Babyfingers

* 1979 release
* 1981 reissue
* 2020 picture disc
* 2023 reissue

***Babyfingers*** is a 7" EP by The Residents, reportedly comprising material recorded by the group in late 1976 and early 1977, alongside their fourth album *Fingerprince*.

Originally planned for release as part of the (ultimately cancelled) *Fingerprince* Collectors' Box, the EP was ultimately released in September 1979 by Ralph Records in an edition of between 35 and 40 copies with hand-decorated white labels.

The EP was reissued in September 1981 in an edition of 15,000 copies, as a gift to members of the W.E.I.R.D. fan club, and again in 1985 in an edition of 250 copies on pink vinyl. A single-sided 12" picture disc edition was pressed in 2020 by noted collector Jannis Tsakalis.

Since 1987, the EP has often been included with *Fingerprince* on CD reissues, most recently on the 2018 pREServed CD edition of the album. The single was again pressed in limited numbers as a white label 7" in 2023, accompanying some copies of the pREServed vinyl edition of *Fingerprince*.

## History

The two years following the April 1974 release of their debut album *Meet The Residents* were a productively fertile time for The Residents who, in that period alone, had recorded two albums and a single, as well as a number of other tracks which were not conceptually suitable for any of their major projects, many of which had developed as "an outgrowth" of the recording sessions for their (then unreleased) second album, *Not Available*.

Recognizing a new sound emerging among these "orphaned" tracks (which ranged from short, minute-long compositions to a ballet), by November 1976, The Residents had compiled enough of this material to comprise more than enough material for a single LP, but not quite enough material for a double album.

Believing that their newly founded management company, The Cryptic Corporation, would not want to fund an "expensive" LP/EP double release, The Residents conceived a gimmick - *Tourniquet of Roses*, "the world's first three-sided album" - with only vague ideas as to how this idea would be implemented; whether it would be a single LP with two separate grooves on one side, a (never before attempted) double album with one side left blank, or another, yet-to-be-imagined configuration.

Cryptic responded to this idea with a "flat NO!" (later citing "economic infeasibility"), and, apparently attempting to appease The Residents, instead played directly into their hands by suggesting that the third side be removed from the album, to instead be issued shortly thereafter as an EP shortly thereafter. The Residents "reluctantly" agreed to this idea, restructuring *Tourniquet of Roses* into a single album, *Fingerprince*, and a related EP, *Babyfingers*.

*Fingerprince* and *Babyfingers* were structured in such a way that they mirrored one another (in an early example of The Residents' fascination with doubles/duplicates/twins). Both open with a series of short, self-contained pieces, and close with a longer conceptual piece: "Walter Westinghouse" is a mini-opera of sorts, corresponding with the ballet "Six Things To A Cycle" which comprises the second side of *Fingerprince*.

The discography included in *The Official W.E.I.R.D. Book of The Residents* states that *Fingerprince* was completed in November 1976, and that *Babyfingers* was recorded from November 1976 to January 1977, suggesting that at least some of the material included on *Babyfingers* was recorded after the track listing and artwork for *Fingerprince* had been finalized (as evidenced by the "December 1976" date printed on the original pressing of the album). The book also states that *Babyfingers* is made up of "new and leftover material from *Fingerprince* sessions", and also uses quotation marks when referring to it as the "missing" third side of that album.

## Release

The existence of the *Babyfingers* EP was first alluded to by managing director of Ralph Records, Jay Clem, in the promotional cassette *The Residents Radio Special*, released in September 1977. During the special, Clem premiered three tracks from the EP and announced that it would be released as part of the planned *Fingerprince* Collectors' Box edition, which Ralph had announced earlier that year. The release of the box set was ultimately delayed, however, due in part to "considerable artistic distractions" (most notably the *Eskimo* album).

Around thirty to forty test pressings were created for inclusion in the *Fingerprince* Collectors' Box, but when The Cryptic Corporation cancelled that project around September 1979, the pressed EPs were instead sent as a gift to fans who had pre-ordered *The Third Reich 'n Roll* Collectors' Box, with one third of the copies arriving in vandalized "Santa Dog '78" sleeves.

### Reissues

In September 1981, *Babyfingers* was reissued by fan club W.E.I.R.D as a parting gift to its members. This edition featured artwork by Porno/Graphics and was limited to 15,000 copies. Following this release, "Walter Westinghouse" appeared on the 1982 *Recommended Records Sampler* and the 1983 outtakes compilation *Residue of The Residents*.

In 1985, Ralph Records re-released the EP in a limited edition of 250 copies on pink vinyl, shortly before the premiere of the 13th Anniversary Show, during which "Walter Westinghouse" was performed.

In 1987, East Side Digital included an abridged version of the EP (excluding "Monstrous Intro") on their CD re-issue of *Fingerprince*, which claims to sequence the album "as it was conceived". Euro Ralph's 1995 reissue of *Fingerprince* featured *Babyfingers* (with "Monstrous Intro" restored) on a separate mini-CD; the 1979 sequencing maintained.

In 2014, The Cryptic Corporation and Superior Viaduct included three songs from *Babyfingers* on their reissue of *Residue*, and in 2018, the newly remastered EP was included in the pREServed two disc edition of *Fingerprince*.

