SATURDAY’S SCOTTISH SONG(s) : #159 : THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN

From wiki:-

“Never Understand” is the first single from the Scottish alternative rock band The Jesus and Mary Chain’s debut album Psychocandy. It was the band’s first release on Blanco y Negro Records and was released through them in February 1985. The song was written by William Reid and Jim Reid, and was produced by The Jesus and Mary Chain. It is considered influential for its use of guitar feedback.

Here’s the tracks from the 12″ version. It includes a rather splendid and sweary cover of a song by Subway Sect, one that I’ve been lucky enough to have heard sung by Vic Godard in recent years:-

mp3 : The Jesus and Mary Chain – Never Understand
mp3 : The Jesus and Mary Chain – Suck
mp3 : The Jesus and Mary Chain – Ambition

I still love SWC’s description of the single as recounted when he pulled together an ICA back in November 2016:-

I don’t know if you’ve ever been chased, or ever felt like you were going to be chased, but one night I was listening to this whilst walking back from Our Price Girls house. It was about midnight and for some reason, this song utterly freaked me out. I think on reflection it was the opening bit, the frenzied squalling wall of screeching feedback sounds exactly like the sort of noise an axe wielding maniac out on a midnight killing spree makes, and frankly that makes its utterly compelling and such a twisted slice of genius.

JC