Music for "The Knee Plays"

Music for "The Knee Plays" (1985) is an album by David Byrne composed for Robert Wilson's opera the CIVIL warS.[1][2] The album was released on vinyl; a remastered and expanded CD version was released in November 2007 under the title The Knee Plays and it includes eight previously unreleased bonus tracks and a DVD of the music set to a slideshow of 400 black and white photographs.

Music for "The Knee Plays"
Soundtrack album by
ReleasedMay 1985
Recorded1984 at One on One Studio and Studio Sound Recorders, North Hollywood
Length56:53
LabelECM (Original US release)
EMI/Regal Zonophone (Original international release)
Nonesuch (2007 reissue)
ProducerDavid Byrne
David Byrne chronology
The Catherine Wheel
(1981)
Music for "The Knee Plays"
(1985)
Sounds from True Stories
(1986)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Robert ChristgauA−[3]
The Knee Plays
Soundtrack album by
Released6 November 2007
Recorded1983 at JAK Recording Studio, Tokyo; 1984 at One on One Studio and Studio Sound Recorders, North Hollywood
Length79:42
LabelNonesuch Records
ProducerDavid Byrne
David Byrne chronology
Live from Austin, Texas
(2004)
The Knee Plays
(2007)
Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
(2008)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
The Guardian[5]
Pitchfork Media7.5/10[6]

Track listing

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All tracks written by David Byrne except where noted.

No.TitleLength
1."Tree (Today Is An Important Occasion)"4:02
2."In the Upper Room" (Traditional, arranged by the Baptist Methodist Choir Church of God, Byrne & David Blumberg)3:35
3."The Sound of Business"6:15
4."Social Studies"4:52
5."(The Gift of Sound) Where the Sun Never Goes Down" (Trad., arr. Clara Hudman "The Georgia Peach", Byrne & Blumberg)2:34
6."Theadora is Dozing" (Trad,[7] arr. Ensemble of the Bulgarian Republic, Byrne, Blumberg)2:59
7."Admiral Perry"5:32
8."I Bid You Goodnight" (Trad., arr the Pindar Family, Byrne & Blumberg)2:51
9."I've Tried" (Trad., arr Swan's Silvertone Singers, Byrne, Blumberg)3:24
10."Winter"6:11
11."Jungle Book"3:38
12."In the Future"6:35
2007 re-release bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
13."Tree (Reprise)"2:36
14."(I've Tried) Things to Do"3:28
15."Tic Toc 2 (In the Future)"5:36
16."Whisper"3:17
17."Misterias"2:42
18."Faust Dance"2:18
19."Ghost"3:24
20."Super Natural"2:56

DVD track listing

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No.TitleLength
1."Tree (Today Is An Important Occasion)"4:07
2."In the Upper Room"3:40
3."The Sound of Business"6:20
4."Social Studies"4:59
5."(The Gift of Sound) Where the Sun Never Goes Down"2:37
6."Theadora is Dozing"3:04
7."Admiral Perry"5:32
8."I Bid You Goodnight"2:55
9."Things to Do (I've Tried)"3:27
10."Winter"6:26
11."Jungle Book"3:43
12."In the Future"6:35
13."Tree (Reprise)"2:36

Personnel

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Release history

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Region Date Label Format Catalog
Worldwide 1985 Regal Zonophone LP 2403811
ECM 25022
2007 Nonesuch CD 303228

References

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  1. ^ News, Jonathan Taylor Los Angeles Daily. "DAVID BYRNE'S 'KNEE PLAYS' MAY NOT MAKE SENSE, BUT IT'S NOT NONSENSE". chicagotribune.com. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  2. ^ "David Byrne". Trouser Press. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  3. ^ "Album: David Byrne: Music for The Knee Plays". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  4. ^ Ted Mills. "The Knee Plays - David Byrne | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  5. ^ "David Byrne, The Knee Plays | David Byrne". The Guardian. 9 November 2007. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  6. ^ Eric Harvey (6 December 2007). "David Byrne: The Knee Plays Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  7. ^ Bulgarian title with the same theme: полегнала е тодора (Polegnala e Todora)
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