Edweena (song)

"Edweena" (working titles "Theme From Exorcist (With Roman Overtones)" and "Mehico Ron Devoo") is the opening suite from The Residents' second album Not Available, released on Ralph Records on October 12th 1978. 
Largely recorded in secrecy between February and May 1974 and "reprocessed" for release in 1978, "Edweena" introduces the themes of the operetta and two of its major characters, the titular Edweena and the operetta's "objective" observer Uncle Remus. The track also features vocals from The Residents' friend and collaborator Sally Lewis, who sings the minor role of "Young Girl".Ima Buddy, Ima Buddy's Totally Impartial Companion to Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated BIG MAMAS, 1992
A version with an extended introduction was released on the extended 2010 reissue of the album; the full extended mix was not featured on the 2019 pREServed edition, however elements can be heard in "Theme From X (With Roman Overtones)", included on the bonus disc "X Is For Xtra". 
==History==
"Edweena" was at least partially composed between February and May 1974, and comprises a number of sketches and elements from a demo reel titled X Is For Xtra (A Conclusion). 
The musical theme which accompanies the first verse was originally provisionally titled "Theme From Exorcist (With Roman Overtones)",Not Available pREServed edition liner notes, 2019 indicating that it had been derived from the melody of the opening theme to Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells, which had been prominently featured in the soundtrack of the 1973 film The Exorcist. 
The final, "reprocessed" suite, released in 1978 as the opening track on the album Not Available, sets the scene for the album and establishes a number of recurring motifs, while introducing two of the main characters, Uncle Remus and Edweena. A minor character, referred to only as "Young Girl" in the album's lyrics, is portrayed in the song by the group's friend Sally Lewis.
The extended 2010 edition of Not Available restores a previously unheard extended instrumental section and saxophone solo to the introduction, which had been excised from the original release; this extends the length of the track by almost a minute and a half. 
"X Is For Xtra", the bonus disc of the 2019 pREServed edition of Not Available, features "Theme From X (With Roman Overtones)", "Theme From X (Pt 2)", and "Mehico Ron Devoo", mostly instrumental recordings from the original sessions which later comprised parts of "Edweena". 
==Lyrics==
 Chorus:
 Coming into column nation is a gracious thing
 A stirring and a whirring and a broken widower's pain;
 It's causing easy, ought to just leave a lust alone
 But when a friend has shrunken skin, where do you throw the bone?
 Do you throw the bone?
 Do you throw the bone?
 Do you throw the bone?
 Do you throw the bone?
 (The matter that's been spoken to's a fragrant little thing
 It's open and was known to need a token diamond ring.
 The matter that's been spoken to's a fragrant little thing
 It's open and was known to need a token diamond ring.
 It's open and was known to need a token diamond ring.
 It's open and was known to need a token diamond ring.)
 Young Girl:
 Investing space without a place;
 Confusing grace with outer space.
 Chorus:
 To please the breeze you freeze the seize, 
 Combat disease and bend the knees; 
 And if explicit matters naught, 
 Extend the grin - but don't get caught. 
 Now Uncle Remus, Uncle Remus, where have you been, we say, 
 We saw the end of Uncle mend and turn into, into today.
 But now they say there's room no more for such a friendly, friendly whore
 But now they say there's room no more for such a friendly whore.
 Uncle Remus:
 Yes, Easter Island isn't my land, coming home once more.
 Chorus:
 But a sentence existing inside of a rhyme
 Is only just a token left spoken in time
 Uncle Remus:
 Can tomorrow be more than the end of today?
 Young Girl:
 Or do posies just bloom for the feel of a may?
 Or do posies just bloom for the feel of a may?
 Investing space without a place;
 Confusing grace with outer space.
 Chorus:
 The way is a never for severing two,
 Beginnings are endings for all but a few.Ima Buddy, Ima Buddy's Totally Impartial Companion to Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated BIG MAMAS, 1992
==List of releases==
* Not Available (1978) El Ralpho studio recording, February - May 1974 ("reprocessed" album mix, 9:31)
* Film Noir - American Style (1984) El Ralpho studio recording, February - May 1974 (edited version, 5:21)
*Not Available expanded edition (2010) El Ralpho studio recording, February - May 1974 (extended album mix, 10:55)
*"The Sycamore Street Studio (1974-77 Embracing Obscurity)" (2014) El Ralpho studio recording, February - May 1974 (excerpt, 1:02)
*80 Aching Orphans (2017) El Ralpho studio recording, February - May 1974 (edited version, 4:49)
*Not Available pREServed edition (2019) El Ralpho studio demo recording, February - May 1974 ("Mehico Ron Devoo", 3:04) El Ralpho studio demo recording, February - May 1974 ("Theme From X (With Roman Overtones)", 2:29) El Ralpho studio demo recording, February - May 1974 ("Theme From X (Pt 2)", 1:44)
===List of versions ===
==See also==
*Edweena (character)
*Uncle Remus
*Sally Lewis
*Not Available
*The Exorcist
*"Theme From X"
*"Mehico Ron Devoo"
== Buy Or Die! ==
===Listen online===
* "Edweena" (pREServed version) on Spotify
* "Edweena" (2011 extended mix) on Spotify
==External links and references==
*Not Available at The Residents Historical
*Not Available at RZWeb (archived via archive.org)
Category:Suites
Category:Not Available
Category:Songs