Bananamour is the fourth studio album by Kevin Ayers and it featured some of his most accessible recordings, including "Shouting in a Bucket Blues" and his whimsical tribute to Syd Barrett, "Oh! Wot A Dream".[1] After Whatevershebringswesing, Ayers assembled a new band anchored by drummer Eddie Sparrow and bassist Archie Legget and employed a more direct lyricism. The centrepiece of the album is "Decadence", his withering portrait of Nico:[1] "Watch her out there on display / Dancing in her sleepy way / While all her visions start to play / On the icicles of our decay / And all along the desert shore / She wanders further evermore / The only thing that's left to try / She says to live I have to die." The song was later covered by the Australian psychedelic rock band The Church on their 1999 album A Box of Birds.

Bananamour
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 1973
RecordedSeptember–October 1972
StudioAbbey Road Studios, London
Length35:48
Label
Producer
Kevin Ayers chronology
Whatevershebringswesing
(1971)
Bananamour
(1973)
The Confessions of Dr. Dream and Other Stories
(1974)
Singles from Bananamour
  1. "Oh! Wot A Dream"
    Released: November 10, 1972
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

The album marked the end of Ayers' first Harvest Records series.

Track listing

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All songs written by Kevin Ayers

Side 1
No.TitleLength
1."Don't Let It Get You Down (For Rachel)"3:58
2."Shouting in a Bucket Blues"3:44
3."When Your Parents Go to Sleep"5:46
4."Interview"4:44
5."Internotional Anthem"0:40
Side 2
No.TitleLength
6."Decadence"8:02
7."Oh! Wot A Dream"2:48
8."Hymn"4:34
9."Beware of the Dog"1:20
2003 CD reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
10."Connie On a Rubber Band"2:56
11."Decadence" (Early Mix)"6:57
12."Take Me to Tahiti"3:37
13."Caribbean Moon"3:02

Personnel

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Musicians

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  • Kevin Ayers – guitar, vocals
  • Archie Legget – bass, harmony vocals, lead vocal (track 3)
  • Eddie Sparrow – drums

Additional musicians

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Technical

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  • Kevin Ayers – producer
  • Andrew King – producer
  • John Kurlander – engineer
  • Bob Lawrie – cover art
  • Richard Imrie – photography

Notes

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References

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  • Original LP sleevenotes