Death In Barstow

**"Death In Barstow"** is a song by The Residents, recorded in October 1974. At one point intended for the "third side" of the group's fourth studio album *Fingerprince*, the song first appeared on the promotional release *The Residents Radio Special* in 1977.

It was later released on the *Babyfingers* EP, originally released by Ralph Records in September 1979 in an extremely limited, hand-decorated edition of approximately thirty copies.

## Background

The song was recorded as a tribute to *Harry Partch,* who had died in September of 1974. It was originally meant to appear on side 3 of *Fingerprince*, but was eventually left off when the 3 sided idea was abandoned.

It's first release was in 1977 on The Residents Radio Special, and in 1979 was released on the *Babyfingers* EP, which collected outtakes from Fingerprince.

In 1987, the track was included in it's original intended position on the first CD pressing of Fingerprince.

A reworked version of the song appeared on the digital *Summer Songs* EP in 2010.

From 2010 to 2011, the song was performed as part of the *Talking Light* touring show, re-titled '***Once I Went To Barstow***' It was also performed at the "Moravian Meeting" show featuring *Už Jsme Doma*

Ben Folkwein's cover of Death In Barstow appeared on the LP version of *I Am A Resident,* whereas Cake Boy And The Caker Street Boys' version appeared on the CD edition.

## Lyrics

```
Once I went to Barstow
Then I went to bed
First my friend was with me
Then my friend was dead
All his clothes were burned up
And his thighs were red
After all we've been through
What more can be said?

```

## Releases

* The Residents Radio Special (1977)
* Babyfingers (1979)
* Fingerprince Expanded (1987)
* In Memoriam Torso (1994)
* El Año Del Muerto (2009)
* Summer Songs (2010)
	+ 2010 Demo Version
* Talking Light Live In Rehearsal, Santa Cruz, California
	+ 2010 Rehearsal Version
* Talking Light First Leg (2010)
	+ 2010 Live Version
* Talking Light Second Leg (2010)
	+ 2010 Live Version
* Talking Light Third Leg (2010)
	+ 2010 Live Version
* Talking Light Fourth Leg (2011)
	+ 2011 Live Version
* Talking Light Bimbos (2011)
	+ 2011 Live Version
* Residue Of The Residents Expaned (2014)
* Finger Ephemera (2018)
	+ 2011 Live Version
* I Am A Resident CD (2018)
	+ Cake Boy And The Caker Street Boys version.
* I Am A Resident LP (2018)
	+ Ben Folkwein version

#### Versions

* 1974 Version (2:05)
* 2010 Demo Version (2:55)
* Talking Light Rehersal Version, 2010 (3:37)
* Talking Light Version 2010 - 2011 (5 Minutes)
* *Už Jsme Doma & Randy Version (2010) (2:08)*
* Ben Folkwein Version, 2017
* Cake Boy And The Caker Street Boys Version, 2017

**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