Arthur Russell
Arthur Russell (May 21 1951 - April 4, 1992) was a prodigious talent. Classically trained on cello while growing up in Oskaloosa, USA, Arthur studied with Ali Akbar Khan in San Francisco in the early 1970's.
During this period he also collaborated with Allen Ginsberg, accompanying him on cello while Ginsberg read or sang. Russell also spent time in a Buddhist commune in California; he left when they decided to collectivize his cello.
By the mid-1970's Russell relocated to New York City, where he studied at The Manhattan School of Music. Read Full BioArthur Russell (May 21 1951 - April 4, 1992) was a prodigious talent. Classically trained on cello while growing up in Oskaloosa, USA, Arthur studied with Ali Akbar Khan in San Francisco in the early 1970's.
During this period he also collaborated with Allen Ginsberg, accompanying him on cello while Ginsberg read or sang. Russell also spent time in a Buddhist commune in California; he left when they decided to collectivize his cello.
By the mid-1970's Russell relocated to New York City, where he studied at The Manhattan School of Music. He formed a band from 1975-1979, The Flying Hearts, recorded by John Hammond and featuring David Byrne, Rhys Chatham, Jon Gibson, Peter Gordon, Jerry Harrison, Garret List, Frank Pagano, Andy Paley, Leni Pickett, and Peter Zummo.
In the late 1970s Russell became enamored with the disco scene in New York. At the time it represented a liberation force, particularly for the gay scene, just a few years after the Stonewall riots. (For more see "Turn the Beat Around: The Secret History of Disco" by Peter Shapiro).
'Kiss Me Again' was Russell's first dance track. Released under the name Dinosaur L by Sirerecords, it was to be the first of many innovative dancefloor tracks released under different names and with different collaborators, such as 'Is It All Over My Face' by Loose Joints, released in 1980. In 1982, Arthur Russell and William Socolov founded Sleeping Bag records and their first release was his 24-24 Music. This featured 'Go Bang' which was re-mixed as a 12" single by Francois Kevorkian.
Arthur Russell continued to release dance singles such as 'Tell You Today' (4th and Broadway, 1983) an upbeat dance groove featuring the vocals of Joyce Bowden . 'Wax the Van' (Jump Street, 1985) with vocals by Lola Blank, wife of notorious BobTreehouse aka Bob Schoolbell (Sleeping Bag, 1986) and 'Let's Go Swimming' (Upside / Rough Trade, 1986).
At the same time, he produced more meditative works on the albums 'Tower of Meaning' (Chatham Square, 1983) and 'World of Echo' (Rough Trade, 1986), which presented many of his pop and dance compositions in solo cellist form.
Arthur Russell died of AIDS on April 4, 1992, at the age of 40. The obituary in the Village Voice wrote: "his songs were so personal that it seems as though he simply vanished into his music."
In 2004 a renewed interest in Arthur Russell saw the release of "The World of Arthur Russell" on Soul Jazz records, which compiled his best-known dance hits alongside more introspective love songs such as "Little Lost" and "Keeping Up".
In the same year Audika records reissued "World Of Echo" and produced "Calling Out Of Context", 12 unreleased songs from 1985-90. The songs were taken from an album "Corn", recorded in 1985 but never released. They showcase a set of visionary pop songs years ahead of their time, minimalist and expansive, evidence that Russell's best work was perhaps never realized before his death.
In 2006 Audika released "First Thought Best Thought", compiling Russell's out of print orchestral and instrumental works with previously unreleased material.
During this period he also collaborated with Allen Ginsberg, accompanying him on cello while Ginsberg read or sang. Russell also spent time in a Buddhist commune in California; he left when they decided to collectivize his cello.
By the mid-1970's Russell relocated to New York City, where he studied at The Manhattan School of Music. Read Full BioArthur Russell (May 21 1951 - April 4, 1992) was a prodigious talent. Classically trained on cello while growing up in Oskaloosa, USA, Arthur studied with Ali Akbar Khan in San Francisco in the early 1970's.
During this period he also collaborated with Allen Ginsberg, accompanying him on cello while Ginsberg read or sang. Russell also spent time in a Buddhist commune in California; he left when they decided to collectivize his cello.
By the mid-1970's Russell relocated to New York City, where he studied at The Manhattan School of Music. He formed a band from 1975-1979, The Flying Hearts, recorded by John Hammond and featuring David Byrne, Rhys Chatham, Jon Gibson, Peter Gordon, Jerry Harrison, Garret List, Frank Pagano, Andy Paley, Leni Pickett, and Peter Zummo.
In the late 1970s Russell became enamored with the disco scene in New York. At the time it represented a liberation force, particularly for the gay scene, just a few years after the Stonewall riots. (For more see "Turn the Beat Around: The Secret History of Disco" by Peter Shapiro).
'Kiss Me Again' was Russell's first dance track. Released under the name Dinosaur L by Sirerecords, it was to be the first of many innovative dancefloor tracks released under different names and with different collaborators, such as 'Is It All Over My Face' by Loose Joints, released in 1980. In 1982, Arthur Russell and William Socolov founded Sleeping Bag records and their first release was his 24-24 Music. This featured 'Go Bang' which was re-mixed as a 12" single by Francois Kevorkian.
