On the DVD included in the immaculate tenth anniversary edition of the album, James Dean Bradfield admits that, yeah, pretty much we're never ever going to be that good again.
For all the unfathomable misery that went into much of the lyrics, the music in The Holy Bible is utterly astounding, life-affirming, challenging and unforgettable. It's remembered as Richey's Album, and it is, but it's also a product of James Dean Bradfield's own torment, the result of which was the most captivating music offered by a British Rock band since fuck knows when.
The record starts with the hissing ambience coating a quote from the documentary flick Pimp's Pro's, Hookers And Their Johns. "You can buy her", says a fella with a thick New York accent. "You can buy her. This one's here, this one's here, this one's here. Everything's for sale."
The song that follows, Yes, is among the very best track-one, side-one's of all ever. It's up there with Sick Bed Of Cuchulainn or Celtic Soul Brothers, with London Calling or Smells Like Teen Spirit, with the sneering "Hi, I'm Johnny Cash" and then Folsom Prison Blues from Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison.
And probably none of those open with a lyric as mesmerisingly bizarre as;
"For sale? Dumb cunt's same dumb questions,
Virgin? Listen, all virgins are liars honey."
And that's before the chorus arrives, with its oddly rousing suggestion;
"He's a boy, you want a girl so tear off his cock,
Tie his hair in bunches, fuck him, call him Rita if you want."
Bradfield admits he hadn't a clue what it was about, how the hell he was supposed to construct a melody around it, how the hell he was gonna sing the damn thing. In fact, there's almost a comical challenge being issued by Richey's lyrics, a sniggering mischief, an attempt to see just how far he can push James' melodic abilities. Not many folks could carve a tune out of a line like, "I eat and I drink and I wash and I can still say thank you, puking - shaking - sinking, I still stand for old ladies can't shout can't scream, hurt myself to get pain out", and make it catchy, by God. It feels odd to be so elated by the delivery of such harrowing sentiments, but a fella can't help it.
Yeah, motherfucker! Puking shaking sinking! Whoo! And so on.
Richey's lyrics also namedrop throughout, flinging out references and surnames like nobody's business. Nicky Wire, himself no stranger to a paperback or seven, admits he hadn't a notion what half these things were, who half these people were, what were even names and what were movements, who can tell?
Article comments
1 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
hells bells. thats the third time i've used the word "fetishised" in almost as many articles. That Word Of The Day toilet-paper sure works better when a fella's got the runs...
2 - godoggo
re: fetishise: Your'e in America now, if I'm not mistaken. Allow me to introduce you to the letter Z.
That said, what in heaven'z name is LA Rock?
3 - wally bangs
Brilliant stuff, Duke. I bet you "laughed when Lennon got shot" too.
4 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
godoggo, i'm still residing in the UK, but it's a valid point. I keep forgetting to include the "z", which is odd, since is not only is it Costa Gravas' best flick, but it's a much cooler letter than s. I keep wondering why the MT desktop client has red lines under things i know are spelt correctly, and that's always the cause.
Wally, thanks man. And i didn't, probably, but i still roar along like as if i was there man. "Motown... Motown Junk!!"
5 - valeria
Here come the crazy urges to listen to the Holy Bible again, for maybe the millionth time in my life. It might be your incessant quotes that just beg a singalong, it might be that this article was just absolutely perfect.
6 - Duke De Mondo
Valeria, thank you! What a compliment it is, to have someone urged towards a re-listening of The Holy Bible on account of my scribbling.
and this reminds me, i really must pick up that grand new Everything Must Go set sometime soon...
7 - Drunks off my bollocks
Brilliant article. Expresses the importance, spirit and meaning of THB well. Doesn't slag off Lifeblood, which is also a bonus... 5 years old? The joy of teh_intarwebz and it's collectivist Elephantine memory. Well done, squire. Well done.
8 - Remedial_gash
Just picked up 'Journal for plague lovers' - a year late I know, and was revisiting earlier albums, in the age of 'random play', I don't think I've listened to an album since around 2005 (when this piece was written).
Anyway, what a fucking excellent piece of work, and please don't use 'z's - it's offensive to my eyes.
Gash
9 - Pris
Great article!
Hope I'm not intruding, here's my $.02 on Richey.