Skratz

"Skratz" is a song by The Residents, composed and recorded in June 1973,Nibbles liner notes, 1977 and featured on their debut album Meet The Residents, released by Ralph Records on April 1st, 1974. The song features lead vocals by the group's long-time producer, co-composer, and arranger, Hardy Fox.
== Background ==
=== Recording ===
One of the darker songs on Meet The Residents, "Skratz," was recorded in June of 1973 during Residents, Uninc's music breaks taken during production of Vileness Fats. The song seemed to be pretty well formed early on its creation, as no drastically different versions early version have been released on either the 2018 or 2023 expanded (pREServed) editions of Meet The Residents, with the former only Skratz related bonus being "Inka Don't Dry," which simply samples the original recording, and the latter only including an instrumental version (which had circulated among fans for some years prior.)
The song's title may be derived from poet G. P. Skratz, leader of the nationally touring group of performing poets, The Stone Show, between 1969 and 1975.https://www.spdbooks.org/Author/Default.aspx?AuthorId=36039
=== Legacy ===
When The Cryptic Corporation created their 1977 abridged remix of Meet The Residents designed to appeal to their then wider audience, Skratz remained roughly the same length. The group seemed proud of the song and included it on their 1979 promotional release Please Do Not Steal It!, later issued as a greatest hits compilation titled Nibbles.
A re-recorded demo of the song made in 2014 by founding Resident Charles Bobuck was featured on the 2017 EP Clank Clank Clank. A more complete arrangement by Bobuck, recorded between 2015 and 2016, was released on the album Bobuck Plays The Residents in September 2016.
Most recently, a cover version of the song recorded by artist MOLI was interpolated into the "Lingering Illusions" suite on the CD edition of The Residents' cover remix album I Am A Resident! in 2018.
==Lyrics==
 The bedposts are cool to the touch
 The sheets are crumpled into an Oldenburg
 Three hairs rolled over his undershirt
 A spare tire rolled under his overshirt
 But... Scratz, scratz, scratz
 (Dirty Fingernail)
 Ollie wasn't young like he was last night
 Scratz, scratz, scratz
 (Dirty Fingernail)
 The sheets still showed the yellow spot
 Ann ran her tongue along the ridges by the Gulf
 Thoughts slipped into valleys
 Concealed by dense Mexicali underbush hair
 A flag ran up his pole
 And waved firmness with wings
 But... Scratz, scratz, scratz
 (Dirty Fingernail)
 Ollie wasn't at all as young like he was last night
 Scratz, scratz, scratz
 (Dirty Fingernail)
 The sheets still showed the yellow spotMeet The Residents - Historical - The Residents
==List of releases==
*Meet The Residents (1974) El Ralpho studio recording, February-October 1973 (original mono version, 1:44)
*Meet The Residents stereo remix (1977) El Ralpho studio recording, February-October 1973 (1977 stereo remix, 1:43)
*Please Do Not Steal It! aka Nibbles (1979) 
*Bobuck Plays The Residents by Charles Bobuck (2016) Charles Bobuck studio recording, 2015-2016 (2:32)
*Clank Clank Clank EP by Charles Bobuck (2017) Charles Bobuck studio recording, 2014 (2:04)
*Meet The Residents pREServed CD edition (2018) 
*I Am A Resident! CD edition (2018) MOLI studio recording, ca. 2017 (part of "Lingering Illusions", 13:22)
*Meet The Residents pREServed vinyl edition (2023) El Ralpho studio recording, February-October 1973 (instrumental mix, part of "Meet The Residents Alternate Concentrate", 1:36)
===List of versions===
==See also==
*"Lingering Illusions"
*Meet The Third Reich (bootleg)
==Buy Or Die!==
===Listen online===
*"Skratz" (pREServed mono version) on Apple Music
*"Skratz" (pREServed mono version) on Spotify
*"Skratz" (pREServed stereo version) on Apple Music
*"Skratz" (pREServed stereo version) on Spotify
==External links and references==
*Meet The Residents at The Residents Historical
*Meet The Residents at RZWeb (archived via archive.org)
Category:Songs
Category:Please Do Not Steal It!
Category:Meet The Residents
Category:Clank Clank Clank