Awake Me
Heaven Break Me

One Little Indian had high hopes for No-Man going into 1992. Rightfully so, as the previous two releases by the band had garnered critical attention albeit with some commercial success. The pressure was on for No-Man to deliver the hit pop album that seemed to be waiting in the wings.

Steven, Tim and Ben had different plans…

Lovesighs – An Entertainment

A mix of singles and new material Lovesighs – An Entertainment would serve as both a preview of new material and as a way to repackage select tracks off of Colours and Days In The Trees for a new audience.  In hindsight, the album can be seen as a way to assure a nervous One Little Indian that the band did indeed have commercial potential or at the very least, forward momentum.

Lovesighs, the mini-album, emerged in much the same way as Days In The Trees; as a means of justifying the large amount of time and money we were spending in the studio trying to make our debut album, and as something for our performances to promote.

Ostensibly, a compilation of our early singles, Lovesighs also contained what we’d imagined would be a third single (Heartcheat Pop) and its b-side (Iris Murdoch Cut Me Up), as well as a piece we’d offered free to a magazine (Kiss Me Stupid).

As with Days In The Trees, I liked the raw ambition evident in some of these pieces (particularly Iris Murdoch Cut Me Up), but felt that the overall execution lacked finesse.

For me, the ideas were there but our technical abilities and the production didn’t quite match them. Perhaps the best thing about Lovesighs was that it showed a band equally at ease with Pop and experimental music, and as with Colours, an originality emerged as a result of the band’s root influences colliding with the technology and styles of the era in which the album was made.

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

The third single would sadly never materialize, although “Heartcheat Pop” was regularly played live during the time period. Lead off by a sampled keyboard riff from Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel,” the track shows off the lush sound that the band was moving towards while still retaining the heavy drum machine usage that would dominate this period. While in the studio the driving bassline was mostly buried under the samples and keyboards, on the road it was brought to the fore courtesy of touring bassist (and former Japan/RTC member) Mick Karn. Two live versions of the track (one recorded at No Man’s Land in early 1992 and one from the legendary Hit The North Sessions) would be included in the 1992-1996 BBC Sessions

“Days In The Trees: Mahler” inclusion was a method to repackage older material for a new audience. The track had been slightly remixed with the keyboards, piano and vocals being slightly louder than the EP release.

It is sadly unknown as to why “Drink Judas” was re-recorded for the release. Most likely it was to improve upon the original version. The new version forgoes the snippets of conversation that bookend the Colours version. It could also be so that the rights for the track would be one One Little Indian as opposed to Probe Point. (A similar tactic was used by David Sylvian in order to clear the track Ghosts for inclusion on compilations)

“Heartcheat Motel” would have been an obvious choice for a B-side for “Heartcheat Pop”. A remix of several motifs from the latter, the piece almost has the feel of a dance remix similar to future versions of “Only Baby” and “Taking It Like A Man.” The title can be taken as an allusion to “Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley. 

“Kiss Me Stupid” features in a slightly modified form. This version was a slightly trimmed edit of the original Volume Magazine version.

“Colours” was another re-release giving the single more exposure to new listeners.

“Iris Murdoch Cut Me Up” is one of the more experimental pieces in the band’s early catalog with its sampled children’s voices and muted drum machines. The track was earmarked for the never released third single as a possible B-Side.  It can be considered somewhat as a companion piece to the track “Iris Murdoch Cut Me Down, which would first see release on the 1993 edition of Speak.

“Days In The Trees: Reich” serves as the closer, and is the third re-release included.

Much like the band’s previous works, the album was produced in whole by Steven Wilson although mixing was carried out by Graeme Holdaway of the Beat Factory, Eric Thompson, Ingo Vauk or Steven himself depending on the track.

It should be noted that a large number of tracks that would end up on Loveblows and Lovecries had already been demoed by this point, with tracks like Housekeeping, Break Heaven and Painting Paradise fully formed and being performed with JBK during the fall 1992 tour. It should also be noted that 1992 saw two major releases from Steven Wilson’s Porcupine Tree, that being the debut album On The Sunday Of Life and the Voyage 34 single (both on Delirium Records).

By this point in the band’s career, the distinctive logo and font had been solidified as ITC Lubalin Graph with white lettering. This format would be retained throughout the band’s future releases with the only variation being a change to light blue for 2019’s “Love You To Bits.”

The back of the album sported this review from Billy Baudelaire. In reality, Billy was an alias for Tim Bowness, who was unhappy with how the press was portraying the bands work.

Four years and (almost) three singles after it’s sordid conception in the back of a rusty Hillman Imp and its ensuing forceps induced delivery, No Man, the self-proclaimed ‘greediest band in pop’, finally releases its first (almost) long-playing album.

Described by some as, “thirty minutes of peerless and provocative beauty“, and others as, “the fattest album for decades“, Lovesighs is the ultimate fusion of the love song, the symphony and the dance beat. It also acts as a timely collection of No Man’s singles to date.|

Taking the strings of Mahler, the appetite of Cyril Smith and the rhythms of the New York ghettos, No Man – a sexually rampant three-headed monster with a passion for reading poetry – has fashioned an album with the rare ability to talk to the angels and know a good bowel movement when it feels one. Lovesighs – An Entertainment will be followed by Loveblows And Lovecries – A Confession.

Cherish!

Billy Baudelaire (15/11/91)

Released in April of 1992, Lovesigh’s – An Entertainment didn’t fully live up to the expectations of One Little Indian. The release did see acclaim from groups such as Top magazine and early supporter Chris Roberts of Melody Maker.

Lovesighs’ is a collection of No-Man’s singles and is a John The Baptist to August’s album proper, ‘Loveblows & Lovecries’. No-Man have three (im)practical strengths. Tim Bowness’ louche exquisite voice, Ben Coleman’s ravishing lickable violin, and Steven Wilson’s general all-round eclectic musical genius. They deal with desires – “I’ll just crawl beside you and forget about everything… retreat into beauty” – that romantics live and die for. They make dance rhythms rock, as in ‘Kiss Me Stupid’. They tell stories, as in ‘Iris Murdoch Cut Me Up’. Best and breathiest of all, they reinvent the big ballad. ‘Days In The Trees’ is ‘Kites’ or ‘MacArthur Park’ or ‘Conquistador’ tagged out in no-age nuance and ignoring fashionable niceties. On a fine day No-Man stroke both Bronte and Brett Easton Ellis, unabashedly singing “And that young girl wishes that her man was dead / As he drums his fists into her broken head” over a ghetto-friendly groove.

