Whatevershebringswesing
Encyclopedia
Whatevershebringswesing is the third solo album by Kevin Ayers
.
In 1971, Kevin Ayers started recording what would become his most acclaimed album, Whatevershebringswesing accompanied by members of Gong
and his previous backing band The Whole World. Praised by NME
, Record Mirror
and Rolling Stone
, the album realised all the musical aspirations Ayers had harboured since the inception of Soft Machine.
As with most Ayers albums, a collision of disparate styles confronts the listener but in this instance they work to extremely powerful effect. The title track with Mike Oldfield
's guitar accompaniment and Robert Wyatt
’s wracked harmonies would become a template for Ayers subsequent 70s output.
The album opens with “There Is Loving/Among Us” accompanied by David Bedford
’s dramatic orchestral arrangement. There follow the vignettes “Margaret” and “Oh My” where Ayers juxtaposes terse lyrics against measured backing. “Song From A Bottom of a Well” marries an explosive arrangement, again featuring Oldfield, to Ayers’ cryptic lyric “This is a song from the bottom of a well / There are things down here / I've got to try and tell”. The title track is notable for Oldfield's extended bass solo at the beginning, while “Stranger in Blue Suede Shoes
”, a flirtation with Ayers love of early rock and roll
, would become a staple of his live set for years to come, a song he would re-record twice that decade.
Many critics and fans have cited Whatevershebringswesing as their favourite Ayers album and it remains to this day a best seller in his catalogue. A reissue in 2003 added four additional songs; “Stars
” (B-side to "Stranger..."), “Don’t Sing No more Sad Songs”, "Fake Mexican Tourist Blues" (1976 B-side to "Stranger...") and "Stranger In Blue Suede Shoes" (Early Mix Previously Unreleased).
Side 2
Kevin Ayers
Kevin Ayers is an English singer-songwriter and was a major influential force in the English psychedelic movement...
.
In 1971, Kevin Ayers started recording what would become his most acclaimed album, Whatevershebringswesing accompanied by members of Gong
Gong (band)
Gong is a Franco-British progressive/psychedelic rock band formed by Australian musician Daevid Allen. Their music has also been described as space rock. Other notable band members include Allan Holdsworth, Tim Blake, Didier Malherbe, Pip Pyle, Gilli Smyth, Steve Hillage, Francis Moze, Mike Howlett...
and his previous backing band The Whole World. Praised by NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
, Record Mirror
Record Mirror
Record Mirror was a British weekly pop music newspaper, founded by Isadore Green and featured, news articles, interviews, record charts, record reviews, concert reviews, letters from readers and photographs. The paper became respected by both mainstream pop music fans and serious record collectors...
and Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, the album realised all the musical aspirations Ayers had harboured since the inception of Soft Machine.
As with most Ayers albums, a collision of disparate styles confronts the listener but in this instance they work to extremely powerful effect. The title track with Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
's guitar accompaniment and Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt is an English musician, and founding member of the influential Canterbury scene band Soft Machine, with a long and distinguished solo career...
’s wracked harmonies would become a template for Ayers subsequent 70s output.
The album opens with “There Is Loving/Among Us” accompanied by David Bedford
David Bedford
David Vickerman Bedford , was an English composer and musician. He wrote and played both popular and classical music....
’s dramatic orchestral arrangement. There follow the vignettes “Margaret” and “Oh My” where Ayers juxtaposes terse lyrics against measured backing. “Song From A Bottom of a Well” marries an explosive arrangement, again featuring Oldfield, to Ayers’ cryptic lyric “This is a song from the bottom of a well / There are things down here / I've got to try and tell”. The title track is notable for Oldfield's extended bass solo at the beginning, while “Stranger in Blue Suede Shoes
Stranger in Blue Suede Shoes
"Stranger in Blue Suede Shoes" was a Kevin Ayers single release. The song taken from his classic 1971 album Whatevershebringswesing . It would be re-released as a single in 1976 when Ayers re-signed to Harvest Records...
”, a flirtation with Ayers love of early rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
, would become a staple of his live set for years to come, a song he would re-record twice that decade.
Many critics and fans have cited Whatevershebringswesing as their favourite Ayers album and it remains to this day a best seller in his catalogue. A reissue in 2003 added four additional songs; “Stars
Stranger in Blue Suede Shoes
"Stranger in Blue Suede Shoes" was a Kevin Ayers single release. The song taken from his classic 1971 album Whatevershebringswesing . It would be re-released as a single in 1976 when Ayers re-signed to Harvest Records...
” (B-side to "Stranger..."), “Don’t Sing No more Sad Songs”, "Fake Mexican Tourist Blues" (1976 B-side to "Stranger...") and "Stranger In Blue Suede Shoes" (Early Mix Previously Unreleased).
Track listing
Side 1- "There is Loving (Ayers)/Among Us (Bedford)/There is Loving (Ayers)" (7:22)
- "Margaret" (3:20) (Ayers)
- "Oh My" (2:59) (Ayers)
- "Song from the Bottom of a Well" (4:37) (Ayers)
Side 2
- "Whatevershebringswesing" (8:13) (Ayers)
- "Stranger in Blue Suede ShoesStranger in Blue Suede Shoes"Stranger in Blue Suede Shoes" was a Kevin Ayers single release. The song taken from his classic 1971 album Whatevershebringswesing . It would be re-released as a single in 1976 when Ayers re-signed to Harvest Records...
" (3:24) (Ayers) - "Champagne Cowboy Blues" (3:56) (Ayers)
- "Lullabye" (2:14) (Ayers)
Personnel
- Kevin AyersKevin AyersKevin Ayers is an English singer-songwriter and was a major influential force in the English psychedelic movement...
/ vocals, guitar, bass (6) - David BedfordDavid BedfordDavid Vickerman Bedford , was an English composer and musician. He wrote and played both popular and classical music....
/ keyboards (1,2,5,6,8,12), orchestral arrangements - Mike OldfieldMike OldfieldMichael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
/ bass (1,3,4), guitar (5,7) - Dave DufortDave DufortDave Dufort is a British rock drummer who has played with Ian Hunter, Kevin Ayers, Mike Oldfield and Screaming Lord Sutch, and was a member of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands E. F. Band, Angel Witch and Tytan...
/ drums (1,4,5) - William MurrayWilliam Murray (musician)William Murray was a drummer and photographer from Glasgow, Scotland.- Career :As a drummer in the early 1970s Murray played with acts including Richard and Linda Thompson's 'Sour Grapes' band and Irish progressive folk band Mellow Candle...
/ percussion (2,3,7) - Tony Carr / drums (6,12)
- Robert WyattRobert WyattRobert Wyatt is an English musician, and founding member of the influential Canterbury scene band Soft Machine, with a long and distinguished solo career...
/ Harmony vocals (5) - Didier MalherbeDidier MalherbeDidier Antonin Malherbe is a saxophonist and flautist. He was one of the founders of the Canterbury sound band Gong....
/ saxophone (1), flute (8) - Gerry Fields / violin (3)
- Johnny Van Derek / violin (2,7)
- Bruce Malamut / flugelhorns (1), incidental brass (1,2,5,6,8,12), ass't engineer (1,2)