Endless Art
Encyclopedia
"Endless Art" is a song by Irish
indie rock
band A House
, released initially as the lead track on the "Bingo" EP (1990), and then as a single from their 1991
album I Am the Greatest
. (It is also included on the greatest hits album The Way We Were.)
. They quickly released the EPs Doodle and Bingo, at the end of 1990 and in 1991. The latter included the first appearance of "Endless Art", which A House recorded with Edwyn Collins
as producer. Collins went on to work with them on I Am the Greatest from which "Endless Art" was re-released as a single, accompanied by a video.
Although the song did not enjoy huge chart success, it reached number 46 in the UK - an achievement by A House's standards - and it gained a certain amount of airplay on MTV Europe
. But for distribution problems, the song might have performed much better commercially. Yet, that one of the A House's most popular successes should be such an unusual song as "Endless Art" confirms their peculiar status as cult favourites. The lyrics to "Endless Art" begin with the line "All art is quite useless according to Oscar Wilde
" and for their remainder are mostly a list of the names and birth and death dates of artists from various fields, with the chorus remark: "all dead but still alive, in endless time and endless art". This "list" style of song is characteristic of many of Dave Couse's
songs. The majority of the lyrics are declaimed rather than sung, over a repetitive electric guitar motif. Melodically, the song features a quotation from Beethoven's
Fifth Symphony
at the chorus.
he played the video for "Endless Art" on his final show as one "of those videos that I really do think deserve to be called great and classic", alongside others such as Thriller and Ashes to Ashes
.
, who, it might be quibbled, is not a woman, while the substitution of "Walt Disney
's Minnie Mouse
" for his Mickey Mouse
may not quite right the gender balance either. Still, "More Endless Art" was better than a defence Dave Couse had offered in interviews, that the band had thought that Joan Miró
was a woman.
).
∗ From a live recording for a John Peel Session on February 2, 1992.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band A House
A House
A House was an Irish band from the 1980s to the 1990s, recognized for the clever, "often bitter or irony laden lyrics of [frontman] Dave Couse ... bolstered by the [band's] seemingly effortless musicality". The single "Endless Art" is one of their best known charting successes. A House were managed...
, released initially as the lead track on the "Bingo" EP (1990), and then as a single from their 1991
1991 in music
See also:* 1991 in music Record labels established in 1991-Summary:The year 1991 is the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. Nirvana's Nevermind, led by the surprise hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit", becomes the most popular U.S. album of the year...
album I Am the Greatest
I Am the Greatest
I Am the Greatest is the third album from Irish rock band A House and features the fan favorite track, "Endless Art".-Reception:At the time of its release, I Am the Greatest was very well reviewed, but sometimes the album was also marvelled at for its very existence...
. (It is also included on the greatest hits album The Way We Were.)
Endless Art
After the commercial failure of their 1990 album I Want Too Much, A House had been dropped from their label, to be picked up by the indie label Setanta RecordsSetanta Records
Setanta Records is a UK Independent record label. The label was at the forefront of the indie Irish music scene in the late eighties and nineties as itchampioned young Irish groups.-History:...
. They quickly released the EPs Doodle and Bingo, at the end of 1990 and in 1991. The latter included the first appearance of "Endless Art", which A House recorded with Edwyn Collins
Edwyn Collins
Edwyn Stephen Collins is an Ivor Novello Award winning Scottish musician, playing mostly electric guitar-driven pop. Collins formed the musical group Nu-Sonics in 1976, which later became Orange Juice...
as producer. Collins went on to work with them on I Am the Greatest from which "Endless Art" was re-released as a single, accompanied by a video.
Although the song did not enjoy huge chart success, it reached number 46 in the UK - an achievement by A House's standards - and it gained a certain amount of airplay on MTV Europe
MTV Europe
MTV Europe is a pan-European 24-hour entertainment cable and digital television network launched on August 1, 1987. Initially, the channel served all regions within Europe being one of the very few channels that targeted the entire European continent...
