Work Demos (1981)

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first published: 11-02-2005

General Information

Most of the songs for the Work album were written during the New Flat Tour in 1981. A version of Tables And Chairs was already released as a single b-side. Several of the songs were already performed in that tour: Footprint, Empty Room (Then titled Empty Rooms), Tables And Chairs (usually broken up into two or three sections), Red Tape (Then still titled Work) and the untreleased song Dark Room. The live versions of the songs sounded pretty much like the released versions. A few songs surfaced in demo versions, including some unreleased ones. One song, Yellow Press, was officially released in 1995 on the rarities album Quest.

Songs

Dark Room

length: 3:08 / quality: excellent sound

This song was performed in concert at almost all shows between 1981 and 1985, but it was never released by the Nits. This is a shame, because it's a very good poppy song. I think it might even have been a successful single if it would be released around the time of the Red Tape hit single. The combination between the 'negative' verses and the jubilant choruses work great. Luckily the studio version of this song is available among collectors. The song sounds much more refined than the live versions. Henk's singing is a bit more restrained and the music sounds very produced. Sounds that are not very noticable in the live versions are very prominent in the studio version and there are many overdubs with guitars and keyboards. There are two very funny sounding short guitar solos that give the song a unique character. The lyrics are about photography. If there will be a Quest2 in the future, than this song should absolutely be on it.

I don't wanna look at all your photographs
I don't wanna see your slides
I don't wanna talk about exposure
Flashlight in my eyes

You say every woman needs a hobby
Now this hobby's gonna need a home
Since you bought that automatic camera
I have to spend the nights alone

And all I say is YOU wa wa YOU
YOU wa wa YOU

You're in the dark room
You close the curtains
Dark room - so uncertain

You don't have to wear those fashion spectacles
you look into an ... glass
I do not believe in miracles
 jump into your fixing bath

And all I say is YOU wa wa YOU
YOU wa wa YOU

You're in the dark room
You turn the negatives
The dark room - into positives
Blow up

I don't wanna look at all your photographs
I don't wanna see your slides
I don't wanna talk about exposure
Flashlight in my eyes

You say every woman needs a hobby
Now this hobby's gonna need a home
Since you bought that automatic camera
I have to spend the nights alone

I have to say YOU wa wa YOU
YOU wa wa YOU

You're in the dark room
You close the curtains
Dark room - so uncertain
Blow up

Indoor Painting, Outdoor Sketching

length: 2:02 / quality: excellent sound

This song was released as a bonus track on the Omsk CD, but it was already performed live during the Work Tour in 1981 and 1982. This is a different studio version of it. The style of this version is much more sounding like the Work era and the Omsk version is a later rerecording. This demo version starts with drums and bongo's (something unique for that period), soon joined by a simple bass line and a piano playing the melody. Some keyboard sounds play the other lines, but the song isn't as keyboard-heavy as the live versions. Heavily overdubbed and much more cartoon-y sounding voices (mostly several overdubbed Henk vocals, but I think also Michiel is in there somewhere) sing the lyrics. The structure of the song is the same as the Omsk version, but it sounds much simpler.

So Hard To Say No

length: 2:55 / quality: excellent sound

This is a very early version of this unreleased song. It's mainly Henk singing the over a drum computer and electric piano backing. It sounds the most like Yellow Press (and the least like other songs from the Work period). It's a rather pretty song, but clearly the song needs more work. I don't know if that ever happened, because 'no later studio or live versions exist. The title was written on a Nits Archive tape, but Henk seems to actually be singing 'So Hard To Go'. The lyrics are very difficult to understand, because the vocals sounds very echo-y and the whole song has an airy atmosphere, almost like it was recorded in a bathroom... The piano playing is mostly just chords, the drum computer has a busy, but constant beat. There is a bridge section in the middle and an instrumental part (of just chords) that ends the song.

Umbrella Army

length: 1:41 / quality: excellent sound

This sounds pretty much like the released version. It seems to be an earlier mix, but nothing spectacular new is in the song.