Nicely Out Of Tune

Product Information

Nicely Out of Tune is the debut album by Lindisfarne, released in late 1970. It charted more than a year after release, thanks to the huge success of their second album Fog on the Tyne, which topped the charts early in 1972. As the Americans seemed to get the British version on CD, I presume that this extraordinary version will only ever be released on vinyl! That is a great shame as I prefer this one to the UK release.

By the last verse, however, the writer has moved his focus from the personal to the universal, mankind best served by compassion and communal respect: Scarecrow Song (Full Version with ending) Time:4.02 all original versions fade out around 3.20 or 3.50 If the end of side one showed Hull at his most passionate in the cause of human kindness, the second side begins with him in the role of witty storyteller – ‘ We Can Swing Together‘ an amusing account of a social gathering, party held by a group of hippies perhaps a better description, that is broken up by the local constabulary. Simon Cowe’s Uncle Sam is the album’s obligatory anti-war song, expressing the insecurities felt by a young generation faced with the likelihood of military conscription before we get to the album’s happiest song – and possibly one of the most carefree songs ever written – Rab Noakes’s Together Forever. Together Forever is a song that I continue to love, and I’ve often placed myself in the place of the carefree couple, sitting at the front of the bus, sitting on a park bench, or trying to hitch a ride, and just watching the world go by in front of their eyes, without feeling compelled to rush along with it. It’s just timeless and so joyful. When winter’s shadowy fingers/First pursue you down the street/And your boots no longer lie/About the cold around your feet/Do you spare a thought for summer whose passage is complete?/Whose memories lie in ruins/And whose ruins lie in heat?/When winter/Comes howling in.’

Recommendations

Side two has a completely different version of ‘We Can Swing Together’, although approx. two minutes shorter and ‘Alan In The River with Flowers’ is renamed ‘Float Me Down the River’. However, ‘We Can Swing Together’ deserves to get some extra space for a more detailed description: We’ve all experienced the overfamiliarity that repeated plays of a well-loved album can cause, and I have to admit that I expected Fog On The Tyne to be a victim of such “Dark Side Of The Moon” syndrome and, as I settled down to revisit it, I did wonder whether it was necessary for me ever to hear the album again. Well, happily, the songs on Fog on the Tyne still sound good today and, now that much of the political and societal progress of the past 50 years has been successfully reversed by those who know best, the subject matter of many of the songs – class differences, the futility of war, loneliness, desperation and pleasure in adversity still resonate strongly. But, before we go on, let’s deal with that elephant that came into the room in 1990… The version on the original single which was released when Nicely Out Of Tune first came out and flopped (in pic sleeve - run off groove A1U) is a shortened version of the UK album version (bones). When Meet Me On The Corner was a hit in 1972 Lady Eleanor was rereleased as A2U (some copies in pic sleeve, most without). This is the full length version and is the same as appears on the US Nicely Out Of Tune LP (bone). There was a 3rd UK version (A3U). This is the same shortened version as A1U. Some versions of A2U have ‘(From the L.P. CAS. 1025 - “Nicely Out Of Tune”)’ on the label A side even though that particular version is different from the album. The 4 prong version is the same as the solid centre (A2U).

Throughout a career as member of Lindisfarne and solo artist – that ended with his death at the relatively young age of 50 in November 1995 – Hull was committed to social justice and always a champion of the underprivileged. The final verse of this outstanding folk ballad is not only an extraordinary piece of literation, but manifesto for the next twenty five years.

Contributors

Reinhard Groll: Ray, on the rear side of the album cover of the original Charisma album, and only there, one can find a "Thanks to..." section. First named is Ian, Si's younger brother and Lindisfarne's roadie until the disband in 73. Then there is the "Hull family", Alan's wife Pat and their daughters Rosamund, Francesca and Berenice. Coming from the pre-LF time still under the name of "Brethren" and "Downtown Faction" are Jeff Sadler and Richard Squirrel. Long time friend and Alan's partner in Hazy Music: Barbara Hayes. David Wood as the Engineer and Uncle Tony might be noone else than John Anthony. But who is: "Charlie, Kath, Barbara, Anna, Julia, Joe Robertson, Drummond, Mr. Bolton and Spectrum?" Then when things were happening, around about ten to four/There was a screeching of brakes, dogs barking outside, and a hammering on the door/Then the voice of officialdom, saying ‘Open in the name of the law’/But we just kept on holding hands, and singing this song some more.’ I remember what the old man said on his little wooden stand/As he spoke very quietly with a waving of his hand/Every pigeon to its own hole, but what he seemed to say/I know I should go looking for, a better place to stay.’