Love on a Farmboy's Wages

"Love on a Farmboy's Wages"
Single by XTC
from the album Mummer
B-side	"In Loving Memory Of A Name"
Released	19 September 1983 (1983-09-19)
Recorded	1982
Genre	Folk pop [1] neo-psychedelia [2]
Length	3:58 3:47 (home demo version)
Label	Virgin
Songwriter(s)	Andy Partridge
Producer(s)	Steve Nye, XTC
XTC singles chronology
"Wonderland" (1983) "Love on a Farmboy's Wages" (1983) "Thanks for Christmas" (1983)

"Love on a Farmboy's Wages" is a song written by Andy Partridge of the English rock band XTC, released as the third single from their 1983 album Mummer . It peaked at number 50 on the UK Singles Chart. Partridge wrote the song during the aftermath of the cancelled English Settlement tour. It features a key modulation from E to F# before its bridge. Drummer Terry Chambers left the band during rehearsals for the song. The single's cover art is a photograph of Partridge's actual wallet with the title embossed. ^[3]

Music

Ned Raggett called the song "a folk pop delight" which called to mind the period in which "Bert Jansch and Nick Drake had as much influence as Lennon and McCartney". ^[1]

Cover

Folk-rock veterans Fairport Convention included a cover of the song on their 2007 album Sense of Occasion . Their guitarist and founding member Simon Nicol sang the lead vocal.

Personnel

XTC

• Dave Gregory
• Colin Moulding
• Andy Partridge

Charts

Chart (1983)	Peak position
UK Singles (OCC) [4]	50

Cover versions

• 2007 – Fairport Convention, Sense of Occasion

References

1. Raggett, Ned. "XTC - Love on a Farmboy's Wages". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
2. Mason, Stewart. XTC - Compact XTC: The Singles 1978-1885 (1987) Review at AllMusic. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
3. Bernhardt, Todd (28 January 2007). "Andy discusses 'Love on a Farmboy's Wages'". Chalkhills.
4. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 January 2018.

External links

• "Love on a Farmboy's Wages" on Chalkhills