XTC - live at MTV Studios - Part 1/3 - Scarecrow People

[DunkRyan]

I love this song but it wasn't as amenable to an acoustic rendition as other tunes on the album would be. Sometimes the sound got really muddied and confusing. It's also strange that Colin is playing just a standard acoustic and not an acoustic bass. I guess there must not have been one available or worth purchasing.

[Lyktwz]

I love this band...

[WaterShowsProd]

I remember seeing this on MTV. As polished a production as Oranges And Lemons is, to hear the song played like this gives it even greater scope and poignancy. I'm so glad I got to hear it again after all these years.

[bdclegacy]

I like the message but this song blows

[JasJohns22]

Another example of poor TV direction, just random camera movements and cuts bearing no relation to the song. Thank goodness the music transcends the medium.

[heartistical]

the scarecrow-people(no hearts, no brains) are preaching to other people to give up their hearts and brains and become heartless brainless scarecrow people like them. like a sociopath trying to convince someone to feel no remorse. this is the true human struggle. the minority of sociopaths who rule the world are constantly trying to convince everyone to be sociopaths like them. they are desensitizing us daily to what it is to be human. stay FREE!!! stay STRONG!!!

[MAGNANOMUS]

@heartistical Beautifully put! And horrifying at the same time..

[blackadder3]

I love XTC and this song, but I feel douche chills about his preaching in the beginning of the song, as I sit in New England getting pounded with oppressively cold weather and record snow fall, even Europe is getting record cold temps, I think the Earth does whatever it wants and could shake us living creatures off like a cold.

[RT83]

@blackadder3 "It's about looking after the land, but we don't have to do that. You can crap in your own bed all you like. We live here but... that's no reason to give a shit."

Is that better? :/

[pengohansen]

@blackadder3 Good thing you like the song so much, because he wrote it about you.

[GloucesterAdam]

@blackadder3 that'll be Global cooling - not that scientists believe it happens. A bit like if they turned up outside your place and began singing 'Dear God'. Oh well, all that hot air might melt the snow for you!

[drberkowitz]

@blackadder3 Em, and what exactly did Mr. Partridge say at the beginning about record snow fall and record cold temps? Did I miss something? Are you just another republican in denial? If the pollution we puke into the atmosphere and lakes and rivers and oceans isn't harmful, then why should pollution be controlled at all?

[nancyl2]

acoustical delight . What a fantastical share from my Angel. ;-))))) I needed this AM that damn ole Full Moon doing what it does effects every part of our being but I will not allow it to have victory anymore. My headpphones do not feel right they fall off my head little Bull Shiiiiite things that happens on these phases of the moon that bug the heck out of ya. --XTC is the cure. Listening to these magnificent musians all day. :-))))) Magical Beings they truly are. :-)

[milpool311]

I couldn't help but think of the line "Now while you're here can you advise us of a war we'd love to start against some scarecrows there a different shade" and this ridiculous Christian-Islam bullshit parade that's happening right now.

[lotsofhats]

What song writers these guys area!

[101Volts]

Anyone listening, Please look up the lyrics to this song. Seriously, Do it, read them and think. Don't wait to read my comment all the way, Go to Google and search for the lyrics. Please.

[paparock22]

So good !!!!!!

[noisesionoise]

TRASCENDENTAL

[blacksunfish]

Dave Gregory is an absolute beast. A+++

[beaverliqour]

Wow Dave Gregory 's holding that song together

[berherbi]

quite right, good dave is a guitarzan genius

berher

[RioPugliese]

Three geniuses of pop music.

Really: three masters.

I could never thank them enough for their fantastic music.

[johnmc2k]

Great song, great message.

What happened to MTV! Remember CMTV? It was great!

[moritzmaceio]

Thanks for sharing this information with me, I didn't know. This proves once again that Andy is a genius. ;-)

[crimsondrex]

I remember seeing this when it was first broadcast. I believe Andy Partridge was guest hosting "120 Minutes."

[Darrylizer1]

Wait a second, since when does MTV show music?

[moritzmaceio]

never heard of Mtv Unplugged? this is probably one of the first tests they did

[Darrylizer1]

Ha, yes I was being sarcastic. MTV these days shows crappy lifestyle bs shows and neglects the "M" in their name.

[xnonsuchx]

Actually, UNPLUGGED started a little while after this...and this playing acoustic was Andy Partridge's idea. MTV wanted them to play non-acoustic w/ an audience. Andy jokes about MTV owing him money for the UNPLUGGED idea. :-)

[artilla77]

Masters of their craft. Pure songsmithies. I am honored to have lived in their time.

[MOJOPIN1960]

XTC R NRG !!!! never seen this before ! DYNAMITE !

[daxio14]

Sublime. The music is complex - but so is Dylan, so i will never understand why they are not more comfortably off, relaxed, and still playing together. Maybe the answer's in one of their songs somewhere .. c'mon boys its never too late. andy - just chill a bit maybe - you have proved you are a genius over and over. Colin and Dave are essential to make the magic - just accept that. Neil Finn said - it pays to dumb yourself down a bit to survive in music. If its investment you need - contact me.

[champagnevoluptuous]

This was back when MTV was cool.

[joshuacrime]

Lyrically brilliant, musically incredible, unbelievably talented blokes all. I'll put this up against the sorry arsed Justin Timberlake any day of the week. Yeah. Stack this up against any of that twerp any day. No comparison. Not even in the same zip code. Hats off, fellas. Sure do wish you were still around. Real music hardly exists anymore.

