Snowman (XTC song)
| "Snowman" | |
|---|---|
| Song by XTC | |
| from the album English Settlement" | |
| Released | 12 February 1982 |
| Recorded | October - November 1981 |
| Studio | Chipping Norton Recording Studios, Oxfordshire, England |
| Genre | Chamber pop, Alternative rock |
| Length | 5:03 |
| Label | Virgin |
| Songwriter(s) | Andy Partridge |
| Producer(s) | Hugh Padgham, XTC |
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"Snowman" is a song written by Andy Partridge of XTC, and appears on their 1982 album English Settlement. It serves as the closer on its original double album release, and the final track to side one of its single LP version. A live in-studio version, for BBC, appeared on the 1998 Transistor Blast: The Best of the BBC Sessions box set, and a live version appeared on the 2002 Coat of Many Cupboards box set.
History[edit]
Snowman was recorded between October and November of 1981 and written prior.
Performed live on the Oxford Road Show on Feb. 5, 1982, along with other English Settlement songs, Ball and Chain and Jason and the Argonauts, Snowman is notable as a rare instance of a song from the album being performed live, as on March 18, 1982, XTC would play their last live show, at Le Palace, Paris.
Partridge has said "this one was a joy to play live as I always felt borne along by its clattering clockwork".
Lyrics and composition[edit]
Lyrically, the song deals with emotional distance in a relationship, with Partridge comparing this to being treated like a snowman, asking the question throughout the song, "why, oh why does she treat me like a snowman?". It is believed to be written about Partridge's then wife, Marianne Wyborn.
Snowman explores coldness as both a lyrical and musical theme, a juxtaposition to earlier songs on the album, such as Leisure, Melt the Guns and the static-laden, Fly on the Wall, which, among others, tackle themes of technology, social issues and modern life.
On it's original double album release it features a seamless transition from the track before it, the penultimate English Roundabout, the last of the four Colin Moulding contributions.
In a 2006 interview with the fan site Chalkhills.org, Partridge revealed that the 1979 album Fluid Rustle by Eberhard Weber inspired the song. In that same interview he also referred to Snowman as "another rejection song" and later went on to say the line "people will always be tempted to wipe their feet on anything with welcome written on it" was guitarist Dave Gregory's favourite lyric of his.
Reception[edit]
Writing for Pitchfork, Chris Dahlen praised the song for its "bitter lyrics that are totally overturned by the tooth-rottingly sweet melody". Bill Golembeski of SoundBlab also praised the song, calling it apocalyptic and in his review for English Settlement, Georgiy Starostin claimed Snowman "might be Partridge's most personal song on the album" but criticized his vocals.
Personnel[edit]
XTC
- Dave Gregory - semi acoustic electric 12-string guitar, piano, percussion
- Colin Moulding - fretless bass, backing vocals
- Andy Partridge - lead and backing vocals, electric guitar, mini-Korg, prophet V
- Terry Chambers - drums, drum synth
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