Alone and unchained
There must be more

Officially, No-Man began with their 1990 single “Colours.” While from a commercial standpoint this was the first release that garnered attention in any forum, the bands roots extended back through the late 80’s with a series of lesser known and often overlook releases.

From A Toyshop Window (1986)

Released in 1986, Exposure was a vinyl only compilation of various up and coming progressive artists compiled and curated by a young Steven Wilson. By 1986, Wilson had finished his stint in Karma and was in the process of creating the earliest known Porcupine Tree tracks. It was also in 1986 that Steven cut a track called “From A Toyshop Window.”  This track was released under the name No Man Is An Island (Except For The Isle of Man). It was with this track, that the story of No-Man begins.

Featuring 80’s synthesizers, pounding drum machines and guitar-work similar to that found on the first Porcupine Tree tape, along with the motif of the ticking metronome (something that Steven would revisit on the Porcupine Tree track “Burning Sky”) the track bears little resemblance to both the rest of the late 80’s No-Man tracks and to Steven’s own Porcupine Tree songs from that year.

The track has never been reissued.

“From A Toyshop Window” – 6:38

• Steven Wilson – All Instruments

Instrumental

Faith’s Last Doubt and Screaming Head Eternal (1987/1989)

I was in several bands of variable quality located in my native North West of England. The best of which, Plenty and Always The Stranger, came to Steven’s attention via reviews in fanzines and he subsequently approached me to contribute a track to a compilation album he was preparing at the time. I suggested a musical collaboration as well and traveled South to meet him. Within four hours of shaking hands we’d written two pieces of music that were quite different to anything we’d done before and effectively mapped out the blueprint of No-Man.

Tim Bowness via https://www.innerviews.org/inner/noman.html

The results of this fateful meeting between Steven Wilson and Tim Bowness would appear on two different compilations put out by Steven. Pulled from this very first session, “Faith’s Last Doubt” is the first in a long line of ballads that No-Man would write. Like most of the band’s early works, Steven is credited with all instruments (with the exception of guitar work from Nigel Childs of Pride of Passion, a band Steven had played with a few years prior) albeit under a variety of alias. This is in a similar fashion to the early Porcupine Tree tapes that have Steven assuming the names of radical characters. The track is one of the few times that Steven is heard playing fretless bass, an instrument he would mostly drop by the time Flowermouth was released in 1994. It also marks the only collaboration the group would have with Nigel Childs.

“Screaming Head Eternal” would also be cut from this first session and would appear in 1989 compilation Expose It! Tim has described the it as “a piece of messy punk-jazz ” and featured both the track “French Terror Tree Suspect” as an intro and Ben Coleman’s violin overdubs. These overdubs were recorded around the time Ben would join the group in 1988. While “French Terror Tree Suspect” would resurface on the 1993 cassette Speak: 1988-89 and later on the 1999 reissue, both “Faith’s Last Doubt” and “Screaming Head Eternal” would remain largely forgotten until 2022, where they were included in the bonus disc for Steven’s Limited Edition of One book.

“Faith’s Last Doubt” – 7:10

• Vocals/Lyrics – Tim Bowness
• Guitar, Bass [Fretless], Keyboards – Steven Wilson
• Drums, Percussion – Digit (Alias for Steven Wilson)
• Keyboards – JC Camillioni (Alias for Steven Wilson)
• Lead Guitar – Nigel Childs
• Written by Bowness/Wilson

Like waves they move,
In doubt they move,
Towards a fading light,
Towards a fading light.
They move, in time
They may shed faith’s last doubt,
And bathe in blinding light,
And in the blazing light
They’ll touch.

But she can’t speak of what she feels
Within her hopeless heart,
And he can’t reach her private pain
Or break the lies they share,

Break the lies.
In time they may
Shed faith’s last doubt,
And bathe in blinding light,
And in the blazing light
They’ll touch.

And she can’t speak of what she feels
Within her hopeless heart,
And he can’t reach her private pain
Or break the lies they share,
Or break the lies they share,
Or break the lies they share,
Break the lies.

Towards a fading light,
Towards a fading light,
They move.

But she can’t speak of what she feels
Within her hopeless heart,
And he can’t reach her private pain
Or break the lies they share,

“Screaming Head Eternal” – 4:56

• Vocals – Tim Bowness
• Instruments – Steven Wilson
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written by Bowness/Wilson
• Introduction Written by Wilson/Coleman

Head so stupid lies bleeding on the floor,
Body broken and crushed against the door,
Fevered moments that move without control,
All aggression pulled tight round naked limbs,
Pulled tight!

Screaming, screaming,
Screaming head eternal.