No-Man despise the aura of profundity afforded to most dumb indie bands and yearn for poetry and glamour. They phone me up and suggest we start a movement. I try to explain that the nearest I get to a movement these days is making it as far as the corner shop, and that individuals are by definition individuals. They don’t hear me. Probably the blessed trinity of No-Man just go on doing it.

Chris Roberts

Tracklist (All Versions)

1. Heartcheat Pop
2. Days In The Trees: Mahler
3. Drink Judas
4. Heartcheat Motel
5. Kiss Me Stupid
6. Colours
7. Iris Murdoch Cut Me Up
8. Days In The Trees: Reich

1. “Heartcheat Pop” – 3:52

• Vocals/Words – Tim Bowness
• Instruments – Steven Wilson
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written By – Wilson/Bowness
• Recorded and mixed at the Beat Factory
• Mixed by Graeme Holdaway

I see him break your body
I see him steal your mind
I see him lie beside you
I see you close your eyes
I feel the tension rise
I see you crucified

(i want you) – to break me
(i want you) – to blow me away
(i want you) – heartcheat pop
(i want you) – heartcheat
(i want you) – heartcheat pop
(i want you) – heartcheat

As if you kissed and never said a word;
As if you bled and never said a word;
As if you laughed and never said a word;
As if you left and never said a word

(i want you) – to break me
(i want you) – to blow me away
(i want you) – heartcheat pop
(i want you) – heartcheat
(flower in your mouth…)

2. “Days In The Trees (Mahler)” – 6:21

• Performer – Tim Bowness
• Performer – Ben Coleman
• Performer – Producer, Engineer: Steven Wilson
• Written by – Wilson/Bowness/George Fenton
• Recorded and mixed at Workhouse
• Mixed by –  Eric Thompson

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.

3. “Drink Judas” – 3:44

• Vocals/Words – Tim Bowness
• Instruments – Steven Wilson
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written By – Wilson/Bowness
• Recorded and mixed at Eastcote Studios
• Mixed by Ingo Vauk

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…

4. “Heartcheat Pop” – 4:38

• Vocals/Words – Tim Bowness
• Instruments – Steven Wilson
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written By – Wilson/Bowness
• Recorded and mixed at the Beat Factory
• Mixed by Graeme Holdaway

(I WANT YOU) – to break me.
(I WANT YOU) – to blow me away.

(I WANT YOU) – heartcheat pop.
(I WANT YOU) – heartcheat.
(I WANT YOU) – heartcheat pop.
(I WANT YOU) – heartcheat.

5. “Kiss Me Stupid” – 4:42

• Vocals/Words – Tim Bowness
• Instruments – Steven Wilson
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written By – Wilson/Bowness
• Recorded and mixed at the Beat Factory
• Mixed by Graeme Holdaway

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.

6. “Colours” – 4:10

• Vocals – Tim Bowness
• Instruments – Steven Wilson
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written-By – Donovan Leitch
• Recorded and Mixed at No-Man’s Land
• Mixed by Steven Wilson

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

7. “Iris Murdoch Cut Me Up” – 5:19

• Vocals/Words – Tim Bowness
• Instruments – Steven Wilson
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Recorded and mixed at The Beat Factory
• Mixed by Graeme Holdaway 

She was awoken by the stinging feel of his fists pounding against her naked back
She turned to look at him, but before she could say anything
He smashed the base of her jaw with his elbow
In the confusion of pain and flailing hands that followed
She was barely aware of the sound of splintering teeth
Rattling in the bloody agony of her broken mouth
He pushed her out of the bed and onto the floor
Her head hit off the bedside table
Bringing the lamp down upon her shoulder
He stood above her as she lay in the mess of bedsheets and broken glass and blood
He stood above her and stared at her startled face
Which was swollen and black with bruising and wet with sudden tears
He bent down slowly, kneeled beside her, and lay down parallel with her body
He pushed strands of hair back from the side of her face
Pulled his torso up with his arm and leaned towards her
He placed his lips against her ear
He whispered “You shouldn’t have said that.”

8. “Days In The Trees (Reich)” – 2:35

• Instruments – Steven 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”

---

Ocean Song

What would end up being the band’s third single was a track called “Ocean Song.” Originally planned for the forthcoming Loveblows and Lovecries album, the track would soon find itself removed from the album due to interference from One Little Indian. The track features a co-writing credit to Donovan, which according to Tim,

We thought we had the seeds of a pop classic, so we took what we did on that (Turquoise from the Island of Circles compilation) and rewrote it, and then Donovan demanded 90% of the royalties.

Tim Bowness via Mark Ratcliffe interview on BBC radio

Comparing “Ocean Song” to the band’s version of “Turquoise,” one can hear the similarities both in arrangement and lyrical structure
Compare the last line of the chorus of “Turquoise“

Take care how you fly, my precious, you might fall down

Donovan – Turquoise

To the chorus of “Ocean Song“

Too frightened to fly, my ocean, you hit the ground

No-Man – Ocean Song

Identical structure, complete with the same placement of pauses between segments. Certainly helping to blend the boundaries between the song are a similar vocal performance by Tim.

B-side for the release was provided by two very different tracks. First up was “Back to The Burning Shed,” an ambient composition more in line with the work featured on Speak than the art-pop of “Ocean Song.” The track name would end up being the source for Tim’s game-changing distribution company Burning Shed.

The other was “Swirl”, a massive track that the band had been performing regularly since 1990. Like “Days In The Trees,” “Swirl” had a long creation process with two distinct versions being cut. The first is known as the “electronic drum” cut. This version features many of the overdubs found on the release version but lacks the driving beat.

The second version is subtitled Fools Gold version after the track “Fool’s Gold” by The Stone Roses. This version is a radically altered instrumental that focuses on an aggressive drum track while also adding elements not present in the original demo, such as flute samples and flashes of piano.

The released cut of “Swirl” would borrow heavily from the both versions while also adding an extended outro courtesy of a clip from the movie Klute. “Swirl” combines the beauty and dramatic nature that would define the early period of No-Man.

Swirl was a major part of the band’s early performances and always seemed to go down well. Along with The Girl From Missouri, it was a piece that worked better in a live context than in the studio. As such, I’m not sure we ever earmarked this for the debut album. Partly because it seemed more rooted in the Indie Dance era it came from and partly because other tracks we subsequently wrote more successfully integrated the ascending white noise concept that drove the climax of the song. That said, it was always a thrill to pay live.

Tim Bowness

The distinctive cover was created by Me Company with assistance from Tim, with photography done by Joanne Mulberg. Mulberg would also do the photography work for the covers of the Only Baby single (and by extension, the Taking It Like A Man single) and Painting Paradise EP.

