When the branch breaks I fall
To the floor of the world.
We can only ponder and postulate about how much unreleased No-Man material sits in the collective vaults of Tim and Steven. Over the years, only a handful of tracks have emerged, usually centered around demos for Returning Jesus material onwards. While there have been a few exceptions, most notably 2019’s Love You To Bits and “Beaten By Love,” Tim and Steven have rarely revisited tracks from the vault and given them a stand-alone release.
Just looking at the DAT tapes from 1990 to 1992 that I have here, there’s quite a lot of stuff. I don’t recognize some of these titles, which means they might be early versions of things that were released. I’d say there’s probably a good couple of CDs worth of unreleased songs.
Steven Wilson
It is because of this that Speak and Lost Songs Volume 1 serve as incredible tools to chart the bands creative progression during its formative years. The two releases cover a period ranging from 1988 to 1997 and for the most part, include material that never saw release on albums, eps or singles.
Speak
Speak fits into a rather unusual hole in No-Man’s catalog. The music within covers a period of about two years, serving as a prologue of sorts to the “official” No-Man canon that started with the release of “Colours.” It’s also one of the band’s more overlooked releases, sitting between the dark and aggressive Wild Opera and the emotionally charged Returning Jesus. It’s also unique for having two distinctive releases, both of which occurred during a period of massive sonic change within the band.
At its core, Speak is a highlights reel of early material. It captures the energy of a band just spreading its wings and tapping into its creative spark for the first time. As such, the sound varies from songs that sound more in line with the No Man Is An Island singles to material that would end up being reworked and released on Loveblows & Lovecries.
Created beneath the radar of the record industry, and without any agenda other than to express certain feelings and musical concepts we had, what resulted was an intimate music that seemed to exist in a different world from much of the late 1980s scene which the songs were born into.
Tim Bowness via https://timbowness.wordpress.com/album-writings/speak/
The first edition of Speak was released on a limited run of handmade tapes in 1993, in a similar fashion to the Swagger EP and the Hit The North live tape. The exact amount of tapes created is unknown, although it probably would number somewhere in the hundreds.
The opener and title track fits in to the bands early style of pulling samples from whatever could be found, coupled with Ben’s distinctive violin flashing throughout. It’s an evocative piece that sets the tone for the rest of the release.
Originally released as part of the B-side to The Girl From Missouri EP, “Night Sky, Sweet Earth” is identical to the version found on the EP.
While boasting a similar name to the Lovesighs track “Iris Murdoch Cut Me Up,” “Iris Murdoch Cut Me Down” is a much darker piece. Driven by a constant and almost tribal sounding set of drums, its a surprisingly ominous piece in what’s often a more calm set of tracks. This sense of unease is only multiplied by both the oblique lyrics, unsettling layers of synths and the haunting use of samples.
Built around a repeating programmed bass line and featuring shimmering piano, “Riverrun” is a great reflection of the ambient pop acts that Tim and Steven were listening to at that time, such as The Blue Nile and David Sylvian. Steven’s ghostly backing vocals help add to the otherworldly feel of the song.
“French Tree Terror Suspect” is another instrumental, sounding somewhat similar to both “Speak” and “Loveblows.” The piece was used as the intro for another early track called “Screaming Head Eternal,” dating from around the same period as Speak. Its also one of the few No-Man tracks that gives violinist Ben Coleman a writing credit.
Perhaps one of the most evocative and lush tracks on the record, “Life With Picasso” features some of Tim’s most beautiful vocals. It also benefits from the flashes of piano and synths that give the song an almost dream like quality. Its also unique for having Tim handling guitar duties, something that was usually reserved for his own homemade demos.
“Curtain Dream” by contrast is one of the more records most minimalistic pieces. Its simply Steven on guitar and Tim baring his pain and ambitions for the listener. The simple yet powerful lyrics drip with emotion and pain, one of the few constants in No-Man’s entire catalog.
Both pulled directly from The Girl From Missouri EP, “Forest Almost Burning” and “The Ballet Beast” have no noticeable changes compared to the versions found on the EP.
“Heaven’s Break” has the distinction of being the only track from the record to see a major release, as it also acted as the closer to the band’s debut LP, Loveblows and Lovecries. This version ditches the third verse and soaring violin solo from Ben, instead ending with the distant harmonica of guest musician Richard Felix, who was another early collaborator of Steven’s.
The sequencer pattern is Steven’s. From memory, Heaven’s Break was something written when we were in a room together (a la Wild Opera and a lot of the Speak-era material), so we’d have been trading ideas in real time.
