XTC - ♥ Mermaid Smiled ♥ (with Lyrics...) ♪☺♫

[Bruchag]

as we are leaving daft comments (-----

[subhumanx7]

Skylarking is arguably the best XTC album produced. Funny thing is that the producer for the CD, Todd Rundgren, and XTC were in artistic battle during the making of this masterpiece. Whatever the situation was it created one of the most interesting CDs of that decade.

[piographica]

One of my favorite albums. I bought the CD in Hong Kong in '87 and have Mermaid Smiles instead of Dear God. The last 4 songs on Skylarking flow in a beautiful sequence. Skylarking is XTC at their best.

[PeregrineTrousers]

It's the cats favourite.

[prinznevsky]

this song is too short

[SlowRiots]

why the fuck did they take this off skylarking and put Dear God on...

[xnonsuchx]

@SlowRiots - Luckily, the remastered copy has it back in its place and Dear God at the end (as a bonus track?)

[oldmusicrevisited]

@SlowRiots Andy chose to omit this song because it was the shortest.

[xnonsuchx]

@oldmusicrevisited - Actually because it didn't fit the 'concept' album approach.

[jojopuppyfish]

Hard to believe they left this song of the USA version back in the dayw

[DearLizzy]

@jojopuppyfish - actually, I think it just got released twice in the US and the later version dropped this song. I bought this album the week it came out and it had Mermaid Smiled on it. My friend bought it a few months later and it didn't. 

[macxtc]

one of my very favorites... shows the british roots to the sea!

[jazztree1430]

THANK YOU for putting this up here!!!! LOVE THIS!

[RICECAKEGOESWHEE]

united states pressing doesn't have this song, shame

[ePhilosopher9]

...and if only she ...

[TheBrilliantGeniuses]

Timeless crafts back in the year 2010

silent foamy memories of the deceiving shells

Muses sing from the stagnant machine

HG WELLS smiles JULES VERNE plays horseshoes

Starfish time machine hours locked and mocked resurgence

of mermaids this year smile horny manatee

[fitzwarine09]

JESUS this is amazing....

[chrism823]

The way it worked for me was . . . had Skylarking on cassette, with Dear God, became my favorite album. Didn't know about Mermaid Smiled! Then was given Rag and Bone Buffet, also on cassette. It had Mermaid Smiled, Extrovert, and some oldies and misfits. Loved that album too.

[asxtc]

Thanks for pinging the lyrics...now people can see and hear just how a song is composed...unlike the dross todays so-called groups do..This track alone has more talent in it that the whole of anything Coldplay has offered.

[doshus73]

Dear God was such an important song at the time....It made it seem ok for a 13 year old kid to question religion and its absurdity, but now that I'm approaching middle age this song gives me much more comfort...

[TBarneck]

such a great song!

[leesagrrl]

I love this song... sigh...

I'm curious if there is a list of the Artists that the maker of this video used. Beautiful Images...

[chrism823]

I can't move for a few minutes after that.

[xxxChrist]

@chrism823 funny you should say that, that's how I feel too. Poetry....

[vicory]

Never quite understood why they had to drop this song off the CD version of "Skylarking" and replace it "Dear God" - why not leave it on? Because it's just another brilliant aquamarine jazzy pop gem that only Andy can write? Too good to leave on?

I'm thinking this band needed a manager like Peter Grant to muscle the record execs into promoting and marketing them properly.

[reddkard]

@vicory

In Andy's own words......

-It was me who decided to take Mermaid Smiled off of Skylarking.Virgin wanted to remove Big Day but I decided to sacrifice Mermaid as I didn't want Colin to think that I was persecuting him and his work.

[vicory]

@reddkard Sigh, well I guess I have to respect Andy even more than I already do for that decision. I wish they could have found a way to keep it because it gives Skylarking such a wonderful turn when it appears in the song cycle, and takes nothing away from the later inclusion of "Dear God."

I bought Skylarking the second it came out before I went on a TDY to Louisiana - I made a tape of it, and brought my little boombox to play it. And completely fell in love with it.

[lumpytwangage]

Heard a band cover this song just this past weekend. Knocked me out.

[haleohualil]

@lumpytwangage this is the best song from the best album ever made

[nancyl2]

Just a beautiful song, makes you want to get into that damn vid and swim with "The Mermaid that beautiful being." I bet there is one just like this in all the creative beings that were "Created." :-)))) Love the XTC talent, so happy for those Dear Dear Friends that share what they LOVE. How I came to fall in Love with these Fantabulous Beings. Peace and Love. :-)

[londoncab100]

Probably the greatest English pop group ever , and the lyrics to this are just out of this world .

Skylarking is just a work of art end of .

[patkeeg1]

If I'm stranded on an island, Skylarking is the one album I'd pick (and a mermaid or two) to keep me happy. Mermaid Smile was replaced with 'Dear God' when it went to CD,and I never thought 'Dear God' fit as well as 'Mermaid'. Spread the good sound that is XTC! Come back to us XTC!

[sleece6]

Greatest 80's band EVER. Such songwriting gifts.

[xnonsuchx]

If you buy the remastered ones (I think all, not just imports), it has MERMAID SMILED where it originally was and DEAR GOD as a bonus track at the end.

[fiddlerfart]

XTC didn't think that Rundgren did such a good job producing - thought he was bossy and demanding, and they didn't like how he wanted all the songs to "run" into each other. Then again, Andy seems the type to need some to say "you're wrong!" once in a while.

