B'Sides Themselves

B'sides Themselves

Grendel
Charting the Single
Market Square Heroes
Three Boats Down from the Candy
Cinderella Search
Lady Nina
Freaks
Tux On
Margaret

Credits

Marillion are: Vocals - FISH, Guitars - STEVE ROTHERY, Bass - PETE TRAWAVAS, Keyboards - MARK KELLY, Drums - IAN MOSELY except where noted.

All tracks composed by Marillion. All tracks published by Marillion/Charisma Music Pub. Co. Ltd. This compilation made by EMI Records Ltd. Digitally remastered in 1988 by EMI records Ltd. Copyright EMI Records Ltd.

Grendel

This is one of the first songs Marillion ever published, the sixteen-minute monster Grendel. It tells about the monster in the celtic national epic Beowulf, but from Grendel's point of view. This number used to be the highlight of live performances "back then". Nowadays Marillion have cathegorically refused to play Grendel live, despite the eager wishes of freaks..

Midnight sun bids moors farewell, retreats from charging dusk
Mountains echo curfew's bell, signal ending tasks
They place their faith in oaken doors, cower in candlelight
The panic seeps through bloodstained floors as Grendel stalks the night

Earth-rim walker seeks his meals, prepare the funeral pyres
The shaper's songs no longer heal the fear within their eyes,
Their eyes, their eyes, their eyes, their eyes

Wooden figures, pagan gods stare blindly cross the sea
Appeal for help from ocean fogs, for saviors born of dreams
They know their lives are forfeit now, priestly heads they bow in shame
They cannot face the trembling crowd that flinch in Grendel's name

Earth-rim walker seeks his meals, prepare the funeral pyres
The shaper's songs no longer heal the fear within their eyes,

Their eyes, their eyes, their eyes, their eyes

As Grendel leaves his mossy home beneath the stagnant air
Along the forest path he roams to Hrothgar's hall so fair
He knows that victory is secured, his charm will testify
His claws will drip with mortal blood as moonbeams haunt the sky

As Grendel leaves his mossy home beneath the stagnant air
Along the forest path he roams to Hrothgar's house so fair
He knows that victory is secured, his charm will testify
His claws will drip with mortal blood as moonbeams haunt the sky

Earth-rim walker seeks his meals, prepare the funeral pyres
The shaper's songs no longer heal the fear within their eyes,
Within their eyes, within their eyes, within their eyes

Silken membranes, span his path, fingerprints in dew
Denizens of twilight lands, humbly beg him through
Mother Nature's bastard child, shunned by leaf and stream
An alien in an alien land seeks solace within dreams
The shaper's lies, his poison tongue maligned with mocking harp
Beguiling queen, her innocence offends his icy heart

Hounds freeze in silence, bewitched by the reptile's spell
Sulphurous essence pervades round the grassy dell
Hero awaits him like lamb to the butcher's knife
Stellular heavens ignore even children's cries
Screams are his music, lightning his guide
Raping the darkness, d- d- d- d- death by his side

Chants rise in terror, pray round the oaken beam
Flickering firelight portraying the grisly scene
Warriors advance, prepare for the nightmare foe
Futile the sacrifices even the hearts must know
Heroes' delusions with feet in the grave
Lurker at the threshold, he cares not for the brave, he cares not for the brave

So you thought that your bolts and your locks would keep me out
You should have known better after all this time
You're gonna pay in blood for all your viscious slander
With your ugly pale skins and your putrid blue eyes
Why should I feel pity when you kill your own and feel no shame?
God's on my side, sure as hell I'm gonna take no blame,
I'm gonna take no blame, I'm going to take no blame

So you say you believe in all of Mother Nature's laws
You lust for gold with your sharpened knives
Ooh, when your hordes are gathered and your enemies left to rot
You pray with your bloodstained hands at the feet of your pagan gods
And you try to place the killer's blade in my hands
You call for justice, distort the truth

Well I've had enough of all your pretty, pretty speeches
Recieve your punishment expose your throats to my righteous claws and let the blood flow,
let the blood flow, let the blood flow, let the blood flow, flow,
flow, flow, flow, flow, flow, flow, flow, let the blood flow,
let the blood flow, let the blood flow, let the blood flow,
let the blood flow, flow, let the blood flow, let the blood flow,
let the blood flow, let the blood flow, flow, flow, let the blood
flow, let the blood, let the blood, let the blood, let the blood,
let the blood, let the blood, let the blood, let the blood,
blood flow, flow, flow, flow, flow, flow, flow, flow, flow

[FISH 1982 -- Produced David Hitchcock (12 EMI 5351 B) Drums: Mick Pointer]

Charting the Single

A superb example of Fish's lyrical acrobacy. Not that the song tells much of a story, but it's fun to see what he actually wrote, compared to what the song sounds like!

