Respectable Street

"Respectable Street"
"Respectable Street"
Single by XTC
from the album Black Sea
Released	March 1981
Recorded	1980
Studio	Townhouse Studios, London
Genre	Post-punk; pop;
Length	3:37 (album version); 3:07 (single version);
Label	Virgin
Songwriter	Andy Partridge
Producer	Steve Lillywhite
XTC singles chronology

"Respectable Street" is a song written by Andy Partridge of XTC, released as the opening track on their 1980 album Black Sea. According to Partridge, the song is about English streets^[3] and "the hypocrisy of living in a so-called respectable neighborhood. It's all talk behind twitching curtains. It's all Alan Bennett land."^[4] In another interview Partridge reveals that Respectable Street was based on a real street Bowood Road in Swindon, which was diagonally opposite the flat above a shop on Kingshill Road where he was living at the time he wrote it.^[5] Discounting the Canada-only "Love at First Sight", it was the fourth and last single issued from the LP. BBC Radio banned the song because of its references to abortion and a "Sony Entertainment Centre".^[6]

Legacy

Music journalist John Harris highlighted "Respectable Street" as "one of the most evocative items in Partridge's oeuvre."^[3] In 1996, critic Jack Rabid praised its "sardonic crack" and wrote "am I the only one who's noticed that super-fans Blur have ripped this song off three times already???!!!!"^[7]

In 1982, it was the only song XTC performed at a televised gig simulcast in Paris, which became one of the last live performances of their career. Partridge experienced a panic attack mid-performance and walked off the stage.^[4]

It is the first XTC recording in which Dave Gregory contributed his keyboard playing.^[8]

Personnel

XTC

Variations

Original album version - Black Sea (1980)
Single remix (1981) - Rag and Bone Buffet: Rare Cuts and Leftovers
Live versions
- BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert (1982, recorded November 1980)
- Urgh! A Music War (1981)
Home demo, live studio demo, and instrumental versions released on 2017 expanded edition of Black Sea

References

^ Schabe, Patrick (27 October 2006). "The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul". PopMatters. 1980's Black Sea sold well on the album charts on the strength of its solid post-punk tracks, including "Respectable Street", "Towers of London", and "Generals and Majors".
^ Segretto, Mike (2022). "1982". 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute - A Critical Trip Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999. Backbeat. pp. 414–415. ISBN 9781493064601.
^ ^a ^b Harris, John (2 April 2010). "The sound of the suburbs and literary tradition". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
^ ^a ^b Farmer, Neville (1998). XTC: Song Stories: The Exclusive Authorized Story Behind the Music. London: Helter Skelter Publishing. pp. 94, 134. ISBN 190092403X.
^ Partridge, Andy (2016). Complicated game : inside the songs of XTC. Todd Bernhardt (1st ed.). London. p. 110. ISBN 978-1-908279-78-1. OCLC 900032028.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ Bernhardt, Todd; Partridge, Andy (26 February 2007). "Andy discusses 'Respectable Street'". Chalkhills.
^ Rapid, Jack (July 1997). "Upsy Daisy Assortment". The Gallery of Sound Stereo-Type.
^ Dave (9 March 2008). "Interview of Dave Gregory". Rundgren Radio (Audio). Retrieved 14 January 2008.

External links

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[Sailed2006-1] Schabe, Patrick (27 October 2006). "The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul". PopMatters. 1980's Black Sea sold well on the album charts on the strength of its solid post-punk tracks, including "Respectable Street", "Towers of London", and "Generals and Majors".

[Segretto_2022-2] Segretto, Mike (2022). "1982". 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute - A Critical Trip Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999. Backbeat. pp. 414–415. ISBN 9781493064601.

[Harris2010-3] Harris, John (2 April 2010). "The sound of the suburbs and literary tradition". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 November 2018.

[Farmer-4] Farmer, Neville (1998). XTC: Song Stories: The Exclusive Authorized Story Behind the Music. London: Helter Skelter Publishing. pp. 94, 134. ISBN 190092403X.

[5] Partridge, Andy (2016). Complicated game : inside the songs of XTC. Todd Bernhardt (1st ed.). London. p. 110. ISBN 978-1-908279-78-1. OCLC 900032028.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[CHRes-6] Bernhardt, Todd; Partridge, Andy (26 February 2007). "Andy discusses 'Respectable Street'". Chalkhills.

[7] Rapid, Jack (July 1997). "Upsy Daisy Assortment". The Gallery of Sound Stereo-Type.

[RundgrenRadio-Gregory-8] Dave (9 March 2008). "Interview of Dave Gregory". Rundgren Radio (Audio). Retrieved 14 January 2008.

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v t e XTC
Andy Partridge Colin Moulding Terry Chambers Barry Andrews Dave Gregory
Studio albums	White Music Go 2 Drums and Wires Black Sea English Settlement Mummer The Big Express 25 O'Clock Skylarking Psonic Psunspot Oranges & Lemons Nonsuch Apple Venus Volume 1 Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2)
Compilations	Waxworks: Some Singles 1977–1982 Beeswax: Some B-Sides 1977–1982 The Compact XTC Chips from the Chocolate Fireball Explode Together: The Dub Experiments 78-80 Rag and Bone Buffet: Rare Cuts and Leftovers Drums and Wireless: BBC Radio Sessions 77–89 Fossil Fuel: The XTC Singles 1977–92 Upsy Daisy Assortment Transistor Blast: The Best of the BBC Sessions Coat of Many Cupboards Apple Box Psurroundabout Ride
Other albums	3D EP Homespun Homegrown Waspstrumental
Singles	"Statue of Liberty" "This Is Pop?" "Life Begins at the Hop" "Making Plans for Nigel" "Generals and Majors" "Towers of London" "Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)" "Respectable Street" "Senses Working Overtime" "Ball and Chain" "Wonderland" "Love on a Farmboy's Wages" "Thanks for Christmas" "All You Pretty Girls" "This World Over" "Wake Up" "Grass" "The Meeting Place" "Dear God" "Mayor of Simpleton" "King for a Day" "The Disappointed" "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" "Easter Theatre"
Other songs	"Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her" "Garden of Earthly Delights" "Wrapped in Grey"
Related media	A Testimonial Dinner: The Songs of XTC Fuzzy Warbles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Great Aspirations The Greatest Living Englishman Take Away / The Lure of Salvage Through the Hill XTC: This Is Pop Planet England
Other topics	Discography The Dukes of Stratosphear Ian Reid Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her (band)

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