Head so stupid lies bleeding on the floor,
Body broken and crushed against the door,
Almost like prayers when all the faith is gone,
Lips that would kiss form prayers to broken stones.
Almost like prayers when all the faith is gone,
Lips that would kiss form prayers to broken stones.

Burning brightly, and ever brighter still.
Screaming, screaming, screaming,
Screaming head eternal.

Almost like prayers when all the faith is gone,
Lips that would kiss form prayers to broken stones.

Almost like prayers when all the faith is gone,
Lips that would kiss form prayers to broken stones

Almost like prayers when all the faith is gone,
Lips that would kiss form prayers to broken stones

Almost like prayers when all the faith is gone…

Buoyed by the success of the their first writing session, Tim and Steven would quickly write and record a collection of songs, including “Dull Day Fall,” “Absurd Walls,” “Beaten By Love,” “Stone,” “The Summer Place” and “Mouth Was Blue.” Of these, only “Dull Day Fall” (renamed to “Long Day Fall”), “Beaten By Love” and “Mouth Was Blue” would progress any further.

The Girl From Missouri

1988 and 1989 were busy years for No-Man. In the two year span, the duo would add violinist Ben Coleman and guitarist Stuart “The Owl” Blagden to their ranks, make their live debut and have two major releases (The Girl From Missouri and Swagger).

1988 in particular saw the band cut a wide range of demo’s. Only one of these however, “Heaven’s Break,” would appear on the bands first full studio album. The rest of the songs recorded in this time period would either see the light of day on the band’s 1993 tape Speak: 1988-89, would be released in a very different form down the line (such as “Angel Gets Caught In The Beauty Trap”), or would remain unreleased.

For Steven and me, this was a time of getting to know one another creatively and trying out whatever came into our heads, whenever it came into our heads. After years of separately struggling to fully articulate our ideas in other bands, No-Man provided a way for both of us to produce a music which flowed freely with no need for explanation

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. As well as what ended up on Speak, this era also saw the genesis of later No-Man songs such as Angel Gets Caught In The Beauty Trap, Days In The Trees, Close Your Eyes and Bleed.

At the time, we were listening to a combination of Miles Davis, Scott Walker, Ambient, ECM Jazz, Minimalism, 1970s Progressive and Folk Rock and some contemporary music (This Mortal Coil, Dead Can Dance, Tom Waits, The Blue Nile, Kate Bush, Momus and David Sylvian spring to mind), but, mostly, we were very taken by a particular breed of primarily 1960s originated singer-songwriter (Nick Drake, Tim Buckley, Nico, Sandy Denny, Tim Hardin, John Martyn and so on). Eager to capture a bittersweet ‘Summer’s end’ feel, we wrote songs during this period that seemed to possess an aura of last chance wistfulness which belied our youth.

For the first year or two of the band’s life, on a monthly basis I’d travel by train from the Northern English metropolis of Warrington to its Southern equivalent, Hemel Hempstead, in order to spend weekends writing and recording with Steven. The time was precious and despite spending endless hours talking about music, literature and when exactly we were going to eat (and where), we always seemed to put it to productive use.

Tim Bowness via https://timbowness.wordpress.com/album-writings/speak/

By 1989, the band had reached a point where a studio release was viable.
The end result of these sessions would be The Girl From Missouri. Released on the 19th of June, 1989, it consisted of 4 tracks the release was limited to a small vinyl run.

The Girl From Missouri, is possibly the worse thing the band has ever done. It aimed for Scott 3, but ended up sounding like a pompous Tom Jones waltz from Hell!

Tim Bowness via https://timbowness.wordpress.com/influences/scott-walker/

Harsh words. While the title track is far from the band’s finest hours, the remainder of the release consisted of more experimental material in the form of “Forest Almost Burning,” “Night Sky, Sweet Earth”, and “The Ballet Beast.”

“Forest Almost Burning” has its roots with an earlier band Tim was involved in called Plenty. Its one of several tracks that No-Man would re-record for use on their own releases. Fiorest Almost Burning had served as a connected introduction to the track “Sacrifice” that was included on Double Exposure in 1987. The Girl From Missouri version saw the piece extended and fully formed, with guitar being contributed Tim’s Plenty bandmate Brian Hulse.

Forest Almost Burning represented the first time I was creating music that I’d actually listen to myself.

Tim Bowness via https://timbowness.wordpress.com/album-writings/plenty-it-could-be-home/

By contrast, “Night Sky, Sweet Earth” is a more simplistic track featuring only Steven’s guitar, Ben’s Violin and Tim’s voice, with the occasional flash of fretless bass and keyboard. The track was one of several to receive brand new vocals courtesy of Tim for the 1999 edition of Speak. The final track, “The Ballet Beast” is the shortest of the four and features an even more minimalist sound of ambient keyboard, guitar and the sounds of chimes.