Tim Bowness
“Desert Heart” is perhaps the most unusual track of the bunch. Coming in at 8 minutes and featuring a unique blend of percussion and piano, the song has one of Tim’s most impressive vocal performances of the era, with his voice being played against the droning of organs and Steven’s intricate guitar-work. It stands out as being one of the most complex songs the band had worked on in its early years.
We’d always liked the song’s verse melodies and dramatic coda, but felt that it could have been developed into something more substantial. The track came back into focus for us while we were resurrecting the Speak-era material in 1999.
Tim Bowness
The song would unexpectedly be revisited during the recording session of Carolina Skeleton EP, where it would be fitted with different instrumentation, new lyrics and a new title. Eventually the track would see release under the name “Close Your Eyes.”
Album closer, “Death and Dodgson’s Dream” has a rather unusual origin. As opposed to the rest of the tracks which feature Steven handling all or almost all of the instruments, “Death and Dodgson’s Dream” had all of its instruments sourced from audio leftovers. These leftovers originated from the used multi-track tape machine that Steven had in his possession at that time.
Steven and I were writing a new song over a used 8 or 16 track tape (bought inexpensively as other band’s had already recorded on it). This particular tape featured several recordings by a fairly anonymous Jazz Funk band.
Tim Bowness
When trying to mix the new song, Steven found existing electric piano, flute, and saxophone parts still on the multi-tracks and, after stripping all his parts away, miraculously my voice seemed to work with what had been previously recorded onto the tape. Steven mixed and processed the piece and I adapted my vocal to fit the rhythms of the electric piano, so an inspired accident very quickly sounded wholly intentional.
We have no idea to this day who’s playing on the track, though the original Jazz Funk piece wasn’t remotely similar to Death And Dodgson’s Dreamchild and, from memory, the original song Steven and I had written was also more conventional and less interesting than the finished track.
As with most of No-Man’s tape only releases, reviews were nonexistent, and what few copies that were made seem to have for the most part disappeared. While Tim and Steven’s focus was soon moved to the art-pop material on Loveblows & Lovecries and Flowermouth, the work done in these formative years would continue to shape the course of the band’s history.
We got offered a deal by this Italian label called Materiali Sonori that we both liked at the time. They asked us if we had anything that they could release. We said, “Well, what if we go back and rework and remix the Speak material?”
Steven Wilson
In 1999, Steven decided the time was right to revisit the tracks on Speak with a fresh set of ears and with updated technical capabilities. At the suggestion of the Italian label Materiali Sonori, all tracks were retransferred from the original DAT tapes, given completely new mixes and received new vocal tracks from Tim. In addition, two tracks, “Night Sky, Sweet Earth” and “Curtain Dream,” were completely rerecorded from the ground up. This new version of Speak also saw several songs being swapped out for unreleased pieces. Gone were “Forest Almost Burning” and “Desert Heart,” and in there place were two equally stunning pieces from the vault.
The 1999 vocal re-recordings and re-mixing for Speak were completed in the spontaneous fashion of the original recordings. After Steven spent a week or so transferring the 1980s analogue tapes to 1990s digital studio, I recorded the album’s vocals in one session. The album was ready for release a month after we’d originally discussed the idea of making it.
Tim Bowness via https://timbowness.wordpress.com/album-writings/speak/
The first of these added tracks was a cover of Nick Drake’s “Pink Moon.” This would be the bands second cover of Nick’s material, alongside an equally sparse rendition of “Road.” Nick’s work has proven to be extremely influential on both Tim and Steven, with Tim going so far as to propose covering the whole of Pink Moon as a quarantine project in 2020! “Pink Moon” also holds the distinction of being the only track from Speak to see release on the compilation All The Blue Changes, serving as the opener for the collection.
The other new addition was a cover of the Donovan track “River Song.” The track marks the band’s third Donovan cover. Donovan has been cited by both Tim and Steven as having a major impact on their respective careers, with the track “Lord of the Reedy River” in particular being singled out as a favorite by both.
Listening back, the thing that strikes me the most is how virtually impossible it is to figure out what we were inspired by, and what we were listening to. In fact, were it not for the giveaway cover versions, I don’t believe anyone could have guessed
Steven Wilson via the 2004 sleeve notes for Speak
One final addition to Speak would be made in in the form of a video for “The Ballet Beast” organized by Tim in collaboration of the Norwich School of Art’s film department. Tim proposed a competition, in which the winning film would see an official release by the band. The winning entry was submitted by Emma Curtis and Jodie Wick in the form of a stunning hand-drawn piece.