Slow French kissing with the Dauphin's daughter
If I fall in love now I'll be floating in Seine
Plastered in Paris I've had an Eiffel
Gonna make my escape on the midnite train - Choo, choo too you

Schnapping my fingers on an alcoholiday
Sniff round a Fraulein when I'm scent to Cologne
All night hotel Liebling make your mark
Let sugar daddy melt in his home sweet home
Home is where the heart lies, but if the heart lies
Where is home, is where the heart lies, but where is home?

Get a pizza the action when I Romeo again
Chianti see you're with me, so just let him wine
Juliet on the balcony, it's pasta seranade
Wedding rings, I know then Venice time, Venice time to Chart the Single

The chicks are getting cheaper on the not so common market
Stockpile experience before the blonde hairs turn to grey
I like to train, express myself in the universal language
Ego on my face in the nicest possible way

I got no clause in my contract, got no shares in my name
I'm just charting the single in a bachelor's game
Charting the Single, Charting the Single
It's a solo performance on a one way street
You'll never have the chance again and never again we'll meet
Charting the Single, Charting the Single

[FISH 1983 -- Produced by Nick Tauber; (EMI 5362 B) Drums: Mick Pointer]

Market Square Heroes

This song is the first thing Marillion ever released. The Market Square mentioned, is the one found in Aylesbury, Marillions old home town, and the heroas are the no-gooders hanging around it. There's a political message here too, against unemployment, and there's a theme on people who are enchanting speakers.

I found smog at the end of my rainbow
I found my thoughts shift slowly into phase
Declared the constitution of the walkways
I realised it's time to plan the day, the day, the day, the day, the day, the day, the day

I'm a Market Square hero gathering the storms to troop
Cause I'm a Market Square hero speeding the beat of the street pulse
Are you following me, are you following me?
Well suffer my pretty warriors and follow me

I got a golden handshake that nearly broke my arm
I left the ranks of shuffling graveyard people
I got rust upon my hands from the padlocked factory gates
Silent chimneys provide our silent steeples

Cause I'm a Market Square hero gathering the storms to troop
Cause I'm a Market Square hero speeding the beat of the street pulse, street pulse
Are you following me, are you following me?
Well suffer my pretty children and follow me, follow me

I am your antichrist (are you following me?)
Show me allegiance (are you following me?)
I am your antichrist (are you following me?)
Pledge to me defiance (are you following me?)
Suffer my pretty warriors (are you following me?)
Suffer my fallen child (are you following me?)
The time has come to conquer and I'll provide your end
We march

I give peace signs when I wage war in the disco
I'm the warrior in the ultra violet haze
Armed with antisocial insecurity
I plan the path of destiny from this maze.

(repeat until end)

[FISH 1983 -- Produced by Nick Tauber (12 MARIL 1 B) Drums: John Martyr]

Three Boats Down from the Candy

This song was written about a time when Fish lay under a boat with his that-time girlfriend. The boat itself had no name, but three boats away, there was this other boat, named Candy...

Three boats down from the Candy
Vacant deckchairs on a floodlit beach
Three boats down from the Candy
Rollers coast, invade the deepest sleep
Three boats down from the Candy
Carnal dancers let their senses preach

It's a social disease, it's the new moral cancer
Don't think while in need, they'll give you the answer

You ask for my love on the strength of a kiss
But can't you just play for experience
I'm a poet, I'm a minstrel, I don't need your chains
Romance lies in ruin, let debauchery reign, let it rain

Wipe the tears from your eyes, wipe the sweat from your thighs
Don't crawl to me with sentiment, my laughter drowns your cries
You're a memory trapped in polaroid, a puppet drowned in celluloid
So drink the wine, confess your sin, just flotsam in a silent void

Three boats down from the Candy - I remember you
Three boats down from the Candy - much too much to lose
Three boats down from the Candy - oh, those words were never true
Three boats down from the Candy - I remember you

[FISH 1983 -- Produced by Nick Tauber; (12 MARIL 1 B) Drums: John Martyr]

Cinderella Search

I suppose i should say something here, just can't think of anything...

