Loading AI tools
1981 single by XTC From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Respectable Street" is a song written by Andy Partridge of XTC, released as the opening track on their 1980 album Black Sea. According to Partridge, the song is about English streets[3] and "the hypocrisy of living in a so-called respectable neighborhood. It's all talk behind twitching curtains. It's all Alan Bennett land."[4] In another interview Partridge reveals that Respectable Street was based on a real street Bowood Road in Swindon, which was diagonally opposite the flat above a shop on Kingshill Road where he was living at the time he wrote it.[5] Discounting the Canada-only "Love at First Sight", it was the fourth and last single issued from the LP. BBC Radio banned the song because of its references to abortion and a "Sony Entertainment Centre".[6]
"Respectable Street" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by XTC | ||||
from the album Black Sea | ||||
Released | March 1981 | |||
Recorded | 1980 | |||
Studio | Townhouse Studios, London | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:56 | |||
Label | Virgin | |||
Songwriter(s) | Andy Partridge | |||
Producer(s) | Steve Lillywhite | |||
XTC singles chronology | ||||
|
Music journalist John Harris highlighted "Respectable Street" as "one of the most evocative items in Partridge's oeuvre."[3] In 1996, critic Jack Rabid praised its "sardonic crack" and wrote "am I the only one who's noticed that super-fans Blur have ripped this song off three times already???!!!!"[7]
In 1982, it was the only song XTC performed at a televised gig simulcast in Paris, which became one of the last live performances of their career. Partridge experienced a panic attack mid-performance and walked off the stage.[4]
It is the first XTC recording in which Dave Gregory contributed his keyboard playing.[8]
XTC
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.