Diamond Bollocks

* Mutations cover
* 7" cover

(11)

Cold Brains US single:

Runners Dial Zero

(4)

(2)

**Diamond Bollocks** is the twelfth and final track on Mutations, a B-Side of Cold Brains, and a bonus 7" released with the vinyl version of Mutations.

## Description

Beck explained the inspiration for Diamond Bollocks on KCRW in 1998:

"[*"Diamond Bollocks"] happened because we'd been in [the studio] about 10 days, I think, doing all these waltzes and dirges and all these 3/4 songs. And I came into the lounge and everybody was watching these acid rock videos, Justin and Roger and everybody were. I think we all just needed to rock out for a minute because we'd been, like I said, in the slow lane for awhile. And the studio is fairly sedentary and we needed to get our cockles warm, just kinda kick it into gear a little bit.*"

Beck later explained it in more detail. "*We literally, in one night, recorded eight songs, then took the 24-track tapes and cut them all up on a tape and created this crazy song. It was more about the process than the actual song, but I ended up liking the song too.*".

Beck said him and the band wanted a change of pace, and they got it. The song starts out with a carnival beat, which makes you believe it's going to head in that direction, but every few seconds the song turns into a different song. It goes something like this:

1. Harpsichord intro to choral bridge (0:00 - 0:27)
2. Big rock guitar riff, first verse (with lyrics from Erase the Sun, (0:27 - 1:22)
3. Band jam, drumming (1:22 - 1:52)
4. Birds tweeting (1:52 - 1:57)
5. Bass solo mixed with harpsichord (1:57 - 2:23)
6. Middle "Lonesome Whistle" bridge (2:23 - 2:53)
7. Noisy bridge (2:53 - 3:07)
8. Another rock section, end verse (3:07 - 4:12)
9. Calm harpsichord chorus ("Looking back at some dead world...") (4:12 - 4:54)
10. One last rock blast, more mad drumming (4:54 - 5:36)
11. Synthesizer coda (5:36 - 6:02)

So this song is literally 11 songs in one. Lyrically, the song is a mix of creative phrases, although spun together randomly. In 1995, Beck recorded a B-Side for the Deadweight single named Erase the Sun. It included various lyrics that would later appear in Diamond Bollocks, such as "choice cut meets from derelict boulevards," "dazzlements of accidents," "hari-karis," "spinning round the golden looms," and "offices and fountains they named for you."

The initial idea was for it to be track 2 on Mutations, but Beck moved it (on American versions of the album) to a hidden track at the very end. "It's part of the record, but it's like the wayward son at the Thanksgiving dinner who just doesn't really fit in with the family anymore, is the black sheep. So you put him at the end of the table..." he explains. In order for it to appear on American versions of the album, you must wait a full minute and a half after Static, then it will play.

When Mutations was released on vinyl in 1999, Diamond Bollocks could not fit on the 12". In order to make up for this, it was included as a bonus 7" for purchasing the album, with Runners Dial Zero as it's B-Side.

## Lyrics

Looking back at some dead world that looks so new

Offices and fountains that they named for you

Dazzlements of accidents, rejoice their doom

Hari-karis spinning 'round the golden looms

Girl, you dream infections from the nauseous heart

Choice cut meats from derelict boulevards

Hear that lonesome whistle blow

No direction to be known in a senile revelry

A tearful gaze turns away, emoting cold and grey

Scented eunuchs clothe our wretchedness

Looking back at some dead world that looks so new

Offices and fountains that they named for you

So ungrateful to the who's-and-what's-his-face

Perilous confections look so out of place

Looking back at some dead world that looks so new

Looking back at some dead world that looks so new

Looking back at some dead world that looks so new

Looking back at some dead world that looks so new

## Listen

**Mutations**

**Tracks**

* 1: Cold Brains - 3:41
* 2: Nobody's Fault but My Own - 5:02
* 3: Lazy Flies - 3:44
* 4: Canceled Check - 3:14
* 5: We Live Again - 3:05
* 6: Tropicalia - 3:20
* 7: Dead Melodies - 2:36
* 8: Bottle of Blues - 4:56
* 9: O Maria - 3:59
* 10: Sing It Again - 4:19
* 11: Static - 5:18
* 12: **Diamond Bollocks** - 6:02 (unlisted)

**B-Sides**

Black Balloon • Diamond in the Sleaze • Electric Music and the Summer People • Halo of Gold • One of These Days • Runners Dial Zero