XTC - Ball and Chain

[SuperMegaUberGenius]

then when we have already met you for once again 2035

handle the messiah right and leave the naoah book for the kicks

time is about crucial now

[SuperMegaUberGenius]

the 24th dave is , thus, unhandedly, unslalaughtered great command, sir.

distint and suucint. far swwt 2012 huawow

when the plasitc bolermen on the spot standing statues of cavemen or little piigys ziplining with blue pinwheels

2034 militant wars scrubbing floors

[SuperMegaUberGenius]

when the plasitc bolermen on the spot standing statues of cavemen or little piigys ziplining with blue pinwheels

2034 militant wars scrubbing floors

[SuperMegaUberGenius]

1932 driver is a toadpainted orange cheeks /watch?v=uGNtZ_fAWXM 1952 unsavory 1982 alice and vondeland 2002 time slaughertered again the lysrgy erase 2032 hey said it's 2012 2035 if we survive twenty thirty three whats up with dat, bugs, whats up with that turn to /watch?v=uGNtZ_fAWXM 2033 a = free

[dugtook]

i wonder what would have happened if colin m. led this band instead of andy? i would never trade the way it was but hmmmmmm.

[CONSIDERABLYMORE1]

The enduring feeling from XTC's body of work is their intense love of England and all that was good about it. Sadly that England was systematically destroyed by two of the most savagely abusive ideologies known to man - Thatcherism and Blarism.

[derektheburster]

@CONSIDERABLYMORE1 I would suggest England as we know this once great country, has been degraded, vilified, and raped by the immigrants from east europe, and pakistan/india. These parasites produce nothing, they suck the lifeblood of the country, & breed vermin. If you have to blame someone, then lay the blame at Heath's door, he was in power when the scum from uganda, began arriving here in 1971. great band tho.

[CONSIDERABLYMORE1]

@derektheburster I would like to distance myself from this xenophobic and hate fuelled diatribe. Hopefully youtube will find some way of removing this racist garbage. Visit any "all whote" relatively affluent provincial town or village throughout the UK to find the sort of repulsive, materialistic driven attitudes I am talking about.

[mrmantra69]

.....oh SkyLarking......; ^ {)

[ramacure]

lo mejor de la new wave

[mogger11]

Colin's quality + Andy's quantity = dead heat overall

[Lovethemseventies]

Love this song so much, thanks for posting.

Colin seemed so shy whenever he was interviewed but he came to life in the videos, it's almost as though someone flicked a switch and a more animated Colin came to life!

This song is timeless, still sounds every bit as good now almost 30 years later.

[melomane2010]

The bridge on this track is magnificent, as nearly all XTC bridges are. I think it should be required study for all potential pop song writers.

[robsargent4]

Ah, the 80s - I just missed them, but there's still something left of them in songs like this.

[3tangle3]

Still losing lots of ancient woodland in Britain

[meust67]

XTC mon dieu...

[SonofaReaperMan]

Where are these guys OBE's?

[Marchant2]

I used to LOVE this song.

[mickdimas]

I had this song played as I tossed the garter at my wedding! Classic!

[PittFan888]

the song isn't about marriage, it's about eminent domain.

[MusicJew158]

My friend who was listening to XTC with while driving around the suburban communities of Maryland summed up this band as best as anyone could and he is a novice XTC fan: "There is a lot of music in this music"

[JohnnyLovely2]

oh i remember this song, this was one of the xtc songs that i instantly loved but i haven't heard it in a long time

[iamwoman4ever]

@Phieos well i try my best.. hahahahhahahahaha ... but am i wrong to think... I know personally LOL...

[iamwoman4ever]

can MEN be a ball and chain tooo.... hahhahahaha..

[TheBeltane]

Excellent song from a brilliantly talented band. One of their best tracks I think.  Total originals. Pity I didn't get to see them live but if they ever reformed............... x

[videocanone]

Best power-pop band of the late 70's - early 80's in my book. Sounded great on analogue records and tapes on my old system in college. Great ensemble sound, instrumental sound, songwriting, who could ask for more ? They did some neat stuff under the faux name "Dukes of Stratosphere" too. A fake 60's acid-rock band name.