The release of Ocean Song was coupled with the band’s 1992 autumn tour. Backing them would be the recently formed trio of Steve Jansen, Richard Barbieri and Mick Karn. This is one of the few No-Man singles released on vinyl, in addition to standard CD.

While “Back to the Burning Shed” would see an additional release on All The Blue Changes – An Anthology 1988-2003, the single as a whole is available in full for streaming on Spotify and Deezer in the US.

One Little Indian were ultimately disappointed with the sales of the single.

Tracklist (All Versions)

1. Ocean Song
2. Back To The Burning Shed
3. Swirl

1. “Ocean Song” – 4:38

• Instruments – Steven Wilson
• Vocals – Tim Bowness
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written by – Steven Wilson/Tim Bowness/Donovan Leitch
• Produced by – Steven Wilson

At night you just crawl through the wreckage
While the sky’s fading light steals your sight.
It seems so easy to think a moment means forever.

Too frightened to fly, my ocean, you hit the ground.
Too frightened to fly, my ocean, you hit the ground

It seems so easy to think a feeling lasts a lifetime.
It got too dark to see the dirt beneath your feet.

Too frightened to fly, my ocean, you hit the ground.
Too frightened to fly, my ocean, it all falls down.

2. “Back To The Burning Shed” – 2:46

• Instruments – Steven Wilson
• Written by – Steven Wilson
• Produced/Engineered by – Steven Wilson

Instrumental

3. “Swirl” – 8:32

• Instruments – Steven Wilson
• Vocals – Tim Bowness
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written by Steven Wilson/Tim Bowness
• Produced by Steven Wilson
• Engineered/Remixed by Ingo Vauk

See the straw shoes making patterns
On the soft, lifeless earth.
Hear the rain fall on the tin roofs,
Feel the water on my face

Pray to see the morning light.

In the garden, on the damp ground,
I crouch behind the biggest rock.
I’m tired and homesick for the jungle.
I pray to see the morning light;

I stared through dirty windows,
I slept on battered beds;
Taking tulips from my pocket,
I would pin them to your breast.
There’s too much love and understanding 
And not enough common sense.
There’s too much art and inspiration
And not enough building bricks.

There’s too much love and understanding;
There’s too much love and understanding;
There’s too much sex and perspiration,
And not enough stepping stones.

They wrapped you up in cotton sheets
And carried you away,
While our children played with plasticine
And tried to face the day.
There’s too much love and understanding,
And not enough common sense.
There’s too much art and inspiration,
And not enough building bricks.

Pale beneath the murderous sky,
Grit between my teeth and my tongue,
Drained from all the heat and the searching,
I try to send my signal to you.

I place my flowers at your feet,
I throw my sunsets in your face.

I place my flowers at your feet,
I throw my sunsets in your face.

I place my flowers at your feet,
I throw my sunsets in your face.

I place my flowers at your feet,
I throw my sunsets in your face.

---

1992 also saw the release of another cover song for a V/A tribute album. In this case, it was the song “Road” for Brittle Days: A Tribute to Nick Drake. No-Man weren’t strangers to the work of Nick Drake. The band had already cut a cover of Pink Moon that would end up on both versions of Speak and later on All The Blue Changes – An Anthology 1988-2003. “Road” would also see a reissue on All The Blue Changes – An Anthology 1988-2003 in addition to its appearance on the 1995 compilation Heaven Taste.

I love the fact that Nick Drake manages to convey a great deal of emotion with very few words.

Tim Bowness

4. “Road” – 3:20

• Vocals – Tim Bowness
• Instruments – Steven Wilson
• Written by – Nick Drake

You can say the sun is shining if you really want to
I can see the moon and it seems so clear
You can take the road that takes you to the stars now
I can take a road that’ll see me through
I can take a road that’ll see me through.

You can take a road that takes you to the stars now
I can take a road that’ll see me through
I can take a road that’ll see me through
I can take a road that’ll see me through.

---

As autumn wore on, Steven, Tim and Ben received an unlikely blow from OLI. The initial version of Loveblows & Lovecries – A Confession had been rejected for being “uncommercial.”

The album’s rejection helped us reassess what was originally there and improve upon it. The rough edges of Lovesighs (and the original L&L) were smoothed and a greater sense of cohesion was achieved.

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

The original tracklist was quite different, with “Ocean Song” and “Walker” being present alongside tracks like “Housekeeping,” “Lovecry” and “Heaven’s Break”

 This edition differs significantly from the released album and includes Ocean Song, Taking It Like A Man, a totally different take of Painting Paradise and the original (12 minute) Tulip. As far as I know, only two white label copies of this exist (with cover).

I seem to remember that the unreleased Painting Paradise is a glossier, more reverb-heavy production that we recorded in a large studio. The PP that ended up on the released L&L is the band’s home studio demo (which we preferred).

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

The mentioned versions of “Painting Paradise” and “Tulip” have yet to be released in any form, save for an 8 minute demo of the latter. “Walker” would eventually see release on the compilation All The Blue Changes. As 1992 drew to a close, it would be clear that the band’s well laid plans had be severely derailed as a result of interference from OLI.

Tracklist

1. Loveblow
2. Taking It Like A Man
3. Housekeeping
4. Break Heaven
5. Ocean Song
6. Tulip
7. Walker
8. Painting Paradise
9. Heaven’s Break

---

Sweetheart Raw

With the album’s release date rescheduled for May of 1993, and with the group scrambling to record new and more commercial material, the decision was made to release one of the stronger cuts from the album, “Sweetheart Raw,” as the first single.

“Sweetheart Raw” emerged out of the short partnership between No-Man and JBK (drummer Steve Jansen, keyboardist Richard Barbieri and bassist Mick Karn). JBK origins can be traced to the end of the tumultuous Rain Tree Crow project, a recording that saw a one off reunion between former Japan band mates David Sylvian, Steve Jansen, Richard Barbieri and Mick Karn. Following the release of their self-titled album, the working relationship between Sylvian and the rest of the group collapsed.

JBK’s involvement came about at the request of Tim, who had long been a fan of Japan and the various solo releases of its members (in particular the album Brilliant Trees by David Sylvian). The trio would end up backing No-Man during their 1992 tour in support of the Ocean Song single. It was during that tour that two tracks were cut with the trio’s assistance. The first, the massive “Heaven Taste,” would not see release until the tail end of 1993. The second however would end up being “Sweetheart Raw.”

“We asked JBK to work with us on the basis of hearing the Rain Tree Crow album. Like Talk Talk’s Laughing Stock, we thought it a powerful and original approach to rhythm, sound and space. When we were working with them, I think they were still suffering emotionally from the RTC fallout. That said, all three were professionals and very easy to work with and, on a personal level, I got on well with Richard.”

