SpringSongs, Pt. II

Although it was just yesterday when I said that I would not cop out and simply pick XTC’s Skylarking as the consummate Spring album (as well as one of my favorite records of all time), these two blended songs epitomize a SpringSong to me (and compromise 13.33333333333...% of the aforementioned record). I’d be a fool not to include them in the series. 

Pastoral and quintessentially English, the flawless Todd Rundgren-produced record has been a go-to for this XTC devotee for over a quarter of a century (or 60.24096% of my life). Yikes.

And to think, these aren’t even the best songs on the record – they’re just the two that best fit the series. The two together is also a textbook example of how to properly segue songs.

Ballet For A Rainy Day

Orange and lemon
Raincoats roll and tumble
Together, just liked fruit tipped from a tray
Pineapple wet heads
Watch new hairdos crumble
As scenery sunlight shifts away

Ballet for a rainy day
Silent film of melting miracle play

Apples and cherries
Are varnished in water
Despite, striped awnings bright dismay
I push my paintbrush
To conjure a new world
While this one is slowly washed away

Ballet for a rainy day
Silent film of melting miracle play
Dancing out there through my window
To the backdrop of a slow descending grey

When it rains it rains
All the colors in my paintbox
When it rains it rains
Tickets for the front row seats
Up on the rooftops

Orange and lemon
Raincoats roll and tumble
apples and cherries
Together, dropped in diamond disarray

Ballet for a rainy day
Silent film of melting miracle play
Dancing out there through my window
Behind the curtain silver falling
Ballet for a rainy day
Silent film of melting miracle play
Dancing out there through my window

To the backdrop of a slow descending grey

1000 Umbrellas

One thousand umbrellas
Upturned couldn't catch all the rain
That drained out of my head
When you said we were
Over and over I cried
'Til I floated downstream
To a town they call
Misery oh oh misery
Misery oh oh misery

And one million teacups

I bet couldn't hold all the wet
That fell out of my eyes
When you fell out with me
Now I'm crawling the wallpaper
That's looking more like a roadmap
To misery oh oh misery

How can you smile and forecast
Weather's getting better
And you'll soon forget her
If you let the sunshine come through
How can you smile and forecast
Weather's getting better
If you never let a girl rain all over you
And just when I thought that my vista was golden in hue

One million salt seas
Recalled from school atlas
Alas would be filled to the brim
Sunny Jim couldn't jump it
How can I be pleased
When I'm handed the keys
To a town they call Misery
Oh oh Misery

So with a mop and a bucket

I'll just say forget her
And carry on sweeping up
Where I've been weeping
The Jesters will creep in
To strike down the newly crowned Monarch
Of Misery oh oh Misery

How can you smile and forecast
Weather's getting better
And you'll soon forget her
If you let the sunshine come through
How can you smile and forecast
Weather's getting better
If you never let a girl rain all over you
Just when I thought that my skies were a June July blue
One thousand umbrellas opened
Two thousand umbrellas opened
Ten thousand umbrellas opened to spoil the view