Ditzy Scene

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"Ditzy Scene"
Ditzy Scene Organ Cover.jpg
Single by Cardiacs
from the album LSD
B-side
  • "Gen"
  • "Made All Up"
Released5 November 2007 [lower-alpha 1]
RecordedAutumn 2007
Studio Apollo 8 (Chessington) [3]
Length6:38
Label
Composer(s) Tim Smith
Lyricist(s) Kavus Torabi
Cardiacs singles chronology
"Signs"
(1999)		"Ditzy Scene"
(2007)		"Vermin Mangle"
(2020)
Alternative cover
Ditzy Scene Bandcamp Cover.jpg
2018 Bandcamp cover

"Ditzy Scene" is a song by English rock band Cardiacs. It was planned as the opening track and lead single from the band's unfinished sixth album, LSD . It was released on Org Records, and was the band's last single to be released in frontman Tim Smith's lifetime, as well as their most recent to be composed of entirely new material. [4]

Contents

"Ditzy Scene" was included in Prog's list of Knifeworld frontman Kavus Torabi's Guide to Cardiacs. In 2018, the Alphabet Business Concern rereleased the song on Bandcamp.

Writing and recording

"Ditzy Scene" was written by Tim Smith and Kavus Torabi. [2] It was the first of several songs written following a Cardiacs' line-up change in 2004. Torabi wrote the lyrics after beginning to record their unreleased sixth album, provisionally titled LSD, in 2005. [5] He said it was planned to be remixed for the album:

I'm not mad on the mix of it, so the plan would've been to remix it for the LSD album that never happened. I love the tune. It was the first thing that we did with that new line-up and it was a new thing. [6]

The band recorded "Ditzy Scene" at Smith's own recording studio Apollo 8 in Autumn 2007, shortly before the last Cardiacs tour. [6] [7] [8] Torabi wrote the lyrics to Smith's arrangement, as well as playing the guitar solo for the intro. [6] The intro, according to Torabi, was extremely hard to play, requiring complete concentration from the band. They recorded the song with tapes. [6] Along with Smith, vocals were provided by Torabi, bass player Jim Smith, Claire Lemmon and "special guest star" Suzanne Kirby. [9]

Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg
"Ditzy Scene"
Sample of "Ditzy Scene" from Cardiacs' unreleased album LSD. The sample illustrates the change in dynamics from intro to chorus. [10]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

In an interview with Prog, Torabi described his first reaction to the song's structure whilst recording: "When we started recording it was like 'Fucking hell ... here we go!' When those girl vocals came in at the start, going 'Aaah aaah!' it was a real goosebump moment and I thought 'Okay, we've really got something here ...' It's just brilliant." [6]

Release and reception

The "Ditzy Scene" single, backed with two other tracks "Gen" and "Made All Up", was due for release just prior to the start of Cardiacs' first full UK tour since 2000. [11] On November 5, it had a limited edition press release on Org Records, [8] with only 1000 copies made. [12] [lower-alpha 1] Cardiacs planned to release their first studio album since Guns (1999) early the following year. [13] The song charted at number 72 on the Spanish iTunes Chart on 11 October 2020. [14]

Formats and track listings

All lyrics are written by Cardiacs (noted); all music is composed by Tim Smith. [8]

CD single [8]

  1. "Ditzy Scene" (Kavus Torabi) – 6:38
  2. "Gen" (Smith) – 3:42
  3. "Made All Up" (Torabi) – 5:04

CDr promo [15]

  1. "Ditzy Scene" – 6:38

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of "Ditzy Scene". [8]

with:

Notes

  1. 1 2 The release date of the single is alternatively given as 1 September 2007 on Apple Music and Bandcamp. [1] [2]

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References

  1. ↑ "Ditzy Scene - Single by Cardiacs". Apple Music . Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Ditzy Scene (Single)". Bandcamp. 4 February 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  3. ↑ Davis, Steve; Torabi, Kavus (15 April 2021). Medical Grade Music. London: Orion Publishing Group. Search "Apollo 8". ISBN   9781474619509 . Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  4. ↑ Kitching, Sean (1 September 2020). "Previously Unheard Cardiacs Track Released". The Quietus . Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  5. ↑ "History - CARDIACS". Cardiacs.net. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Lawson, Dom (11 August 2014). "Kavus Torabi's Guide To Cardiacs". Prog . Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  7. ↑ "Умер Тим Смит — основатель и вокалист культовой группы Cardiacs". Afisha (in Russian). 22 July 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "Ditzy Scene" (CD single liner notes). Cardiacs. UK: Org Records. 2007. ORG419.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ↑ "Ditzy Scene CDs". Cardiacs.org. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  10. ↑ Bell, Adrian (2011). Aylesbury Bolton Wolverhampton Hove: A Little Man and 101 Cardiacs Gigs. Sullivan County, New York: Iron Bell Publishing. p. 63. ISBN   978-0-95-687950-9.
  11. ↑ "80's Psych Rock Legends To Play Full UK Tour". Uncut . 24 October 2007. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  12. ↑ "ORG RECORDS OFFICIAL PAGES". Organ . 3 November 2007. Archived from the original on 11 November 2007. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  13. ↑ "The Cardiacs return with new single and tour". NME . 24 October 2007. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  14. ↑ "Ditzy Scene - Cardiacs - Chart History". Top Charts . AppGeneration. 11 October 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  15. ↑ "Ditzy Scene" (CDr promo liner notes). Cardiacs. UK: Org Records. 2007.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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