I approached the head of the Norwich School Of Art’s Film department with an idea for students to pitch a video for ‘The Ballet Beast.’ This meant me going into the University a few times. Initially, presenting a brief and subsequently commenting on work. I selected the winner.
Tim Bowness
One final track would be added for the 2004 reissue of Speak. “The Hidden Art of Man Ray” is a massive studio improvisation taken from No-Man’s short period of activity as a four-piece, with Stuart Blagden making an appearance on guitar. The piece had originally been slated for inclusion on the 1999 edition but was left off because of the loss of the original master tape and the lack of progress in regards to cleaning up the track. It was also included in a compilation for Hidden Art (No-Man’s homegrown label) released in 2000.
While the 1993 edition may have flown under the radar, the 1999 edition saw at least some critical notice, with music fanzines like This is Not Television and blogs like Misfit City singing the releases praises. The album remains a favorite of both Tim and Steven, both of whom have cited the 1999 edition as being partially responsible for the direction of Returning Jesus.
Speak preserved the spirit of the band’s original experiments while subtly improving upon the execution
Tim Bowness, 2021
Perhaps the fact that we were working so far off the map as regards what else was happening in music at the time has meant that the recordings on Speak have a timeless quality
Steven Wilson via the 2004 sleeve notes for Speak
Special thanks to Peter Sieker for providing scans of the 1993 Speak tape.
Tracklist (1993 Version)
- Speak
- Night Sky, Sweet Earth
- Iris Murdoch Cut Me Down
- Riverrun
- French Tree Terror Suspect
- Life With Picasso
- Curtain Dream
- Forest Almost Burning
- The Ballet Beast
- Heaven’s Break
- Desert Heart
- Death And Dodgson’s Dream
Tracklist (1999 Version)
- Speak
- Pink Moon
- Iris Murdoch Cut Me Down
- Curtain Dream
- Heaven’s Break
- French Tree Terror Suspect
- River Song
- Riverrun
- The Ballet Beast
- Night Sky, Sweet Earth
- Life With Picasso
- Death And Dodgson’s Dream
- The Hidden Art of Man Ray* (2004 edition onwards)
(All information below taken from the 2004 edition of Speak unless otherwise noted)
1. “Speak” – 1:24
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Violin – Ben Coleman
- Written by Steven Wilson and Ben Coleman
Instrumental
2. “Pink Moon” – 3:03
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Written by Nick Drake
I saw it written and I saw it say
Pink moon is on its way
And none of you stand so tall
Pink moon gonna get ye all
It’s a pink moon
Yes, a pink moon
Pink, pink, pink, pink
Pink moon
A pink, pink, pink, pink
Pink moon
I saw it written and I saw it say
A pink moon is on its way
And none of you stand so tall
Pink moon gonna get ye all
It’s a pink moon
Yes, a pink moon
3. “Iris Murdoch Cut Me Down” – 4:33
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
I scrape the water from my eyes,
Another victim of the wicked world.
I scrape the water from my eyes.
I’m all wrapped up in my wild cloak.The golden light is everywhere,
The golden light is in my soul.
The golden light is everywhere,
The golden light is in my soul…
4. “Curtain Dream” – 3:01
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
At the end of the day,
In the cold of the night,
When the branch breaks I fall
To the floor of the world.I scream like a child,
I scream for my wings.
I scream at the words
Making cheap what I feel.
I walk through my room
And I kick down the walls.
I lie on the bed
And feel there’s nothing left but doubt.In the cold of the night
I will show you my wounds.
Only then can I say to you
“Spread your dreams under me, my love”.
I dream of this bridge,
I dream of these trees,
I burn in these flames,
That I’ll never understand.
I walk through my room
And I kick down the chairs.
I’ve opened my eyes
And seen there’s nothing left but doubt.
5. “Heaven’s Break” – 3:22
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Harmonica – Richard Felix
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
She would stare into the sun,
Screaming loud in summer heat.
She would fly away from him,
Solid melting into sky.Mirror cracked,
Her day won’t shine.
Love has stripped her body tame.
And love still reaching out
Is softness touching stone.“Awake me.
Heaven break me.”
6. “French Tree Terror Suspect” – 2:59
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Violin – Ben Coleman
- Written by Steven Wilson & Ben Coleman
Instrumental
7. “River Song” – 2:01
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Written by Donovan Leitch
Oh, the waters flow
Over rock and stone.
Over the waters blow
Windy winds so cold.