On the rebound, fumbling all the lines
The light at the end of the bottle
Alcoholic alphabet, through the looking glass
The proof in my own reflection, reflection
Five senses down and reeling on the Cinderella search
Cinderella search, search

On the rebound, fumbling all the lines
Decay on the vertical hold
With a horizontal in conversation needs translation
Three dimensions down dissolving on the Cinderella search
Cinderella search

On the rebound, writing all the lines
Dreaming bartender's bourbon and the saxaphone
Out of luck, out of charm I forgive rejections
In cigarette city only courting the holding of direction
On the Cinderella search, Cinderella search

But the samaritan of the heartbroken, heartbroken
Swam through the nicotine seas and we exchanged the kiss of life
Resurrection in a trance, the mortal, the grail
In a marquee of promises I touch the dream, I hold the dream
I have the dream to end the Cinderella search, Cinderella search
Oh no more, no more

Exposing the bedside manners on a work extension
Awaiting development with paranoid polaroid eyes, polaroid eyes
The footman memorized the number but the prince still holds
Both the slippers and would you leave a palace
For a bedsit in Canterbury Tales, Canterbury Tales
Maybe it was infatuation or the thrill of the chase
Maybe you were always beyond my reach and my heart was playing safe
But was that love in your eye I saw or the reflection of mine?
I'll never really know for sure, you never really gave me time
Gave me time, won't you give me the time?

Welcome back to the circus
Welcome back to the circus
Welcome back to the circus
I always use the cue sheets but never the nets
Always the cue sheets but nevertheless, nevertheless, nevertheless,
nevertheless, nevertheless, nevertheless, nevertheless, nevertheless,
Welcome back to the circus!

[FISH 1984 -- Produced by Simon Hanhart/Marillion (12 MARIL 2 B)]

Lady Nina

Every respectable poet should have a love song to a whore, right?

You pick out your credit cards and check into the night
A dozen tequilas and you're feeling alright
So you swim to the disco, out of your depth, cheated gigolo
Your lucky charms are tarnished so you leave alone
But there's one place left to go before the taxi home
After all, you made your marks

One night you'll play Elizabeth Taylor
The next night you're Marilyn Monroe
Forever kissing frogs that think they're princes
Oh Lady Nina, where'd all the romance go?

Your little sister babysits, your husband picks you up at six
The makeup hides the bruises and the tears so they never show
'cause your beauty is the only thing you've ever owned
It's the only way you've ever known to make your marks
You made your marks, you made your marks
We believe it's for real

Lady Nina, I'd love to take you home with me
But I love my wife and I love my family
I've got a good job, responsibilities
And I need to keep respect from society

I know you'll never act with me, I know that you're in love with me
So how do I compare to the sailors of the ships of the night?
Was I all right, did you come tonight, Lady Nina?
You made your marks, you made your marks

Ebony flowers pinned to a velvet cushion in a red light
And Edith Piaf sings a lullaby for the night
Just made your marks, just made your marks
Just made your marks, just made your marks

You made your marks

Ebony flowers pinned to a velvet cushion in a red light
And Edith Piaf sings a lullaby for the night
Just made your marks, just made your marks
You made your marks, and you made your marks
Just made your marks, and you made your marks
Just made your marks

[FISH 1985 --Produced by Chris Kimsey for Wonderknob Ltd. (MARIL 3 B)]

Freaks

This is the song after which Marillionists called themselves. Actually, thanks probably go to Graham Orndorff, keeper of the First Marillion mailinglist, the name of which was Freaks.

Have you ever met a lady, screaming angst potential?
Have you ever dreamed of romance, no matter how experimental?
Have you ever felt an alien drifting back into your hometown?
Did you think you were buying safety when you bought that piece of ground?

She said all the best freaks are here
She said all the best freaks are here, please stop staring at me
So I said all the best freaks are here
All the best freaks are here, please stop staring at me

Have you ever woke up, sweating in the middle of the night?
You search the darkness and you're scrambling for the light
Have you ever walked down the street, heard bootsteps following you?
Don't worry my son, you've got the spook squad looking after you

He said all the best freaks are here
He said all the best freaks are here, please stop staring at me
So I said all the best freaks are here
All the best freaks are here, please stop staring at me
Stop staring at me

Airport terminal, patiently waiting on the last call
You feel the eyes burn the back of your head
Sign the autograph, get out of the picture, gonna have the last laugh
Feel the whispers as you head for the plane
Stop staring at me

Love and linen sheets seem so very far away
You save your pennies and you buy another day
But after all it's only hide and seek, just another game
There's so much fun to be had when you're living with a name

All the best freaks are here
All the best freaks are here, please stop staring at me
All the best freaks are here
All the best freaks are here, please stop staring at me
Oh, stop staring at me, oh, stop staring at me

They said all the best freaks are here
All the best freaks are here, please stop staring at me
All the best freaks are here
All the best freaks are here, please stop staring at me

[FISH 1985 -- Produced by Chris Kimsey for Chris Kimsey Productions Ltd. (MARIL 4 B) ]

Tux On

Another sad story. This one is about the geek who wins a cool million quid on the lottery and forms a rock band. Unfortunately things go a little bit wilder than he was built for, and he ends up killing himself.