[fuckamericanidiot]

i love this band, i only have black sea and the 'compact xtc' compilation, they're both awesome. this video is incredible, i love it

[Lunatic4Bizcas]

I'm fortunate to have English Settlement and Oranges & Lemons on vinyl and they both sound amazing. It's quite possible that this segment was presented before the big corporate takeover of MTV by Viacom.

[fuckamericanidiot]

wow is that why mtv isn't like that anymore? i did not know that? i often wondered

[parrishsk8mafia]

this song is amazing, my video part song i think

[RebeccaMuthafucka]

I LOVE THIS SONG!

no onther singer ever could compare to andy's vocals. his is truly one of a kind.

what the fuck was with only one person clapping?

[fuckamericanidiot]

there was probably only one person there, it must be that

[almadora]

purely clean, pretty, in tune, hard and incredible. thanks. andy, i love you.

[Danielbrown178]

just moved new area

great vid eh

[misohappy]

That almost brought me to tears. XTC sounds just as good live. 'Tis a shame their live performances are so rare. They were truly an amazing group!

[LIGHTonNEGATIVES]

AMAZINGGGGGG cansomeone please send me the tabs/chordsor something?!!

[perromanchado]

terrific

[hailtothevictorz]

I am so amazed that it only has 72 comments... classic stuff, cool as hell.

[perromanchado]

wow

[OKASHI4288]

いいねえ、コレ！

[paisleybabee]

It's real nice to see this here!I so remember it and the excited antisapation when the album was comming out.I can't say enough about Andy and the band.I agree that few artists have come close to expressing the range of emotions and visions that they have.

[mrgrt1]

Magnificent!

[GWBsux]

This is such a great song and the boys sound amazing, here! I love the sound of their acoustic guitars...brilliant!

[propro21]

I first heard them in 1982 and they are display all the beauty that is missing in the world from their strings. I just don't hear anyone today at their level.

[duck97]

I have to say I disagree, that there is nobody today at their level. I am huge XTC fan, love all their stuff, but you can't say there is no music that comes close nowadays.

listen to regina spektor or elliott smith for some of the most powerful music the 21st century has to offer (even if elliott is dead now)

send me a message and tell me what you think of them. If you like XTC, you should appreciate their lyrical and musical talents. they have both changed my life in their own ways.

[StillOnFire]

this is my favourite XTC track :-)

[therumblefishxx]

fantastic

[dovercourtdave]

Beauty!

[ArleneGuastella]

Thanks for posting this clip! I really, really miss this band. Seems to me that few bands evoke this kind of emotion below. Only true art evokes strong emotion.

[dbmeier0]

I believe this was the original MTV Unplugged - although not promoted as such. Another inovation by Mr. Partridge for which he received no credit.

[terminalmf]

Andy is a good songwriter and a talented musician. I've listened to all of the albums and the 9 demo discs that he released after XTC disbanded, and he stands out now more than ever as a prolific writer with stunning insight into the workings of the world. His lyrics are deep, sharp, sensitive, complex, and well crafted. As far as him being a sad sap, well he's gone through a hell of a lot and he's owned up to every bit of it.

[terminalmf]

He seems charming, well spoken, and very down to earth (I read his weekly interviews on the official myspace XTC fansite, and his personal responses to questions on the XTC forum). Do we really know why Colin pulled that moving away number? I would say blame goes both ways. I'm sure as hell glad they didn't split at the end of touring, the world would have lost alot of great contributions from both of them, and Gregory and Andrews.

[lennymullett]

jesus

please be real. andy partridge is a bloody genius; im sure they all get along as good as any other rock band.

they were great, incredibly understated

[annaspider]

Where are the voices of these progressive introspective thinkers when we most need them?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SociallyConspicuos]

Songs like this one and Season Cycle are great to hear again

[neilsmith1964]

Dave Gregory's guitar work on this is just brilliant isn't it?

[americandodgeball]

Oh, he says "we're all dead from our necks up" in that part? I always thought it was "we're all dads and moms that suck."

[scissorsman311]

XTC did a hand full of little performances like these on radio stations before they actually performed in what you're seeing here. Andy played Blue Beret at almost all of these radio performances in 89'. I wish they played a live version of "One of the Millions" on here. And also agree with the 7 month old comment by Lefthandbadass. It would be nice if you could post the rest of this performance.

[squidbedoe]

Just fantastic! One of my faves ever, also, RT83. So sad that I never got to see my fave band of all time live. Stuff like this helps ease the pain. ;-)

[naruyouninaru]

Higher!

[Remcasdrums]

Nice timing of Andy's vocals in the verses, even better than the album version. I'd love to see the complete unplugged show on DVD, well mixed etc. (I know, keep on dreaming...)

[3rdbillygoat]

Amazing job by da boyz on this acoustic version. It's also amazing how tight and intricate the studio version is being able to compare it to bare-bones.

XTC - sonic savages!!

[cagwa]

Their peak

[markydare]

So amazing.

[squirrelrx]

Absolutely brilliant! XTC has to be the most underated band of all time

[nonsuchfabio]

I agree with your sentiment. I would rather say they are underappreciated by the public, since not many people even know of them or only know one or two songs. Everyone who does know their work rates them among the best bands ever.

[roeandy]

I LOVE XTC! I know he has stage fright, but they should do another tour like everyone else right now. They're the best!

[Lefthandbadass]

What happened to part 2 of this show, Blue Beret? I would like to see that again.

[plaidbus]

What's up with the five seconds of complete silence after the song, then one guy stars clapping politely?

[RT83]

The TV crew were the only immediate audience as far as I can tell.

[crimsonkng]

Those guys are totally and completely awesome.

[sketchr]

From the wonderful album "Oranges and Lemons" for those curious.