Arthur Russell continued to release dance singles such as 'Tell You Today' (4th and Broadway, 1983) an upbeat dance groove featuring the vocals of Joyce Bowden . 'Wax the Van' (Jump Street, 1985) with vocals by Lola Blank, wife of notorious BobTreehouse aka Bob Schoolbell (Sleeping Bag, 1986) and 'Let's Go Swimming' (Upside / Rough Trade, 1986).
At the same time, he produced more meditative works on the albums 'Tower of Meaning' (Chatham Square, 1983) and 'World of Echo' (Rough Trade, 1986), which presented many of his pop and dance compositions in solo cellist form.
Arthur Russell died of AIDS on April 4, 1992, at the age of 40. The obituary in the Village Voice wrote: "his songs were so personal that it seems as though he simply vanished into his music."
In 2004 a renewed interest in Arthur Russell saw the release of "The World of Arthur Russell" on Soul Jazz records, which compiled his best-known dance hits alongside more introspective love songs such as "Little Lost" and "Keeping Up".
In the same year Audika records reissued "World Of Echo" and produced "Calling Out Of Context", 12 unreleased songs from 1985-90. The songs were taken from an album "Corn", recorded in 1985 but never released. They showcase a set of visionary pop songs years ahead of their time, minimalist and expansive, evidence that Russell's best work was perhaps never realized before his death.
In 2006 Audika released "First Thought Best Thought", compiling Russell's out of print orchestral and instrumental works with previously unreleased material.
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That's Us/Wild Combination
Arthur Russell Lyrics
That's us, before we got there
That's morning time, before we got there
I just want to be, wherever you are
Hard as I can be, it's never too hard
With this our love to see, by it's own light
Love inside of me, it's working at night
Seconds before I see in the dark
Seconds turn, this time that, it's so...
Coming to, seconds turn, this time that I
Such fun to be with
It's a big old world
With nothing in it
I can't wait to see you another minute
It's a wild combination, it's a wild combination
It's a wild, it's a loving you baby
It's a talk in the dark, it's a walk in the morning
That's us, before we got there
That's morning time, before we got there
For a price, push up and be part of it all
Surfing, swimming
It's a wild combination
That's us before we got there
That's morning time before we got there
That's you, me, on self-timer
We're leaving at five in the morning
We could get better mileage
That's you, in the pool, you're a swimmer
What a winner, you peek out
That's us before we got there
That's morning time, before we got there
That's you, me, on self-timer
We're leaving at five in the morning
We could get better mileage
That's you in the pool, it's a swimmer
What a winner, you peek
Contributed by Max W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
Green Light Music
I can't speak for anyone else, but this song makes me feel things that are hard to explain, but it's like the feeling of being out alone, in the cold, in complete darkness, yet you have one nightlight and the biggest, warmest, most cozy blanket keeping you safe.
Randall Weeber
I highly recommend checking out EVERYTHING that Arthur Russell did. Audika records has released a treasure trove of his material and it is all brilliant. The early acoustic guitar, almost country, balladry all the way to his composed/not composed pieces- it is all unique and inspired. And don’t sleep on his disco wizardry. Two of his best tracks ever, Kiss Me Again — under the alias of Dinosaur— and Tell You (Today) — as Loose Joints— are definitely worth seeking out, as Audika does not have licensing for them. They have been made more available on vinyl in recent years. Soul Jazz Records comp of Arthur’s stuff dives into his other disco stuff quite a bit more.
Robert Fripp
Thanks Randall! My new favorite artist. This guy is like the new Nick Drake or something in terms of post-mortem success
r pidly
Ideal comment. Arthur covers so much ground and it's all amazing. Go Bang #5 is my favorite song, but all of the different styles from World of Echo to Love is Overtaking me are just as much of a joy to hear. To think he left all those hundreds of tapes behind--this timeline is not all bad!
Axxon N.
Totally agree, Arthur Russell was brilliant in all forms. I had no idea stuff like Dinosaur and Loose Joints had been made available on vinyl, I'll have to look for that. I go nuts for Kiss Me Again.
HALLEBOOYAH
I love to come back to this song and see that there is always new, heart-felt comments on it.
Ricardeaux
Your mom is a new heart-felt comment... I'm sorry. Why does it feel like I crashed into these feelings? I hope you're having a great day
Mark Seibold
They've played Arthur Russell' music exclusively here in the coffee house I frequent daily for years, in Portland Oregon, Spielman Bagels & Coffee. I never asked about him until today. I was shocked to see that he passed away in 1992. Now I want to research documentaries about his music. It's fantastic. His style reminds me of a milder version of something Brian Eno would produce.
swiftay12
Spielman Bagels & Coffee sounds like my sort of place. And the Eno and Arther Rusell comparison, thats actually quite a good comparison. This song in particular reminds me of the early Eno solo stuff, melodical yet unorthodox sounds. Little hooks and themes that come again over the duration of the song in waves. I'm thinking Eno Babys on Fire, The True Wheel and Spinning Away to name a few singles compare particularly well. I'm a big fan of both
drkdrumz
I’m amazed at how popular he’s gotten.