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life in oils


composers
Lyrics: Kerr
Music: Simple Minds


publisher
© EMI Music Publishing


background
Misty and dense, Life In Oils (written as a batch of new songs in January 1981) was a favourite of previous producer John Leckie. (He heard the demos when he visited Glasgow to produce Endgames.) "Life In Oils was great. It was like an oil painting, really kind of misty." Unfortunately it got left behind as the band got down to the task of recording Sons And Fascination and it was subsequently forgotten.

Except by fans who traded copies of the leaked demo tape with relish. During this period, it lost its original title, being refered to as Shadow Follow, following bad guesswork of the lyrics in the chorus.

Other distinct lyrics included Jim quoting German writer Bertolt Brecht from The Land Of Galileo:

Andrea: "Unhappy the land that has no heroes"
Galileo: "No, unhappy the land that needs heroes."

He later rescued the quote, adding it to 20th Century Promised Land.

The song remained officially lost before being included on Silver Box.




lyrics
The lyrics have never been published


discography
Demo (4:19)
Producer: Mick MacNeil
Mastered by: Simon Heyworth
Silver Box Promo CDR #2 Silver Box




demo discography
Demo Version (4:19)
Producer: Mick MacNeil