The Black Swan (The Triffids album)
Encyclopedia
The Black Swan is an album by The Triffids
, released in April 1989 and reached No. 59 on the Australian Album Charts. The album was originally conceived as a double album.
In the recording sessions the Triffids were joined by producer Stephen Street
(the Smiths
' - Strangeways, Here We Come
and Morrissey
's Viva Hate
). The Black Swan used a greater variety of musical instruments than their previous albums with bouzouki
, güiro
and accordion
and a more obvious use of synths and programming. The title of the album was originally going to be Disappointment Resort Complex but was renamed to The Black Swan, which according to a 1989 interview by Stephen Phillips (NME
) with David McComb
is based on the 1952 novel (of the same name) by Thomas Mann
.
The chosen single from the album, "Goodbye Little Boy
", featured Jill Birt on vocals and ‘glammed up’ for the record sleeve.
"Too Hot To Move" was one of three songs written by David McComb
which were used in the ABC
TV series Sweet and Sour
(1984) it had lead vocals by Deborah Conway
(of Do-Ré-Mi
). McComb bought the rights back to "Too Hot To Move" so that The Triffids could perform it again.
The cover photograph was taken in the stables at the rear of The Cliffe
, the historic Peppermint Grove
home in which David and Robert McComb grew up.
A deluxe version of the album, with a 17-track bonus disc of demos, was released in Australia on 7 June 2008 through Liberation Music.
Disc 2:
The Triffids
The Triffids were a seminal Australian alternative rock and pop band formed in Perth, Western Australia, in May 1978 with charismatic, David McComb as singer-songwriter, guitarist, bass guitarist and keyboardist. They achieved negligible success in Australia, but greater success in the U.K...
, released in April 1989 and reached No. 59 on the Australian Album Charts. The album was originally conceived as a double album.
In the recording sessions the Triffids were joined by producer Stephen Street
Stephen Street
Stephen Street is an English music producer best known for his work with The Smiths in the 1980s, as well as Blur and The Cranberries in the 1990s. Street also collaborated with Morrissey on some of his most popular work after The Smiths broke up, playing instruments and co-writing songs...
(the Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
' - Strangeways, Here We Come
Strangeways, Here We Come
-Band:* Morrissey – vocals, piano on "Death of a Disco Dancer"* Johnny Marr – guitar, keyboards, harmonica, autoharp , synthesized strings and saxophone arrangements* Andy Rourke – bass guitar* Mike Joyce – drums-Additional musicians:...
and Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
's Viva Hate
Viva Hate
Viva Hate is Morrissey's debut solo album, released on 14 March 1988 by HMV Records. The album was considered a very strong foray into Morrissey's solo career, as he utilised his traditional lyrical style and retained the basic sound that The Smiths had developed by the time they broke up. It...
). The Black Swan used a greater variety of musical instruments than their previous albums with bouzouki
Bouzouki
The bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but...
, güiro
Güiro
The güiro is a Latin-American percussion instrument consisting of an open-ended, hollow gourd with parallel notches cut in one side. It is played by rubbing a stick or tines along the notches to produce a ratchet-like sound. The güiro is commonly used in Latin-American music, and plays a key role...
and accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
and a more obvious use of synths and programming. The title of the album was originally going to be Disappointment Resort Complex but was renamed to The Black Swan, which according to a 1989 interview by Stephen Phillips (NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
) with David McComb
David McComb
David Richard McComb was an Australian rock musician. He was the singer-songwriter of the Australian band, The Triffids.-Early years in Perth:...
is based on the 1952 novel (of the same name) by Thomas Mann
Thomas Mann
Thomas Mann was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and 1929 Nobel Prize laureate, known for his series of highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novellas, noted for their insight into the psychology of the artist and the intellectual...
.
The chosen single from the album, "Goodbye Little Boy
Goodbye Little Boy
"Goodbye Little Boy" was the first single released by The Triffids from their album The Black Swan. It was produced by Stephen Street and co-written by David McComb and Adam Peters. The B-Side "Go Home Eddie" was written by David McComb and produced by Stephen Street...
", featured Jill Birt on vocals and ‘glammed up’ for the record sleeve.
"Too Hot To Move" was one of three songs written by David McComb
David McComb
David Richard McComb was an Australian rock musician. He was the singer-songwriter of the Australian band, The Triffids.-Early years in Perth:...
which were used in the ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
TV series Sweet and Sour
Sweet and Sour (TV series)
Sweet and Sour is an Australian television series which screened on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in 1984. It was created by Tim Gooding and Johanna Pigott and was produced internally for the ABC by Jan Chapman...
(1984) it had lead vocals by Deborah Conway
Deborah Conway
Deborah Ann Conway, is an Australian rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, and had a career as a model and actor. She was a founding member of the 1980s rock band Do-Ré-Mi with their surprise top 5 hit "Man Overboard"....
