"Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)" is a song written by Chris White of the Zombies, first released on the group's 1968 album Odessey and Oracle. It was also released as a single in the United States in June 1968, backed by "This Will Be Our Year." "Butcher's Tale" was recorded in one take on 20 July 1967 at EMI Abbey Road Studio No. 3. The song has also been covered by They Might Be Giants, The Immediate, John Wilkes Booze and Chrysanthemums. The anti-war protest song is written from the perspective of a soldier fighting on the Western Front of World War I, mentioning the battles at Gommecourt, Thiepval, Mametz and Verdun in France.
| "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by the Zombies | ||||
| from the album Odessey and Oracle | ||||
| B-side | "This Will Be Our Year" | |||
| Released | June 1968 | |||
| Recorded | 20 July 1967 | |||
| Studio | EMI, London | |||
| Genre | Baroque pop | |||
| Length | 2:48 | |||
| Label | Date Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Chris White | |||
| Producer(s) | The Zombies | |||
| The Zombies singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Lyrics and music
editThe lyrics are based on an incident from World War I, a subject in which White took an interest.[1][2] The lyrics tell of a battle from the viewpoint of a soldier in the midst of the fight.[2] Despite the title, the battle White had in mind when writing the lyrics occurred in 1916.[2] The Bee Gees' 1967 song "New York Mining Disaster 1941" was apparently an inspiration for the serious tone of the song.[2] In the album's CD liner notes, Alec Palao calls the song "a thinly-disguised comment on Vietnam."
Instrumentation on "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)" is limited to Zombies keyboardist Rod Argent playing a pump organ in a manner described by Allmusic critic Matthew Greenwald as "odd-sounding."[1] The song also includes sound effects reminiscent of musique concrète which were created by playing a Pierre Boulez album backwards and sped up.[1][2]
Although White wrote the song for the Zombies' frontman Colin Blunstone to sing, White sang it himself as the group felt that his weaker voice better suited the lyrics.[2][3] "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)" is White's only lead vocal performance for The Zombies, with the exception of one verse of the Odessey and Oracle track "Brief Candles".[2]
Reception
editAlthough "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)" was the band's "most soberly uncommercial song," Date Records chose it to release as the second single from Odessey and Oracle in the United States, on the recommendation of Al Kooper and with the label believing that its implicit commentary on the Vietnam War would resonate with a young audience.[2][4] The Zombies, however, were surprised that such an uncommercial song was chosen as a single, and it sold poorly.[2][4]
Cash Box described the song as containing "some searching lyrics and a weird ear-catching instrumental setup to create interest for this wild outing."[5] Allmusic critic Matthew Greenwald retrospectively called it one of The Zombies' "strangest and most experimental songs".[1] Pierre Perrone of The Independent claimed that the song proved that "the band were both of their time and incredibly prescient."[6] Arts writer Matt Kivel called the song a "creepy war ballad" and noted that it showed The Zombies experimenting with instrumentation in more imaginative ways than any contemporary band besides the Beatles.[7] Arts writer Mike Boehm called it "one of the greatest anti-war songs in the rock canon" and "unsparing in its depiction of war's horrors".[8][9] Music critic Antonio Mendez called it one of the "sublime" songs on Odessey and Oracle.[10]
Other versions
editThe Chrysanthemums covered "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)" on their 1989 version of Odessey and Oracle.[11] Allmusic critic Stewart Mason praised the "sneering hardcore punk setting" the group used for the song, stating that it "fits the horrific wartime imagery perfectly."[11] A live cover by They Might Be Giants was featured on the 2000 various artists compilation Simply Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad About the Loser's Lounge.[12] John Wilkes Booze covered the song in 2004 on Five Pillars of Soul.[13] Jonas Prangerød noted that the John Wilkes Booze version is short and strange.[14] The Immediate covered the song in 2006 on Stop and Remember.[15]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d Greenwald, M. "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-07-13.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Russo, G. (1999). Time of the Season: The Zombies Collector's Guide. Crossfire Publications. pp. 34–36. ISBN 9780964815759.
- ^ Zombie Heaven CD box set booklet, page 51.
- ^ a b Lynskey, D. (2011). 33 Revolutions per Minute: A History of Protest Songs, from Billie Holiday to Green Day. HarperCollins. p. 105. ISBN 9780061670152.
- ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. July 6, 1968. p. 16. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
- ^ Perrone, P. (March 12, 2008). "The Zombies, Shepherds Bush Empire, London". The Independent. Retrieved 2012-07-13.
- ^ Kivel, M. (September 26, 2006). "Odessey and Oracle (1968)". The Michigan Daily. p. 9. Retrieved 2012-07-12.
- ^ Boehm, M. (November 17, 1994). "Classic of the Week". OC Live. Los Angeles Times (Orange County ed.). p. 5.
- ^ Boehm, M. (September 15, 1985). "Bryan Adams and Sting: safety vs. risk-taking". Providence Journal. p. H-11.
- ^ Mendez, A. (2007). Guía del pop y el rock 80 y 90: Aloha poprock (2nd ed.). Editorial Visión Libros. p. 413. ISBN 9788498215694.
- ^ a b Mason, S. "Chrysanthemums: Odessey and Oracle". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-07-13.
- ^ "Simply Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad About the Loser's Lounge". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-07-13.
- ^ Kergen, W. "Five Pillars of Soul". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-07-13.
- ^ Prangerød, J. (2004). "Psycho Soul". groove.no. Retrieved 2012-07-13.
- ^ "The Immediate: Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-07-13.