Slide Down h = Hammer-On 0:00 - 0:38: No Bass It's in the order of their hedgerows, it's in the way their curtains open and close, it's in the look they give you down their nose; all part of decency's jigsaw, I suppose. Intro (not repeated) 0:38 (it doesn't last more than a second.) (no lyrics yet) G--------------- D--------------- A---11-*-10-*--- E-9-*--8-*------ In-Verse parts, 0:39 - 1:01 Heard the neighbour slam his car door, don't he realise this is respectable street? What d'you think he bought that car for? 'cos he realise this is respectable street. G-------7--*----------------------6/8-*-6-*--------------- D-----9-*-------------6--*------9-*--------9-*------6--*--- A---7-*---------7-h9-*--------7-*---------------7-9-*------ E-7-*---------7-*-----------7-*---------------7-*---------- (play thrice) 1:02 - 1:13 Now they talk about abortions in cosmopolitan proportions to their daughters G--------------------- D--------------------- A-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9--- E--------------------- (x6) 1:13 - 1:20 as they speak of contraception And immaculate receptions on their G----------------------------------------- D-11-11-11-11-*-------9-9-9-9-*----------- A-------------9-9-9-9-*-------9-9-9-9-*--- E----------------------------------------- (play twice) 1:20 - 1:24: portable Sony entertainment centres. G---------------------9-9-9-9-11-9-*--------- D-11-11-11-11-*--------------------12-11-*--- A-------------9-9-9-9-*---------------------- E-------------------------------------------- 1:24 - 1:39: Heard the neighbour slam his car door, don't he realise this is respectable street? What d'you think he bought that car for? 'cos he realise this is respectable street. G-------7--*---------------------6/8-*-6--*--------------- D-----9-*------------6--*------9-*--------9-*------6--*--- A---7-*--------7-9-*---------7-*---------------7-9-*------ E-7-*--------7-*-----------7-*---------------7-*---------- (play twice) 1:39 - 1:51: Now she speaks about diseases and which sex position pleases best her old man. G------------------- D------------------- A-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9- (x6) E------------------- 1:51 - 2:01 Avon lady fills the creases when she manages to squeeze in past the G----------------------------------------- D-11-11-11-11-*-------9-9-9-9-*----------- A-------------9-9-9-9-*-------9-9-9-9-*--- E----------------------------------------- (x2) 2:01 - 2:02 caravans that never move from their front gardens. G---------------------9-9-9-9-11-9-*--------- D-11-11-11-11-*--------------------12-11-*--- A-------------9-9-9-9------------------------ E-------------------------------------------- 2:03 - 2:17 Heard the neighbour slam his car door, don't he realise this is respectable street? What d'you think he bought that car for? 'cos he realise this is respectable street. G-------7--*---------------------6/8-*--6-*-------------- D-----9-*------------6--*------9-*--------9-*-----6--*--- A---7-*---------7-9-*--------7-*--------------7-9-*------ E-7-*---------7-*----------7-*--------------7-*---------- (x2) Interlude: 2:17 - 2:29 It's in the order of their hedgerows, it's in the way their curtains open and close, it's in the look they give you down their nose; G----------------------- D----------------------- A---7-*-9-*-11\9-*-9\--- E-5-*-7-*-9-*----7-*---- x3 2:29 - 2:33 all part of decency's jigsaw, I suppooo - G------------------------- D------------------11\--- A---7-*-9-*-11-*-9-*------ E-5-*-7-*-9-*------------ 2:33 - 2:47 - oose. G--------9-*----------------------7/9-*-7--*-------------- D-----10-*-----------7-*-------10-*--------10-*-------7--- A---8-*---------8-10-*-------8-*-----------------8-10-*--- E-8-*---------8-*---------8-*------------------8-*-------- (x2) 2:47 - 2:49 (Seems like nothing's played at this point or if there is anything, it's quiet.) 2:48 - 2:59 Sunday church and they look fetching Saturday night saw him retching over our fence G------------------------- D------------------------- A-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10- (x6) E------------------------- 2:59 - 3:07 bang the wall for me to turn down I can see them with their stern frown as they G-------------12-12-12-12-*-----------12-12-12-12--- D-12-12-12-12-*-----------10-10-10-10-*------------- A--------------------------------------------------- (x2) E--------------------------------------------------- 3:07 - 3:11 dispense the kind of look that says they're perfect! G-------------12-12-12-12-10-10-10-10-12-10-*--------- D-12-12-12-12-*-----------------------------13-12-*--- A----------------------------------------------------- E----------------------------------------------------- 3:11 - 3:24 Heard the neighbour slam his car door, don't he realise this is respectable street? What d'you think he bought that car for? 'cos he realise this is respectable street. G--------9-*----------------------7/9-*-7--*--------------- D-----10-*----------7-*--------10-*---------10-*-------7--- A---8-*--------8-10-*--------8-*------------------8-10-*--- E-8-*---------8-*----------8-*-------------------8-*------- (x2) 3:25 - 3:33 he realise this is respectable street, he realise this is respectable street, G--------7/9-*-7-*---------------- D-----10-*--------10-*--------7-*- A---8-*------------------8-10-*--- E-8-*------------------8-*-------- (x2) 3:33 - End he realise this is respectable street! G--------7/9-*-7-*------------------- D-----10----------10-*------8-10-*--- A---8--------------------10-*-------- E-8--------------------8-*----------- End. Cheers! - Austin Emerson Lucas
Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2017 17:29:08 +0100 From: Florian Decros <flodecros (at) gmail dot com> Subject: Bass tabs for Black Sea Message-ID: <CAPtZtiMEot5AHL_+cxMcr+04FpjkfeJhrP8+8hK7B15ycOk_KA (at) mail dot gmail dot com>
Hi !