(of Do-Ré-Mi
Do-Re-Mi (band)
Do-Re-Mi aka Do-Ré-Mi were an Australian Rock/Pop band formed in Sydney in 1981 when Deborah Conway and Dorland Bray joined Helen Carter and later recruited Stephen Philip...
). McComb bought the rights back to "Too Hot To Move" so that The Triffids could perform it again.
The cover photograph was taken in the stables at the rear of The Cliffe
The Cliffe
The Cliffe is one of the first residential dwellings built in the Perth suburb of Peppermint Grove.The dwelling is located at 25 Bindaring Parade, Peppermint Grove and was constructed in 1894. The substantive additions to the dwelling, undertaken in 1899 were designed by prominent Western...
, the historic Peppermint Grove
Peppermint Grove, Western Australia
Peppermint Grove is an affluent western suburb of Perth, Western Australia on the north bank of the Swan River at Freshwater Bay. Its Local Government Area, the smallest in the country, is the Shire of Peppermint Grove. The suburb was named after its trademark "Peppermint trees" lining many streets...
home in which David and Robert McComb grew up.
A deluxe version of the album, with a 17-track bonus disc of demos, was released in Australia on 7 June 2008 through Liberation Music.
Track listing
All tracks written by Dave McComb unless otherwise noted.- "Too Hot to Move" - 4:12
- "American Sailors" - 0:41
- "Falling Over YouFalling Over YouFalling Over You was the second single released by The Triffids from their album The Black Swan. It was produced by Stephen Street and co-written by David McComb and Adam Peters. The songs were recorded between September and October, 1988 at The Justice Room, Cathanger, Somerset and mixed at...
" (David McComb, Adam Peters) - 3:43 - "Goodbye Little BoyGoodbye Little Boy"Goodbye Little Boy" was the first single released by The Triffids from their album The Black Swan. It was produced by Stephen Street and co-written by David McComb and Adam Peters. The B-Side "Go Home Eddie" was written by David McComb and produced by Stephen Street...
" (David McComb, Adam Peters) - 3:28 - "Bottle of Love" (David McComb, Phil Kakulas, James Patterson) - 2:54
- "The Spinning Top Song" (David McComb, Adam Peters) - 3:36
- "Butterflies Into Worms" (David McComb, Phil Kakulas) - 3:20
- "The Clown Prince" (David McComb, Phil Kakulas) - 4:37
- "Good Fortune Rose" (Jill Birt, Alsy MacDonald) - 3:33
- "New Year's Greetings" - 5:43
- "One Mechanic Town" - 3:11
- "Blackeyed Susan" (David McComb, Phil Kakulas) - 4:02
- "Fairytale Love" - 3:51
2008 Reissue
Disc 1:- Too Hot to Move, Too Hot to Think
- American Sailors
- Falling Over You
- Goodbye Little Boy
- Bottle of Love
- Go Home Eddie
- The Spinning Top Song
- Butterflies Into Worms
- I Can't Help Falling in Love
- New Year's Greetings
- Good Fortune Rose
- Shell of the Man
- One Mechanic Town
- Jack's Hole
- Black-Eyed Susan
- You Minus Me
- The Clown Prince
- Fairytale Love
- How Could I Help But Love You
Disc 2:
- Too Hot to Move, Too Hot to Think (Demo)
- American Sailors (Demo)
- Why Don't You Leave for Good This Time (Demo)
- Bottle of Love (Demo)
- The Spinning Top Song (Demo)
- Butterflies Into Worms (Demo)
- New Year's Greetings (The Country Widower) (Demo)
- Good Fortune Rose (Demo)
- One Mechanic Town (Demo)
- Jack's Hole (Demo)
- Black-Eyed Susan (Demo)
- You Minus Me (Demo)
- The Clown Prince (Demo)
- Fairytale Love (Demo)
- (You've Got) A Funny Way of Showing You Love Me (Demo)
- No More After You (Demo)
- In the Dark (Demo)
The Triffids
- David McCombDavid McCombDavid Richard McComb was an Australian rock musician. He was the singer-songwriter of the Australian band, The Triffids.-Early years in Perth:...
- Alsy MacDonaldAlsy MacDonaldAlan MacDonald is an Australian rock musician and lawyer, best known as the drummer of the 1980s band The Triffids, where he performed under his nickname 'Alsy'....
- Robert McComb
- Martyn CaseyMartyn P. CaseyMartyn Paul Casey is an English-born Australian rock bass guitarist. He had been a member of The Triffids, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Grinderman. Casey plays either his Fender Precision Bass or Fender Jazz Bass.-Biography:...
- 'Evil' Graham LeeGraham Lee (Australian musician)Graham Lee is an Australian rock musician and record producer, best known as the steel guitar player of the 1980s band The Triffids, where he was nicknamed 'Evil Graham Lee'....
- Jill BirtJill BirtJill Birt is an Australian rock musician and architect, best known as the keyboardist of the 1980s band The Triffids.-Early years:Jillian Birt was born in Tambellup, where she attended Tambellup Primary School. She attended Methodist Ladies College in Perth, as a boarder...