The original-release record dates the Throbbing Lobster issue to 1986, while the complete source discography lists 1987. The 2021 reissue record and both original-year references are retained pending operator review.
Original release history, reviews, and recording notes
| -1990, DB Records -1986, Throbbing Lobster Records "Not too many Alternative artists can claim to be as musically diverse...(he's) achieved Country music success and he's a power-pop marksman. A precise blend of acoustic and electric guitars leaves a lasting impression from this versatile musician." The Gavin Report |
Reviews:
*
"The influences are clear, but not overplayed. Fans of thoughtful pop should become fast friends with Lloyd." The Boston Globe
*
"The title is a reference to the blind men that all describe the same elephant differently because they all touch different spots. A multifaceted performer, Lloyd's got something for every listener - you don't have to be blind to hear that? CMJ
*
"Not too many Alternative artists can claim to be as musically diverse...(he's) achieved Country music success and he's a power-pop marksman. A precise blend of acoustic and electric guitars leaves a lasting impression from this versatile musician." The Gavin Report
*
"This is prime pop-rock...bright guitars, infectious tunes, and enthused vocals make this an overwhelming success." Goldmine
*
"...thereís a new heir to the throne of clever, infectious Beatlesque pop." The Metro
*
"Lloyd writes intricate, tense pop songs that achieve the difficult trick of not getting consumed in their own smartness." Music Row
*
"...this is college radio pop that stands up better than most; Lloyd has a real presence and control over his material." Option
*
"When this swell CD arrived on my desk, I listened to it and practically shouted with glee. Suddenly, here was a disc with great song after great song, clever lyrics, swell hooks and guitar riffs. Moreover, the album's clear, concise sound and rockin' attitude had been produced by a guy best known for his membership in the country duo Foster and Lloyd. A perfect addition to my year end best-of list, I thought, and was halfway into reviewing it, when I read the liner notes - and learned that the songs had been recorded as demos in 1983-86, and had been originally released on tiny Throbbing Lobster Records in 1987." Westword
Credits:
"This Very Second" (Bill Lloyd, 1983)
I played acoustic and electric guitars, some kind of keyboard on the bridge and sang. Byron House played bass guitar and Marc Owens played drums. The basic tracks recorded at High Street Studio in Bowling Green, KY by Marc and I. It was mixed at MTM Studio in Nashville, TN by Rick Will while I sort of hung over his shoulder. Eight big tracks. I need to thank Jim Marshall for his help with the original arrangement on this one...thanks Jim.
"Nothing Comes Close" (Bill Lloyd, 1985, Lawyers Daughter Music)
I played electric six and twelve string guitars, bass guitar, and sang. Marc Owens played drums. The basic tracks wererecorded at High Street Studio in Bowling Green, KY by Marc and I and later Rick Will and I mixed it at MTM Studio in Nashville, TN. Eight.
"Feeling the Elephant" (Bill Lloyd, 1983)
I played acoustic and electric guitars, bass guitar, drums, and sang. The black (not green) tambourine and handclaps were provided by those on hand...Marc Owens, Doug Carman, Byron House, Billy Smith, Anthony Kinney and meself. The Casio played itself. Recorded and mixed by Marc Owens, Billy Smith and me at High Street. Another Eight Track!
"Lisa Anne" (Bill Lloyd, 1985 Lawyers Daughter Music)
I played a mess o' guitars on this: acoustic six, electric six, electric twelve, and bass guitars. I'm also responsible for the mandolin, crappy tambourine and, of course, the lead vocals. Marc played drums. Diana Haig and I sang background vocals and figured out our parts. Rick Will & I recorded the basic tracks at MTM, but the drums and tambourine were later added at High Street. More overdubs were done at MTM by Mike McCarthy and finally Rick and I mixed it there.
"All at Once You Unzipped" (Bill Lloyd/Diana Haig, 1986 Lawyers Daughter/Queen of Sheeba Music)
I played guitars and sang. Byron House on bass and Marc Owens on drums. That's John Cowan and me doing the background vocals. Zippers courtesy of Rick Will, Radney Foster, and me. Marc Owens and I recorded the basic tracks at High Street and later Mike McCarthy and Rick Will overdubbed stuff at MTM. Rick mixed it at MTM. 8.
"It'll Never Get Better Than This" (Bill Lloyd, 1984 Five Towers Music)
I played acoustic and electric guitars, bass guitar and sang. Tommy Dorsey programmed the Fairlight and played the pop bottles. Recorded by Tommy Dorsey in the synth-room at The Castle in Franklin, TN. Larry lee with Keith Odle assisting mixed it at Leche Studio in Nashville. This is on 24 tracks!
