SEE WITHOUT BEING SEEN

by THE THE

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See Without Being Seen is the lost first album by the teenage Matt Johnson, now reissued under the moniker of THE THE. Originally ‘released’ as a limited edition cassette in 1979, the master tapes were thought lost for many years. Recorded in the cellar of the then teenage Johnson’s parent’s pub, The Crown, in Loughton, Essex and at the time sold at underground gigs on cassette, these legendary archive recordings, featuring 13 tracks retrieved and restored from Matt Johnson’s personal archive, were recorded in 1978-79 a couple of years before ‘official’ first release Burning Blue Soul.

Sharing the cellar ‘studio space’ with his late older brother Andrew (Andy Dog), a talented artist responsible for both the cover portrait on this release and many of THE THE’s iconic sleeves, the tracks were recorded on a rudimentary set-up including an Akai 4000DS MK2 reel to reel tape recorder, a Crumar electric piano, a borrowed Telecaster copy and a handful of effects pedals.

Located amongst a box of unmarked tapes and severely damaged due to natural deterioration, the original tape had to undergo a time-consuming restoration process of baking, digitising and was mastered for the first time by Matt Colton at Metropolis Studios. ... more

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Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
Following the sell-out, limited edition release of See Without Being Seen in its original cassette format for ‘Cassette Store Day’ 2019, this extended CD version features an additional 3 bonus tracks (on top of the 3 extra instrumental tracks from the same period that featured on the cassette re-release). In the style of all of THE THE’s previous Cineola releases, it also includes a deluxe 36-page booklet, replete with information concerning the origins and the restoration of this material, lyrics and images of the original cassette sleeve and artwork.