Tux on, tux on, tux on, tux on, tux on

He resides down at the bingo on a lucky friday night
The match was rained off saturday but the panel came in right
On sunday your mates were toasting you with champagne down the pub
And on monday you went to London to pick the cheque up with your mum
You had a tux on, mmm, you had a tux on
The first time you had a tux on, lucky man

There's a photo on the mantlepiece, when you bought your first guitar
And your girlfriend came to see you when you were the rising star
You knew your luck was holding when you filled the local hall
The first time and the last time that you thought you had control
You had a tux on, lucky man, you had a tux on
You got a tux on, tux on

Now you're touring stadiums, you've let it go too far
Standing with your manager, your back to every bar
Blowing on your credit cards, chopping out the pain
Crowding into toilets with a host of your new-found friends
You got a tux on, nothing's changed, you got a tux on
Lucky man with a tux on, you're still the same with a tux on

It was eyes down in the parlour, they prayed it wouldn't rain
The brother pulled his cuffs down to hide the blue-black vein
His razor'd more than lines end, they found him just too late
The final performance, the main man lies in state
With a tux on, look at him now with a tux on
The last time with a tux on, take him away with a tux on

Somewhere in a tenement, in a well-thumbed magazine
Someone finds a photograph that triggers off a dream
The uniform that symbolizes the comfortable life
He's always known his luck's in but now he's found the drive
He's got a tux on, look at him now with a tux on
He's gonna get one with a tux on, free admission with a tux on
Get it anyway with a tux on, he's got a tux on
The easy way with a tux on, tux on, tux on, tux on

[FISH 1987 -- Produced by Chris Kimsey for Chris Kimsey Productions Ltd. (MARIL 7 B) ]

Margaret (live)

Another old-time Marillion live favourite. This was usually played as the very last song of the show.

O' you go the high road an' I'll take the low road,
an' I'll be in Scotland before ye
for me and my true love we'll never walk again
on the bonnie bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

You'll take the acid an' I'll take the dope
an' I'll be stoned before ye
for me an' my true love, the drink waters' well (the drug squad as well?)
on the bonnie bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

Step we gaily on we go
Heel for heel and toe for toe
Arm in arm [an' row an' row
All for Mhairi's wedding]

I'll, I'll, I'll, I'll take the low road

On the lead guitar, from Yorkshire,
Mr. Steven Rothery!

I said you, you, you, you take the high road
I said I'll, I'll, I'll, I'll take the low road

On the bass guitar, the backing vocal, from Aylesbury,
Mr. Peter Trewavas!

I said you, you, you, you'll take the high road
I said I'll, I'll, I'll, I'll take the low road

On the keyboads, from Dublin,
Mr. Mark Kelly!

I said you, you--, you'll take the high road
I said I'll, I'll--, I'll take the low road

On drums, percussion,
Mr. Michael - E.T. - Pointer

And a very big round of applause for yourself,
our audience tonight. It takes two!

On vocals, and percussion,
Fish!

A dream fulfilled!

Sweet Ma- Ma- Ma- Ma- Margaret (4x)

I said you take the high road
[an' I'll take the low road,
an' I'll be in Scotland afore you
for me and my true love we'll never meet again
on the bonnie bonnie banks of Loch Lomond]

Sweet Ma- Ma- Ma- Ma- Margaret (4x)

The balcony!
Sweet Ma- Ma-

Say yer Scottish

I said you'll take the high...

Banks of Loch Lomond!
Banks of Loch Lomond!

Sweet Margaret
Sweet Margaret

Sweet Ma- Ma- Ma- Ma- Margaret!

Thank you Edinburgh, goodnight,
we shall definately return!

[Adapted from the ROBERT BURNS poem "On the Bonnie Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond" by pianist CHARLY KUNZ, with a few things thrown in by FISH. Recorded from the Edinburgh Playhouse Dec '83; -- Produced by Nick Tauber. Drums: Mick Pointer]

Another stupendous *Nados service