Oh, the rivers flow
So.
Oh, the rivers flow
So.Over the rivers fly
Stately kingfishers.
Through the waters swim
Stickleback fishes.
Oh, the waters flow
So.
Oh, the rivers flow
So.Oh, the waters flow
Over rock and stone.
Through the waters swim
Stickleback fishes.
Oh, the rivers flow
So.
Oh, the rivers flow
So.
Oh, the rivers flow
8. “Riverrun” – 4:44
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments/Backing Vocals – Steven Wilson
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
Come with me, run with me,
Feel the heat of morning sun.
Come with me, run with me,
See the way the river runs.
Come to me, come to me
Now.
Come to me, come to me
Now.River run on…
9. “The Ballet Beast” – 1:27
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Cello – Richard Felix
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
And then you say
There must be more;
More than this nothing,
More than this waiting.
Alone and unchained,
There must be more;
More than this yearning,
This searching for something to say…
10. “Night Sky, Sweet Earth” – 6:37
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments/Backing Vocals – Steven Wilson
- Violin – Ben Coleman
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
Fragrance clings like smoke to my clothes.
Autumn trees shed leaves over me.
Colours bring new life to the earth.I swear I can smell the sea.
I swear I believe in love.
I swear I can smell the sea.
I swear I believe in love again.Lamplight sucks the town into view –
Loaded up with visions of you.
The more I felt, the less that I knew.
I swear I can smell the sea.
I swear I believe in love.
I swear I can smell the sea.
I swear I believe in love.I swear I can smell the sea.
I swear I believe in love.
I swear I can smell the sea.
I swear I believe in love.Out here where wind is howling,
I watch the rising flames.
Out here where heat is rising,
I smell the sea again.The night sky, the sweet earth;
The night sky, the sweet earth.
I talk to you, but you cannot hear;
I’m talking to you, but you cannot hear.
11. “Life with Picasso” – 3:26
- Vocals & Guitar – Tim Bowness
- Instruments -Steven Wilson
- Written by Tim Bowness
I see you struggle in the water,
A violent mess of motion.
I hear no screams,
I stand apart.
Only hearing
The crashing din
Of colliding waves…
12. “Death and Dogdson’s Dream” – 2:19
- Vocals- Tim Bowness
- Processing – Steven Wilson
- Instruments – Unknown
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
Alone by the window, looking out –
That’s how I see you.
Always reaching,
(Reaching out).
Always searching,
(Reaching out).
Always reaching,
(Reaching out).
Always searching
Blindly.
Always waiting for the new dawn,
Always waiting for the new dawn.
13. “The Hidden Art of Man Ray” – 11:42
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Violin – Ben Coleman
- Guitar – Stuart Blagden
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
(Vocals inaudible)
“Forest Almost Burning” – 4:01
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Violin – Ben Coleman
- Guitar – Brian Hulse
- Written by Tim Bowness, Mike Bearpark, Brian Hulse, David K. Jones & Steven Wilson
See him trample on the dead leaves
With the forest almost burning;
Making patterns with his footprints,
Breaking silence with his dreams.Watch him shaping life from wet clay
With the forest brightly burning;
Making patterns with his fingers,
Taking symbols from his dream.When all language seems quite useless
With the forest burnt to the ground,
And the apple of corruption
Breaks the silence of his dream…
“Desert Heart” – 7:22
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
His hands were hard,
Your face was soft.
He kissed your heavy head
And then you lost your strength.
Now nothing’s sure.
You’re empty now.
He kissed your heavy head
And then you lost your strength.From the garden to the desert/SKY
From the green fields/BREAK ME
To the dust/NOW
You have fallen from the branches/SKY
You are face-deep/BREAK ME
In the mud/NOWYou will climb higher
Higher than this charmless sky.
You will climb higher
Far above his sad ghost.From the garden to the desert/SKY
From the green fields/BREAK ME
To the dust/NOW
You have fallen from the branches/SKY
You are face-deep/BREAK ME
In the mud/NOWClimb high…
Sky comes to the desert/SKY
From the green fields/BREAK ME
To the dust/NOWWhere?
It’s here.Deep inside your desert heart,
Deep inside of me.His hands were hard,
Your face was soft.