[greggarypeccary1]

doesnt get much better than this

[corkguy09]

Mase Feel So Good

[RPZ501]

Andy, get your arse in gear and reform now !!!!!!!!!!!

[101Volts]

Andy would probably reform XTC but there's one problem: Andy won't do any XTC songs without Colin and Colin isn't interested in even listening to music right now, Or so I heard.

[benjaminlhaines]

@101Volts It's a shame.

[101Volts]

@benjaminlhaines Yeah, It is. Its all up to Colin really, I think Barry is more likely to be in on a reformation than Colin is right now. Andy, Barry and drummer Martyn Barker made an album together a few years ago and Andy has contributed to Shriekback albums.

[vincetaymor]

Fantastic story from Phil from me just the fact I was 16 when I heard XTC for the first time and that I'm still 16 when I hear them at 46...thank you guys for your juvenile impact on me. Vince and Vertu

[Tunni56]

WOW! I was on the location when this video was made! It was at gas works in south london. I was a student studying film and TV production speciallising in pop promos!! Brian Grant was the director. I've worked in TV as a cameraman for years now..mainly in sport (boxing in particular covering 3000 fights in the past 12 yrs) ..it all started here on this video!!! Phil Tunnicliffe

[richardmarez]

@Tunni56 fuck mary weather ha!!!

[FatArsedScouser]

A mark of minus 4. Sadly proof that even people who listen to XTC are stupid. What the f**k did you think I meant by that?

Save me, indeed.

[Waikikib0y]

Songs witten by Colin kick asses

[vdvsoldat]

XTC are Legends. The ball and chain scenes look exactlly like movie scenes from Running Man. Simply awesome.

[FatArsedScouser]

XTC... Proof the world is stupid

[dood70]

I notice this comment has a -4 rating. I think it's been misunderstood. I hope that what our FatArsedScouser friend was hoping to impart was that the fact that XTC did not become one of the most listened-to bands of the 20th century is yet another example of the general stupidity and stupor that the rest of the non-XTC-loving world is living in.... if not, I'll see you behind the pub for a good kickin' mate!

[martinmcdonagh41]

still going i belive

play ireland hopefully navan co  meath the solistice

[scifiwriter98]

Beautiful song. XTC were the best!

[Iomarca]

Glorious music, and the video is gloriously nuts!

[NewestViewest]

These guys are great arrangers, songsmiths, melody makers, rhythm thumpers and shkers, and, when need be, ass kickers. They are mozarts of pop. Pop on, dudes. XTC!!!

[101Volts]

This song just sounds right, It works so well.

[vaartbericht]

A song from one of the best albums ever: English Settlement.

Thanks

Frank

The Netherlands

[The21stcenturypaul]

Not familiar w/ this song & video at all...& me a long-term XTC fan! Great, great....thanx for posting!

[jtdavis62]

It's on English Settlement.

[The21stcenturypaul]

Don't have that 1...or Black Sea, which a good friend of mine just offered me a copy of. It's actually great to have stuff by faves still floating around, waiting to be discovered & enjoyed. Thanx!

[101Volts]

3:18 Is that made out of Legos?

[lyonslaforet]

a treat to listen and to hum!

[pbonney]

At 1:22 you really see a girl that loves big clocks. ;)

[riotribunal]

you mean ... big cocks ??

[Sebastienwolfy]

Nope :)

[stripeyhole]

Stick it to the Man, fellas, stick it to the Man.

[javiertenazas]

lies,all stupid lies.

[spektor45]

yeah damn right. nobody writes like xtc. in an ideal world should have been massive.been a fan since 1988 still my fave bandand i think always will be.

[USCTrojan2004]

is XTC the band that did Ballad of DJ Tanner?

[petegib7]

How about those Genesis-like keyboard breaks? XTC were genius.

[MoveOverCasanova]

got it just right ( though it is quite obvious somehow))).

[itlychick78]

fuckin dumb atheists!!!!!!!

[PeterMayer]

that's a brilliant statement about XTC kid....

