Semolina

"Semolina" is a song by The Residents, recorded in 1978 for their planned (but never realised) EP Buster & Glen, and first released on the album Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen on November 30th 1978 by Ralph Records.
The Residents have often revisited the song in the years since its release, performing it live on their 13th Anniversary, Talking Light, Dog Stab! and Faceless Forever tours, and have recorded updated studio arrangements on two occasions, in 2009 and 2012.
A live version recorded in January 2023 at The Residents' 50th Anniversary secret show was released as a digital single in February 2024.
== History ==
"Semolina" was recorded by The Residents in August 1978,Nibbles liner notes, 1979 with their frequent collaborator, guitarist Snakefinger, for inclusion on their planned EP Buster & Glen. Due to complications and meddling from The Cryptic Corporation, the EP was never realised, and the song was ultimately released on the Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen LP in November of that year. 
From 1985 to 1987, "Semolina" was performed during the opening suite of The Residents' 13th Anniversary tour, once again with Snakefinger on guitar.
In 2009, The Residents re-recorded the song; this version was featured on the compilation Ten Little Piggies, released later that year. Between 2010 and 2011, "Semolina" was performed on the Talking Light tour. In 2012, The Residents re-recorded the song again for the D*ck S*ab 35th Anniversary album.
In 2021, "Semolina" was performed live in the studio by The Residents for the Duck Stab! Alive! TV special, and on stage for their Dog Stab! mini-tour of California in September of the same year. In October 2022, The Residents performed the song at the Mill Valley Film Festival preview of their upcoming 50th Anniversary tour Faceless Forever; the song was kept in the set-list for the final version of the show, which toured Europe and America between January and April 2023. 
In January 2023, the song was performed at The Residents' 50th Anniversary secret show at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music; this version was released as a single in February 2024, in advance of the live album and DVD Secret Show Live in San Francisco, released later that month.
== Lyrics ==
 Sem-o-lina
 Loves the seashells.
 At the shore she
 Loves the seashells.
 Sem-o-lina
 Loves the seashells.
 At the shore she
 Loves the seashells.
 Sem-o-lina
 Loves the seashells.
 At the shore she
 Loves the seashells.
 Sem-o-lina
 Loves the seashells.
 At the shore she
 Loves the seashells.
 She can see the silver sometimes
 Shining on the sea;
 Reflecting from the flying fishes
 Wishing she could be
 A little piece of sand that's blown
 Above the ocean's breeze,
 But all she has is thoughts of all
 those fingers peeling seeds,
 And leaving them to mold among
 The women watching weeds.
 Sem-o-lina
 Loves the seashells.
 At the shore she
 Loves the seashells.
 Sem-o-lina
 Loves the seashells.
 At the shore she
 Loves the seashells.
 Sem-o-lina
 Loves the seashells.
 At the shore she
 Loves the seashells.
 Sem-o-lina
 Loves the seashells.
 At the shore she
 Loves the seashells.
 Sem-o-lina, Sem-o-lina
 Sem-o-lina, Sem-o-lina
 Sem-o-lina, Sem-o-lina
 Sem-o-linaIma Buddy, Ima Buddy's Totally Impartial Companion to Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated BIG MAMAS, 1992
==List of releases==
*Duck Stab / Buster & Glen (1978) Grove Street studio recording, August 1978 (2:50)
*Please Do Not Steal It! (1979) 
*Live In The USA! 13th Anniversary Tour (1986) 13th Anniversary Show live recording, The First Avenue Club, Minneapolis, Minnesota, February 10th 1986 (3:53)
*Liver Music (1990) The Eyeball Show live recording, Parco Space, Tokyo, Japan, October 30th 1985 (medley with "Lizard Lady", 6:08)
*13th Anniversary Show - Live In Tokyo (1999) The Eyeball Show live recording, Parco Space, Tokyo, Japan, October 30th 1985 (3:56)
*Ten Little Piggies (2009) D*ck S*ab studio recording, 2009 (3:43)
*Talking Light Live In Rehearsal, Santa Cruz, California (2010) Talking Light live studio recording, Santa Cruz, California, January 20th 2010 (3:43)
*Talking Light Bimbo's (2011) Talking Light live recording, Bimbo's, San Francisco, California, April 16th 2011 (3:47)
*Talking Light: Bimbo's DVD (2011) 
*D*ck S*ab - 35th Anniversary (2012) D*ck S*ab studio recording, 2012 (4:26)
*80 Aching Orphans (2017) 
*Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen pREServed CD edition (2018) 
*Duck Stab Alive! (2021) Talking Light live recording, Bimbo's, San Francisco, California, April 16th 2011 (3:47)
*Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen pREServed vinyl edition (2023) 
*"Semolina (Live, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, January 14, 2023)" (2024) 50th Anniversary secret show live recording, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, January 14th 2023 (4:04)
===List of versions===
==External links and references==
*Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen at The Residents Historical
*Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen at RZWeb (archived via archive.org)
Category:Collaborations‏‎
Category:Please Do Not Steal It!
Category:Snakefinger‏‎
Category:Talking Light‏‎
Category:The 13th Anniversary Show‏‎
Category:Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen
Category:Pages that need reformatting
Category:50th Anniversary secret show
Category:Dog Stab!
Category:Duck Stab! Alive!
Category:Faceless Forever
Category:Ten Little Piggies
Category:Buster & Glen
Category:Songs