Melon Collie Lassie

**"Melon Collie Lassie"** is a song by The Residents, recorded in 1975. It was first released on the 1977 promotional cassette *The Residents Radio Special*, and then on the EP *Babyfingers* in September 1977.

## History

The song was recorded during a break from *the Third Reich 'n Roll* Sessions in 1975, one year later, when the 3 sided *Tourniquet Of Roses* album was being compiled, it was selected for inclusion on the third side, however as the third side was scrapped and the album was retitled *Fingerprince*, the song was shelved.

It was first revealed on the promotional album, Radio Special, in August of 1977.

In January 1979, the song was released properly on the limited edition Babyfingers EP, collecting the material intended for the third side. At this same time, the footage that would eventually become the music video for the film was filmed.

The song was performed live for the first time in 2014, as part of the Shadowland tour. It remained part of the Shadowland setlist until 2016.

For the Theory of Obscurity DVD, a music video was created using unused footage from the 1979 Duck Stab film.

## Lyrics

```
Boys from home forget to phone
And love is like a loan
Depending on the bending
And the mending of a moan

```

```
Melon Collie Lassie knows the needs of new who come
To see the Zuider Zee and then they float from one to some
Forever while she washes all the clothes are never clean
And if you ask her where you are it tends to make her mean
Boys from home forget to phone
And love is like a loan
Depending on the bending
And the mending of a moan

```

## Releases

* Radio Special (1977)
* Babyfingers (1979)
* Fingerprince / Babyfingers (1987)
* In Memoriam Torso (1994)
* Residue Of The Residents (2014)
* Shadowland (2015)
* Theory Of Obscurity - A Film About The Residents (2016)
* 80 Aching Orphans (2017)
* Finger Ephemera (2018)

#### Versions

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1975 Studio Version (2:51)
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2014 Live Version (3:32)

**Side A**
"You Yesyesyes" · "Home Age Conversation" · "Godsong" · "March de la Winni" · "Bossy" · "Boo Who?" · "Tourniquet of Roses" · "You Yesyesyes Again"
**Side B**
"Six Things To A Cycle"
**Side C** **· Babyfingers**
A: "Monstrous Intro" · "Death In Barstow" · "**Melon Collie Lassie**" · "Flight of the Bumble Roach"
B: "Walter Westinghouse"
**Personnel**
The Residents · Snakefinger · Don Jackovich · Adrian Deckbar · Tony Logan · Pamela Zeibak
**Related works**
*Vileness Fats* · *X Is For Xtra* · "Leapmus" · "Entrance to Crypt" · "Clumsy Climb" · "Piano Dittie" · Oh Mummy! Oh Daddy! performance · *The Third Reich 'n Roll* video · "Whoopy Snorp" · *The Residents Radio Special* · "Six Amber Things"
**Related articles**
Sycamore St. studio · Grove St. studio · Ralph Records · The Cryptic Corporation · Pore No Graphics · Collectors' Box series

**Side A**
"The Sleeper" · "Whoopy Snorp" · "Kamakazi Lady" · "Boy in Love" · "Shut Up! Shut Up!" · "Anvil Forest" · "Diskomo"
**Side B**
"Jailhouse Rock" · "Ups & Downs" · "Walter Westinghouse" · "Saint Nix" · "Open Up"
***Residue Deux* (1998)**
"Scent of Mint" · "From The Plains To Mexico" · "In San Francisco" · "Dumbo The Clown" · "Is He Really Bringing Roses?" · "Time's Up" · "Daydream Believer" · "Safety Is A Cootie Wootie" · "Daydream in Space"
**Superior Viaduct edition (2014)**
"Loser ≅ Weed" · "Death In Barstow" · "**Melon Collie Lassie**"
**Related articles**
MOP tapes · *The Tunes of Two Cities* · Residents Classic Series · pREServed · *Leftovers Again?!* · Pour No Graphics · Elvis Presley · Richard Nixon