He kissed your heavy head
And then you lost your strength.You break
Like a child,
Like a child…
You break, you swim alone
Like a child…Here…
Lost Songs: Volume One
The term “Lost Songs” is a bit of a contradiction. One on hand, it’s not as if these songs were in some dusty place after having left there years before. On the other hand, these are all songs that, for one reason or another, slipped through the cracks. Some were bold experiments that ran perpendicular to the direction Tim and Steven were moving at the time. Others were songs that just didn’t fit with the rest of the material on the band’s first three albums. For whatever reasons, these songs were filed away as both paths not taken and potential futures to be perhaps be revisited.
“These ‘lost’ songs were recorded at No Man’s Land between 1991 and 1997. Most of them, with a minimum of overdubbing and remixing could easily have ended up on a album… but for whatever reasons they didn’t.”
Steven Wilson via the sleeve notes for Lost Songs: Volume One
Recorded in 1997, “Gothgirl Killers” boasts an aggressive baseline from Steven and an equally striking saxophone line courtesy of Theo Travis. Tim’s cryptic lyrics and unusually aggressive vocal performance portray a desperate story of love on its last, destructive legs. Both Tim & Steven felt that the song was more fitting to the chaotic and claustrophobic world of Wild Opera than the more tranquil and expansive direction the two were beginning to move towards.
“All The Reasons” was one of several songs workshopped by Tim and Steven in 1994. It’s dreamy atmospheres and laid-back trip-hop inspired beats make it a logical progression in sound from the recently released Flowermouth. The track was shelved alongside songs like “Love You To Bits” and “Song From The Heart” when the two wiped the slate clean and began work on Wild Opera.
Built off of the back of a commercial jingle Steven had written for Lyons Maid Solero, “Samaritan Snare” mixes the sounds of the Dry-Cleaning Ray EP with Colin Edwin’s formidable double bass skills. It’s another portrayal of urban desperation & alienation springing from Tim’s bleak lyrics. Steven’s guitar work on the track is particularly dissonant, with it almost sounding as if his parts have been cut-up and reversed in sections. Similar to “Gothgirl Killer,” it was a style that simply did not mesh with the direction of what would eventually become Returning Jesus.
Samaritan Snare was written just after the time of the Wild Opera recordings. I think we decided that it was too close to Sinister Jazz to go on Dry Cleaning Ray and that it didn’t fit with what we’d written for Returning Jesus. The lyric had the Wild Opera sensibility where humour collided with dark emotions. Musically, it’s an interesting combination of Jazz, Pink Floyd-ian Blues and experimental mid-1990s music that sounds very like no-man in the end. I’m glad it got released in some way.”
Tim Bowness via https://thehiddenartofnoman.wordpress.com/2020/04/18/tim-bowness-love-endings-2012-tour-interview/
“The Night Sky” is an example of Tim and Steven’s endless quest to tinker with the past with an eye towards the present and the future. This is less of a rework and more of a complete reimagining of the Speak era track “Night Sky, Sweet Earth” It replaces the skeletal feel of the original with programmed drums, new guitar lines from Steven and added lyrics from Tim. These additions completely transform that track into something closer in sound to Flowermouth than the minimalism of Speak.
“Catford Gun Supply” is an unusually heavy instrumental propelled by Steven’s oppressive guitar part. The song lacks finished lyrics, with Tim’s vocalizations showing where words might have once been attached. It’s crescendo of beats works quite well at presenting a claustrophobic and bleak world akin to the heavier moments of Wild Opera and the Dry-Cleaning Ray EP.
“Days Like These” is a song that matches the structure of a pop ballad with the harshness of breakbeats and IDM influenced grooves. The song utilizes the same vocal sample that can be heard in “All That You Are” off of Returning Jesus. Tim’s relentless vocal delivery on the verses and with lyrics tackling relationship unrest can be seen as precursor to the direction he would his singing and words would take on Wild Opera.
“Days In The Trees – Bach” is the sole song to have seen any sort of release outside of this collection, with it making an appearance on the Japanese CD version of the Days in the Trees EP in 1992. “Bach” is a short piano and synth-based track that highlights the chord progressions that make the backbone of every version of “Days In The Trees.”
“Paradub” is a remix that revolves around the programmed drum parts that make up the end of the Loveblows & Lovecries song “Painting Paradise.” It’s vibrant, dance-pop beats and energetic guitar parts from Steven make it something of a midway point between songs like “Swirl” and songs like “Teardrop Falls.” Similar to “Catford Gun Supply,” the track lacks finished lyrics, with Tim’s vocalizations being the only sign of where fully formed vocals might have gone.
“Hard Shoulders” is a collection of unused ideas and instrumental scraps assembled by Steven into a song shortly after the release of Flowermouth. Sharing some of the lyrics and musical elements of “Soft Shoulders,” it’s driven by a pair of interlocking guitar parts from Robert Fripp that are reminiscent of his work on King Crimson’s “Discipline” and “Three of a Perfect Pair.”