The title song is awful, but the other tracks, “Forest Almost Burning,” “Night Sky, Sweet Earth” and “The Ballet Beast” are pretty good. We used to perform “The Girl From Missouri” live. We would finish the show with it. It was supposed be an almost Jacques Brel cabaret-like thing.

When we got the opportunity to record a single, we decided that would be the A-side. It came out very flat, pretentious and gauche. That’s how I feel about it. It was a lesson learned. Everybody has that first single they’d like to erase from memory and that’s ours. It’s not going to be in the box. It would pre-date the One Little Indian years, anyway. I think our next single from 1990, “Colours,” was where we got it completely right.

Steven Wilson via Anil Prasad / Innerviews

Of the four track, all but the title track was re-released on the 1993 edition of Speak. For the 1999 release of Speak, only “Night Sky, Sweet Earth” and “The Ballet Beast” were included. “The Ballet Beast” also received a music video created by Jodie Wick in 2001, which was included on the 2008 release Mixtaped as a bonus feature. The original Plenty version of “Forest Almost Burning,” along with a rerecording from the reunited lineup would see release on their second album, 2021’s Enough.

Tracklist

A1: The Girl From Missouri
A2: Forest Almost Burning
B1: Night Sky Sweet Earth
B2: The Ballet Beast

A1: “The Girl From Missouri” – 3:37

• Vocals/Words – Tim Bowness
• Keyboard/Fretless Bass – Steven Wilson
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Guitar: Stuart “The Still Owl” Blagden
• Written by Bowness/Wilson/Blagden

Your face in the photograph
Was beautiful and pure.
Your face in the photograph
Held the fires of the world.
I howl for the smell of you,
I scream for your touch.
Your face in the photograph
Could carry me away.

Barefoot in the holy land,
Leaves tangled in your hair;
It might’ve been your simple smile
That sprayed me sweet with faith.
They pump you up with little lies,
They pump you up with dreams.
Your face in the photograph
Could carry me away.

Your faith could crack my stupid heart.
Your faith could carry me away.

A2: “Forest Almost Burning” – 3:53

• Vocals/Words – Tim Bowness
• Keyboard/Fretless Bass – Steven Wilson
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Guitar – Brian Hulse
• Written by Bearpark/Bowness/Hulse/Jones/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…

B1: “Night Sky, Sweet Earth” – 5:49

• Vocals/Words – Tim Bowness
• Keyboard, Fretless Bass, Guitar – 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 –
Paper cups, and drunks against walls.
Ripped and torn, their hell doesn’t burn.

I swear that I’ll never fall.
I swear I won’t ever turn.
I swear that I’ll never fall.
I swear I won’t ever turn.

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 leaves are burning,
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.

B2: “The Ballet Beast” – 1:21

• Vocals, Words – Tim Bowness
• Instruments – Steven Wilson
  (Although credited on the original release, Ben Coleman is absent from the recording)
• 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…

Strip Wild EP

It should be noted that The Girl From Missouri was originally not the planned first release for the band. As early as the first half of 1989 the No-Man were working on a release known as Strip Wild. Sadly the only details are from a single flier pictured below.

We did intend it (Strip Wild) to be our debut for Plastic Head. Instead, we opted for the infinitely worse Girl From Missouri! 

Tim Bowness

“The River Song” would eventually see release with the the 1999 CD edition of Speak. “Dull Day (Beneath an Angry Sky)” would eventually become the track “Long Day Fall.” It would end up being released as a B-side to the Only Baby single and on the Heaven Taste compilation.
Sadly “Dreamer in a Dead Language” has remained lost to time, as have the Death and Dodgson’s Dreamchild LP and the Shallow Grave audio-visual project.

---

Swagger

Swagger would be the band’s second release of 1989. By this point, the band were now going as No-Man, Stuart Blagden had left the band, and Steven was now handling guitar duties in addition to playing bass, keyboards and programming for drums. In comparison to The Girl From Missouri, the tracks that made up Swagger didn’t have the wide range of style, instead having songs were that “beat and guitar driven” and “Trevor Horn-inspired shiny pop” according to Tim and Steven respectively. The genesis of the release can be traced to No-Man’s increasing live profile and a need to have something to sell at these early live shows.

