Bananamour
Bananamour is the fourth studio album by Kevin Ayers and it featured some of his most accessible recordings, including "Shouting in a Bucket Blues" and his whimsical tribute to Syd Barrett, "Oh! Wot A Dream".[1] After Whatevershebringswesing, Ayers assembled a new band anchored by drummer Eddie Sparrow and bassist Archie Legget and employed a more direct lyricism. The centrepiece of the album is 'Decadence', his withering portrait of Nico:[1] "Watch her out there on display / Dancing in her sleepy way / While all her visions start to play / On the icicles of our decay / And all along the desert shore / She wanders further evermore / The only thing that's left to try / She says to live I have to die." The song was later covered by the Australian psychedelic rock band The Church on their 1999 album A Box of Birds.
| Bananamour | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 1973 | |||
| Recorded | September–October 1972 | |||
| Studio | Abbey Road Studios, London | |||
| Length | 35:48 | |||
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| Producer |
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| Kevin Ayers chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Bananamour | ||||
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| Review scores | |
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| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
The album marked the end of Ayers' first Harvest Records series.
Track listing
All songs written by Kevin Ayers
Side one
- "Don't Let It Get You Down (For Rachel)" – 3:58
- "Shouting in a Bucket Blues" – 3:44
- "When Your Parents Go to Sleep" – 5:46
- "Interview" – 4:44
- "Internotional Anthem" – 0:40
Side two
- "Decadence" – 8:02
- "Oh! Wot A Dream" – 2:48
- "Hymn" – 4:34
- "Beware of the Dog" – 1:20
Track listing (2003 CD reissue)
- "Don't Let It Get You Down" – (4:04)
- "Shouting in a Bucket Blues" – (3:45)
- "When Your Parents Go to Sleep" – (5:47)
- "Interview" – (4:43)
- "Internotional Anthem" – (0:43)
- "Decadence" – (8:05)
- "Oh! Wot A Dream" – (2:48)
- "Hymn" – (4:35)
- "Beware of the Dog" – (1:27)
- "Connie On a Rubber Band" – (2:56)
- "Decadence" (Early Mix) – (6:57)
- "Take Me to Tahiti" – (3:37)
- "Caribbean Moon" – (3:02)
Personnel
Musicians
- Kevin Ayers – guitar, vocals
- Archie Legget – bass, harmony vocals, lead vocal (track 3)
- Eddie Sparrow – drums
Additional musicians
- Steve Hillage – lead guitar (track 2)
- Mike Ratledge – organ (track 4)
- Robert Wyatt – harmony vocal (track 8)
- David Bedford – orchestral arrangement (track 9)
- Howie Casey – tenor saxophone
- Dave Caswell – trumpet
- Tristan Fry – cymbal
- Lyle Jenkins – baritone saxophone
- Ronnie Price – piano
- Barry St. John, Liza Strike, Doris Troy – backing vocals
Technical
- Kevin Ayers – producer
- Andrew King – producer
- John Kurlander – engineer
- Bob Lawrie – cover art
- Richard Imrie – photography
