SNAKEFINGER - Jesus Was A Leprechaun

[SickNick1977]

The right lyrics: Jesus was a leprechaun, dying on a cross remembering his Celtic roots Jesus: How did I ever get caught? Jesus was a leprechaun, , his name was Tidy Tom He tried to have a little fun Jesus: But my hands and feet are so numb! Jesus was a leprechaun, full of trickery but he went a bit too far Jesus: and they made a martyr of me. Jesus was a leprechaun, a twinkle in his eye Always smiling sweetly, Jeus: but I never expected to die!

[moeskido]

Love this man. Sorry I never got to see him work.

[vexedweasel]

I met Snakefinger and The Residents. I met the Residents first in San Francisco at their world HQ and then with Snake Finger in Kent OH on their World Tour.

[MrRDiggity]

brilliant...this is real music!

[freelancerobotics]

On the album he definitively says "Jesus was a leprechaun / full of chicory" but here he seems to be saying something different. "Fat and ????". No idea. On the first verse it's "remembering his celtic roots", it's just that Snake is pronouncing it with a soft C. And after "twinkle in his eye" he's saying "always smiling sweetly".

[VJnumber1]

@freelancerobotics Thanks, I updated my description. That makes better sense than what I was hearing!

[gorepoliceguy]

A true visionary 

[eatthelies138]

Thanks for putting this on here,now the world can know who this genius was!!!!

[hammerhackers]

okay, Snakefinger and the residents inspired Primus ( positiv about that ), Frank Zappa (almost certain), and now that I hear this song, I'm wondering if they did not inspire NOMEANSNO (bad ass insane BASS and GUITAR ,also this song reminds me of some parts of "Obsessed" from the "sex mad" album

[locoxoco]

Snake and his band played this song (and many others) on the front lawn of my high school in 1980. (San Mateo HS) Although I was already a fan, most of the students hadn't heard of him. It was great to see how open-minded and enthusiastic they were about the performance. The faculty, not so much, hah hah. Phil was a charming gent. If I recall correctly his bass player at the time was an ex-Dead Kennedy who used a ZIP code as his name.

[pynoman]

The only thing scarier than that alley was the toilet in the studio.

[pynoman]

I played bass in the band in 1984.

His rythym guitarist Miguel called me from Germany to tell me Phil died of a heart attack in the middle of the night in his hotel room.

[The1fatpanda]

omg, i had no idea. I am sooo sad.

[The1fatpanda]

I used to hang out in the "alley" at 109 Minna st, just so I might get to meet them.

[MrPlanx]

The Residents were never part of his band. It was the other way around - Phil was occasionally one of their band. He's also the guy actually in the eyeball head costume on the Resident's early albums and posters. In the Mt. Rushmore poster, all four Residents are ALL Phil (superimposed in different poses).

[VJnumber1]

thank you Mr. Planx, I always wondered who was in that eyeball headdress, like wondering who was behind the curtain in OZ.

[SpaceRitual]

@MrPlanx But the Residents did assist in co-writing Chewing Hides the Sound.

[skinnydoggyz]

@MrPlanx wow, where did you hear of this?

[MrPlanx]

@skinnydoggyz - I was a friend of Phil's. I actually talked to him on the phone just a couple of hours before he died.

[skinnydoggyz]

@MrPlanx that's cool you were friends, his music is an influence

[larsplaysthefish]

On July 1, 1987, Snakefinger and his band, The Vestal Virgins, were in Linz, Austria, on the European Night tour. During a performance at the Posthof Club Lithman suffered a fatal heart attack. On that same day his single, "There's No Justice in Life", was released.

[lesleyblood1]

saw him live with The Residents.late eighties...I think he toured in 1981 and had a heart attack in Australia...

[Elcerritogooze]

He got stabbed to death outside his place in SF on the industrial side of town. Which happened to be known as the most violent alley in SF @ the time. (most # of violence related cases).

[ClueSign]

@Elcerritogooze Totally not true. But he did like to get burgers down the block.

[turduckenband]

what is that instrument?

[Incongruent]

Slide guitar.

Also called steel or lap guitar.

[cordedpoodle]

I saw him in SF. His musicians popped out of Garbage cans. I believe they were Residents. Triple billed with Tuxedo Moon and MX-80 Sound. MX-80 Sound stole the show.

[malpaul]

Fuck! What a night that woulda been!

[snakefinger]

OUUUCH!

[VJnumber1]

I am in contact with her and she is really cool.

[marscreation66]

i think i see a member of the resident ,,its the guitaress

[ClueSign]

Wasn't there a Danceteria show on this same tour?

[juanerd]

Fuckin' 'Grade' Man, Let me know how I can help.

JBRyan-Drumage Guy ('80-'87; on the vids).

[offwiththehats]

thanks

[VJnumber1]

With some luck I will get something finished this year. Stay tuned...

[lumpagogo]

Good old Ralph Records--clanging and banging----torture core.

[MrWoofington]

Awesome post, thanks for sharing!

Snakey was one of a kind, no doubt about it. An incredible instrumentalist and a true avant-garde composer.  The guys in the band went on to become the Vestal Virgins, none of them are in The Residents.

The Rez were only marginally involved in his earliest performances from 1979. They never toured with him or anything like that.

[looshkin66]

13th anniversary tour .....he was with them in japan.

He actually died on tour with the rez.

[MrWoofington]

Snakefinger toured with The Residents, yes... but The Residents never toured with him as a back-up band.

He did not die on tour with the Residents, he had a heart attack in Linz, Austria in 1987 while touring with his band The Vestal Virgins.

[looshkin66]

oh.........my mistake.

thanks for the info, cheers!

[atzenanu]

Nice to see there are others who know their shit. Off course this piece of info was written on the back of a cd...;)

[Paulie88]

Good gravy, post 'em!

[Wizard7AlchemyPoet]

I know the residents were his backup band at least some of the time, im not sure if they are with him in this concert as i dont know what they look like..They would know more..

[Wizard7AlchemyPoet]

collaborators..Do u mean like the residents? or his record label, Ralph records?

[Wizard7AlchemyPoet]

I Believe Snakefinger is an Unsung Genius

[VJnumber1]

He is a singing Unsung genious!

[Wizard7AlchemyPoet]

haha!! and now hes singing in leprechaun heaven :) Would love too see more of this concert if u have got any more clips???