Guns

## Singles from *Guns*

1. Signs
 Released: August 2, 1999

***Guns*** is the fifth studio album by Cardiacs. It was recorded throughout 1999, breaking a hiatus by the band that had lasted since the band's previous album *Sing to God*, and was released by the Alphabet Business Concern on June 21, 1999. It was their last album with Jon Poole and their third as a four-piece.

## Background and production

Despite being considered relatively accessible for Cardiacs, a few tracks on *Guns* are among the most intricate compositions that the band released. For example, the end of the fifth track, 'Jitterbug (Junior Is A)', had Tim Smith using several pieces of paper in order to keep track of his ideas instead of his self-imposed limit of one. According to Tim Smith, "I used to score it all out on reams and reams of paper like a twat, but nowadays I limit myself to one bit of paper just as reminders (as my memory is crap). Although one song on the *Guns* album had me doing the 'reams and reams of paper' thing, it had to be done, there was no other way. I sat there for thirty-six hours solid and didn’t stop until it sort of brought itself to its end and when I looked back at it I wondered where the fuck it had come from because I couldn’t remember doing it."

## Concept and music

*Guns* features several of the lyrical themes typical of Cardiacs, including dogs (cover art, tracks 6 and 12) and dirtiness (tracks 7, 8, 9, and 12). In addition, *Guns* also introduces several new themes that appear throughout the album and in future works. There is a clear fixation on eyes (tracks 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10), with the repeated line "brand them in the eye" present in 'Cry Wet Smile Dry' and 'Ain't He Messy Though', as well as in later works. Lambs, often "innocent lambs," also make frequent appearances (tracks 3, 7, 8, and 10).

Some of the lyrics seem to have been written using 'found' text and the cut-up technique. One known source is the 1955 film *The Night of the Hunter,* which provides seemingly all of 'Clean That Evil Mud Out Your Soul' including the song's title; its chorus, for example, uses "*Merciful heaven only knows what unholy sights and sounds all we innocent babes has made in them dens,*" adapted from "*Oh, heaven only knows what unholy sights and sounds them innocent babes has heard in the dens of perdition where she dragged 'em*." Several lines from 'Wind and Rains Is Cold', including the song's title, also originate from the film. For example, the line "*Hide your hair it's waving all lazy and soft like meadow grass under the flood*" is adapted from the line "*With her hair wavin' soft and lazy like meadow grass under flood water.*" Cardiacs references to *The Night of the Hunter* are not unique to this album; notably, the cover from their previous album, *Sing to God*, also takes inspiration from the film.

Another notable lyrical source is the celebrated Portuguese to English phrasebook *English as She Is Spoke*, which is well-known for its inaccurate and often humorous attempts at translation. 'Cry Wet Smile Dry' borrows heavily from the "Familiar Dialogues" section of the book, featuring direct quotes from the subsections "For make a visit in the morning," "For to see the town," and especially from "For to write." The song 'Sleep All Eyes Open' uses quotes from the subsections "For make a visit in the morning" and "The weather," but also borrows several lines from the "Familiar phrases" section, including the lines "*You mistake you-self heavily*" and "*That may dead if I lie you.*" *English as She Is Spoke* is a lyrical source shared by *Pony*, an album released the same year as *Guns* by Cardiacs side project Spratleys Japs.

Compared to other Cardiacs releases, *Guns* is often considered to be the band's most accessible album. A reviewer for Echoes and Dust describes the album as "Rock'n'Roll with more than a touch of the baroque" and as having "a very intimate feel." The musical style present on *Guns* has been compared to the music of Spratleys Japs, a side project that features Cardiacs band leader Tim Smith and *Guns* guest vocalist Joanne Spratley.

## Release and promotion

The album cover fits with the common imagery of dogs present in many of Cardiacs' lyrics.