Tim Bowness via Anthony Reynolds – “Cries and Whispers: Japan 1983 – 1991”

Driven by its unique thumping fretless bass line and distinctive synth/guitar growls, coupled with flashes of violin, sampled flute from Van Der Graaf Generator’s A Plauge Of Lighthouse Keepers (the sample would also appear on Porcupine Tree’s own Voyage 34 (Phase One)) and a strong vocal delivery from Tim, the track is a highlight of early No-Man. According to Tim, the song deals with the concept of

“A momentary incident that altered the course of a life forever“

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

The second released edition of “Bleed” bares little resemblance to the one found on Swagger.
This version trades out the percussive beat for a much more subdued by still menacing drum pattern. This subdued menace extends to Tim’s vocal performance as well. The largest change however is a shift of focus towards Ben’s violin as opposed to Steven’s thrashing guitars. One final change is the removals of the last section of vocals that were present on the Swagger edition.

“Bleed” flows into the high energy “Say Baby Say Goodbye.” The track’s snarling guitar and distorted vocals serves as a stark contrast to the previous atmosphere and menace. No sooner than it arrives, the song is over. After a short silence, however a hidden track containing small instrumental sections from “Sweetheart Raw” is revealed.

While the live tour with JBK may have been somewhat lackluster (or at least according to Tim), the partnership would pave the way for Richard Barbieri and Steve Jansen’s involvement with future No-Man albums, along with Richard’s joining of Porcupine Tree and the release of the Barbieri / Bowness collaborative album Flame. In addition, Steven would find himself contributing to the first JBK album (released in October of 1993) and would later provide guitar for the trio’s live shows.

Released in January of 1993, the single receieved postive reviews from the likes of Melody Maker and Unlimited Pop, with Mick Karn’s bass performance being singled out for praise.

“Graced with ex-Japan members Richard Barbieri, Steve Jansen and Mick Karn, its subterranean murmur trailing after a burbling bass-line until it’s led into the light, exploding into a stunned rapture…”

Lime Lizard, 1993

While an edited version of “Sweetheart Raw” would end up on Loveblows & Lovecries – A Confession, the versions of “Bleed” and “Say Baby Say Goodbye” present on the single have yet to be re-released. The third released version of “Bleed” would end up incorporating “Say Baby Say Goodbye” as the songs final section.

Tracklist (CD Version)

1. Sweetheart Raw
2. Bleed
3. Say Baby Say Goodbye

1. “Sweetheart Raw” – 9:16

• Vocals/Lyrics – Tim Bowness
• Guitar/Keyboards – Steven Wilson
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Bass [Fretless] – Mick Karn
• Drum Programming – Steve Jansen
• Keyboards – Richard Barbieri

Her life is sinking–
Drinking up this stinking pain.
She gets to thinking,
“There’s nothing now could ever change.”

She lies, for hours,
Crashed upon the concrete floor;
Remembers flowers,
And looks that left her sweetheart raw.

Sweetheart, sweetheart, sweetheart,
Sweetheart raw.
No hope, no fear.
No hope, no fear, no more.

The drunken fumbling,
The shaking hands and shaken head.
The constant stumbling;
The ghosts of what she should have said.

She sees her children,
Crushed beneath her coward feet.
Still not forgiven,
She’s broken by her heart’s sweet beat.

Sweetheart, sweetheart, sweetheart,
Sweetheart raw.
No hope, no fear.
No hope, no fear, no more.

Sweetheart, sweetheart, sweetheart,
Sweetheart raw.
No hope, no fear.
No hope, no fear, no more.

Sweetheart Raw

2. “Bleed” – 4:53

• Vocals/Lyrics – Tim Bowness
• Guitar/Keyboards – Steven Wilson
• Violin – Ben Coleman

Tell the truth
And tell it ’til it makes me bleed.
Stretch your mouth
And let your words fall over me.
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.

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

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

No fight, no blame.

Blame.

3. “Say Baby Say Goodbye” – 4:53

• Vocals/Lyrics – Tim Bowness
• Guitar/Keyboards – Steven Wilson
• Violin – Ben Coleman

I want you near me.
I want to feel free
To forget my history.
I want you near me.
I want to feel free
To destroy my memory.
I want you near me.
I want to feel free;
To forget my history,
To destroy my memory.

Special thanks to Anthony Reynolds for letting me use a passage from his book Japan: Cries and Whispers 1983 – 1991. The book can be purchased here.

---

Only Baby

“Only Baby” was a bold answer on the One Little Indian’s request for a commercial hit.

The album was rejected as being uncommercial and we were sent back to the studio with the task of coming up with a hit single. What we came up with instead was Only Baby.

We spent a week in the isolated Jacob’s Studio in Surrey re-recording songs and tidying up mixes. Well-rehearsed and well-prepared, we finished re-recording the songs quickly. Consequently, most of the time at Jacob’s was spent eating, sleeping, reading, talking to Jean-Jacques Burnel (The Stranglers were in Jacob’s other studio), and waiting to hear the results of the engineer’s all too common six hour ‘hi-hat adjustment’ marathons.

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

The single release saw three different versions of the track included.

“Only Baby (Move For Me)” is the closest of the three to the version that would end up on Loveblows & Lovecries. With its thundering guitar, booming bass and fast paced drums, the song has more in common with the sound explored in Swirl and Ocean Song than any of the band’s previous works.

“Only Baby (Breathe For Me)” is an instrumental built around the keyboard sound used in the chorus combined with the blended sounds of Steven’s guitar and Ben’s violin. This offers a sharp contrast to the energetic previous track.

“Only Baby (Be For Me)” is a rather radical reworking of the track. The main focal point of the song is the drum machine as opposed to the guitar and violin. The track also features a slightly different vocal take compared to “Only Baby (Move For Me)”

Closing out the single is “Long Day Fall,” one of No-Man’s oldest tracks. Originally demoed in November of 1987, “Long Day Fall” (then known as “Dull Day”) was performed at the Hemel Hemstead Band-Search gig in 1989 and was originally earmarked for the aborted Strip Wild EP. The track would go over several revisions before ending up with the released version. The lush atmosphere present is more akin to the material present on Flowermouth than the material on the single. The sounds of children that kick off the track would end up being reused as part of the Porcupine Tree track “Lightbulb Sun,” being audible in both the studio version and in early live performances.

Released in March of 1993 on both CD and on 12″ vinyl, Only Baby saw praise from the likes of Melody Maker and NME. The single managed to snag a position within the top 20 Indie tracks in the UK.
The three versions of “Only Baby” have not been re-released. “Long Day Fall” would end up appearing on the Heaven Taste compilation first released in 1995. The single is available to stream and purchase in its entirety on most platforms.