. But for distribution problems, the song might have performed much better commercially. Yet, that one of the A House's most popular successes should be such an unusual song as "Endless Art" confirms their peculiar status as cult favourites. The lyrics to "Endless Art" begin with the line "All art is quite useless according to Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
" and for their remainder are mostly a list of the names and birth and death dates of artists from various fields, with the chorus remark: "all dead but still alive, in endless time and endless art". This "list" style of song is characteristic of many of Dave Couse's
Dave Couse
Dave Couse is a musician, producer, and radio DJ. He was the lead singer and main song writer with Irish band A House and has released three albums as a solo artist...
songs. The majority of the lyrics are declaimed rather than sung, over a repetitive electric guitar motif. Melodically, the song features a quotation from Beethoven's
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
Fifth Symphony
Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven)
The Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, was written by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1804–08. This symphony is one of the most popular and best-known compositions in all of classical music, and one of the most often played symphonies. It comprises four movements: an opening sonata, an andante, and a fast...
at the chorus.
Video
"Endless Art" was accompanied by an innovative stop-motion video which received a lot of praise. When Paul King called it quits on MTV's Greatest HitsMTV's Greatest Hits
MTV's Greatest Hits was a programme that started in 1990 presented by Paul King.The main idea was to show all the greatest hits throughout 60s, 70s, 80s and even 90s.The show was shown at 4pm and then repeated at 10pm CET....
he played the video for "Endless Art" on his final show as one "of those videos that I really do think deserve to be called great and classic", alongside others such as Thriller and Ashes to Ashes
Ashes to Ashes (David Bowie song)
"Ashes to Ashes" is a single by David Bowie, released in 1980. It made #1 in the UK and was the first cut from the Scary Monsters album, also a #1 hit. As well as its musical qualities, it is noted for its innovative video, directed by Bowie and David Mallet...
.
Sexism
For the first appearance of the song on Bingo, the band received some criticism for the fact that the artists listed in the song are all male, so they recorded a second version where all the artists are female. This is the version called "More Endless Art". In "More Endless Art", the melodic quoatation from Beethoven is substituted with one from Carl OrffCarl Orff
Carl Orff was a 20th-century German composer, best known for his cantata Carmina Burana . In addition to his career as a composer, Orff developed an influential method of music education for children.-Early life:...
, who, it might be quibbled, is not a woman, while the substitution of "Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
's Minnie Mouse
Minnie Mouse
Minerva "Minnie" Mouse is an animated character created by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney. The comic strip story "The Gleam" by Merrill De Maris and Floyd Gottfredson first gave her full name as Minerva Mouse. Minnie has since been a recurring alias for her. Minnie is currently voiced by actress Russi...
" for his Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
may not quite right the gender balance either. Still, "More Endless Art" was better than a defence Dave Couse had offered in interviews, that the band had thought that Joan Miró
Joan Miró
Joan Miró i Ferrà was a Spanish Catalan painter, sculptor, and ceramicist born in Barcelona.Earning international acclaim, his work has been interpreted as Surrealism, a sandbox for the subconscious mind, a re-creation of the childlike, and a manifestation of Catalan pride...
was a woman.
Updated Art
Dave Couse has subsequently performed a live version of "Endless Art" with a new list of artists, those deceased since the original release of the song. This is available as "Endless Art 06" on the B-Side of his single "A Celebration" (20062006 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2006.-January:*January 10 – Eric Burdon releases his album Soul of a Man and begins touring with a new band....
).
Track listing, "Endless Art" single, 1992
- Endless Art
- Freak Show*
- More Endless Art
- Charity*
∗ From a live recording for a John Peel Session on February 2, 1992.
- All songs written by A House.
- Produced by Edwyn Collins (1, 3) and Dale GriffinDale GriffinDale "Buffin" Griffin is an English drummer and founding member of 1970s rock band, Mott the Hoople....
(2, 4).
Track listing, "Bingo" EP, 1991
- Endless Art
- No Love Is Good Enough
- Slipping Away
- Baby You're Too Much
- All songs written by A House.
External links
- Endless Art video on youtube
- More Endless Art on youtube (version retaining Beethoven chorus, not Orff; video visuals by youtube user)