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Certain Songs #1969: Robyn Hitchcock – “Executioner”

November 30, 2020 by Jim Connelly

Album: Eye
Year: 1990

. . .

In 1990, Robyn Hitchcock released his first purely solo album since 1984’s I Often Dream of Trains. The album was called Eye, and as befitting the bandless nature of the venture, it was released on Twin/Tone rather than A&M.

Not that the world necessarily needed to have that kind of distinction between Robyn Hitchcock with or without The Egyptians, but I think that A&M were still holding out the hope that his electric music would strike some kind of chord with the general public.

But to me, of course, and I’m guessing to a lot of his fans, I don’t really draw a lot of distinctions between his one-man solo albums and his full band albums. Like Neil Young, I guess. I mean, of course, I prefer the electric albums from both artists, because that’s who I am, but I don’t break them up into two separate bodies of work.

Eye was recorded in San Francisco — where I think Robyn had moved — during 1988 and 1989, and given how prolific he was during this period, it was clear that these songs were stockpiled for his inevitable second all-acoustic album. And so the songs on Eye were somehow more confident and more meandering that the songs on I Often Dream of Trains, as exemplified by the dark break-up song “The Executioner.”

Don’t wait up any longer
I’m not coming home
You know you’re always stronger
When you’re on you’re own
You said the sweetest things
That’s what you said
Here’s a relationship
With a gun to its head

I’m the executioner of love

“Executioner” is driven by a punkily strummed acoustic guitar and slamming piano chords, both of which compliment the pain and anger of the lyrics.

Our love has been found guilty
Our love is turning bad
Before I pass the sentence
Have you anything to add?
It wasn’t easy but
It wasn’t fun
But when you start these things
See what you’ve done

You’re the executioner of love
You’re the executioner

Also adding to the pain and anger: Robyn’s vocals, especially on the chorus, where he stretched “IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII’m the executioner of love” and “Youuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr’e the executioner” to their absolute breaking points, which he then tops on the bridge, which breaks down to just Robyn and his piano.

Your childhood is over
There’s nowhere you can hide
There’s nowhere you can hide
There’s nowhere you can hide

That’s probably the most brutal lyric in the whole song, especially when he goes from a near whisper to absolutely belting out the last “hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide” way way past its point, which sets up the final verse.

It crawls towards you bleeding
Begging for a kiss
Even if you don’t mean it
It’s only just a kiss
I know how Judas felt
But he got paid
I’m doing this for free
Just like Live Aid

I’m the executioner of love
I’m the executioner of love
I’m the executioner of love

And I well and truly love the contrast between “Judas” and the “Live Aid” references, which is pretty funny, when you think about it. In any event, “Executioner” is absolute tour de force of howling pain — Robyn himself called it “horrific” — that is also a genuine good time.

“Executioner”

“Executioner” live in Tel Aviv, 2012

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Filed Under: Certain Songs Tagged With: Eye, Linctus House, Robyn Hitchcock

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Previously on Medialoper

  • Certain Songs #2582: The Supremes – “Come See About Me”
  • Certain Songs #2581: Supertramp – “The Logical Song”
  • Certain Songs #2580: Supertramp – “Even in the Quietest Moments”
  • Certain Songs #2579: Supertramp – “Bloody Well Right”
  • Certain Songs #2578: Supergrass – “Sun Hits The Sky”

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