Album coverCD back coverThe Consultant's Memorabilia Collection promotionThe album was released in the UK on June 21, 1999 by the band's long-running own label, the Alphabet Business Concern. Originally a limited edition 2CD double album set, limited to 3,000 copies, *Sing to God* was subsequently re-released as two separate albums, *Sing to God – Part One* and *Sing to God – Part Two*. The band's website explained this, saying the album "was later split into two separate albums due to a mistake". 'Signs' was released as the album's first single by the Alphabet Business Concern. Its CD contained two other tracks: 'Sang 'All Away Away!'' and the instrumental to 'Dog-Like Sparky'.

The album was put on the band's Bandcamp page on March 6, 2018 and would later also appear on other streaming services.

## Singles

On June 21, 1999, 'Signs' was released as a single by the Alphabet Business Concern, with its CD containing two other tracks: 'Sang 'All Away Away!'' and the instrumental to 'Dog-Like Sparky'.

## Credits

Credits adapted from multiple internet sources.

### **Tim**

> *Hello, Kidz! (You will notice that I spelt the word kidz with a 'z'.) I have been bowled over and knocked back by the outpourings of love posted on here. Every one of them. You have no idea what this means. Really, though. While I would love to respond to each message, you are doubtlessly aware, my body is my enemy and my hands are cunts. Nonetheless, it means the world to me. Thank you all so much. I am truly blessed.*
>
>

### **Jim**

> *Tim sadly passed away on 21st July, 2020, aged 59 years; will be terribly missed by myself and all who knew him. I won't go on about Tim's musical genius, as we all know that to be a given, and many other more eloquent people have done a better job of that than I ever could. But I will say a few words about his character. He could be a stubborn, self centred tyrant of a man who bulldozed through his life with no thought of the consequences, but at the same time, he was the gentlest, loving, funny and amazing brother anyone could wish for and I will miss him terribly.*
>
>

### **Our Continued Thanks**

> *How are you bearing up? Here, amongst close friends and family, the reality of our loss is beginning to descend and it hurts to the core. We know that you are grieving too. You have sent us some beautiful messages and these will be shared with all of Tim's loved ones. Thank you. Thank you for appreciating that we did our very best to make his life good. Thank you for knowing we did everything we could to keep him safe. Thank you for never doubting us, for trusting us and for always supporting us when we asked for your help.* You *helped make his last days happy, almost contented ones. This must not be underestimated. You are instructed to internalise this* fact *and allow it to assist you in the grieving process which, as any shithead on the street can tell you, correlates precisely to the love that you feel. … This was no ordinary life. This was no ordinary rock star. This was someone whose peg was made bespoke and fitted no convenient hole. In short, we know how you feel and we know you need to show it. We will help you with that as best we can when the times allow us.*
>
>

> With very much love to you all,
>
>

> **Mary x**
>
>

## References

### Citations

1. ↑ Pataux, Jean-Luc (May 2000). "INTERVIEW: Tim Smith". *Cardiacs*. France. Retrieved March 24, 2020 - via Harmonie Magazine.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Benjamin, Stuart (July 2015). "Echoes of the past: Cardiacs - Guns". Echoes and Dust. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
3. ↑ Kitching, Sean (July 4, 2014.). "Reviews: Cardiacs: Sing to God (Reissue)". *The Quietus*. Retieved March 24, 2020.
4. ↑ Carolino, Pedro (1884). *English As She Is Spoke*.
5. ↑ "Cardiacs - Sing To God - Part One (CD Album), 1996". *Discogs*. Retrieved July 13, 2016.
6. ↑ "Cardiacs - Sing To God - Part Two (CD Album), 1996". *Discogs*. Retrieved July 13, 2016.
7. ↑ "Cardiacs' Community | Cardiacs". *Bandcamp*. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
8. ↑ Smith, Tim (April 29, 2013). "Hello Kidz! (You will notice that I spelled the word kidz with a 'z')." *Facebook*. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
9. ↑ Smith, Jim. "Funeral Notice for Tim". *Dignity Funerals*. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
10. ↑ Wren, Mary (July 30, 2020). "News - Cardiacs". *Cardiacs*. Retrieved February 22, 2021.

### External links

* Official Cardiacs website

*Some of this article uses text originally authored on Wikipedia.*