Marillion discography (Fish era)

Marillion's lineup during the period 1982 - 1988 included singer/songwriter Fish. During this period, the cover art of albums and singles was a collaborative effort between Fish and conceptual artist Mark Wilkinson. This article highlights the work of Marillion, and the conceptualism behind the songs and art of the group's singles during this period.

First Single Release

Market Square Heroes was Marillion's debut single, and had become the band's 'anthem'. The song was released in 1982 and included the double B-sides "Three Boats Down From the Candy" and "Grendel".

cript for a Jester's Tear

"Main article: Script for a Jester's Tear."
Marillion's debut album did not include Market Square Heroes, but it was included on the second "bonus" CD of the double CD re-release in 1997, having been digitally remastered from April to July of that year.

He Knows You Know

He Knows You Know was Marillion's second single. It was released from their first album, Script For A Jester's Tear. The song's theme is drug abuse, and alludes particularly to intravenous drug use.

As with all songs during this period, the lyrics were written by Derek William Dick (aka Fish).

Garden Party

Garden Party marked Marillion's third and most successful single to date, reaching number 16 in the UK charts in 1983. The song is a bitter parody of social elitism and snobbery. It was sub-titled 'The Great Cucumber Massacre'. The song is a fine example of Fish's fondness for pun and play on words.

Controversy

After the synth/guitar break in the middle of the song, a verse starts:

"I'm punting
I'm beagling
I'm wining
Reclining
I'm rucking
I'm miming
(So welcome) Its a party!
"

However, the original lyrics read, "I'm fucking" and was replaced by "I'm miming" for the single release, and "I'm frolicking" for the album track. "Rucking" in the previous line is a rugby term; the sport is referred to earlier in the song. Fish appeared on shows such as Top of the Pops, the UK's long running chart show and, at the point where he ought to be singing the broadcastable "miming", he shut his mouth and merely pointed at his lips as the played-back lyrics came over the PA. The album version (which was also included on the 12" release), contained the original lyric.

Lyrics

The song refers to a debutante's coming out party held at Cambridge. The lyrics are complex and full of double and hidden meanings. " "Social climbers polish ladders, wayward sons again have fathers." " is fairly obvious. Others require some knowledge of Cambridge traditions to fully appreciate them. " "Punting on the Cam is jolly fun" " refers to a form of boating in which the boatman (traditionally a young man) propels a punt along the River Cam by using a long pole to push off the river bottom, while his companion (traditionally a young lady) reclines in the punt. " "Angie chalks another Blue; Mother smiles, she did it too," " uses "chalk" in the sense of keeping score (as in darts or billiards), while a Blue is a University of Cambridge athlete.

External links

* [http://www.faqs.org/faqs/music/marillion-faq/part1/section-29.html Garden Party lyrics explained]

Fugazi

Punch and Judy

This song refers to a popular puppet show, Punch and Judy.

Assassing

This song concerns character assassination, the word of the title having been an invented verb by singer/songwriter Fish, mixing the words "Assassin" (a killer) and "Sassing" (which means a one who talks disrespectfully to another). The lyrics are full of speech metaphors alluding to verbal fighting, for example, "Unsheathe the blade within the voice."

Misplaced Childhood

Kayleigh

"Main article Kayleigh."
Kayleigh was a top ten hit for Marillion in 1985. It remains the groups most successful single in terms of chart position. The single was kept from the UK Number 1 spot by charity single "You'll Never Walk Alone" by supergroup The Crowd in the summer of 1985.

Fish, had dated a woman by the name of Kay Lee, but the song was about more than one woman he had had relationships with.

In 2005, it was revealed that 96% of Kayleighs living in Britain were born after 1985 and is undoubted that the Marillion song inspired this amazing rise in popularity of the name Kayleigh.

Lavender

tudio albums

* "Script for a Jester's Tear" (1983)
* "Fugazi" (1984)
* "Misplaced Childhood" (1985)
* "Clutching at Straws" (1987)

All of the albums were subsequently reissued in double-CD sets containing extensive bonus material.

Compilations

* "Brief Encounter " (USA Mini LP, 1986)
* "B'Sides Themselves" (1988)
* "The Singles '82-88'" - Box with 12 CD-singles containing all UK single tracks. (2000)

Live albums

* "Real to Reel" (1984)
* "The Thieving Magpie" (2 CDs, 1988)
* "" (6 CDs, 2008)

Videos

* "Recital of the Script" (1983, Reissued on DVD 2003)
* "Grendel/The Web ep" (1984)
* "1982-1986 The Videos" (1986)
* "Sugar Mice/Incommunicado" (1987)
* "Live at Loreley" (1987, Reissued on DVD 2004)