[lolol3121]

lol. I think your the dumb theist

[Normank666]

Know about XTC for a long time my father heard them in the early 90`s Now it`s nice to view thei videos the songs are already here! ^^

[rebjiii]

i never understood why this was the follow single to senses working overtime ...this is one of the weaker tunes on english settlement.

[Normank666]

Doesn`t matter I still like the song it`s a great tune!

[reivenlocke]

You're mad!

[MystSilverDragon]

Drops the ball...........lol

[MystSilverDragon]

LOL :) love it :)

[datalal624]

I think along with "Dear God", "Towers of London", and "Generals and Majors", this is one of my most favourite songs by XTC. I'm so glad I YouTubed these guys in the last few days. I had no idea who they were before, and now they're one of my all-time fave bands!

[jimglennz]

I only heard of them today, I have to agree with you, maybe they were ahead of their time, waiting for Richard Dawkins to justify the "dear God" song

[datalal624]

LOL. :-p

[therealsoulproduct]

XTC rocks, especially on this album! One of their best! That ebony chick was fine in that video. I think I saw her in that Squeeze video too, "Black Coffee in Bed".

[alphanumeric1971]

Well if this video and song are any indication I can see now that theres is a reason why "dear God" is there only widely recognized song.

[bandcouver]

How much of XTC's material have you listened to? I think the real reason more of their material isn't better known is because the music industry ( especially in North America ) has been dummied-down so badly, people can't appreciate more complex music. All their curiosity, imagination and willingness to try anything different has been sucked out out their brains. How the hell did people get The Beatles? I guess less stupid music was probably more tolerated back in Beatles' day.

[101Volts]

The biggest problem with music these days is that people aren't as knowledgeable about music. Anyone can have taste in music but it takes time to build up one's standards and, of course, Find out about bands. One can't look up songs by a band if they don't know about them.

[bandcouver]

I understand that one can't look up songs by a band if they don't know about them. This is ,unfortunately, a result of the major radio,TV stations and other media over the years not drawing much or any attention towards XTC's music. Without airplay or attention, people won't even know they exist in the first place. But thank goodness there are people out there who want to find out about music themselves outside of the mainstream media.

[julesplym]

We still need SAVEing ball & chain. XTC are underated, over-complicated and ever respectful to their influences.

They don't make 'em like they used ta!

Cheers - julesplym

[TheJackie212]

@julesplym I couldn't agree with you more Julesplym!

[Nello7]

@julesplym

I could not have versed this any better! I now have an adult perspective of their art and it is more prescient than I could have imagined. They are in the same league as Dylan, but less prolific, and we can almost understand the lyrics about 70% of the time!

[siralexandergibson]

andy's done a lot of fucked-up things, made a lot of mistakes, but getting rid of terry chambers was far and away his grossest offense.

[23Daves]

In total fairness, Terry Chambers left of his accord during a rehearsal ("With the cymbal swinging", as Andy Partridge put it) after complaining that he didn't like most of the material for "Mummer". It was a great loss to the band, but I don't think it was necessarily completely Andy's fault.

[siralexandergibson]

i don't like being wrong. don't ever do that to me again. especially in public. when a man is publicly humiliated, revealed to be an asshole, he may become angry. i'm warning you.

[hairyhairy2x4]

you just got told, siralexandergibson! Damn it must suck to know that you were incorrect.

[vonzeke]

@23Daves I liked Mummer.

[seandublinxxxx]

Terry walked. Dave Gregory and Colin Moulding on the other hand...

[GloucesterAdam]

@seandublinxxxx David left because, according to Andy, he had developed a 'bad attitude' towards working with him and Colin. However, I think it's because Apple Venus was not going to be as 'guitary' as their other albums and so David would only be paid as a guest musician. Happily, Andy and David are friends again and maybe there's a (slim) chance they could do a new song or two one day. Colin fell out of love with music and quit the group in 2005 meaning the end for XTC :(

[melomane2010]

@GloucesterAdam They had a falling out, about money and artistic direction and about artistic direction affecting money - simple as that really, nothing new in the music world. But while XTC went on an extended hiatus in the 90's in order to break their contract with Virgin, Dave and Colin had to do menial jobs to make ends meet. Andy did not, since he had the lion's share of the royalties coming in. Again, nothing new. Glad they're mates again.