Sleeve of the week. Two women are dressed like Seventies nightclub comperes, one in a silver sequinned dress, the other in minimalist gold webbing, both wearing wigs, touching tongues. Still, glamorous as it all is, it all looks somehow perfunctory, like they’re grabbing a quickie before their bus arrives.

This image suits No-Man’s sense of passion rather well. ‘Only Baby’ is a tease, a sly, breezy funk groove spreading out its arms as Tim Bowness sighs, coos and generally plays the part of a helpless fool who’s mastered every seduction trick in the book. You get the feeling you’ll be abandoned before the night is through, but if this is merely a passing moment, it’s one that’s constructed entirely in your honour.

I’m a sucker. I’ve fallen for it.

Jon Selzer for Melody Maker

A music video was commissioned for the single. It sadly remains lost.

It was a horrible waste of time and money. The video director was entertaining and intelligent, but it was clear he took the job on in order to research for a book or documentary on the vanity of the Pop industry. As such, he was looking for comedy moments and excess, which we didn’t give him (though the record company meetings and the resulting video may have done!). In the end, I remember him backing the band up as he realised that we were being pushed into directions that were unnatural for us.

The band were taken to clothes designers – including Paul Smith – to be properly ‘dressed up’. We found it ridiculous and turned down everything that was proposed (I’m sure I was offered something akin to a Seinfeld ‘puffy shirt’). We were asked to feature ‘seductive women’ in the video, which we also rejected (as being sexist, outmoded and cliched). I was sent to an expensive hairdresser to get all my hair cut off and ended up asking them for a very light trim. We were told to wear green – declared ‘the colour of Pop’ by an OLI executive – but wore our (then) customary black.

On the day of the shoot – which involved a crew of around 20, with catering staff, make-up artists, and cameras galore – there were angry phone calls between our manager and the record company regarding my hair and our outfits.

The video was (and is) awful. The director didn’t really propose any ideas and we opposed everything the label suggested. The only concept that got through was that I liked the dense colours and textures in the work of David Lynch (Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks were favourites of mine at that time). As a result of that, I seem to recall the director creating a red velvet tunnel that we had to crawl through (unsubtle innuendo, I suspect!). In the end, the footage was so bad that it had to be re-edited in order to create a Sinead O’Connor Nothing Compares To U style intimate head shot look. That too was terrible. In the UK, the video was shown on late night ITV, MTV and Channel 4 and was, luckily, very quickly forgotten.

It’s one of the things I’ve done that I wish could be erased from history.

Tim Bowness

Tracklist (All Versions)

1. Only Baby (Move For Me)
2. Only Baby (Breathe For Me)
3. Only Baby (Be For Me)
4. Long Day Fall

1. “Only Baby (Move For Me)” – 3:33

• Instruments – Steven Wilson
• Vocal/Lyrics – Tim Bowness
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written by Bowness/Wilson

Love, love me.
Love me clean,
Love me new.
Love, love me.
Understand I live for you

When the storm is spoken,
The silence is broken.
Won’t you be my only baby?
When the doubt is over
And I move in closer,
Move for me, my only baby.

Love, love me.
Love me fresh,
Love me free.
Love, love me.
Take this heat and die for me.

When the storm is spoken,
The silence is broken.
Won’t you be my only baby?
When the doubt is over
And I move in closer,
Move for me, my only baby.

When the storm is spoken,
The silence is broken.
Won’t you be my only baby?
When the doubt is over
And I move in closer,
Move for me, my only baby.

Help me through
Help me through
Help me through
Help me through
These bitter days.
Only baby.
Only

2. “Only Baby (Breathe For Me)” – 3:42

• Instruments – Steven Wilson
• Vocal/Lyrics – Tim Bowness
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written by Bowness/Wilson

Instrumental

3. “Only Baby (Be For Me)” – 3:50

• Instruments – Steven Wilson
• Vocal/Lyrics – Tim Bowness
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written by Bowness/Wilson

Love, love me.
Love me clean,
Love me new.
Love, love me.
Understand I live for you

When the storm is spoken,
The silence is broken.
Won’t you be my only baby?
When the doubt is over
And I move in closer,
Move for me, my only baby.

Love, love me.
Love me fresh,
Love me free.
Love, love me.
Take this heat and die for me.

When the storm is spoken,
The silence is broken.
Won’t you be my only baby?
When the doubt is over
And I move in closer,
Move for me, my only baby.

Breathe for me.
Only baby
Be for me
Only Baby
Only

When the storm is spoken,
The silence is broken.
Won’t you be my only baby?
When the doubt is over
And I move in closer,
Move for me, my only baby.

Help me through
Help me through
Help me through
Help me through
These bitter days.
Only baby.
Only

4. “Long Day Fall” – 5:21

• Instruments – Steven Wilson
• Vocal/Lyrics – Tim Bowness
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written by Bowness/Wilson/Coleman

Long day beneath an angry sky;
We talk about the life we share.
I pour myself into you,
You drain the day’s wild energy.

Falling, falling, falling into you.
Falling, falling, falling into you.
Falling, falling, falling into you.
I fall…

---

Loveblows & Lovecries – A Confession

As spring of 1993 drew on, No-Man had reached a version of Loveblows & Lovecries – A Confession that One Little Indian saw fit to release. The album marked the completion of four years of monumental work coupled with periods of touring and press circuits.

Album opener “Loveblow” is built around the swirling violins of Ben Coleman alongside distorted synthesizers and vocal loops courtesy of Steven. The crash of keyboards and drums mark the beginning of “Only Baby.” This version differs from the earlier single by adding a slightly longer instrumental and an additional vocal bridge. No sooner has the rapid energy of “Only Baby” pass then the mournful intro of “Housekeeping” begins.

In many ways “Housekeeping” is a template for the ballads that would follow on the likes of Flowermouth and Returning Jesus. The lyrics, like most of the songs on the album, deal with the end of a relationship. The drum beat and synthesizer sound is undercut with Ben’s violin’s and later on a frenetic guitar break courtesy of Steven. “Housekeeping” would later turn up as a B-side to the 1994 Taking It Like A Man single. “Housekeeping” has the distinction of being the only track from Loveblows and Lovecries to appear on 2005’s All The Blue Changes – An Anthology 1988 – 2003. As the last bits of Housekeeping fade-away, the all too familiar sounds of Richard Barbieri’s keyboards cross-fade up, signaling the beginning of “Sweetheart Raw.”

This version of “Sweetheart Raw” is an edited mix, forgoing the long introduction and instrumental passage in favor of a more lyric focused viewpoint. This particular edit of Sweetheart Raw would see a music video promotional music video produced by Philip Ilson.