“Love Among The White Trash” was originally demoed in 1989, around the same time as “Days In The Trees.” While it did see a few live performances during the band’s early days, it was ultimately dropped from both their set and their studio plans as it didn’t seem to fit with the rest of material being worked on at the time. The song was revisited during the recording of Flowermouth with Silas Maitland contributing new fretless bass parts, yet once again failed to make the cut for the album. It’s pulsing dance beats and drone synths makes the song feel more in line with the “beauty and the beat” philosophy of the band’s early material than the songs found on Flowermouth.
“In some ways – in terms of style and when it was written – “Love Among The White Trash” is a piece that could have been on Swagger: Lost Not Lost Volume 1. It’s cut from the same cloth as a track like ‘See No Angels”
Tim Bowness
“Amateruwahwah” is a song written as part of the 1-hour song challenge that Tim and Steven had set for themselves during the making of Wild Opera. Driven by a series of drum and piano loops, it features particularly bleak lyrics from Tim and equally dark guitar parts from Steven. The track was ultimately left off of Wild Opera as both Tim and Steven felt that other results from the 1-hour song challenge were much more promising.
“Drug Me” is another song that has its roots in the 1-hour song challenge. Building off of a series of initially restrained drum loops, the song soon erupts into aggressive portrayal of love and obsession. Steven’s bass and guitar parts match Tim’s impassioned vocals measure for measure. Similar to “Amateurwahwah,” the song was left off of Wild Opera in favor of other material created from the two’s self-imposed challenge.
“Pale As Angels” is an unusually dark piece that shares more in common with the Dry Cleaning Ray EP than the songs workshopped after the release of Flowermouth. The track’s sparse atmosphere is driven by sampled mellotron parts and Tim’s simple yet mysterious lyrics.
“Coming Through Slaughter” boasts a jazz-fusion influenced keyboard part that would seem right at home on Steven’s own Hand Cannot Erase. While the song reuses a few phrases from “Teardrop Fall” (Why Try To Walk?/Why Try To Talk?) it has an energy that’s all its own. The usage of leftover solos from Robert Fripp and Mel Collins would be continued by Tim and Steven into the Wild Opera songs.
Lost Songs: Volume One was released on CDr as an exclusive through Burning Shed in late 2001. It has yet to be reissued.
“There are still plenty of lost songs and some of them we plan to rework someday. But this is a far as we intended to go with these particular tracks, so we decided to set them free as they are, flawed but no longer ignored”
Steven Wilson via the sleeve notes for Lost Songs: Volume One
Tracklist
- Gothgirl Killer (1997)
- All The Reasons (1994)
- Samaritan Snare (1997)
- The Night Sky (1994)
- Catford Gun Supply (1997)
- Days Like These (1994)
- Days In The Trees – Bach (1991)
- Paradub (1993)
- Hard Shoulder (1994)
- Love Among The White Trash (1993)
- Amateurwahwah (1996)
- Drug Me (1996)
- Pale As Angels (1994)
- Coming Through Slaughter (1994)
1. “Gothgirl Killer” – 6:22
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Saxophone & Flute – Theo Travis
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
The deeper part of me,
It could see right through you.
The deeper part of me,
Could see right through to you.Stumble in the heat,
Fail to find the new beat –
It’s always out of reach,
It’s always out of reach.You and me, me and you
Left with nothing else to do
But stare at dirty underwear
And cease to care, and cut our hair.
Sleepwalk through the day,
Find new ways to pay.I’ll love you till you love me,
I’ll love you till you love me,
I’ll love you till you love me again.I’ll love you till you love me,
I’ll love you till you love me,
I’ll love you till you love me again.Rita Hayworth, love goddess,
Slips into her favourite dress.
I look at you, you’re such a mess –
But that’s the way I like you.Crumble in the rising heat,
Fail to find the perfect beat –
It’s always somewhere out of reach,
But what the hell can I do?Falling to the kitchen floor,
Wishing that you loved me more.
My legs too weak, my eyes too sore.
My back against the broken drawer.The letter never came.
The days all felt the same.I’ll love you till you love me,
I’ll love you till you love me,
I’ll love you till you love me again.I’ll love you till you love me,
I’ll love you till you love me,
I’ll love you till you love me again.Until it kills you…
Broken in two, I’ll see you through.
