The Teardrop Explodes - Sleeping Gas [1979 Single]

[colibri1]

"I wander around. I never do anything. You can watch Rafferty turn into a serial. It's just like sleeping as. It's so ethereal."

I always thought this song was about how watching too much TV can immobilize and numb you, so you end up just sitting around watching pilot episodes become series, never doing anything, numb to the world as if you were on sleeping gas.

[samuraiinCfede]

Hmm never thought about it, I like that interpretation a lot better

[lovesGenet]

ether was used in crack in early 80's and ether was a doctor's hi in John Irving book meaney.What are the words here saying about sleeping gas.was trhew chemical of underground .Siouxsie and da rest wee popping pills while Sid and Nancy did old time heroin...i dunno

[samuraiinCfede]

@lovesGenet and 3kmillion: I had read a fully detailed explanation about the lyrics but I can't recall clearly what it was. Although I hope this explanation from the head heritage forum clears things up:

"Rafferty was a TV show (not a cartoon) in the 70's, and I seem to recall Julian saying in a very early interview that after seeing the single episode he knew it's be made into a serial. "

[samuraiinCfede]

@lovesGenet: and this even clears it more up: Rafferty was Sid Rafferty M.D. Patrick McGoohan in a US medical drama that ran for a few months in 1977. I guess Cope must have watched the pilot episode and the rest is song history....

a.a.p. - they were a television distributor. Bought up the rights to loads of Paramount (popeye) and Warner Brothers (Merrie Melodied) Cartoons. They were bought out by United artists in the late 50s and became United Artists Associated"

[3kmillion]

what does "you can watch rafferty turn into a serial" mean?

[jimbailey69]

Think there's enough echo on Julian's voice????????

[FrancoDamn]

the beginning reminds me of a Smurfs or another 1970's cartoon soundtrack

[LadyAdoryan57]

Thanks for the post! I enjoyed it. It says a lot.

[ThePepperKing]

I think I still prefer the version on Zoology, but this is still a really charming version.

[bradlove79]

This is the best version!

[blosje]

funny, I was just listening to another track of teardrop explodes and I think it sounds a bit like the old pink floyd/ syd barret and as i opened this song in noticed the syd barret profile-picture!

[sidewaysglance]

please I want bouncing babies!

[samuraiinCfede]

I will upload it along with All I Am is Loving You, right away! :)

[sidewaysglance]

That is so cool

Thanks m8 =)

[jonahstevenson]

wow, never heard this version. thanks for posting. sounds ace.