The concept and imagery came from Phil and was developed out of work he’d filmed for our live performances. The video bore no relation to the lyrical concept (which revolved around a casual incident that led to a child’s death and a woman living her life in permanent exile and poverty)

Tim Bowness

The ballad “Lovecry,” with its soft vocals and warm atmosphere, points more towards the bands future sound that would be explored in Flowermouth as opposed to the more dance orientated sound that can be found elsewhere. Its chorus originates from the song “Flowermouth” off of the Swagger tape

At first glance “Tulip” appears to be nothing special. Its another electronic/dance tinged song similar to other No-Man works from the time period, albeit one that samples the opening reversed piano of progressive rock band Yes 1971 classic “Roundabout.” Its story however is one of radical change. Originally, the track was to have a 15-minute run length with an opening that would end up being the title track for the Speak compilation. According to Tim, this long version saw occasional live play performances!) After the original version of Loveblows & Lovecries was rejected by OLI, the track was trimmed down to a run time of 3:58. A far cry from the original 12-minute monster. While the fully mixed and mastered long version has yet to surface, a demo, clocking in at 8 minutes has. This demo features the opening of “Speak” and the sample of “Roundabout” alongside a looser arrangement compared to what would end up on the album.

Being around 12 minutes long, the original piece took up a fair chunk of our live set (which included other long pieces such as Sweetheart Raw, Housekeeping, Swirl and Days In The Trees). I always liked the structure and the epic cyclical conclusion, while SW felt we’d done it better elsewhere. Neither of us has changed our minds over the years. 🙂

Ultimately, I believe it was omitted from the album due to the restrictions of vinyl length.

Tim Bowness

The bass driven “Break Heaven” would be a live favorite with both Mick Karn and Silas Maitland elaborating on the basic bassline Steven set down. The track also utilizes a mixture of sampled piano and distorted guitar taken from the song “Yes We Can” by The Pointer Sisters.

Another ballad, “Beautiful and Cruel” reuses a guitar riff that was originally found on “Voyage 34 (Phase I).” The track also features percussion programmed by JBK’s Steve Jansen. Its addition to the album came at the cost of “Love Among The White Trash,” a song that would eventually see release on Lost Songs Volume 1.

The seven-minute “Painting Paradise” is another link to the electronic-dance sound of earlier releases. With its swirling beats and focus on Ben’s violin and Steven’s guitar. The sampled opening of Roundabout would also make a re-appearance. The song would server as the opener for the 1992 No-Man/JBK shows. A re-recording would be released as a single in the summer of 1993. “Painting Paradise” also features a snippet of the track “Speak”

Album closer “Heaven’s Break” is a link back to the earliest days of the band. It’s a rather simple track made up of sequencer, guitar, vocals, and violin. Written in 1988 it would make regular live appearances in the bands early live shows, including the 1989 band-search gig. An earlier version of the track can be found on both the 1993 and 1999 editions of Speak.

The album was the first in No-Man’s history to see a release in North America, courtesy of 550 records. At the time 550 records was a division of Sony Music Entertainment. This release adds two more tracks. The first being “Days in The Trees (Mahler),” in its third appearance. The other however was “Taking It Like a Man”. This song can be considered the ultimate evolution of the electronic dance sound that the band had been toying with since 1991’s “Turquoise,” while featuring an opening sample lifted from a Tom Waits song. Originally planned for inclusion on the album, the track was removed at the behest of OLI. Unusually, “Taking It Like A Man” would be the bands only charting song within the US, peaking at number 34 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs, and remaining in the charts for a total of 5 weeks.

Loveblows & Lovecries would see its initial release on CD, vinyl and cassette on May 4th of 1993 with the US edition being released in April of 1994.
Both editions feature different quotes set on the backs of the album, serving as a bit of press to sway listeners to buy the albums. The initial version, penned once again by Billy Baudelaire (Tim’s pen-name) read

Lovecry

The first thing you notice is the terrible beauty of it all.
The terrible rightness. The appetite.

Here at last is a group that appreciates extremes of experience and expression. A group that prays to the hips and lips of Presley’s rock’n’roll escapism as often as it bathes in the poetry of Sartre’s poisoned Paris. A group that likes to hurl its body at passing trains, stick its head in fluffy clouds and roll naked in the dirt – all in the same lunch break.

As taken by Manson’s whiskers as Bolan’s curls, No Man is another crueller [sic] pop dream for another crueller generation, charging through the idiot wind of 90’s new age indolence, striking a balance between wisdom and folly, fact and fancy, truth and its consequences.

No Man is a simple as a child’s fable and as complex as life itself.

A tetchy bastard with a healthy appetite and a nice line in kitchen utensils, No Man likes good food.

Loveblows and Lovecries, a taste of heaven.

Eat Well!

Billy Baudelaire (19/3/93)

The US version, also penned by Mr. Baudelaire reads

“Talk slow, talk simple.
Talk to you about my life.”

The American edition of “Loveblows and Lovecries” chroncles No-Man’s development between the period of 1990 – 1993.

It includes the entirety of the British release of “Loveblows and Lovecries,” as well as the early alternative hit, “Days In The Trees,” and rare non-album track, “Taking It LIke A Man.”

“Loveblows and Lovecries” is a magical mixture of Dream Pop, Art Rock and Moody Minimalism.

No-Man – sex, violins and a tale to tell.

Hear it.

Billy Baudelaire
Seattle Satellite International
February 1994

Loveblows and Lovecries received positive acclaim from the likes of regulars Melody Maker and Lime Lizard along with the US publication Billboard. While OLI were happy with the end results, the experience of making the album proved taxing on both Steven and Tim. The album did not chart.

Outside of “Housekeeping” appearing on All The Blue Changes, Loveblows and Lovecries has never been reissued until recently. In 2020 the band made the quiet announcement that work had begun on a special box set featuring the album and other material from the same era.

A common misconception people make is that due to its lack of a reissue, Steven and I dislike L&L. I can’t speak for Steven, but then as now, I like its combination of beats, lush textures and floating melodies. The album may be slick and may have dated, but there’s a genuinely emotional quality to the material that I can still identify with.

From its sweeping orchestral introduction through to its gently fluttering violin-led conclusion, the album contains many highlights for me, including the epic scope of Sweetheart Raw, Painting Paradise and Housekeeping, the melancholy melodies of Lovecry and Beautiful And Cruel, and the proto-Trip-Hop of Tulip and Break Heaven.

In an abstract way, the lyrics dealt with subjects as diverse as a friend’s nervous breakdown (Lovecry), a momentary incident that altered the course of a life forever (Sweetheart Raw) and my own unpredictable relationship of the time (Break Heaven).

