Flying Robyn Hitchcock Sighting!

My first Robyn Hitchcock experience was when I was in High School. I heard his music on someones Walkman and asked that person who he was. He told me that it was the modern day Syd Barrett. The music was pretty good, but the lyrics were quite warped and full of so much imagery. The album was called Perspex Island and It was not one of his better efforts, but still a decent album. The album came out in 1991 and still to this day is the one I got started on my Robyn Hitchcock fixation.

Robyn has always been a bit odd, ever since his band The Soft Boys took the Post-Punk world by storm. He took great pride of being a spiritual relative of Syd Barrett. He could have fit in nicely in the 60's with either Bob Dylan or the Psychedelic movement. His words were warped and showed every part of his twisted ideas. His lives shows are a treat because he talks in this warped way too. He mentions these odd ideas and philosophy that he actually knows what he is talking about. Here is a sense of his odd lyrics to a song called "1974."



You have two coffees
One of them is one coffee too many for you
On a health kick
Trying to lead a middle-aged life
Well, it's either that or drop dead
Wait 'til you get older than this
And then turn around and tell me I was young for my age
Yeah

And it feels like 1974
Waiting for the waves to come and crash on the shore
But you're far in land
You're in funky denim wonderland
You and David Crosby and a bloke with no hand
You've got hair in places
Most people haven't got brains
Ooh

But it feels like 1974
Syd Barrett's last session, he can't sing anymore
He's gonna have to be Roger now for the rest of his life
Oh

Enough about me, let's talk about you
You were working at the Earth Exchange at half twenty-two
'Rebel Rebel' was your favorite song
On the Archway Road
Where it all belongs
All those molecules of time
That you thought you'd shed forever
All those inches of time
That you thought you could just say bye-bye

And as Nixon left the White House
You could hear people say,
"They'll never rehabilitate that mother
No way."
Yep

Whirry-whirry goes the helicopter out of my way
I've got president to dump in the void
Ooh

Python's last series and The Guardian said,
"The stench of rotting minds"
But what else could you smell back then?
You didn't have to inhale too hard
You could smell the heads festering in the backyard
There's a baby in a basket and it's taken your name
And one day it'll grow up and say,
"Who are you,
Eh?"

And you say that's where it ended
But I say no no no, it just faded away
August was grey
It feels like 1974
Ghastly mellow Saxophones all over the floor
Feels like 1974
You could vote for Labour, but you can't anymore
Feels like 1974
Digging Led Zeppelin in Grimsby
Oh Christ



The first time I heard that in 1998 I was laughing pretty hard. The lyrics are sly and out there, but they also tell a wonderful story of the 1974. The first time I could actually understand what was actually going on. I did not need to replay the song and catch what he told us, but I did want to replay the song to memorize his words. The funny thing about Robyn Hitchcock over the years is that he has not really conformed to the culture change, like the 80's synth sound or the 90's grunge. He did his own thing most of the time.

His oddballness was always something that kept him as a cult type artist. His music was impressive and noteworthy. He even got on college radio charts with some stuff, but his music was always a great subject of debate. The time I heard him was the early 90's and by the end of the decade I wanted just about everything he put out. I even saw the documentary called Storefront Hitchcock. There he showcased his old and his new music. It for me was a great moment because I loved the informal set up he did.



This new found love for Robyn Hitchcock has spilled all the way to present day. His music has always been something I am always eager to wait for a new release. I have picked up two early box sets and those show his true genius. Lately I just picked up Goodnight Oslo and Propellor Time. Each have shown the Robyn Hitchcock of old. Propellor Time has shown the classic we all know. The album has a great array of special guests. These people include Peter Buck from R.E.M. to Bill Reiflin who played with Robert Fripp and Ministry, and John Paul Jones and Nick Lowe. All these stars make this album a wonderful classic in Robyn's catalog.

But from the first moments, Propellor Time is clearly a Robyn Hitchcock album, and he captains this ship with a steely confidence; the lyrics are typically mysterious and witty without playing too strongly to Hitchcock's fondness for bizarre imagery, his sly vocals fit the music with an uncommon agility and wisdom, and the ten songs blend together like the ingredients of a fine meal. Robyn Hitchcock doesn't really make bad albums, but he doesn't always make legitimately great ones; Propellor Time thankfully feels like one of the high-watermarks of his post-millennial body of work, and it's beautiful, essential listening. Don't forget to go to his early work too and find some gems. Enjoy this one and really understand a true master. (AM)