[melomane2010]

@GloucesterAdam Oh and as far as Apple Venus not being "guitary" that's hogwash, some of Dave's tastiest licks are on that album. I think Dave wanted to do one "great" album including the best of Apple Venus and Wasp Star, but given how magnificent Apple Venus turned out (maybe XTC's best album ever), I wouldn't have changed a thing, other than get Dave on Wasp Star, because that was one of XTC's weaker albums that could have used a bit more invention from Dave. And better songs from Colin.

[almadora]

colin at his absolute best. after hundreds upon hundreds of hearing this song, it never ceases to impress me with its sheer excellence, economy of instruments, and elegance of message.

one of the finest tracks of xtc's long catalogue... amen.

[Sensoriexpansion69]

excellent tune!

[bibirije]

xtc rules

[TheBeltane]

Great song - should have been a hit but only reached 58 in the UK. They only had one top 10 which is amazing for a talented band.

[GARYMOORElover]

XTC live nr me in swindon.

[Tomlawrence1983]

For crying out loud,Moulding!

Come out from the shell you've been hiding under and give us some more songs! You know it makes sense!

[almadora]

colin is such a mad genuis in his own private way. god, i love their stuff. 'wake up' is a marvel. somebody please post it, AND the insanely good 'sacrificial bonfire' from 'skylarking.'

[Quidditch910]

I totally agree. Colin needs more songs...he's a goddamn genius...

[pyrokineticaura]

i prefere andys songs in general like here comes president kill agian and dear god but yah they need to come out with moore songs in general

[almadora]

wow, i haven't thought about 'president kill again' in a long time. my copy of the cd is still 5 states away, probably in my mother's attic, melting.

[siralexandergibson]

ha!

[FunkyWorm3288]

Regarding your request for "Sacrificial Bonfire", I'll see what I can do!

[almadora]

colin is such a mad genuis in his own private way. god, i love their stuff. 'wake up' is a marvel. somebody please post it, AND the insanely good 'sacrificial bonfire' from 'skylarking.'

[FunkyWorm3288]

Hi Almadora, I've posted "Sacrificial Bonfire"! Might see if I can do "Wake Up" too!

[jamezpackerfan]

wake up is on big express. that album is great but my favorite is mummer and then big express.

[PhillipJFry1983]

The judge is the bloke from Simple Minds' "Love Song Video" who gets hit with a fish I believe.

[Vpmatt]

All XTC fans need to see this documnetary of the band from 1983 I just discovered on this site - do a search for "XTC Documentary (Play at Home) 1983" by user cowsill2x2 - it's brilliant!

[integral]

Thanks for the heads up. Very cool doc.

[Vpmatt]

Andy's hilarious isn't he. Could've been a standup comic.

[BWFSabian]

XTC Documentary (Play at Home) 1983 (Part 1 of 6)

Try CTRL+C after highlighting that link..

[Vpmatt]

Nice West Country accent at the end Colin!

[smithfield06]

makes you want to go out and save the world great musice great energy

[cupcakequeen97]

English Settlement is their best album. I wish Wake up was on it though

[twheatman]

One of the best albums ever!!!

Thats comin from an avid Rap/Hip Hop fan!!

[SteveAndIdiAmin]

Black Sea. That takes me back. A serious contender for the vaunted and coveted "My Favorite Album Ever" cup.

Oh, to be 14, alienated, and lost in American suburbia again ... Only this time with money.

[SociallyConspicuos]

Terrific to see an old favourite.... Thank You !

[status62]

Thankyou so much for the good quality XTC vids.Good band !!

[soulrebel4c]

Isnt it so weird how you can listen to anything off of English Settlement and its not dated in any way, even now?... I swear its one of my all time fav albums..

[schreenershriech]

Same with Black Sea/Mummer/Oranges and Lemons

[magneato23]

Absolutely! Some friends and i were just saying the other day, put English Settlement on, and it sounds like it came out last week. There aren't too many records from 1982 you could say that about!(a few, not many) XTC is still the best.

[soggypicklemuncher]

Has anybody else noticed that it sounds like they could just as easily be singing "Free us from the ball, Aunt Jane," as "ball and chain."? Except for the context of the song, I guess.