Loveblows And Lovecries doesn’t have the scale and stripped-down fragility of Together We’re Stranger or the simple timelessness of Speak, but it does possess a bittersweet melodic character that I’m still fond of. The seeds of Flowermouth and the ballads on Wild Opera and Returning Jesus can be easily traced back to Loveblows.

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

Tracklist

1. Loveblow
2. Only Baby
3. Housekeeping
4. Sweetheart Raw
5. Lovecry
6. Tulip
7. Break Heaven
8. Beautiful and Cruel
9. Painting Paradise
10. Heaven’s Break

Tracklist (US Edition)

1. Loveblow
2. Only Baby
3. Housekeeping
4. Sweetheart Raw
5. Lovecry
6. Tulip
7. Taking It Like A Man
8. Break Heaven
9. Beautiful And Cruel
10. Days In The Trees: Mahler
11. Painting Paradise
12. Heaven’s Break

Tracklist (2-Disc edition)

Disc One

1. Heartcheat Pop
2. Days In The Trees: Mahler
3. Drink Judas
4. Heartcheat Motel
5. Kiss Me Stupid
6. Colours
7. Iris Murdoch Cut Me Up
8. Days In The Trees: Reich

(Information taken from American release unless otherwise noted)

1. “Loveblow” – 1:24

• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Guitar/Keyboards – Steven Wilson
• Cello – Richard Felix
• Written by Ben Coleman

Instrumental

2. “Only Baby” – 3:47

• Guitar/Keyboards – Steven Wilson
• Vocals/Lyrics – Tim Bowness
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written By – Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness

Love, love me.
Love me clean,
Love me new.
Love, love me.
Understand I live for you

When the storm is spoken,
The silence is broken.
Won’t you be my only baby?
When the doubt is over
And I move in closer,
Move for me, my only baby.

Love, love me.
Love me fresh,
Love me free.
Love, love me.
Take this heat and die for me.

When the storm is spoken,
The silence is broken.
Won’t you be my only baby?
When the doubt is over
And I move in closer,
Move for me, my only baby.

Breathe for me
Be for me
Only

When the storm is spoken,
The silence is broken.
Won’t you be my only baby?
When the doubt is over
And I move in closer,
Move for me, my only baby.

Help me through
Help me through
Help me through
Help me through
These bitter days.
Only baby.
Only

3. “Housekeeping” – 5:28

• Guitar/Keyboards – Steven Wilson
• Vocals/Lyrics – Tim Bowness
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written By – Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness

You
Sit on the floor,
Broken like clouds.
You scratch your knees ’til they crack and bleed.
I
Walk out of the door,
Naked and bored,
And raise my head to the weeping sky.

You call my name but I can’t answer.
You call my name but I can’t say anything.

We
Looked at the sea,
Sat on the edge.
I gripped your hand until my fingers hurt.
Now,
Somebody screams on the same dirty beach;
He throws down his arms
And he falls to the sand.

You call my name but I can’t answer.
You call my name but I can’t say anything.

You call my name but I can’t answer.
You call my name but I can’t say anything.

4. “Sweetheart Raw” – 6:05

• Guitar/Keyboards – Steven Wilson
• Vocals/Lyrics – Tim Bowness
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Bass [Fretless Bass] – Mick Karn
• Keyboards – Richard Barbieri
• Drums [Programmed] – Steve Jansen
• Written By – Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness

Her life is sinking,
Drinking up this stinking pain.
She gets to thinking,
“There’s nothing now could ever change.”

She lies for hours,
Crashed upon the concrete floor –
Remembers flowers
And looks that left her sweet heart raw.

Sweetheart, sweetheart, sweetheart,
Sweetheart raw –
No hope, no fear;
No hope, no fear, no more.

The drunken fumbling,
The shaking hands and shaken head.
The constant stumbling.
The ghosts of what she should have said.

She sees her children
Crushed beneath her coward feet.
Still not forgiven,
She’s broken by her heart’s sweet beat.

Sweetheart raw.

5. “Lovecry” – 4:52

• Guitar/Keyboards – Steven Wilson
• Vocals/Lyrics – Tim Bowness
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written By – Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness

The songs that moved you
Don’t make a sound.
The light that saved you
Now gone to ground.

You pull all the pictures down
From your crumbling walls.
You take all the faith you’ve found
And knock it down and watch it crawl.

Sometimes you listen to love cry.
Sometimes you question why.

The dull white faces
Of dull white friends
Can’t find the words that
Will heal or mend.

You fall to the bathroom floor
On your bended knees,
Your fist hits against the door
You’re staring at the way it bleeds.

Sometimes you listen to love cry.
Sometimes you question why.

Sometimes you laugh like the water.
Sometimes you lie and die.

Sometimes you question why.
Sometimes you question why.
You question why,
Why.

6. “Tulip” – 3:58

• Guitar/Keyboards – Steven Wilson
• Vocals/Lyrics – Tim Bowness
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written By – Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness

Talk slow, talk simple
Talk to you about my life.
Stand down, stand easy
Throw my flowers in the fire

I need somebody to hold my hand
I need somebody who understands

How to be crazy
And how to feel loved
And how to see the magic
In the streetlamps and the cars.

And how to be crazy
And how to feel love
And how to see the beauty
In the gutter and the stars.

Lie down, lie easy
And forget this dying world.

7. “Taking It Like A Man” – 6:54

• Guitar/Keyboards – Steven Wilson
• Vocals/Lyrics – Tim Bowness
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written By – Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness

I thought of your perfect limbs.
I thought of your mind;
I woke up hungry,
I woke up blind.
I thought of your flaming lips,
I thought of your smell;
I woke up choking,
Drowning in hell.

Too weak to make the stand;
Just taking it taking it taking it like a man.

I thought of your breathing head,
I thought of your voice;
I lost my reason,
I lost my choice.
I thought of your beating heart,
I thought of your touch.
I thought of screaming.
I thought too much.

Too weak to make the stand;
Just taking it taking it taking it like a man.

Too weak to make the stand;
Just taking it taking it taking it like a man.

Too weak to make the stand;
Just taking it taking it taking it like a man.

Too weak to make the stand;
Just taking it taking it taking it like a man.

Too late to heal the madness,
Too late to understand.

8. “Break Heaven” – 4:59

• Guitar/Keyboards – Steven Wilson
• Vocals/Lyrics – Tim Bowness
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written By – Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness

Your head on my shoulder,
Your fist in my hand.
Now the heartache is over
But I’m too weak to stand

Too frightened to leave you,
Too frightened to breathe.
Too frightened to question,
To question belief.