In 2020, noted fan and collector Jannis Tsakalis re-pressed *Babyfingers* on a single-sided 12" picture disc (featuring a variation of the 1981 artwork) EP as part of his version of the previously abandoned *Tourniquet of Roses* collectors' box, which was sold in an extremely limited edition of 15 copies. A second run of twenty-five copies was released in March 2021. Tsakalis later sold the *Fingerprince* colored vinyl and *Babyfingers* picture disc separately, as well as *Tourniquet of Roses* hand-puppets, shirts, and mugs.

In 2023, *Babyfingers* was reissued as a limited edition white label 7" single, included with some copies of the vinyl pREServed edition of *Fingerprince* sold through the Cherry Red Records website, with some copies later being sold separately via The Residents' official online store.

## Reception

### Retrospective

*Babyfingers* has an average user rating of 4.7/5 on Discogs, and 4.21/5 on Rate Your Music.

In a March 2010 review, freelance music reviewer Mark Prindle called the *Babyfingers* tracks featured in *The Residents Radio Special* "a must-hear for fans of *Fingerprince* -- particularly the classic 'Walter Westinghouse'".

Reviewing the 2018 pREServed edition of *Fingerprince*, Ian Canty of Louder Than War found that the combined *Fingerprince* and *Babyfingers* "feels a complete work and thoroughly engaging listen", noting "Death In Barstow" as a "piano-driven jig" which "sticks in the mind".

### Original release (1979)

#### Side A

1. Monstrous Intro (0:41)
2. Death In Barstow (2:03)
3. Melon Collie Lassie (2:52)
4. Roaches That Fly (2:14)

### 1981 and 1985 reissues

#### Side A

1. Monstrous Intro (0:41)
2. Death In Barstow (2:03)
3. Melon Collie Lassie (2:52)
4. Flight of the Bumble Roach (2:14)

## Liner notes

### W.E.I.R.D. reissue (1981)

> The material in this EP is from the "FINGERPRINCE" sessions and was originally to be the third side of the "FINGERPRINCE" album.
>
>

> This record was made available through W.E.I.R.D. in a limited edition of fifteen hundred copies.
>
>

### Euro Ralph CD reissue (1995)

> When Fingerprince was being recorded it was not called Fingerprince.
>
>
> In 1976 it was called Tourniquet of Roses and was so long that it would have consumed three LP sides. The record company, Ralph Records, insisted that the record be cut back to the standard length of two sides, which was renamed Fingerprince. The remaining side was eventually released 1979 in limited numbers as Babyfingers in EP format.
>
>
>
> Babyfingers was Fingerprince’s miniature twin, since both records consisted of several short songs on side one and a side-long composition on side two: Six Things to a Cycle on Fingerprince and Walter Westinghouse on Babyfingers.
>
>

## Credits

### 1981 release

* Produced By: The Residents
* Cover By: Porno/Graphics

### 1995 reissue

* Performed by The Residents
* With assistance from T. Logan (Flight of the Bumble Roach)
* Composed, arranged and engineered by The Residents

## See also

* *Fingerprince*
* *The Residents Radio Special*
* Collectors' Box series

## External links and references

* *Babyfingers* at Discogs
* *Fingerprince / Babyfingers* at MVDShop
* *Fingerprince* pREServed edition at Cherry Red Records
* *The Residents: Fingerprince* – Album Review at LouderThanWar

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Jim Knipfel, "Of Overcoats and Quaker Oats and Harry Partch", *Fingerprince* pREServed edition liner notes, 2018
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 W.E.I.R.D., "The W.E.I.R.D. Complete Discography & Recording History", *The Official W.E.I.R.D. Book of The Residents*, 1979
3. ↑ *Fingerprince* liner notes, 1977
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Dave Warden, *The Cryptic Guide to The Residents*, 1986
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Uncle Willie, *Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated Guide to The Residents*, 1993
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "*Babyfingers* was originally the third side of *Fingerprince*, The Residents' latest album. The Residents had recorded a three-sided LP to be released as such. Ralph Records disapproved this action due to the economic infeasibility, and a compromise was reached in which the extra material was pressed into an EP and is included with the *Fingerprince* collectors edition." Jay Clem, *The Residents Radio Special*, 1977
7. ↑ *Fingerprince* original pressing credits, 1977
8. ↑ Ralph Records Catalogue No. 1, February 1977
9. ↑ "When the Fingerprince Collectors Box was officially cancelled early 1979, the long vaulted Babyfingers EPs, which were to have been included, were sent out with a refund to those who had reserved copies of the box." W.E.I.R.D., *The Official W.E.I.R.D. Book of The Residents* (2nd edition), 1981
10. ↑ *Fingerprince* Torso/ESD CD reissue liner notes, 1987
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Ian Canty, "The Residents: Fingerprince - Album Review", Louder Than War, March 22nd 2018
12. ↑ Post by Jannis Tsakalis, The Residents unofficial Facebook group, February 20th 2021
13. ↑ *Babyfingers* at Discogs
14. ↑ *Babyfingers* at Rate Your Music
15. ↑ Mark Prindle, "The 'What's New?' Page", Mark's Record Reviews, March 13th 2010 (archived via archive.org)
16. ↑ Mark Prindle, "The Residents Radio Special", Mark's Record Reviews, March 13th 2010

**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