"I Wanna Sit and Watch the Credits Roll" (Bill Lloyd, 1984 Five Towers Music)
I played the acoustic and electric guitars and talked. Tommy Dorsey programmed the Fairlight. Jim Marshall came out and helped Tommy match it up to his original drum part from the demo. Tommy and Giles Reaves recorded it and Winnie Nuyens made sure it sounded "modren." The tape ended up at Leche Studio where Larry Lee (with Keith Odle assisting) mixed it. Another 24 track recording.
"Susan Scorned" (Bill Lloyd, 1986 Lawyers Daughter Music.
I played acoustic guitar, electric six and electric 12-string guitars, and Mirage keyboard and sang. Byron House on bass. Marc Owens on drums. Recorded and mixed at MTM Studios in Nashville by Rick Will. I assisted. Back to eight tracks.
"This Must Be the Place" (Bill Lloyd, 1986 Lawyers Daughter Music)
This track features The December Boys who are: Scott Sullivant on bass and background vocals; Jim Hidgekins on drums; David Russell on guitar; and I played guitar and sang. I also played the Mirage on the bridge. Marc Owens recorded the basic tracks at High St. in B.G. and Rick did the overdubs at MTM and he and I mixed it there. Special thanks to the December Boys for all those live gigs. 8.
"Everthing's Closing Down" (Bill Lloyd, 1986 Lawyers Daughter Music)
I'm on the Mirage piano and that weird "arr" sound, the bass guitar, backwards six string electric and vocals. Kim Richey and I arranged the background vocal parts and sang 'em. Recorded at MTM by Mike McCarthy and mixed there by Rick Will with meself hanging around...
CREDITS
LYRICS
"This Very Second" (Bill Lloyd)
V1 You, she said, are like an unmade bed
One big mess that’s always calling
I might be what you refuse to see
Just one guess, then who will fall in line
CH This Very Second I fell in line
This Very Second I’m falling
I’m in love.. I’m in love with you
V2 You refuse to let me win or lose
No time out, no time remaining
I take threats like unplaced bets
No one get’s around to claiming who
CH#2 This Very Second I’m naming you
This Very Second I’m claiming
I’m in love.. I’m in love with you
BR I’m not sure about yesterday
I’m not sure about how or why I stay
and I’m not too sure about what’s in store
I only know about now.. only know about..
Now
V3 You, she said, are like an unmade bed
One big mess but always fetching
She insists it must go on like this
I confess this fever’s catching on
CH#3 This Very Second it’s catching on
This Very Second we’re matching
Wrong or right.. I think I’m in love with you
I’m in love...
"Nothing Comes Close" (Bill Lloyd)
V1 I’ve got a rage for this machine
that’s keeping me out of heaven
But that’s the way that it goes..when
Nothing Comes Close
V2 I’ve gotta’ face this sight unseen
that’s keeping me out of trouble
Just when I wanted it most.. then
Nothing Comes Close
CH All the clues point back to back
we break each code at random
Like mirrors we can stand them end to end
Let it go again
V3 I’ve gotta’ track this circle back
around to where it started
Love in one lethal dose.. but
Nothing Comes Close
"Feeling the Elephant" (Bill Lloyd)
V1 With the tail in one hand
tell me everything you feel
With the trunk in two hands
tell me everything that’s real
It feels real
V2 Reach across the side and tell me
where it all begins
Reach across the side and tell me
where everything ends
CH We’re all Feeling the Elephant
blind and Feeling the Elephant
blind and Feeling the Elephant
it’s all we know
V3 With the tail in one hand
show me everything you see
With the trunk in both hands
there is still a mystery
V4 Reach across the side and show me
where it all begins
Reach across the side and show me
where everything ends
CH We’re all Feeling the Elephant
blind and Feeling the Elephant
blind and Feeling the Elephant
it’s all we know
"Lisa Anne" (Bill Lloyd)
V1 Here’s my reply Dear Lisa Anne
How can I make you understand
I let you slip right through my hands
Oh Lisa Anne
V2 Remember when you left me behind
I was in love and love is blind
I nearly went out of my mind
My Lisa Anne
channel #1
There’s nothin’ left for me to do
All that I wanted left with you
I’ve got a whole in my life
the size of your apartment
CH Oh, Lisa Anne is this the end? Oh, Lisa Anne be mine again
V3 I admit I took a wrong turn
Love is a lesson we must learn
Love left my heart.. I felt it burn..my Lisa Anne
V4 I overheard you said that you’d doubt
I’d stick around and stick it out
That’s when I knew what you’re about
Oh, Lisa Anne
channel #2
There’s nothin’ left for me to say
How could you turn and walk away
I’ve got a whole in my heart the size of your jacuzzi (babe)
CH (repeat chorus)
BR All I wants a simple answer..take a chance
