Song of the Day: After A Fashion by The Boys Next Door

I do know it was only last week since Cave had a SOTD post but here’s yet another today! If you somehow miss it the another day? I’ve changed my mind, I’m going to try to blog every single NC song from now on so back tracking to this one. I think, I did even say last year in one of his SOTD posts I did say I wasn’t blogging this track I’m posting today but well, as you can see/hear I’ve just done that! Off course, that means Nick under various projects is the artist with the very most of my SOTD posts, is that going to shock anyone who’s been following me or my little blog for awhile? I also did do a few “After” songs last year but I’ve got a couple more this year, one more hopefully tomorrow!

So today’s song is from NC’s debut album from Door, Door by The Boys Next Door of 1979. The one and only album by them before name changing into The Birthday Party. Rowland S. Howard guitar player joined the band halfway though recording this, it’s like if you have the record side A is without him and then flip to side B and Rowland joined the band plus by the end of that album is his epic teenage anthem Silvers. So just to make it clear RSH starts playing guitar on track six and today’s feature track After A Fashion is track number seven and the song everyone remembers from that album is the closing song. The Boys Next Door, they really do sound way more like a New Wave band to me here than a Punk band. The Birthday Party off course, when on to became one of the most ultimate 80’s Punk bands ever! At the time, if you can believe it? Silvers wasn’t a hit here. I believe, After A Fashion like Silvers is a Rowland S. Howard written song. Last year for one of my SOTD posts, I did blog about Howard’s band before The Boys Next Door called the Young Charlatans which did included a couple of early demos of Slivers too, linked here. Anyway their record label at the time, Mushroom which is one of the biggest major label owned here in Australia dropped them. So soon after that the name changed plus they all moved to London so you can say the rest is history!

After A Fashion lyrics is:

After a fashion which is
Purely the mood that takes me
I’ll set my mouth on fire and kiss ya ’till ya blister
The tears I cry
Out over her
Spell out a word
All for you
Watch the thin boy in dark clothes
Falling over pianos
Trips on the moving carpet
Play like he’s deaf and dumb and blind
The answer is
Quite obvious
Oblivious to all but you
After a fashion
She’s the answer
After a fashion
I’m the question
After a fashion
She’s the answer
After a fashion
I’m the question
Watch the thin boy in dark clothes
Falling over pianos
Trips on the moving carpet
Plays likes he’s deaf and dumb and blind
The answer is
Quite obvious
Oblivious to all but you
After a fashion
She’s the answer
After a fashion
I’m the question
After a fashion
She’s the answer
After a fashion
I’m the question

Here’s the whole Door, Door album if you want to check it out:

Recapping NC’s had now six so the five “A” something SOTD posts before today are Abattoir Blues by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds of 2004, After The Fireworks by Toff Monks of 1982, Ain’t Gonna Rain Anymore by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds of 1994, Albert Goes West by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds of 2008 and Accidents Will Happen by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds of 2008 too. Like I was saying above, he’s easy winning with the most SOTD posts plus most likely any other posts/tags here on my blog because he’s my most favorite artist ever!

The earliest Boys Next Door line-up in the late 70’s! It’s Phil, Mick, Nicolas and Tracy (left-right) without Rowland in the band yet!

Cheers! 🙂