The first track, “Flowermouth” bares almost nothing in common to the later 1994 album save for its name. The track is the first to show off the new approach that the band was using, with its aggressive guitar and drum machines. A rather interesting feature is the appearance of a melody and lyrical structure that would re-appear on the track “Lovecry”

“Life is Elsewhere” is another track that’s origins can be traced back to the band Plenty. A version of the track recorded in 1991 with Samuel Smiles was released on the Burning Shed exclusive Tim Bowness / Samuel Smiles ‎– Live Archive One. A rather moody piano led ballad, the track features lyrics that touch on the theme of dysfunctional relationships, a theme that would run through a large chunk of the bands work. The track would be the longest lived of the Swagger material, remaining in the group’s live shows until late 1991. A different version of the track with a more prominent use of a drum machine would find its way to a Plastic Head Recordings sampler tape with mention of it being included on a forthcoming LP called Prattle. This LP would be dropped when the band moved to One Little Indian in 1990 and seems to only be mentioned on the sampler. Eventually the track would morph into one called “Never Needing” which was released on Plenty’s 2018 album It Could Be Home.

The song – along with Days In The Trees – was one of the main reasons why both One Little Indian Records and Hit & Run Publishing Ltd wanted to sign No-Man.

Tim Bowness

“Bleed” would have the distinction of being re-recorded not once but twice. The second version was included as the B-side to the Sweetheart Raw single. The third was included on the Heaven Taste compilation. The percussive intro and the fast pace of the vocal delivery would remain across the various recordings.

The EP closer “Mouth Was Blue” is another high energy track, this time with screeching guitar courtesy of Steven. Of note is the similarity in chord progression between this track and “Burning Sky” off of the 1993 Porcupine Tree album Up The Downstair.

About 150 copies of Swagger were printed on cassette with a handful of promotional copies also featuring “The Girl From Missouri” as a bonus track. A different version of Life is Elsewhere, with a new programmed drum track would see releases on a 1989 Plastic Head Records sampler, while Tim would revisit the track with both Samuel Smiles in the early 90’s and with Plenty in 2017. Plenty would also re-record “Bleed” as part of their 2021 album Enough. Swagger would mark the end of the transitional period that was the late 80’s, as the band began to gravitate towards the lush and atmospheric sounds mixed with electronic elements that would come to dominate subsequent releases.

“Flowermouth,” “Bleed,” and “Mouth was Blue” were included in the bonus disc for Steven’s Limited Edition of One book. The complete Swagger tape was reissued in full, along with a handful of other early demos in 2024 under the name Swagger: Lost Not Lost Volume 1 1989/1990. The full contents of that release will be covered in a future article.

Tracklist

A1: Flowermouth
A2: Life is Elsewhere
B1: Bleed
B2: Mouth Was Blue

A1: “Flowermouth” – 5:00

• Vocals/Words – Tim Bowness
• Guitar/Bass/Keyboards/Drum Programming – Steven Wilson
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written by Bowness/Wilson

You came to me that evening
With murder on your soul.
I begged for your forgiveness
With flowers in my mouth.
I stood above and watched you sleeping,
Fires in my head.
I cried “I’m not” while you were sleeping,
White petals touched your face

You took the flowers from my mouth
And you crushed them in your hand,
Did this mean anything to you?

You took the flowers from my mouth
And you crushed them in your hand,
Did this mean anything to you?

You saw the red turn into green,
But still you screamed your little dreams.
They mean nothing in my world.

Angel fears the flash boom.

Angel fears the flash boom.

Angel fears the flash boom.

Angel fears the flash boom.

Sometimes I think that I love you,
Sometimes I don’t even care.

Sometimes I think that I love you,
Sometimes I don’t even care.

Sometimes I laugh like the water,
Sometimes I breathe like the stone.

A2: “Life Is Elsewhere” – 4:17

• Vocals/Words – Tim Bowness
• Guitar/Bass/Keyboards/Drum Programming – Steven Wilson
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written by Bowness/Hulse

Between the doubt and the tears
We sat bored watching films
We didn’t want to.
Between the tears and the doubt
We laid clothes on the bed –
Never speaking.

Never needing to speak
Never wanting to leave

Between the drought and the fire
Dancing and groping in smoke-filled rooms
Between the fire and the drought
Shapeless in motion, two lives as one.

Never needing to speak,
Never wanting to leave,
But now,
It’s like I never knew you.
But now,
It’s like I never touched you.

You took all we shared
And you threw it at me,
So I threw it back.
It cracked and it dried.
It lived, then it died.

Never needing to speak,
Never wanting to leave.
But now,
It’s like I never knew you.
But now,
It’s like you never touched me.

Now you live in your world,
And I die in mine.
But I’m hopeful
Life is elsewhere.

Like love, and truth.
Like you, and me.

Like love, and truth.
Like you, and me.

B1: “Bleed” – 5:09

• Vocals/Words – Tim Bowness
• Guitar/Bass/Keyboards/Drum Programming – Steven Wilson
• Violin – Ben Coleman

Tell the truth
And tell it ’til it makes me bleed.
The man that is
Will dwarf the man that pretends to be.
No fight, no blame.