Your future is at stake..it’s not too late
CH (repeat chorus)
"All At Once You Unzipped" (Bill Lloyd/Diana Haig)
V1 You booked the last flight home to finish what you started
You had your face on straight ‘til you found out she was gone
And in some hotel bar, your tongue became unguarded
CH#1 And you let fly with an amazing line of star quips, health tips
All At Once You Unzipped
V2 You woke up wrapped in a blanket of depression
and wearing wing-tipped shoes you stumbled straight into a church
And the priest said, “Son, you missed today’s confession”
CH#2 And you let fly with an amazing line of backflips, hand grips,
All At Once You Unzipped
BR You learned the art of just letting go
The text is all in your head
The words spill out but you never know
Half the things that you said
V3 You tracked her down to a continental cafe
Where she fell out of a booth behind a teenage boy
He threw down your credit card stolen last Sunday
CH#3 And you let fly with an amazing line of
loose-lipped-head-trips
All At Once You Unzipped
"It’ll Never Get Better Than This" (Bill Lloyd)
V1 It was always like summer when you passed out on me
The heat took you under but it made me believe
I was in for the long ride when you gave me the kiss
CH (And I said..)
It’ll Never Get Better Than This.. It’ll Never Get Better Than This
It’ll Never Get Better Than This.. It’ll Never Get Better Than This
V2 It was always like daybreak when the truth knocked me down
And I wished for a mistake.. and I wished I could drown
But I felt it all turning as I unclenched my fist
CH ( I thought that..)
It’ll Never Get Better Than This... It’ll Never Get Better Than This
It’ll Never Get Better Than This.. It’ll Never Get Better Than
BR This.. is the circle of doubt and fear.. there’s an out
if you make it clear.. Love’s the one thing you can’t resist
and It’ll Never Get Better Than This
V3 It was always like midnight when you came back around
And we wound it up so tight.. that it twice shook the ground
We weren’t looking for pleasure.. we were looking for bliss
CH (we knew)
It'll Never Get Better Than This.. It’ll Never Get Better Than This
It'll Never Get Better Than This.. It’ll Never Get Better Than
This
"I Wanna' Sit and Watch the Credits Roll" (Bill Lloyd)
V1 I want 'em all in a line
I want 'em under control
I want 'em all to be mine
I Want to Sit and Watch the Credits Roll
V2 I want 'em over for lunch
I want 'em down in a hole
I want 'em all in a bunch
I Wanna’ Sit and Watch the Credits Roll
V3 I want ‘em always on top
So they can do as their told
I want ‘em never to stop
I Wanna’ Sit and Watch the Credits Roll
Roll ‘em
V4 I want ‘em there at the end
I want ‘em there with my soul
I want ‘em there as my friend
I Wanna’ Sit and Watch the Credits Roll
"Susan Scorned" (Bill Lloyd)
V1 All that remains here
are two paintings of you
One’s painted in red
and one’s painted in blue
I saw you in clear sky
I saw you on fire
Like heaven and earth
You were split by desire
CH And when it rains it comes in torrents
Current pours out of this storm
of electric fury, I was warned
There’s nothing like Susan Scorned
V2 Out in the desert
with a bucket of ice
How long will it take
for someone to be nice
When we were shipwrecked
we both held our own
Now we hold onto
each other too long
CH (repeat chorus)
V3 All that remains here
is a room with a view
I sat by the window
thinking of you
Of how you were angry
Of how it was real
I never could tell you
How helpless I feel
CH (repeat chorus)
"This Must Be The Place" (Bill Lloyd)
V1 From Friday night ‘til Sunday morning
She wore her black lace party dress
Nothing here is ever boring
So why should one settle for less
Racing against time
This one’s yours and that one’s mine
Crawling through this maze
We’re all here so This Must Be The Place
CH This Must Be The Place
where everybody goes and everybody knows
the perfect dance, the perfect face
We’re all here so This Must Be The Place
V2 He took her hand and held it lightly
and shoved her through the sliding door
He used the words he practiced nightly
And she knew what those words were for
Racing against time
I’ve got yours and you’ve got mine
Crawling through this space
We’re arriving .. This Must Be The Place
CH (repeat chorus)
(instrumental bridge)
(chorus and out)
"Everything’s Closing Down" (Bill Lloyd)
V1 Everything’s Closing Down
Everything’s quiet All over town
The streets are all empty
There’s nowhere to go right now
CH #1 None of the stoplights are red
Everybody’s home in their beds
This night is officially dead .. ‘cos
Everything’s Closing Down
V2 Everything’s Closing Down
Everyone wound up All came unwound
Circumstance says there’s no one to mess around..
