All You Pretty Girls
XTC
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Do something for me, boys If I should die at sea, boys Write a little note, boys Set it off afloat, saying Bless you, bless you, all of you pretty girls Village and city girls by the quayside Bless you, bless you, all of you pretty girls Watching and waiting by the sea Bless you, bless you, all of you pretty girls Quiet or witty girls by the quayside Bless you, bless you, all of you pretty girls Watching and waiting there for me I think about your pale arms waving When I see the caps upon the green And the rocking roller-coaster ocean Think about you every night when I'm fathoms asleep And in my dreams We are rocking in a similar motion Bless you, bless you, all of you pretty girls Village and city girls by the quayside Bless you, bless you, all of you pretty girls Watching and waiting by the sea Bless you, bless you, all of you pretty girls Quiet or witty girls by the quayside Bless you, bless you, all of you pretty girls Watching and waiting there for me I think about the salt sea rolling Down in pearly tears upon your cheeks Just like the day the harbor pulled away I think about your warm white sheets unfolding The more I have to drink The more that I can think to say Do something for me, boys If I should die at sea, boys Write a little note, boys And set it off afloat, saying Bless you, bless you, all of you pretty girls Village and city girls by the quayside Bless you, bless you, all of you pretty girls Watching and waiting by the sea Bless you, bless you, all of you pretty girls Quiet or witty girls by the quayside Bless you, bless you, all of you pretty girls Watching and waiting there for me Bless you, bless you, all of you pretty girls Village and city girls by the quayside Bless you, bless you, all of you pretty girls Watching and waiting by the sea Bless you, bless you, all of you pretty girls Quiet or witty girls by the quayside Bless you, bless you, all of you pretty girls Watching and waiting there for me Bless you, bless you, all of you pretty girls Village and city girls by the quayside Bless you, bless you, all of you pretty girls Watching and waiting by the sea
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10 facts about this song
Song Release"All You Pretty Girls" by XTC, an English rock band, was originally released as the lead single from the band's eighth studio album, "Oranges & Lemons" in 1984.
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Chart PerformanceThe song peaked in the UK singles chart at number 55, demonstrating a satisfactory, though not record-breaking, success in the band's home country.
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Sea Shanty InfluenceThe song is heavily influenced by traditional English folk music and is reminiscent of sea shanties. It uses maritime metaphors and features an accordion, helping to create this acoustic maritime vibe.
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Featured Instrument"All You Pretty Girls" features the distinctive sound of a rare instrument called a 'jug.' Dave Gregory, the band's guitarist and keyboardist, played the jug on the track.
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Songwriting InspirationThe song was written by Andy Partridge, the band's lead singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter. Partridge has explained that it was written in part as a response to the overtly sexual imagery prevalent in contemporary pop and rock music.
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Subsequent UsageBritish folk rock band Show of Hands covered the song in 1995, giving it a new lease of life and introducing it to a different audience.
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One-shot Music VideoThe music video for the song, directed by Ian Eames, was shot in one take. The band members performed the song while sailing on a boat.
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Change in Sound"All You Pretty Girls" marked a significant shift in XTC's sound, moving away from the new wave and post-punk influences of their earlier work, towards a more sophisticated pop sound.
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Different Song VersionsSeveral versions of the song exist. The full album version is around three minutes long, while a shorter edit was used for the single release. There’s also an instrumental version that was released as a B-side on the 12-inch single.
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Controversial LyricsOne of the song's verses makes a reference to the sexual prowess of sailors and this led to some controversy at the time, with some radio stations refusing to play the song due to potential breaches of broadcasting standards.
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Citation
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"All You Pretty Girls Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 13 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/5029932/XTC/All+You+Pretty+Girls>.
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