Talk to me;
I’ll bleed a little more for you.
Take the chance
To watch the red rise
From the white of my wide, wide eyes.
No fight, no blame.

No search, no pain.
No dream, no gain.
No fight, no blame.

Going nowhere, moving fast.
Saying nothing, nothing lasts.

No fight, no blame.
No search, no pain.
No dream, no gain.
No fight, no blame.

Empty me,
I’ll bleed a little more for you.

Empty me,
I’ll bleed a little more for you.

Are you watching
Me?

B2: “Mouth Was Blue” – 4:54

• Vocals/Words – Tim Bowness
• Guitar/Bass/Keyboards/Drum Programming – Steven Wilson
• Violin – Ben Coleman

Your legs too weak, you try to walk,
To walk away out of the dark.
Your tongue too tied, you try to talk,
To talk yourself out of the dark.

Far away now,
You’re much too far.

Your failing hope: they drag you back
Without a guide to lead you clear.

Far away now,
You’re much too far.

There was a time
When love was close,
When love would burn
Inside your head,
Inside your head,
Inside your head,
Inside your head…

Colours

No-Man had flirted with the idea of doing a Donovan cover all the way back in 1988 with a recording of “River Song.” However it would be their dramatic version of “Colours” that would finally give the band the leg up they needed to enter in some form to the mainstream and secure the band a major financial backer in the form of One Little Indian.

Built around a simple break-beat and taking inspiration from groups like De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest, “Colours” was a glimpse into future direction the band would have.

I started to sample beats and put them underneath some of the tracks we had recorded in the old style (of Speak)… Colours is very little more than break beats, a violin solo and lyrics

Steven Wilson via “Returning”

By taking the skeleton of a 1960s Donovan Folk anthem and underpinning it with a sample from a 1980s A Tribe Called Quest song (which itself was taken from a 1970s Lou Reed song), a future presented itself. By subsequently adding my croon, Ben’s inspired violin playing and Steven’s white noise guitar, I felt No-Man had found a sound of its own for the second time in its short career.

Tim Bowness via https://timbowness.wordpress.com/album-writings/lovesighs-loveblows-and-lovecries-an-assessment/

“Colours” is also the earliest No-Man track to receive a music video, which served as part of the promotion of the single by Tim, Steven and Ben.

Colours’ entire media campaign centred around sending 5 copies of the single, along with a semi-comic press release, to selected journalists we believed would see the band as an interesting contrast to the prevailing musical trends.

Luckily, the small-scale mailout produced big results.

Tim Bowness via https://timbowness.wordpress.com/album-writings/lovesighs-loveblows-and-lovecries-an-assessment/

Although absent from the original 7″ version, “Drink Judas” kicks off the second side. The track features the heavy use of drum machine and violin that would come to define the band’s sound from this release onward.

The second B-Side is a heavily remixed version of “Colours,” which is called “Colours – (Remodelled)” on the original release. The track goes through and focuses different elements of the song, with Tim’s vocal performance and Ben’s violin taking center stage before the rest of the songs elements come in

Two distinct releases for Colours were created: a 7″ promo version and the regular 12″ version. The main difference between the two was the addition of “Drink Judas” on the B-Side and different artwork on the cover. Discogs has noted that, “About 50 copies (of the 7″ version) came with a fold-out picture sleeve, some of which were printed on white paper where others were printed on brown paper.”

The release saw praise from multiple music journals, with Chris Roberts of Melody Makers naming it Track of the Week and writing

“Welcome to the phenomenon of Donovan.” On the other hand this is sort of magnificently topical. So I dunno. But it’s still flushed with the “sexily religious” groove I’m inventing here as we go along. No-Man are apparently two Cheshire arts students and an Israeli violinist. They claim to be very nice people who did this stuff with the great Mickie Most’s approval long before Floppy Mondays announced they’d be covering ‘Colours’… it shags along with just a low breathy voice and intensely sparse drums for over two minutes before there’s a split-second perfect cascade of (beautiful beautiful) violins and guitars and then everything ends with yer archetypal choir of angels. It’s gorgeous and addictive, the singer is king of the world for the next hour or so, and I hope it does so well that Shaun Ryder’s sheepdogs have to retire. No-Man exude the poise and confidence The Beloved want to exude. Twenty five times on the deck and rising.

Chris Roberts

The release would also garner the attention of first the publishing group Hit and Run Ltd. and then the record label One Little Indian, both who the band would sign with at the tail end of 1990.

Steven and I both liked OLI bands Kitchens Of Distinction and The Sugarcubes, and Steven was also keen on the early work of The Shamen. An idealistic Indie with mainstream ambitions, the fit seemed good.