Broken for you,
Until it kills you.I’ll love you till you love me,
I’ll love you till you love me,
I’ll love you till you love me again.I’ll love you till you love me,
I’ll love you till you love me,
I’ll love you till you love me again.
2. “All The Reasons” – 5:09
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments & Backing Vocals – Steven Wilson
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
I swallowed you picture perfect,
I wallowed in perfect pictures –
truth reflected in your eye.I followed the road to treason,
I tried to explain my reason,
Fit my words to your disguise.All the reasons in the world
Can’t make me make-believe it – (MAYBE IN TIME)
All the reasons in the world.
After you heard it,
You asked, “is it worth it?” – (MAYBE IN TIME)
All the reasons in the world.In the open air, it’s hard.
With the clothes we wear, it’s hard.
In the end, there’s only us.In the rooms we share, it’s hard.
With your constant stare, it’s hard.
In the end, there’s nothing much.All the reasons in the world
Can’t make me make-believe it – (MAYBE IN TIME)
All the reasons in the world.
After you heard it,
You asked, “is it worth it?” – (MAYBE IN TIME)
All the reasons in the world.Throw it all away, don’t throw it all away,
Don’t throw it all away…
3. “Samaritan Snare” – 4:47
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments – Steven WIlson
- Double Bass – Colin Edwin
- Saxophone & Flute – Theo Travis
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
Jimmy Small heeds his call
To lead the dancing girls –
Teaches moves to Latin grooves
And acrobatic twirls.
You alone, on the throne,
Wonder where the future lies.
If you could, then you would
Sever all the family ties.Your brother turned out kind of weird,
Changed his pants and disappeared.
Said he’d found the motivation
To climb above his lowly station.
Use your voice, use your vote
To see who’ll put an end to hope.
Use your voice, use your vote
To see which way the shit will float.What do you do when it moves too fast
And everything is past
Everything has passed
Too tired to try, and too weak to last –
Everything is past,
Everything has passed.
What do you do when it moves too fast
And everything is past
Everything has passed
Too tired to try, and too weak to last –
Everything is past,
Everything has passed.What do you do when it moves too fast
Everything is past,
Everything…
4. “The Night Sky” – 6:31
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
Thought so fast, I ran out of thought.
Chased the wind, and found myself bought.Music sounds with echoes of youth,
Loaded up with visions of truth
The more I felt, the less that I knew.The night sky, the sweet earth.
The night sky, the sweet air.
I never, never, never knew what hit me.Fragrance clings like smoke to my clothes.
Autumn trees shed leaves over me.
Colours bring new life to the earth.The night sky, the sweet earth.
The night sky, the sweet air.
I tasted heaven, and it hurt like hell
The higher I climbed, the further I fell.Among the trees –
Smell the damp from the branches,
Listen to the river.I take the leaves,
Scrape this sin off my skin,
Breathe in the sweet air.The night sky, the sweet earth.
The night sky, the sweet air.
I tasted heaven, and it hurt like hell
The higher I climbed, the further I fell.The night sky, the sweet earth.
The night sky, the sweet air.
I never, never, never knew what hit me.I never, never, never knew what hit me.
5. “Catford Gun Supply” – 2:40
- Vocalizations – Tim Bowness
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
Instrumental
6. “Days Like These” – 3:11
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Written by Tim Bowness
All boys are snakes, all girls eat cakes,
Their stupid noise keeps you awake,
Like visions of those bowie fakes
Your evil parents love to hate.
He looks at you and you can’t speak –
And all you see are mysteries,
And images from history
Of greedy men from Sicily.On days like these,
You just can’t breathe.
On days like these,
When love deceives.Jane’s boyfriend’s still a crashing bore,
Tom’s wife became the village whore.
The prices in his corner store
Just make you want to smash the door.
The gift he sent you wasn’t new,
The love he gave you wasn’t true.
He said “forever” – now you’re through.
You need to find some things to do.On days like these,
You just can’t breathe.
On days like these,
When love deceives.On days like these,
You just can’t breathe.
On days like these,
When love deceives.
7. “Days In The Trees (Bach)” – 1:43
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
8. “Paradub” – 3:53
- Vocalizations – Tim Bowness
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Written by Steven Wilson
Instrumental
9. “Hard Shoulder” – 4:02
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Guitar – Robert Fripp
- Saxophone & Flute – Mel Collins
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
To face the light
To fight the fight
To face the light
To fight the fightIt’s getting harder
To seem that easy
It’s getting harder
To feel that freeTo face the light
To fight the fight
To face the light
To fight the fight
10. “Love Among The White Trash” – 4:23
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments & Backing Vocals – Steven Wilson
- Fretless Bass – Silas Maitland
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
You lie on the carpet,
You smell of sweat and talcum powder.