[xander55577]

It's a business...all of us know why "dear god" is on skylarking.

[piographica]

I bought the Skylarking CD just when it came out, with Mermaid Smiled. It immediately became one of my favorite albums. I never knew of the Dear God switch until about a year later when a friend was playing his Skylarking CD. I thought , "That doesn't fit."

[ePhilosopher9]

I love how the bongos sound like underwater bubbles OoooOooooOooo :)

[whouster]

In the UK, Mermaid Smiled was on the track listing instead of Dear God for Skylarking. Whilst Dear God is obviously one of the great XTC songs, it completely goes against the mood of the album. Probably XTC's most coherent album, and superbly produced by Todd Rundgren.

[grimothyreaper]

I think that "Dear God" should have remained a b-side. This song actually fits on the album, whereas DG is an awkward yet intriguing cousin. The popularity of a song should not affect the artist's original intent.

[ferrari808]

I agree i was bummed when mermaid got pulled off later releases of skylarking.

[notaperson2012]

When I was younger i listened to this album a billion times with the dear god track instead of this. I wonder if my life would be different if Todd Rundgren made a different call. I agree, he made the right call.

[sheogroth]

great song and love the visuals

[wolftoes]

as andy said... todd rundgren made the right decision... todd rules!!!! gorgeous record as it was in 87

[p717]

Got the version with "Dear God" on it myself, so I only found out about this song when "Rag and Bone" came out. I like how "Dear God" precedes "Dying" then "Sacrificial Bonfire" - seems to meld it into more of a concept album...

Nevertheless, I really like this song too.

[reivenlocke]

From youth to death is the concept. Dear God throws a wrench in that.

[splankhoon]

Andy writes wonderful "sea"-songs, just consider "That wave" on Nonsuch.

[haggidubious]

One of the best from the Swindon lads...

@goonsquid: you're right. Dear God doesn't fit with the rest of the album.

[doovie101]

I can't believe they too k this off the original LP! One of my fave XtC songs...great melody, vibe, lyrics, and the arrangement is sublime. XtC always inspire me to pick up the guitar and write...

[cosmicrider287]

it goes to show how good the tracks on the album were.there could be various reasons for it.amazing song though.

[fourplusseven]

lol.

Well said.

[adelamere1]

If you're gonna take a song off skylarking this aint it....

[RonG40]

A great album...and a great song. I actually didn't hear this for almost a year after it's release as the version I had included 'Dear God' instead...shame they couldn't have just had both.

And as far as Mummer, Skylarking, etc...It's all great. Partridge and Moulding are songwriters par excellence.

[Carlito1988]

My favorite XTC song...and that is saying a lot!! P.S.- A couple of you mentioned you have the vinyl copy of Skylarking w/ MS on it-  Let me know if you ever want to sell your copy!!

[Spyronsss]

Best song ever

[barrieev]

They just don't get more beautiful than this. Skylarking makes you sad for 99% of the other pop music produced.

[bedebill]

thanks for putting that on tonlitt very nice

[illinoisan]

I got the rare vinyl pressing of Skylarking that had Mermaid Smiled on it before they replaced it with the suprise hit single Dear God. MS is the last song on that album I would have considered editing out.

[9Kzaar11]

Hey! I´ve got it as well!

[reivenlocke]

I have both versions of the Skylarking CD as well. In my opinion, they should have left this song on and took off "Another Satellite".

[goonsquid]

I like it the way it was made in the first place. 14 songs- no "Dear God"

[cathridge]

I've always said, "Another Satellite" should have been taken off instead of this cool tune that was a nice pairing with "The Man Who Sailed Around his Soul".

[zebonaut]

NOPE!!!!!

"Die like you "would be it..if i had to decide..whic is cruel enough.

[reivenlocke]

Don't you mean "Dying"?

[coachfan88]

I think this is the song that got me into XTC. It's wonderful!

[TheDistorted]

This is a fucking fantastic song - I love it! One of my favourite XTC songs, and that's saying something!! :)

Fun as hell to play along to, also

[cranie4]

I love all the XTC albums but I actually like Mummer a lot..guess I'm in the minority :)

[miaastro]

I see someone gave me the thumbs down!!?! But gave the idiot who said 'Look at the mermaids' the thumbs up?!?!

I'm the biggest XTC fan I know! I can also see the faults! And I do agree that one of their worst albums is far better than a lot of others best albums...

Jeez, you're a tough crowd!!

[tidalbeads]

That Andy Patridge is an absolute wordsmith!  Thanks for posting the lyrics as well :-)

[clrwzd]

Absolutely! He never gets the credit he deserves!

[flanissimo]

one of their worst albums is one of the best albums ever made. Too many cooks in the kitchen -- them and Todd.

[miaastro]

Could be worse! Could be something from 'Mummer'! One of their worst..fullstop! And I love the band!

But I hate fish!! (Are mermaids fish??!)

I'll shut up now!

[flanissimo]

I like Mummer slightly better.

Don't ever shut up about XTC. There's so much to talk about with that band.

I think the weak songs on Mummer might be weaker than the weak ones on Skylarking, but the strong ones are much stronger. And Mummer takes more risks. I rmember when I was such a fanatic, and used to listen to all the outtakes from Skylarking, thinking that they were better than the ones that made the album. If memory serves, Todd chose certain ones to make the album more concepty.

[chrissyshalom]

wow all mermaids ~~