THE 7″ LUCKY DIP (2)

The eagle-eyed among you might have spotted today’s offering is #2 in this occasional series, and is coming a few days after #3 was published.   More evidence that I’m getting increasingly sloppy with this blog.  Apologies……

Aikea-Guinea was released on 7″ and 12″ vinyl in March 1985.  I would have thought most fans would have bought the 12″ version, given it was seen by the band and the record company as an EP release and the larger piece of plastic was the only way to get all four tracks.

mp3: Cocteau Twins – Aikea-Guinea

If Discogs is correct, in terms of anyone who was an obsessive completist, the 7″ also required to be purchased.

“The version of “Kookaburra” is unique to this 7″ release as it starts with a drumstick count down of 4 beats prior to the start of the song.”

mp3: Cocteau Twins – Kookaburra (7″ version)

Not having a copy of the 12″ version, I can’t verify if this is true or not!!

On the band’s official website, you can find that Liz Fraser has explained, “Aikea-Guinea just means flat shells that have been bleached and smoothed out by the sea and the sand.”

Maybe that’s the case, but as ever, the actual lyric isn’t really what is important; it’s all to do with the way the words are sung as Liz hits some ridiculous notes, and in an order that seems humanly impossible.

JC