2002
US CD Cacciocavallo CAD14 (different cover)
PL CD Big Blue SPVL-0102 (different cover)

1. MMMMMMMMMMMM…
2. Geisha Mermaid
3. The Heretic
4. Jungle
5. The Lovers (Part 1)
6. Silverture
7. Flowers For The Silverman
8. The Lovers (Part 2)
9. Curious Guy – [MP3]
10. Premonition 16 – [MP3]

***

05 June 2012
NL Remastered MP3 self-released on Bandcamp

1. MMMMMMMMMMMM… / Geisha Mermaid / The Heretic / Jungle*
2. The Lovers (Part 1)
3. Silverture / Flowers For The Silverman
4. The Lovers (Part 2)
5. Curious Guy – [MP3]
6. Premonition 16 – [MP3]

* These 4 pieces constituted side “Live” of the original release of the album back in 1985.As all tracks are linked, a single code covers all.

---

Credits

• The Silverman – keyboards
• Edward Ka-Spel – voice, keyboards
• Stret Majest – guitar
• Roland Calloway – bass guitar
• Patrick Q Paganini – violin, piano
• Lady Sunshine – lady voice

---

Notes

Engineered by Gert de Bruyn, assisted by Bauke van de Zandt
Tracks 1-4 recorded live at De Melkweg, Amsterdam, 9 September 1984.
Tracks 5-8 recorded for VPRO Radio at Vara Studios, Hilversum, 1984.
Ding Dong edition was limited to 2000 copies.

SECOND BIRTH. SING WHILE YOU MAY. LAZHMELIH

from Bandcamp:
1984. A time of high drama in The Pink Dots. VPRO Radio invited the band to create a side of this album in a top studio in Hilversum, The Netherlands while the live side was captured by a state-of-the-art multi-track recorder at The Melkweg in Amsterdam. At the end of the year, EK relocated to The Netherlands to spend as much time with Marylou as he could.

A perfect scenario? Alas, no……A falling out with the Ding Dong label saw “The Lovers” released initially without the band’s permission. EK fled from the label’s hq in Arnhem to spend a few months on a friend’s floor in Amsterdam. For a while chaos reigned supreme, and the album that followed (“Asylum”) represented a complete departure from the glossy production that can be heard here.

---

Lyrics

MMMmmmm……

Pig sucked on a cigarette and mucked the stable. Draped a cable `round the farmers neck and pulled and called the vet who galloped `round. Pronounced him dead. They laid the table. Turned the spit and baby kitten chewed a finger, lingered on a leg and licked his paws. It’s neat to be a carnivor!

Passed the plate with farmer’s head on. Sheepy shook a fist and said he looked like John the Baptist. Piggy did the twist said `Try me – I’m salami’. Threw the garlic salt and waltzed across the floor. They stuck their forks in. They ate him raw. It’s neat to be a carnivor!

Geisha Mermaid

He really liked her blind. He’d sneak up from behind and run his finger down her spine – say `it’s fine’ though headlines shouted FINAL! Pigs would fly, cities turned to powder shrines….. He’d keep her dark brown eyes in brine and she’d be happy – swimming under water. Safe! Looking for some seaweed she could bake and make a meal for two. A Tokyo stew. And though he knew she’d never do it – he never told her. He’d never ever tell her….

The Heretic

Excommunicate the heretic! Chain up, crucify the lunatic, the fanatic. We’ve got the nails, we’ve got the matches – light the sky for hours! Got the power, the desire and we’re looking for a thrill. Kill! Don’t know what you did but I don’t like it. Something about your eyes says you just don’t fit. A parasitic devil – stick out like a weevil in a woodpile. Vile, vile….. Violation! DEVIATION!

Jungle

Parcels for the kids, the parcel bombs were left in bins… They were singing hymns and rattling tins. A hand stretched out and caught him, knocked him through a window. And they were fingering his coat, looking for the price tag. Took his fags. Shook his wallet. Stripped him of his shoes. Left him naked – like a mannequin that’s bleeding. A weeping doll without a string to pull. A shop assistant hauled him to the dump with all the others. Struck a match and up they went! Only brave men make it in the jungle!

The Lovers (part one)

Airport torture. Patience! Wait! The tannoy shouts you’ve just arrived and fingers tap and eyes are strained – they wander through the queue for recognition. Soon we’ll be together – sharing secrets. Share a scarf…… and share a little heaven. Again. …

Kisses over breakfast. Touching souls and swapping wishes. The coffee’s cold – you washed the dishes – shared a cigarette and time to go. We took the train – still clutching. We smiled as others looked away….then looked again…

Hands across the table – tasting tears and linking fingers. Case is packed but we’ll still linger `til our time is up. Soon we’ll just be swapping letters, crying down the telephone. We’ll wish away the seconds `til the story starts again……………

Flowers for the Silver Man

[Children say: En ik zat op mijn raket… Roetsjjj! Roughly translated: And I sat on my rocket… Woosh!]

Capsule was diving, the temperature rising. Was hardly surprising his tears turned to steam in the blink of an eye. Just the hint of a cry. Baby knew he was dying – he knew he had failed. And the mountainside opened – a moment to pray for all the souls he’d come to save. Now he couldn’t save himself. That’s the way the world goes round. It spins so fast. It made him giddy – sucking all the power from the Silver Man.

Clouds formed a halo, the sky turned to day-glo in red and in yellow. The smoke spread for miles. They stood back and waited then moved armour plated – a night and a day cutting Silver Man free! But guns were sheathed, he’d long stopped breathing. They carried him away. (No-one saw the priest scamper through the darkness, clutching at a package, wading through the wreckage. Scatter. Scattered flowers for the Silver Man.)

Scientists raised hell and smashed all their razors. Tried chainsaws, tried lasers – could not leave a mark! Then sweat on the hotlines, `If Silver Man’s hostile, point all of your missiles up in the sky!’ And eyes watched for armies on lonely horizons and down in crowded cities….. A multi-coloured, multi lingual vigil through the day and through the night. Suffer. Suffered hours for the silver men! Down in the garden, hands clutching a garland, the Silver Man’s solemn but he’s trying to smile. Aware of his failure, the world still in danger…..He takes comfort from angels. They tell him `You tried! ` But Silver Man knows there’s no hope anymore. The sky is getting darker, it promises a shower. Showers for the Silver Man! Promnezh Nivarrh!

The Lovers (part two)

Cracks appear and cobwebs creep and dust rests on the shoulders. Mirrors lie and photographs lie back and laugh. And it only takes a push and China Doll will fall apart. But it only takes a touch and China Doll will start to dance…to hope…to feel….to love. Dance,China Doll!