XTC
No Thugs In Our House

Virgin    VS 490  (1982)

Rock/Pop
7 inch, 4   Tracks, 10:47  Length
01 No Thugs In Our House Andy Partridge 04:30
02 Chain Of Command Andy Partridge 02:30
03 Limelight Colin Moulding 02:22
04 Over Rusty Water Andy Partridge 01:25
Music Details
Product Details
Packaging Picture Sleeve
Sound Stereo
Musicians  &  Credits
Guitar Andy Partridge
Guitar David Gregory
Bass Colin Moulding
Drums Dennis Chambers
Musician XTC
Producer XTC; Steve Lillywhite
Engineer Hugh Padgham
Personal Details
Index # 3900
Owner Dave
Tags New Wave, Pop Rock
User Defined
Purchased New
Imported from England
Notes
If "Making Plans for Nigel" was about (or could be said to be about) a family's all too involved planning for a kid's future, "No Thugs In Our House" is XTC's quasi-sequel to that situation, even if the son this time around is named Graeme instead. It's also one of XTC's most aggressive songs ever, all the more notable for being so since the band by the time of English Settlement was finding a calmer way around its music. Andy Partridge's first vocals are a recurrent, wordless snarl over a pounding beat, which even some acoustic guitar can't quite temper, while the verses and choruses feel steady and insistent, with the pre-chorus talk of Graeme's dreams providing a bit of respite. The lyrical portrait of the see-no-evil parents -- even when confronted by the policeman 'who just can't grow a mustache' for Graeme's misbehavior after 'too much beer' -- is both unsettling (thanks to the suggestions of Graeme's proto-fascist leanings) and hilarious, a classic example of expectations and reality not quite matching up. -- Ned Raggett (allmusic.com)