Tag Archives: song-goin-away
London Brixton Academy – 25th October 1991
Setlist
Sit Down / What's The World / Hymn From A Village / How Much Suffering / Summer Song / Black Hole / Seven / Gold Mother / Goin Away / Gregory's Town / What For / Don't Wait That Long / Burned / Ring The Bells / God Only Knows / Come Home / Walking The Ghost / Sound / How Was It For You?Support
Thousand Yard StareMore Information & Reviews
None.
Oxford Apollo – 20th October 1991
Glasgow Barrowlands – 4th December 1990
Newcastle Mayfair – 3rd December 1990
Sit Down (1989)
Summary
Sit Down reached the 77, the highest UK Single Chart position to date for James.
Track List
7″ RT225 – Sit Down / Sky Is Falling
12″ RTT225 – Sit Down (extended) / Goin Away / Sound Investment / Sky Is Falling
CD RTT225CD – Sit Down (extended) / Goin Away / Sound Investment / Sky Is Falling
Details
Release Name: | Sit Down |
Artist Name: | James |
Release Date: | 19th June 1989 |
Format: | Studio Single |
Catalogue: | 7" RT225; 12" RTT225; CD RTT225CD |
Related Release(s): |
Following the split from Sire, James released the number one indie album One Man Clapping with the assistance of Geoff Travis from Rough Trade. In the spring of 1989, James signed to Rough Trade and entered the studio to record Sit Down, a track written in the days of Sire which they had held back until they had escaped to a new label.
With James now a seven-piece band, the single was released in June 1989 to coincide with a short UK tour. It was released on 7″, 12″ and a small 3″ CD single with original issues of the 7″ including a free postcard. The 12″ and CD formats included an eight-minute version of Sit Down ending in a reprise of the song with a sound engineer chanting Lester Piggott over the outro. B-sides to the single included Sky Is Falling, a demo that was James contribution to BOP Records legendary Manchester North of England album, Goin Away, a two-minute track that had opened up many James shows that year and Sound Investment, a meditation on the complexity of relationships.
A video directed by Ed Barton accompanied the single. Set against a white background and Tim sporting a fetching kaftan, the video features the band performing the song, Tim hugging a sheep (which apparently urinated him at one stage) and various shady-looking individuals sitting down next to Tim. The video received a Musicians Union ban for two weeks as it featured Jim impersonating a drummer, apparently taking someone else’s job.
Artwork for the single was provided by Manchester’s Central Station Design, responsible for most Factory Records sleeves.
The single received almost universal acclaim in the music press, but Radio 1 appeared not to pick the single up so crucial airplay was lost. The single entered the charts at number 77 and went no higher, but that was better than James had achieved before. The song had however left an indelible mark on the James audience.
Press Release
James kick off a long-term recording relationship with Rough Trade Records with the single Sit Down released on June 19th. Sit Down looks set to build on the success of the indie chart-topping One Man Clapping live album; the b-side Sky Is Falling shows the band have lost none of their out-spoken concern for environmental issues.
The full track listing for the twelve inch version is as follows:
- Side A : Sit Down (Extended Version)
- Side B : Goin Away, Sound Investment and Sky Is Falling
Keyboardist Mark Hunter is welcomed aboard the line-up for a national tour – dates as follows:
- June
- 16th Liverpool Royal Court
- 17th Nottingham Trent Polytechnic
- 19th Bristol Bierkeller
- 20th Leicester University
- 27th Manchester Ritz
- 28th Manchester Ritz
- July
- 3rd London Marquee
- 4th London Marquee
- Goin Away :1989
- Sit Down :1989
- Sky Is Falling :1989
- Sound Investment :1989
- Sit Down 7″ Front Cover
- Sit Down 7″ Back Cover
- Sit Down 7″ A Side
- Sit Down 7″ B Side
- Sit Down 12″ Front Cover
- Sit Down 12″ Back Cover
- Sit Down 12″ A Side
- Sit Down 12″ B Side
- Sit Down 3″ CD Front Cover
- Sit Down 3″ CD Back Cover
- Sit Down 3″ CD
- Sit Down 12″ White Label Promo
- Sit Down 1989 NME Review
- Advert: Sit Down
- Advert: Sit Down
- Advert: Sit Down
- Sit Down Postcard
Goin Away
Sit Down – Rough Trade white label promo – no catalogue number
Summary
White label promo sent to DJs without band name
Track List
Sit Down (12″ version) / Goin Away / Sound Investment / Sky Is Falling
Details
Release Name: | Sit Down - Rough Trade white label promo - no catalogue number |
Artist Name: | James |
Release Date: | June 1989 |
Format: | Promo Single |
Catalogue: | n/a |
Related Release(s): |
White label promo sent to DJs without band name
- Goin Away :1989
- Sit Down :1989
- Sky Is Falling :1989
- Sound Investment :1989
- Sit Down 12″ White Label Promo
London Dominion Theatre – 22nd March 1989
Setlist
Goin Away / Hup-Springs / Johnny Yen / Slow Right Down / Not There / How Much Suffering / Riders / Lazy / Undertaker / Sit Down / Are You Ready? / Gregory's Town / Whoops / Why So Close / What For / StutterSupport
Inspiral CarpetsMore Information & Reviews
Sounds by David Cavanagh
James are a bit of a shock. For a start, Tim Booth no longer has any hair. This, in tandem with his floppy shirt / straitjacket, gives him the look of the domeheaded weirdo who gets hooked up to the mains in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.
“If you want old songs buy the albums,” is his first directive. “This is a new band.”
It sure is, with violinist Saul Davies making all the difference. The songs on the new live album One Man Clapping are transformed by catchy little curlicues of slightly malevolent folk whimsy into songs from underneath floorboards. A new song called Look Strong confounds the band’s cosy image, Johnny Yen and Undertaker both carry knives and Riders is a blur.
Larry Gott, suddenly freed by the arrival of the violinist, who doubles on acoustic guitar, turns out to be an exhilirating slide guitar player on Whoops. And when he and Booth convene for a moving Why So Close, he cuts such a carnivorous figure that his lead singer actually applauds him after the song’s over.
“Baldie,” shouts one 85 percent short-hair
“I may be bald,” replies Booth, “but my hair will return. Your brain may not.”
The encore is Stutter. It is awash with Anglicisms – chirpy vocals, folky rhythms, Maypole structures – but pastoral and harmless it isn’t. It’s staggering.
The old James were pretty bloody incredible. The new one… well, they’re hair-raising.