Break heaven.
Make heaven here.
I want you to take me
And make everything clear.

Oh, let me guide you back
Across the broken glass.
Oh let me lay you down
Upon the burning grass.

I want you to take me here.
I want you to take me clear.

9. “Beautiful And Cruel” – 4:31

• Guitar/Keyboards – Steven Wilson
• Vocals/Lyrics – Tim Bowness
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Drum Programming – Steve Jansen
  (Not credited on US release)
• Written By – Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness

The night was dark.
No moon in the coal-black sky.
You travelled the highway.
You felt the storm inside.

You looked into his eyes
And only saw perfection.
He looked into your eyes
And only saw reflections.

Now you wake up crying in the morning,
Staring out through the clouded pane.
Now he takes to screaming without warning. (OH SO CRUEL)
Beautiful and cruel.

Now you wake up crying in the morning,
Staring out through the clouded pane.
Now he takes to screaming without warning. (OH SO CRUEL)
Beautiful and cruel.

The blinding light;
The dirt on your pale white feet.
You walked in the garden,
Life spinning on your heels.

Now you wake up crying in the morning,
Staring out through the clouded pane.
Now he takes to screaming without warning. (OH SO CRUEL)
Beautiful and cruel.

Now you wake up crying in the morning,
Staring out through the clouded pane.
Now he takes to screaming without warning. (OH SO CRUEL)
Like bullets, he leaves wounds.

You wake up crying in the morning.
You wake up crying in the morning light.

Now you wake up crying in the morning,
Staring out through the clouded pane.
Now he takes to screaming without warning. (OH SO CRUEL)
Beautiful and cruel.

Now you wake up crying in the morning,
Staring out through the clouded pane.
Now he takes to screaming without warning. (OH SO CRUEL)
Like bullets, he leaves wounds.

Now you wake up crying in the morning,
Staring out through the clouded pane.
Now he takes to screaming without warning. (OH SO CRUEL)
Beautiful and cruel.

Beautiful and cruel. (SO BEAUTIFUL)
So beautiful.
Oh, so cruel.

10. “Days In The Trees: Mahler” – 7:04

• Guitar/Keyboards – Steven Wilson
• Vocals/Lyrics – Tim Bowness
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written By – Steven Wilson, Tim Bowness and 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.

11. “Painting Paradise” – 7:29

• Guitar/Keyboards – Steven Wilson
• Vocals/Lyrics – Tim Bowness
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written By – Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness

Moving closer to the harbor,
Rusted boats line the frozen dock.
Moving closer to my freedom,
Moving further from your touch.
Moving closer to the city,
See smoke signals and hear loud drums.
Feel the weight of life inside me,
Clear the dead dreams from my head.

And she said, “oh,
Speak low when you speak love.”
And she said, “oh,
Speak low when you speak love.”

Traffic sounds and senseless sirens,
Acts of love and facts of violence.
Screaming voices lost to silence,
Hands stretched up to distant stars.

Painting paradise.
Painting paradise.

Painting paradise.
Painting, painting paradise.

Show me your hands, (SHOW ME)
Lift up your eyes, (LIFT UP)
Give me the strength
To see through the lies.

Oh,
Speak low when you speak love.
Oh,
Speak low when you speak love.

12. “Heaven’s Break” – 4:00

• Guitar/Keyboards – Steven Wilson
• Vocals/Lyrics – Tim Bowness
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Written By – Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness
  
  UK Edition has track length at 4:01

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.”

“Awake me
Heaven break me.”

You didn’t believe that
You didn’t believe that
You didn’t believe that I could love you
You didn’t believe that
You didn’t believe that
You didn’t believe that I was there

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Painting Paradise EP

No-Man’s final release of 1993 was a re-recording of Painting Paradise. Similar to previous single/EP releases, this was created at the request of One Little Indian in order to capitalize on the release of Loveblows & Lovecries and to help promote the live tour No-Man was undertaking. This new version of Painting Paradise was a radical departure from the album cut. It featured a massive sonic rearrangement along with shuffled and switched out lyrics.

Only Baby had been an Indie Top 20 hit and One Little Indian felt that a sound-a-like follow-up could bring us greater recognition. A hastily re-written Painting Paradise (featuring a grafted on chorus from a much earlier song) was recorded with the then producer of then labelmates, The Shamen and Bjork. The result was presented to One Little Indian along with our serious reservations about releasing it.

As with the US single Taking It Like A Man, we were overruled.

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

The B-side however was something quite different.

Coming in at 21 minutes, the JBK collaborative piece Heaven Taste is unlike anything else in No-Man’s catalog. A lush and atmospheric jam, it remains one of the longest pieces Steven Wilson has been involved with, only being bested in length by tracks such as Grace For Drowning’s Raider II, the original Voyage 34 single and a handful of Bass Communion pieces.

Both the band and critics were ultimately disappointed with the single. It reached number 22 in the UK Indie charts.

Tracklist

1. Painting Paradise
2. Heaven Taste

1. “Painting Paradise”- 3:33

• Guitar/Keyboards – Steven Wilson
• Vocals – Tim Bowness
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Producer – Brigan Pugsley and Steven Wilson
• Written by Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness

Moving closer to the city,
See smoke signals and hear loud drums.
Moving closer to my freedom,
Moving further from your touch.

Sometimes I think that I love you more
Sometimes I don’t even care

Traffic sounds and senseless sirens,
Acts of love and facts of violence.
Feel the weight of life inside me,
Clear the dead dreams from my head.

Sometimes I think that I love you more
Sometimes I don’t even care

Painting Paradise

Sometimes I think that I love you more (Painting Paradise)
Sometimes I don’t even care

Sometimes I think that I love you more
Sometimes I don’t even care

Painting Paradise

Sometimes I think that I love you more (Painting Paradise)
Sometimes I don’t even care

Painting Paradise

2. “Heaven Taste”- 21:06

• Drum Programming/Percussion – Steve Jansen
• Fretless Bass/Saxophone/Suoana (Dida) – Mick Karn
• Keyboards – Richard Barbieri
• Keyboards/Samples – Steven Wilson
• Violin – Ben Coleman
• Saintly Restraint – Tim Bowness
• Written by Steven Wilson

Instrumental

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As 1993 came to close, No-Man found themselves in a rather precarious position. The band’s relationship with OLI was reaching a breaking point, fueled by the desire to be free of meddling by the label. There was a real probability that the group’s next album, due out in 1994, would be the band’s last.

While No-Man’s fate was up in the air, the Steven Wilson would soon take the stage with a very different band for the first time…

Although both released in 1993, Hit The North: Session Recording 7/10/92 and Speak 1988-89 will be covered in depth elsewhere.