I’m so tired of fighting,
So tired of being alive.Won’t you kiss my neck?
Won’t you soothe the pain that wears my body down?
Won’t you be my strength?Deliver my soul (Love, love, love among the white trash)
(Love, love, love among the white trash)
Deliver me whole (Love, love, love among the white trash)
I will be your strength
Deliver my soul (love, love, love among the white trash)Deliver my soul (Love, love, love among the white trash)
(Love, love, love among the white trash)
Deliver me whole (Love, love, love among the white trash)
I will be your strength
Deliver my soul (Love, love, love among the white trash)The weight of all these days,
And the hurt of all these shapeless years –
I’m tired of healing bleeding hands
And hearing empty talk.Deliver my soul (Love, love, love among the white trash)
(Love, love, love among the white trash)
Deliver me whole (Love, love, love among the white trash)
I will be your strengthDeliver my soul (Love, love, love among the white trash)
(Love, love, love among the white trash)
Deliver me whole (Love, love, love among the white trash)
I will be your strengthDeliver my soul (Love, love, love among the white trash)
(Love, love, love among the white trash)
Deliver me whole (Love, love, love among the white trash)
I will be your strengthDeliver my soul (Love, love, love among the white trash)
(Love, love, love among the white trash)
Deliver me whole (Love, love, love among the white trash)
I will be your strength
11. “Amateurwahwah” – 4:19
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
And what if you should fall?
And what if you should follow?
And flame goes out,
And heart grows wild with sorrow?
And what if you should give?
And what if you should suffer?
And time gets tight,
And damp sheets are your lovers?Earth is moving, heat is rising.
Sun is calling, calling you to the dream.The sky was never so blue,
The air was never so sweet,
The world was never so new,
You feared the loss of fear.You hear their laughter,
Their stupid laughter.
You shake with boredom,
Shake your boredom away.The sky was never so blue,
The air was never so sweet,
The world was never so new,
You feared the loss of fear.The sky was never so blue,
The air was never so sweet,
The world was never so new,
You feared the loss of fear.
12. “Drug Me” – 4:26
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
Take the short cut and take it slow,
To the place where we always go.
Take the short cut and take it slow,
And cover the land like buffaloIt feels so real,
It feels so true
Endless days with nothing left to do
It feels so real,
It feels so right
It’s hard to fight when you’re as high as a kite.
Like a ship of light
In my sea of night,
With a lover’s might
You drug me.No uglier place than this.
Do you know how hard it is
On the century’s super list
Of all the sick and the pissed?It feels so real,
It feels so true
Endless days with nothing left to do
It feels so real,
It feels so right
It’s hard to fight when you’re as high as a kite.
Like a ship of light
In my sea of night,
With a lover’s might
You drug me.It feels so real,
It feels so right
It’s hard to fight when you’re high as a kiteIt feels so real,
It feels so right
It’s hard to fight when you’re high as a kiteLike a ship of light
In my sea of night,
With a lover’s might
You drug me.
13. “Pale as Angels” – 1:31
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
Off the boat
And on the shore –
So pale,
Like angels.Off the boat
With dreams of more –
As pale
As angels.Pale…
As angels…
14. “Coming Through The Slaughter” – 5:26
- Vocals – Tim Bowness
- Instruments – Steven Wilson
- Guitar – Robert Fripp
- Saxophone & Flute – Mel Collins
- Written by Bowness/Wilson
I’ll tell you why I did what I did.
I’ll tell you why I lied and I hid.
I wasted lifetimes in the heat of machines.
I gave my mind up to the stars in my dreams.Why try to walk when the roots are shaken?
Why try to talk when your vision is breaking?Why try to walk when the roots are shaken?
Why try to talk when your vision is breaking?Coming through slaughter,
Coming for you.I’ll tell you why I said what I said,
I’ll tell you why the feeling is dead.
Your desperation left a shadow on me –
Your blank expression shaped my true destiny.Why try to walk when the roots are shaken?
Why try to talk when your vision is breaking?Why try to walk when the roots are shaken?
Why try to talk when your vision is breaking?Coming through slaughter,
Coming for you.Coming through slaughter,
Coming for you.Coming through slaughter (Taken in by the taste of you)
Coming through slaughter (Taken in by you)Coming through slaughter,
Coming for you.
All The Blue Changes 