Tim Bowness via https://timbowness.wordpress.com/album-writings/lovesighs-loveblows-and-lovecries-an-assessment/

Both “Colours” and “Drink Judas” (albeit in re-recorded form) would appear on 1992’s Lovesighs – An Enternainment EP. “Colours” would also be included on the 2006 compilation All The Blue Changes: An Anthology 1988 – 2006.

A: “Colours” – 4:09

Yellow is the colour of my true love’s hair
In the morning, when we rise
In the morning, when we rise
That’s the time, that’s the time
I love the best

Blue’s the colour of the sky-y
In the morning, when we rise
In the morning, when we rise
That’s the time, that’s the time
I love the best

Green’s the colour of the sparklin’ corn
In the morning, when we rise
In the morning, when we rise
That’s the time, that’s the time
I love the best

Mellow is the feeling that I get
When I see her, m-hmm
When I see her, oh yeah
That’s the time, that’s the time
I love the best

Freedom is a word I rarely use
Without thinking, oh yeah
Without thinking, m-hmm
Of the time, of the time
When I’ve been loved

Yellow is the colour of my true love’s hair
In the morning, when we rise
In the morning, when we rise
That’s the time, that’s the time
I love the best

B1: “Drink Judas” – 4:48

• Instruments – Steven Wilson
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Vocals/Words – Tim Bowness

If I close my eyes,
I might look at it differently.
I’ll just crawl beside you
And forget about everything.
But that drunk’s still howling
In the alleyway,
And that old man’s
Fallen on his face again.

Feel the arrow pierce my heart.
Feel the daylight scorch my skin.
Retreat into beauty –
Can’t stand the light.
Retreat into beauty –
Can’t stand the day.

With my hand in yours
I can pretend that I’m not afraid.
Our warm bodies shine
And I believe .
I believe in eternity.
But that young girl’s screaming
“I don’t want you back”,
And the walls are cracking
In our living room,
And that young girl wishes
That her man were dead
As he drums his fists
Into her broken head.

Feel the arrow pierce my heart.
Feel the daylight scorch my skin.
Retreat into beauty –
Can’t stand the light.
Retreat into beauty –
Can’t stand the day.

A man is staring at the cold white stars,
He has drawn the head of Jesus
On the paving stone.
And you and I walk through our furnished rooms –
We drink the blood of Judas
From our silver spoons.
We drink the blood of Judas
From our silver spoons.

Feel the arrow pierce my heart.
Feel the daylight scorch my skin.|
Retreat into beauty –
Can’t stand the light.
Retreat into beauty –
Can’t stand the day.

Feel the arrow pierce my heart.
Feel the daylight scorch my skin.
Retreat into beauty –
Can’t stand the light.
Retreat into beauty –
Can’t stand the day.

If I close my eyes,
I might look at it differently.
I’ll just crawl beside you…

B2: “Colours (Remodelled)” – 4:09

• Instruments – Steven Wilson
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Vocals – Tim Bowness
• Written-By – Donovan Leitch

Yellow is the colour of my true love’s hair
In the morning, when we rise
In the morning, when we rise
That’s the time, that’s the time
I love the best

Blue’s the colour of the sky-y
In the morning, when we rise
In the morning, when we rise
That’s the time, that’s the time
I love the best

Green’s the colour of the sparklin’ corn
In the morning, when we rise
In the morning, when we rise
That’s the time, that’s the time
I love the best

Mellow is the feeling that I get
When I see her, m-hmm
When I see her, oh yeah
That’s the time, that’s the time
I love the best

Freedom is a word I rarely use
Without thinking, oh yeah
Without thinking, m-hmm
Of the time, of the time
When I’ve been loved

Yellow is the colour of my true love’s hair
In the morning, when we rise
In the morning, when we rise
That’s the time, that’s the time
I love the best

---

Days In The Trees

If there was a single song that encapsulate the direction that No-Man wanted their future to sound like, it would be Days In The Trees. The trio’s first release for One Little Indian, Days In The Trees is the strongest of the band’s early tracks and remains a high-point in the band’s catalog.

“At six minutes plus and possessing a ferociously dissonant mid-section, for us, this was an important, uncompromising statement of intent.”

Tim Bowness via https://timbowness.wordpress.com/album-writings/lovesighs-loveblows-and-lovecries-an-assessment/

Work on the track began as early as 1989 and can be divided into two unique demos: the “ambient” version in the spring of 1989 (which was more in line with the bands earlier work) and the “beat” version in September of 1990. The beat version featured a chord progression that had originally turned up on a Porcupine Tree track called Mute.

When in No mans land, I heard the opening arpeggios of Day In The Trees and started writing lyrics and a melody to it. This developed into the full-blown song over a week or so. The main violin melody (which is also the core of Bach) is something I wrote and following on from that Steven composed more themes

Tim Bowness via email.