Here's the bass tablatures for the 11 (great) songs from the classic "Black
Sea". A lot of repetitive bass lines, but also some tricky parts.
Sorry if there's any mistakes, and I hope you'll enjoy those basslines as
much as I do.
Cheers,
Florian.
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2015 14:40:00 -0000 From: XTC < (at) xtcfans> X-URL: https://twitter.com/xtcfans/status/634072549345898496 So many have asked,I just have to tell.The first 2 chords in RESPECTABLE STREET are ...the first is a B on the 7th fret.2nd chord is, in... ...ascending order these notes...Db.F,B.Open G.Gb.Open E. Get working out the rest,they are all straight forward. Strum on. [Editor: XTC < (at) xtcfans> is Andy Partridge]
Guitar & Bass (UK)
May 2005
Generally Major: Colin Moulding Workshop
by Gareth MorganEx. 4
IN THE ORDER OF THEIR HEDGEROWS
Most diehard XTC fans regard Black Sea as the classic album: it's chock-full of wonderful tunes, including four hit singles, yet it still retains a quirky edge and obviously represents the band reaching maturity.The opener, Respectable Street, is a Partridge tirade against upper-middle class suburban life, and Moulding comes up with a groove similar to the one above. Again, we've condensed a four-bar phrase into two by halving the note lengths, but what you get is the McCartney triadic approach coupled with Fraser's phrasing all bound up in Moulding's fat, rubbery tone.
Date: 22 Sep 98 07:25:03 +0000 From: Dan Pinder <dpinder (at) inreach dot com> Subject: Respectable Street bridge section Message-Id: <199809221413.HAA28810 (at) mail dot inreach dot com> The arpeggiated bridge section of Respectable Street sounds to me, like this, one note different from Ned's version: ||--------0-------------------------------|| ||-----------4--------------5--3----------|| ||------2------4----------4------3--------|| ||----2----------4------6----------3------|| ||--4--------------6--7--------------5----|| ||----------------------------------------|| The open E string makes it easier to sweep up and then down and you can relax your hand for a fleeting second whilst moving it into position. Daniel Pinder (dpinder (at) inreach dot com)
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 16:58:25 -0600 From: Kevin <miller6 (at) airmail dot net> Subject: Transcription of Respectable Street Message-ID: <34E22D11.557B755F (at) airmail dot net> Ummm I've always played Respectable Street's intro with: AM - BM - EM - F#dim and not AM - BM - EM - D+ I tried the D+ version and the B-Flat doesn't quite sound right. Just my two cents, and thanks for running this site! sbd (Kevin Rice)
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 1995 19:00:31 -0500 From: flat5 (at) nervm dot nerdc dot ufl dot edu Subject: RS chords To pick up the XTC/Police thread, how *synchronicity*-esque that AMANION (or should I say, 'I'm merely AMANION...') should ask for the chords to Respectable Street, after I claimed to be able to play it in the last post--spooky. Anyroad, the opening chords, in standard tuning, are B maj. and C#7(#9), which is voiced thus: Play a B maj. barre chord on the 7th penis--sorry, 7th FRET--then move the chord up a whole step to C#, but leave the B and E strings open and ringing at top (notes: C#, G#, C#, F, B, E). Magic! Two other useful chords for RS: E maj. and F# maj. Um, it just occurred to me that you might have wanted the 'old-timey' piano chords which truly open the song (and comprise the bridge)--these are them: A maj. B maj. E maj. D aug., but arpeggiated like this: c# d# e d a b b a# e f# g# f# c# d# e d (For Floridian Chalkhillians only) a little test to tell if you're playing it right is, the first half of this riff sounds like the 'Star Hustler' TV show theme by Debussy (though I believe old Claude had a slightly different name for the tune when he wrote it). Actual thanks for this bridge transcription belong to fellow ChalkVillian Mr. BKWright, who showed it to me years ago. Thanks, Keathe! Ned Davis, or Flat5 to you.
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