Nonsuch is the twelfth album by XTC, released on 27 April 1992. In a 1992 M… Read Full Bio ↴Nonsuch is the twelfth album by XTC, released on 27 April 1992. In a 1992 MTV interview, Andy Partridge said that he had selected the name of the album after encountering a drawing of the castle and, thinking that the archaic word "Nonsuch" meant "does not exist" rather than, as he later learned, "unique". In addition, the album title may have derived from a couplet in the lyrics of the final song of Oranges and Lemons (their previous studio album) "Chalkhills and Children":
I'm skating over thin ice
while some nonesuch net holds me aloft
This lyric shows Partridge misunderstood the proper meaning of the word "Non(e)such" prior to the recording of Nonsuch.
The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album. "The Disappointed" was nominated for an Ivor Novello award. The album reached No. 1 on the Rolling Stone College album chart and No. 97 on the Billboard album chart in the U.S.
The album produced three singles: "The Disappointed" (which reached No. 33 on the UK singles chart), "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" (which reached No. 71 on the UK singles chart) and "Wrapped In Grey" (which, when withdrawn by Virgin, prompted the band to go on strike).
Two promotional videos were made. A UK-only video for "The Disappointed" (the band also did a lip-sync performance of this song on Pebble Mill at One) and "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead," which received much airplay on MTV that summer.
The band performed "Books Are Burning" live with drummer Dave Mattacks on The Late Show on BBC-TV in April 1992.
The album cover is a picture of Nonsuch Palace in Surrey, from the book A Short History of Ewell and Nonsuch, by Cloudesley S. Willis. The palace no longer exists, but its former grounds included the present-day Nonsuch Park in Cheam.
I'm skating over thin ice
while some nonesuch net holds me aloft
This lyric shows Partridge misunderstood the proper meaning of the word "Non(e)such" prior to the recording of Nonsuch.
The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album. "The Disappointed" was nominated for an Ivor Novello award. The album reached No. 1 on the Rolling Stone College album chart and No. 97 on the Billboard album chart in the U.S.
The album produced three singles: "The Disappointed" (which reached No. 33 on the UK singles chart), "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" (which reached No. 71 on the UK singles chart) and "Wrapped In Grey" (which, when withdrawn by Virgin, prompted the band to go on strike).
Two promotional videos were made. A UK-only video for "The Disappointed" (the band also did a lip-sync performance of this song on Pebble Mill at One) and "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead," which received much airplay on MTV that summer.
The band performed "Books Are Burning" live with drummer Dave Mattacks on The Late Show on BBC-TV in April 1992.
The album cover is a picture of Nonsuch Palace in Surrey, from the book A Short History of Ewell and Nonsuch, by Cloudesley S. Willis. The palace no longer exists, but its former grounds included the present-day Nonsuch Park in Cheam.
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Nonsuch
XTC Lyrics
Books Are Burning Books are burning in the main square And I saw there,…
Bungalow Bungalow Bungalow By the sea Bungalow In the sea a…
Crocodile Crocodile No you won't make me jealous That she left…
Dear Madam Barnum I put on a fake smile And start the evening show The…
Holly Up On Poppy Holly up on Poppy Canter never stop She has escaped from t…
Humble Daisy Humble Daisy Form a chain to hold all battleships in check H…
My Bird Performs Fine art never moved my soul No vintage wine and designer…
Omnibus Hey yeah Hey yeah, yeah Climb up here beside me We can ride…
Rook Rook, rook, read from your book Who murders who and where…
That Wave That wave pulled me into your eyes Through the greeny gray…
The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead Let's begin Peter Pumpkinhead came to town Spreading wisdom…
The Disappointed The disappointed All shuffle round in circles Their placards…
The Smartest Monkeys Well man created the cardboard box to sleep in it And…
The Ugly Underneath First there's the handshake It's so warm that you could bake…
Then She Appeared Then she appeared Apple Venus on a half open shell Then she…
War Dance There's an epidemic Stirring passions in young hearts Even t…
Wrapped In Grey Some folks see the world as a stone Concrete daubed in…