CH#2 Nothing but time left to spend
Drag yourself home in the end
Sometimes you just need a friend.. when
Everything’s Closing Down
About the songs
"This Very Second" (Lloyd)
I remember wanting the lyric to be as immediate as the way the guitar
felt.. so it's a song about how immediate feelings are.. they can come and go
This was also featured on a compilation album, City Without A Subway.
"Nothing Comes Close" (Lloyd)
I knew more about what this song was about after playing it live for a few years
than I ever did when I wrote it. Usually that's not a good sign, but sometimes the
subconscious lyric tells more about you than you ever thought it could. So in that
spirit, that's all I should say.
"Feeling the Elephant" (Lloyd)
My most well known song in Nashville before Foster and Lloyd enjoyed some
hits. This was played regularly on Vanderbilt University's radio station, WRVU
and featured on a local compilation. Recorded in 1983 in Marc Owens basement
studio in Bowling Green,Kentucky, I had only moved to Nashville 6 months prior.
The title came from a conversation with Rodney Dillard (of The Dillards.. also
known as The Darlin' Family on The Andy Griffith Show). He was kind enough to
give me advice and I was a real fan of theirs. Rodney used the phrase speaking
about the music biz.. where to find one's place in it. I just thought it was of great
use as a metaphor. I sort of remembered the blind men and elephant parable and
took it to mean that life is so big, we'll never get the whole picture. At least not now.
I did have a drunk Vandy student call me one night . They swore the song was
about Reaganomics. I told them that was as good a guess as any.
"Lisa Anne" (Lloyd)
Songs with girls names have always been around. This was my first and only.
I liked the way the name sang. There's a couple of funny lines in this one but
it's a totally crafted song. The part of me that strives to write like Guy Clark cringes
while the side of me that likes Let's Pretend by The Raspberries thinks this one
is okay. Thanks to the Rhino folks for including this on their Poptopia series.
"All At Once You Unzipped" (Bill Lloyd / Diana Haig)
We started with a provacative title and tried to figure out what it meant over the
phone. Most of it was written over the phone too. Jason and The Scorchers were
local heroes dun' good and the music and attitude was a nod in that direction.
Yes, Radney, Rick Will and I really used our zippers for a percussion track.
"It'll Never Get Better Than This" (Lloyd)
The Springsteen influence mixes with a Big Star / Tommy Keene vibe.. the
Fairlight drums and keyboard sounds put it smack dab in the '80's. More lyrics
about immediacy.. it was a theme and I never knew it.
"I Wanna' Sit and Watch the Credits Roll" (Lloyd)
My '80's dance track. I was trying for Lou Reed-garage rock but I was
working with a Belgian benefactor who wanted it to sound "mod-ren". I still like
the idea for the song. By that time, I'd been to enough parties to notice how people
would often reel off their own resume before any real conversaton happens... if it
ever happened.
"Susan Scorned" (Lloyd)
The truest story on the album and the best song in retrospect. Also the last song
recorded once I knew the album was turning from demos to vinyl in '86.
"This Must Be The Place" (Lloyd)
This track features the band I played with live during this period. They were
originally named Practical Stylists and they were Nashville's answer to XTC
and The Jam. I loved 'em and joined about a year after moving to Nashville. The
band split and they later joined me as The December Boys, backing me on
my gigs. The song was just about being young.. it fit the time. One would never
think now that Nashville had its own post-punk-pop scene.
"Everything's Closing Down" (Lloyd)
I wrote this about the nights back in my hometown of Bowling Green, KY. when
there was NOWHERE to go after the bars closed at 1:00. That was just too
early to go home, especially by yourself, in the prime of youth. When this was
recorded, Kim Richey was staying for a short while with me, deciding whether
she was going to stay in Nashville or not. Her stay in '85 was very short but I got
her to sing on this for me. She was credited with drums on the first pressing of
the Throbbing Lobster version on vinyl.