Released in 1989 on the very first PT tape Tarquin’s Seaweed Farm, “Mute” would not make the cut when it came time for the first proper Porcupine Tree album, On The Sunday of Life, released in 1992. The track would later show up as the opener on the archival release Yellow Hedgerow Dreamscape first released in 1994. The melody used for Days In The Trees can be heard in the clip below around 1:40

Four different versions of “Days In The Trees” would be released on the 1991 EP, being the “Mahler” arrangement, the “Ives” arrangement, the “Bartok” arrangement and the “Reich” arrangement.

OLI and Hit & Run were initially drawn to the band by the media phase for Colours, but it was them hearing the demos of Life Is Elsewhere and Days In The Trees that convinced them both to sign the band.

Tim Bowness via email

“Days In The Trees: Mahler” is the most well-known version of the track and can be considered to be the “main” version as live performances of the track stuck to a similar arrangement. The Mahler version was included in both Lovesighs – An Entertainment in 1992 and in the US release of Loveblows and Lovecries – A Confession in 1993 (with the song fading into “Painting Paradise”) in addition to the original EP. An alternate mix of the track would show up on the 2006 compilation All The Blue Changes: A Chronology. Tim has also made mention of a 2009 re-recording that has yet to be released. Mahler is credited to Bowness/Fenton/Wilson. Fenton is this case is composer George Fenton whom Steven had pulled from to make the song’s middle eight section.

According to Tim, Geroge ended up with 50% of the publishing royalties for his contribution.

“Days In The Trees: Ives” focuses on Ben’s violin and Steven’s piano on the second half of the track. The section highlighted in this case is buried under Steven’s solo on the Mahler arrangement. Like the Mahler version, the Ives version also credits George Fenton courtesy of the middle eight section.

Days In The Trees: Bartok features an opening that is shared with both “Love Among The White Trash” (which was originally demoed around the same time) and more notably, the Porcupine Tree track “The Nostalgia Factory.” The track itself sounds like a mutant hybrid of the Mahler version crossed with the then unreleased “Love Among The White Trash” and boasts significant usage of electronic drums. The end result is a unique song that bears little in common with the rest of the Days In The Trees arrangements. Bartok, along with Ives have yet to be re-released.

Days In The Trees: Reich has been singled out by Tim as being a favorite, and it is easy to see why. The minimalist arrangement coupled with the sampled dialogue from the 12^th Twin Peaks episodes was praised by Melody Maker in their review saying the song was “as handsome as God himself.” The melody from Mute is most accessible on this version because of its minimal arrangement. Like the Mahler version, it was included on Lovesighs – An Entertainment in 1992 and the 2006 compilation All The Blue Changes: A Chronology.

The Japanese release in July of 1992 saw two additional tracks added.

Days In The Trees: Bach is another minimalist take, this time focusing on Steven’s piano with only minimal hints of backing synths. The track was included on the 2001 release Lost Songs Vol I.

Only marked as Arthur Askey upon release, Days In The Trees: Arthur Askey is a remix of the Mahler version done by The Shamen, a Scottish electronics act signed to One Little Indian who were also early fans of the band. The Japanese release is the only one to feature this unique arrangement. Neither Tim nor Steven were fully satisfied with the remix.

The release saw praise from the likes of Melody Maker, Sounds and Channel Four.

“‘Days In The Trees’ is ‘Kites’ or ‘MacArthur Park’ or ‘Conquistador’ tagged out in no-age nuance and ignoring fashionable niceties… A voluptuous dance groove, a stormy vocal, a melody that curves like an eyebrow… a heathen marriage of the physical and the cerebral… This four-track epic culminates with a snatch of seductive dialogue from ‘Twin Peaks’ which is accompanied by a shiver of cool minimalism that is as handsome as God himself. Nothing is so powerful as an idea whose time has come.”

Jon Wilde of Melody Maker

Despite the positive reception, Tim was ultimately unhappy with the release

“Although I liked the artwork and the overall way the Days In The Trees EP worked (Reich is a piece I still love), I was disappointed with DITT itself, which never seemed as graceful as the song I heard in my head (an unreleased 2009 version contains what I consider to be the best vocal performance).”

Tim Bowness via https://timbowness.wordpress.com/album-writings/lovesighs-loveblows-and-lovecries-an-assessment/

Tracklisting (UK Edition)

1. Days In The Trees (Mahler)
2. Days In The Trees (Ives)
3. Days In The Trees (Bartok)
4. Days In The Trees (Reich)

Tracklisting (Japanese Edition)

1. Days In The Trees (Mahler)
2. Days In The Trees (Bach)
3. Days In The Trees (Arthur Askey)
4. Days In The Trees (Ives)
5. Days In The Trees (Bartok)
6. Days In The Trees (Reich)

1: “Days In The Trees: Mahler” – 6:26

• Performer – Tim Bowness
• Performer – Ben Coleman
• Performer – Producer, Engineer: Steven Wilson
• Written by – Wilson/Bowness/George Fenton

The rain fell soft on the green and distant fields.
I saw you run to the shelter of the trees.
I stood alone with weeds and broken brick.
My pale fingers curled around blades of autumn grass.