Includes unlimited streaming of SEE WITHOUT BEING SEEN via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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1.	TROOPS 02:47	lyrics	buy track
TROOPS Rush, rush to the sound of the internal red slush Crush, crush at the thought of the eternal red rush They go up, they go around They every other way but down They go up, they go around They every other way but down They go up in my head I fell down Up they go down, they do every other way but around Is this right? People down? I’ve been tired but it’s all right? They go up, they go down They every other way but around The green gas lies in my lungs, so heavily laden The green gas lies in my lungs, so heavily laden
2.	HOMA'S COMA 03:51	lyrics	buy track
HOMA’S COMA History repeats itself within the realms of my inexperience Life is but an empty sack withered in the storms of resistance See me dwindle watch me dwell In my cut out corner in my plastic world I have no future for I’ve had no past Can you help me? At last! History repeats itself within the realms of my inexperience Life is but an empty sack withered in the storms of resistance See me dwindle watch me dwell In my cut out corner in my plastic world How I wish, how I wonder How I wish, how I wonder How I wish, how I wonder I have no future for I’ve had no past Can you help me? At last! History repeats itself within the realms of my inexperience Life is but an empty sack withered in the storms of resistance See me dwindle watch me dwell In my cut out corner in my plastic world
3.	PLANETARIUM 04:29	lyrics
PLANETARIUM I like to watch them I like to watch them go walking by I like to dream about the things they do at night I can see everyone, can everyone see? I can see everyone, can everyone see? I like to watch them I like to dream about, the things they do at night I like to watch them Controlled elation fights back again Controlled elation fights back again Me in my room in my planetarium Me in my room in my planetarium Me in my room Me in my room Controlled elation fights back again Controlled elation fights back again I like to watch them, go walking by I like to dream about, the things they do at night I can see everyone, can everyone see I like to film them, and see them film me I like to film them And see them film me I like to film them And see them film me When will I see you next? When will I see you next? Me in my room in my planetarium Me in my room in my planetarium Controlled elation fights back again Controlled elation fights back again Me in my room in my planetarium Me in my room in my planetarium I like to film them, And see them film me I like to film them, And see them film me Me in my room in my planetarium Me in my room in my planetarium Controlled elation fights back again Controlled elation fights back again Me in my room Me in my room
4.	SPACESHIP IN MY BARN 04:36	lyrics	buy track
SPACESHIP IN MY BARN Caught in a dreamlike substance of my choice Open is my head and receptive to every voice Up is my mind and open to the probe When will they finally believe I really want to go home? Home Caught in a dreamlike substance of my choice Open is my head and receptive to every voice It’s me! I want to go home Third night ‘til late, if they will give me the chance? I want to live in nowhere again, now coming down by the light I wish I wish I wish I wish I wish I wish I wish I was alive I wish I wish I wish I was alive
5.	INSECT CHILDREN 03:47	lyrics
INSECT CHILDREN Little children in the park crushing insects for a lark Babies burning in their beds wreaths of fire around their heads Came out of woodworm in the house see And made out of something only known to the one To the two to the three to the four and me! Dancing, dancing, dancing on their graves Dancing, dancing, dancing on their graves Little children in the park crushing insects for a lark Babies burning in their beds wreaths of fire around their heads Dancing, dancing, dancing on their graves Dancing, dancing, dancing on their graves Come out of the house like woodworm you’ll see I’m made out of milk it doesn’t worry me Babies burning in their beds wreaths of fire around their heads Little children in the park crushing insects for a lark Babies burning in their beds wreaths of fire around their heads Dancing, dancing, dancing on their graves Dancing, dancing, dancing on their graves Little children in the park crushing insects for a lark Babies burning in their beds, wreaths of fire around their heads I’m not a river I’m a house see I’m made out of something only known to me I’m not a house I’m a river you’ll see Or made out of milk it doesn’t worry me Dancing, dancing, dancing on their graves Dancing, dancing, dancing on their graves
6.	MY VYMURA 04:30	info
7.	WINDOW LEDGE 03:17	lyrics
WINDOW LEDGE I live in a seashell freed from the world Healing my pies upon thy cooker I dwell Calling, she was calling It’s the latest sensation excluding the Pope Finding dream coloured martyrs in dream flavoured soap Calling, she was calling Humming my lines with my boxes of Dreft She’s framed in time upon the window ledge Call The sky was so bright one night I saw it Shut my open doors until it’s unlit Calling, she was calling I’m not quite as happy as I could have been With my whiter than whites engrossed in Him Calling, she was calling We fixed up our candlelight, whispering our tunes Is love is the sweetest thing that’s happened to you? I want to stay with you Calling, calling, calling, calling, calling Calling, calling, calling, calling, calling
8.	SUGAR & SPIES 02:56	lyrics	buy track
SUGAR & SPIES Sugar & Spies It’s alright I cannot see you I can’t see you Sugar & Spies Sugar & Surprise Open up your innermost Open up your fantasies I cannot see you I can’t see you
9.	WHITE STONE ON EARTH 02:30	lyrics
WHITE STONE ON EARTH There’s blue skies, white concrete, green grass Crimson green sun, white stone, love... white stone
10.	PEOPLE ON SIGHT 03:36	lyrics	buy track
PEOPLE ON SIGHT Can you identify people on sight? Do you get frightened of great heights? You know that dog it will not bite Your white is black and your black is white The sun is bright and oh, so white Your right is left and your wrong is right Your right is left and your wrong is right Your white is black and your black is white Can you identify people on sight? People on sight Do you get frightened of great heights? You know that dog it will not bite Your white is black and your black is white The sun is bright and oh, so white Your right is left and your wrong is right Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Can you identify people on sight Can … you … identify … people ….
11.	LET'S DO IT AGAIN 03:32	lyrics
LET’S DO IT AGAIN Crawling out my window pane Crawling out, let’s do it again Over and out, let’s do it again Crawling out my window pane Over and out, let’s do it again
12.	EMPTY NIGHT TRAIN HOME 05:19
13.	LAZY FINGER SHAKE 04:07

credits

released May 1, 2020

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about

THE THE England, UK

THE THE was formed in 1979 by Matt Johnson. His genre is all his own: it is music of long shadows, high hopes, channeled anger, feverish passions and sweetly disturbing poignancy. It is pop and rock, blues and folk, soul and polemic. It spans alienated electronics to twisted cinematic soundtracks, guitar tumbling swing to crimson ballads, rants and prayers to diaries and hymns. ... more

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