[1864buck]

Everybody go buy English Settlement.....

[batgurrl]

my copy of a copy of a copy of the Japanese export videos collection we made in the mid 80's has a glitch on this song -delightful to see it 'clean' LOL. The interview at the end did not go any further than this one.

[oogie11]

Colin Moulding, you are brilliant you are ha ha....i take my hat off to you sir because this song is so damn good yeaaah, good times :)

[soulrebel4c]

yeahhhhhhhh Colin is the most underrated bass player ever... he rocks ma world:)

[christiemarie27]

Colin is also a good singer. He sings way better than Andy Partridge. I am such a big Colin fan!

:)

[soulrebel4c]

doesnt hurt that he's so easy on the eyes too hehe ;)

[PeterMayer]

It's shameful that these guys weren't just a little bit bigger.

[depechevery]

love XTC, and love this song!!! colin, youre so hot!!!

[escarcha]

Yeah, Colin is so hot! Love you Colin!!!

[depechevery]

HAHAHA.... colin is now 50 years old... :)

[soulrebel4c]

But he's still COMPLETELY hot hehe

<<HAHAHA.... colin is now 50 years old... :)

[martinevans123]

ooh...instant cameras....that was new in the 80's...shame the interview bit has been chopped off the end.... might have been most enlightening...

[peepingpom]

'shame the interview bit has been chopped off the end' - yeah I agree - all these promos that I never knew existed!

[Spule4]

Instant cameras were not new in the 80s, try the 1960s with them really being popular in the 70s. Great vid, as with any XTC effort.

[martinevans123]

if you can remember the sixties you weren't really there....if you can remember the seventies you weren't really there unless you've got the instant photo to prove it. I honestly think XTCs musical output was superior to the video output....but their videos were still always very amusing.

[TheDistorted]

I don't care if others think this video isn't, but I think it rocks! It gets the message across without being self-righteous/arrogant or pretentious.

[blackadder3]

Gotta love the Colin songs!

[jgc63]

For sure!

[Paavoi99]

Feeling the clock? maybe she was waiting for his time to be up. Notice she appears several times in different roles in the video.

[95thFoot]

Great tune, confused video.Weren't all XTC's videos as notoriously bad as muchas the songs were famously good?

XTC- a band that needed a lot of love and care. Had they got some, they'd have been the biggest band in the world.

[lavitroladeldiablo]

needed a lot of love and care!!!

Yes, it is, friend.

This is the most brilliant comment i have read about XTC´s unacceptable situation of not being fairly rated

[ePhilosopher]

the diggers tower 07

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekss bad pig pardonmarket thetre

[ePhilosopher]

hemisphere man, no thugs in our binaries, ask data or picard

[denny333]

Bollocks! The teaser Colin interview at the end pisses me off. Why do you cut-let the feckin' tape roll for crissakes!!!!

[denny333]

bollocks! the teaser colin interview at the end is pissin me off! why do you guys cut the good stuff-let the tape roll for crissake!!!!!!!

[escarcha]

That will be so great Nedison, I'm dying to see that video too. Bye!

[almadora]

ohhh, my darling 23daves...dost thou have a clip of senses working overtime.? i'm dying to see it again!

[23Daves]

I'm really sorry to say it, but I don't! I wouldn't mind seeing that one again myself.

[nedison]

I've got their Top of The Pops performance of Senses. I'll try to get it up on here in the next few days.

[nedison]

Dave Gregory is so cool looking in this video!

Nice to see Terry get a little forefront action as well...

Don't quite get the significance of the woman feeling up the grandfather clock, but oh well.

[23Daves]

Ha! It was the eighties... videos were full of supposedly "meaningful" imagery that actually meant tremendously little. Perhaps her "feeling up the grandfather clock" was supposed to indicate a disrespect and sullying of history and old father time? That's the closest thing I've got to an explanation. Probably wrong though - and I'll bet even the director of this video has forgotten.

[CONSIDERABLYMORE1]

@nedison i imagine it represents father time being seduced by a sexual entity hired by the corrupt town planners and property developers to rid the country of its architectural heritage.