Bitter Tea
Encyclopedia
Bitter Tea is the fifth full-length album by The Fiery Furnaces
, released on April 18th, 2006 via Fat Possum
in the U.S and Rough Trade
in the UK. After it leaked onto the internet on February 22nd, the band immediately started selling the CD on tour.
throughout.
The Fiery Furnaces
The Fiery Furnaces are a U.S. indie rock band formed in 2000 in Brooklyn, New York. The band's primary members are Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger. The siblings are originally from Oak Park, Illinois, a near-western suburb of Chicago.- Band biography :...
, released on April 18th, 2006 via Fat Possum
Fat Possum Records
Fat Possum Records is an American independent record label based in Oxford, Mississippi. At first Fat Possum focused almost entirely on recording hitherto unknown Mississippi blues artists . Recently, Fat Possum has signed younger rock acts to its roster...
in the U.S and Rough Trade
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
in the UK. After it leaked onto the internet on February 22nd, the band immediately started selling the CD on tour.
Track listing
- "In My Little Thatched Hut" – 4:13
- "I'm in No Mood" – 3:39
- "Black-Hearted Boy" – 5:11
- "Bitter Tea" – 5:45
- "Teach Me Sweetheart" – 5:56
- "Waiting to Know You" – 4:01
- "The Vietnamese Telephone Ministry" – 5:44
- "Oh Sweet Woods" – 5:25
- "Borneo" – 4:17
- "Police Sweater Blood Vow" – 2:53
- "Nevers" – 5:02
- "Benton Harbor Blues" – 7:23
- "Whistle Rhapsody" – 4:20
- "Nevers (Reprise)" (unlisted) – 5:14
- "Benton Harbor Blues (Reprise)Benton Harbor Blues"Benton Harbor Blues" is a single released by the band The Fiery Furnaces. It was only available as a digital download.-External links:* at thefieryfurnaces.net...
" (unlisted) – 3:13
Backmasking
The album contains several instances of backmaskingBackmasking
Backmasking is a recording technique in which a sound or message is recorded backward on to a track that is meant to be played forward...
throughout.
| Song title | Time of backmasking | Backwards lyrics | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| "In My Little Thatched Hut" | 2:59 | "Tears of joy, tears of joy, tears of joy, tears of joy..." | |
| "I'm in No Mood" | 2:10 | "And the pin in my hair was stuck in my head. I didn’t undress for bed. I was so drunk last night." "I swear the pin in my hair got stuck in my head. I didn't even undress for bed. I was so drunk last night." | |
| "Black-hearted Boy" | 2:56-3:56 | "See the smoke from your kiln, pine boughs burn the bricks dead hard in their fog as I stand cold with my back broke by the bog. Find your cross-cut saw, come blunt and jagged dry and try cut my tongue out to keep on your wall up high. I tipped my toe on the bamboo strip; I took stone honey in exchange for my rags. Don't dare paint your board moonlight white. Go dangle your fish hook out in the gutter again." | |
| "The Vietnamese Telephone Ministry" | Entire song, end to beginning | "I thought myself an unworthy thing, despairing of my case all the time boys. I thought myself an unworthy thing, despairing of my case all the time boys. Damn it all, damn it all to hell. Damn it all, damn it all." | Much of the vocal sounds backwards when played forward. |
| "Oh Sweet Woods" | 0:44 and 3:01 | "Oh sweet woods of delight, Oh solitariness. Farewell direction, farewell all affection." | |
| "Nevers" | See comments | The vocals switch between backwards and forwards even within one line of lyrics. Full lyrics are available at the Fiery Furnaces' official site http://www.fieryfurnacesforum.com/site/lyrics/bitter-tea/ | |
| "Benton Harbor Blues" | 3:45 | See comments | The backmasked parts are gibberish phrases played backward and forward simultaneously, so it sounds the same when played backwards and forwards. |