XTC – “Statue Of Liberty”, “Radios In Motion”, “Making Plans For Nigel”, “She’s So Square”, “Spinning Top” and “All Along The Watchtower”

The British New Wave band XTC, with songs like “Statue Of Liberty”, “Radios In Motion”, “Making Plans For Nigel” or their very unique version of the Bob Dylan song “All Along The Watchtower” (most famously covered by Jimi Hendrix), came to my attention towards the end of the Seventies.

In the late Seventies, while studying at Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand, on Fridays and Saturdays we tended to go to a pub called the Majestic – sadly no longer in existence I hear – where we put up with the Leopard beer to listen and dance to a band called Snatch, who played a lot of New Wave stuff like XTC. (You’re likely to hear more about Snatch in later posts…)

As a result, I bought their 1978 album “White Music”.

I don’t remember most of the tracks on this album, but one of them was “Statue Of Liberty”, played here live:

Also from that album, and also live (in 1978), is “Radios In Motion”:

“Making Plans For Nigel” was a UK hit in 1979:

Here’s “Making Plans For Nigel” live on the German TV concert Rockpalast in 1982:

I’m not sure where “She’s So Square” is from, but I quite like it (the video shows the cover of “White Music”, but it’s not on the one I have):

“Spinning Top” is from the “White Music” album:

And, as mentioned, “All Along The Watchtower”, first the album version:

And now “All Along The Watchtower” live in 1978:

Whew, hope this hasn’t worn you out!

Paul

Tags: All Along The Watchtower, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Leopard beer, Making Plans For Nigel, Massey University, Music of the Seventies, New Wave, Palmerston North, Radios In Motion, Seventies Rock Bands, She's So Square, Snatch, Spinning Top, Statue Of Liberty, XTC

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