I heard your feet crack earth and branch, but you were covered by the rain.
I shouted out and called your name, but you were hiding in the trees.
Days in the trees.

You rubbed the sleep from my tired eyes,
And let the real taste of God
Change the color of my thoughts.

I was draining the heaven
From the warmth of your breast,
Lighting fire on the stone.

I tore at the seams of my smooth and laundered clothes,
And ran to the trees, racing naked against the day.

I heard your feet crack earth and branch, but you were covered by the rain.
I shouted out and called your name, but you were hiding in the trees.
Days in the trees.

The ascent to your heaven,
Spending days in the trees.
I can’t stand them laughing at us.

2: “Days In The Trees: Bach” – 1:28

• Performer – Tim Bowness
• Performer – Ben Coleman
• Performer, Producer, Engineer – Steven Wilson
• Written by – Wilson/Bowness

instrumental

3: “Days In The Trees: Arthur Askey” – 4:02

• Performer – Tim Bowness
• Performer – Ben Coleman
• Performer – Producer, Engineer – Steven Wilson
• Remixer – The Shamen (uncredited on original release)
• Written by – Wilson/Bowness

Lyrics unavailable

4: “Days In The Trees: Ives” – 3:12

• Performer – Tim Bowness
• Performer – Ben Coleman
• Performer, Producer, Engineer – Steven Wilson
• Written by – Wilson/George Fenton

Instrumental

5: “Days In The Trees: Bartok” – 6:19

• Performer – Tim Bowness
• Performer – Ben Coleman
• Performer, Producer, Engineer – Steven Wilson
• Written by – Bowness/Wilson

Instrumental

6: “Days In The Trees: Reich” – 2:34

• Performer – Tim Bowness
• Performer – Ben Coleman
• Performer – Producer, Engineer: Steven Wilson
• Written by – Wilson

This is from a long time ago, is that ok?

I was about thirteen years old, fourteen maybe. We were going to the roadhouse to meet boys. They’re about twenty years old. And they’re nice to us. And they make us feel like we’re older.

Rick asks if we wanna go party and Laura says yes, and all of a sudden I feel this knot building up in my stomach. But when Laura gets in the truck with Rick, I go anyway.

A stream in the woods and when I think, it’s pale and light out. Laura starts to dance around the boys. She begins to move her hips. And we take off our clothes. I know the boys are watching. Laura starts to kiss Josh and Rick. I don’t know what to do, so I swim away. I feel like I want to run, but I don’t. He kisses my hand and then me.

I can still feel that kiss. His lips are warm and sweet. My heart jumps. He’s talking but I can’t hear him.

It was the first time I ever fell in love.

Donna Hayward – Twin Peaks “Episode 12”

Two more tracks would be released in 1991, a cover of Donovan’s Turquoise (the band’s third recorded Donovan cover) for the compilation Island of Circles and a new track called “Kiss Me Stupid” for a Volume Music Magazine sampler simply titled Volume II. A slightly edited version of the latter track would appear on Lovesighs – An Entertainment the following year.

“Turquoise” – 6:01

• Performer – No-Man
• Written by – Donovan Leitch

Your smile beams like sunlight on a gull’s wing
And the leaves dance and play after you
Take my hand and hold it as you would a flower
Take care with my heart, oh darling, she’s made of glass

Your eyes feel like silence resting on me
And the birds cease to sing when you rise
Ride easy your fairy stallion you have mounted
Take care how you ride, my precious, you might fall down

In the pastel skies a sunset I have wandered
With my eyes and ears and heart strained to the full
I know I tasted the essence in the few days
Take care who you love, my precious, he might not know

---

“Kiss Me Stupid” – 4:52

• Written by – Bowness/Wilson
• Producer – Steven Wilson

Tarving heart –
Still beating, still breathing.
Starving heart still breaking.
Blazing youth –
Turned careless, turned stupid.
Blazing youth turned ugly.

Listen to me until I’m all talked away.
Listen to me – scream wild, fall free.

Distant fires –

Like beauty, like boredom.
Distant fires consumes me.

Falling free –
You catch me, you hold me
Falling free, you touch me.

Kiss me stupid.
Kiss me free.

Kiss me stupid.
Kiss me free.

As 1992 dawned, No-Man saw itself in a position to capitalize on its early successes.
By the end of the following year however, things had become very different…