David Bowie 8 jan 1997 when asked what song he wished he had written “ the one that comes to mind is Ship building. I think it is one of the most beautiful songs written. Stunning piece of work, makes me cry...just the opening bars...specifically the Robert Wyatt version, I think it’s just the most tragically beautiful song”
I remember this when it was aired I was 11 & was moved by Wyatt's performance I wondered what had happened to him (when I was a child) for him to be in a wheel chair. I also in my child mind thought Elvis Costello's was a cover version doh! Miss the Old grey whistle test & rich cultural music shows. In 40 years time what will the kids of today look back on, I wonder. Heart wrenching song. I think to my self Costello also wrote 'I wanna be loved' similar downward spiral kitchen sink feeling mood of life. On a lighter note E Costello also wrote & performed 'I'm a secret lemonade drinker' with his dad! Yay :)
It’s even more nuanced in that Clive Langer has written the song but wanted better lyrics which he asked Costello for (Langer is playing synth here). So yes, it is a genuine cover version for him though he wrote the lyrics and plays on the original. Costello’s version is just as good. They really wanted it to be a hit to get the message across. One of the best protest songs ever.
The song has a dark and profound subject matter, and Robert knows this. But being British, he can't talk about it directly, as we're culturally hardwired to bottle these things up, keep a 'stiff upper lip', and avoid confrontation when communicating with each other. So rather than introduce the song by literally saying 'here's a number about how the common people, the true victims of war, are blinded by the short term economical benefits to their communities, at the expense of the lives of their children who are shipped off to die', he says the very opposite, being completely sarcastic. He's poking fun at these British social conventions that say it's not 'proper' to talk about these sorts of ideas or to challenge the status quo - this is a theme that comes up in the song where 'someone gets filled in for saying people get killed in the results of the shipbuilding' Dive in to Robert Wyatt's music and the whole Canterbury Scene and you'll get an idea of this irreverent outlook and attitude towards things and how we use absurdity to address real and serious issues. An even better example is some of our classic comedy, particularly Blackadder series 4 (the one set in the trenches of WW1, probably the most profoundly unfunny backdrops they could have picked), as well as a lot of Monthy Python, who are from the same generation as Wyatt and Co, and are the best example of deconstructing our stuffy British values through absurdity and contrast. I hope most of that makes sense, the point is Wyatt means the exact opposite of what he says here.
David Bowie 8 jan 1997 when asked what song he wished he had written “ the one that comes to mind is Ship building. I think it is one of the most beautiful songs written. Stunning piece of work, makes me cry...just the opening bars...specifically the Robert Wyatt version, I think it’s just the most tragically beautiful song”
Nothing much better than this. I've been listening to this for 36 years and it still sounds fresh and, sadly, relevant.
Have to listen to this song at least once a month. "Diving for dear life when we could be diving for pearls"
Still probably my favorite cultural artifact, after all these years. It doesn't get much better then this.
Remember watching it live right at the a bloke in the audience shouted vote Labour
the perfect marriage of singer and song.
you got it.
Oh God that's good! R.W.'s voice is such a unique approach with beautiful pitch control and restrained vibrato till just the right moment.
I just heard this on "Ashes to Ashes" . A blast from the past, I loved this song !
40 years after hearing this on John Peel's show this remains as stunningly beautiful and poignant .
Still makes me cry all these years on
This is pure class
It's performances like this that made OGWT such an incredible programme. Missed sorely.(The Tube was pretty good too but a whole different vibe)
And better than that is difficult to imagine. Thank you Robert.
Mark Bedford of Madness fame on double bass here
Simply perfect
Absolutely great song
Just a beautiful song
i like it...i dont love it.......but i like it...why not.
and Bedders from Madness on bass !
I remember this when it was aired I was 11 & was moved by Wyatt's performance I wondered what had happened to him (when I was a child) for him to be in a wheel chair. I also in my child mind thought Elvis Costello's was a cover version doh! Miss the Old grey whistle test & rich cultural music shows. In 40 years time what will the kids of today look back on, I wonder. Heart wrenching song. I think to my self Costello also wrote 'I wanna be loved' similar downward spiral kitchen sink feeling mood of life. On a lighter note E Costello also wrote & performed 'I'm a secret lemonade drinker' with his dad! Yay :)
Costello wrote it for Wyatt.
Yep, as SoulStylistJukeBox
indicates, Costello's version is a cover(even though he wrote it!)
It’s even more nuanced in that Clive Langer has written the song but wanted better lyrics which he asked Costello for (Langer is playing synth here). So yes, it is a genuine cover version for him though he wrote the lyrics and plays on the original. Costello’s version is just as good. They really wanted it to be a hit to get the message across. One of the best protest songs ever.
The greatest antiwar song . Sadly even more relevant today.
What a great version of a great polemical tune.
Love this version too. Soulful.One of my abiding OGWT clips.
Thanks for posting this. Hypnotised me when I watched the OGWT DVDs some years ago.
Sublime
Brilliant
Is this the greatest song ever????
brilliant
Boom. ❤
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Producer Clive Langer wrote the music; EC just wrote the lyrics. Don't mistake that "just" for implying they aren't brilliant.
Always contemporary, always relevant. Sadly.
lovely.xx
Yeah, there's a reason I don't come here to do this.
I prefer this version, and Suede's to Costello's. There's just something about Costello that annoys me.
Given that it's actually about the Falklands War it's hardly "a piece of escapist light-entertainment"!
I do believe Mr Wyatt was being ironic!
He was being moronic? Agreed!
If you're trolling then well done, but I can explain what he means and why he said it if you want.
Yes, go ahead.
The song has a dark and profound subject matter, and Robert knows this. But being British, he can't talk about it directly, as we're culturally hardwired to bottle these things up, keep a 'stiff upper lip', and avoid confrontation when communicating with each other.
So rather than introduce the song by literally saying 'here's a number about how the common people, the true victims of war, are blinded by the short term economical benefits to their communities, at the expense of the lives of their children who are shipped off to die', he says the very opposite, being completely sarcastic. He's poking fun at these British social conventions that say it's not 'proper' to talk about these sorts of ideas or to challenge the status quo - this is a theme that comes up in the song where 'someone gets filled in for saying people get killed in the results of the shipbuilding'
Dive in to Robert Wyatt's music and the whole Canterbury Scene and you'll get an idea of this irreverent outlook and attitude towards things and how we use absurdity to address real and serious issues. An even better example is some of our classic comedy, particularly Blackadder series 4 (the one set in the trenches of WW1, probably the most profoundly unfunny backdrops they could have picked), as well as a lot of Monthy Python, who are from the same generation as Wyatt and Co, and are the best example of deconstructing our stuffy British values through absurdity and contrast.
I hope most of that makes sense, the point is Wyatt means the exact opposite of what he says here.
Malvinas🫶🏽🇦🇷🌞Argentinas