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Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians — Chinese Bones
Album: Globe of Frogs
Avg rating:
6.1

Your rating:
Total ratings: 671









Released: 1990
Length: 4:21
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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Watching Romeo dissolve I was tempted to join him
By the mirror of the lake where the statues unfurled
I had never seen a man so abuse his reflection
As the light shines through your Chinese bones

Watching Juliet un-robe I would hasten toward her
But around her feet I sat that her serpent was curled
And her eyeballs had rolled up so her pupils had vanished
And the light shines through your Chinese bones
As the light shines through your Chinese bones

I met an interesting dwarf and I told him a story
As he walked towards the east then the shadow was right
Something Shakespeare never said was ?You've got to be kidding?
As the light shines through your Chinese bones
As the light shines through your Chinese bones

The line between us is so thin I might as well be you
And everywhere I've ever been I know you're going to
Chinese bones, Chinese bones
Comments (78)add comment
 Steely_D wrote:

I met an interesting dwarf and I told him a story: 

I once got lost trying to find Robyn’s show at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, and ran smack into Clem Burke, who was not impressed that I knew who he was.



Dang did ya really
Posted 1 year ago by eranzangvil    [ Reply ]
Nice... gave it a 6, then a 7 only for the bass parts.
Posted 1 year ago by CoYoT51    [ Reply ]
I met an interesting dwarf and I told him a story: 

I once got lost trying to find Robyn’s show at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, and ran smack into Clem Burke, who was not impressed that I knew who he was.
Posted 4 years ago by Steely_D    [ Reply ]
Weirdly brilliant, to my ears.
Posted 4 years ago by DaidyBoy    [ Reply ]
Thanks for playing this... Looking forward to seeing RH tomorrow night (May 21) in Sebastopol, CA! 
Posted 5 years ago by rocklandlove    [ Reply ]
Thank you for playing! I saw RH perform at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, NY last Sunday. RH is extremely entertaining and funny, in a dry, strange way. One does not have to be familiar with his catalog of songs  to appreciate his shows.   Keep up The Element of Light!
 
Posted 5 years ago by rdunham    [ Reply ]
One of my all-time favorite tunes by anyone...
Posted 5 years ago by maclochness    [ Reply ]
 Steely_D wrote:
Something Shakespeare never said
was "you've got to be kidding." 
 

i always loved that line
Posted 5 years ago by RabbitEars    [ Reply ]
I love REM from the "good" period (first 8 albums), but I find Peter Buck's arpeggios in this thing annoyingly repetitive. I guess that technique doesn't work in every setting.
Posted 6 years ago by nutrod42    [ Reply ]
Wow, perfect seamless segue from Radio Free Europe.

Bill does it again! 
Posted 7 years ago by trailhead    [ Reply ]
During his intro to this song a minute ago Bill mentioned he read the comments we post and of course he holds his own opinion. Globe of Frogs gets lots of play. How 'bout some tracks from a different Hitchcock album? Thanks Bill!
Posted 7 years ago by chinaski    [ Reply ]
Robyn plays Dallas often enough. You can submit song requests on his website prior to whatever concert you are attending and sure enough he makes mention of them from the stage and plays them. Always a good time.
Posted 7 years ago by chinaski    [ Reply ]
Something Shakespeare never said
was "you've got to be kidding." 
Posted 8 years ago by Steely_D    [ Reply ]
 aspicer wrote:
Alas, I'm caught in that swirl of one of those bands I'm told I should like and appreciate and really just don't...{#Ask}  ..and this tune is actually pretty decent.

 
I think that sums Robyn up for a lot of people. There are likely some good reasons he didn't/hasn't it big, and I'm guessing his inability to stay in key is one of them. But there's a wistful, serene nuttiness to his songs that I like. 

edit 5/29/17: glad we agree (?), Bill. 
Posted 8 years ago by kcar    [ Reply ]
Yes, it's absolutely perfect, and very tonally matched to follow R.E.M.'s "Radio Free Europe." Well done; exquisite sonic flow, as usual!
Posted 8 years ago by coloradojohn    [ Reply ]
This guy seems popular, but it can't be because of the singing.
Posted 8 years ago by Stefen    [ Reply ]
 leafmold wrote:
Thanks for playing more Robyn! More please....

 
I couldn't agree more. More Robyn please!

This song was once covered by the Grateful Dead, with Suzanne Vega singing. What a combo.
Posted 9 years ago by receptor67    [ Reply ]
Alas, I'm caught in that swirl of one of those bands I'm told I should like and appreciate and really just don't...{#Ask}  ..and this tune is actually pretty decent.
Posted 9 years ago by aspicer    [ Reply ]
Thanks for playing more Robyn! More please....
Posted 10 years ago by leafmold    [ Reply ]
This is giving me flashbacks to that awful Balloon Man song from the 80s.
Posted 10 years ago by Shimmer    [ Reply ]
 deadfdr wrote:
You can never play too much Robin. Quirky, psychededlic, playful, melodic, inventive, personal.
 
very welll-put, dead one, er, i mean, dear one.
Posted 10 years ago by Giselle62    [ Reply ]
 (former member) wrote:


Wow...  this song is good for the ears...

 

 
Only if the ears are badly out of tune...
Posted 10 years ago by kingart    [ Reply ]
two  jangly guitar songs in a row!  
There's a nice video on youtube of him playing this song acoustically. just type in "Chinese Bones"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u2-V-1sivA
Posted 10 years ago by Giselle62    [ Reply ]
Bliss-soaked aural lollipops.
Posted 10 years ago by Zoonhollis    [ Reply ]
Has been noted elsewhere on the board in reference to other songs, but the segue here from The Decemberists - Calamity Song is frickin' seamless.  Way to go!
Posted 11 years ago by tonypf    [ Reply ]
Well, I never expected to ever hear Robyn Hitchcock on any other radio station, bar the late great John Peel.

Crazy crazy music, love it, the most incredibly weird lyrics.  
Posted 11 years ago by bb_matt    [ Reply ]
 chedak wrote:
REM's Peter Buck actually performed as a guest on this song and his guitar sound is heard in the track.  He also played on "Flesh Number One (Beatle Dennis)," which also features harmony vocals by Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze) that is also on the same album.


 
The first time I saw Radiohead was when they opened for REM in around 1995.  The story goes like this.  Stipe was watching MTV one day and I think it was Fake Plastic Trees that came on, and he then invited them to tour with them.  He said once "this group is so good it's scary".  
Posted 12 years ago by rdo    [ Reply ]
Thank you for playing Robyn!!!!!
Posted 12 years ago by leafmold    [ Reply ]
 chedak wrote:
REM's Peter Buck actually performed as a guest on this song and his guitar sound is heard in the track.  He also played on "Flesh Number One (Beatle Dennis)," which also features harmony vocals by Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze) that is also on the same album.


 
Perhaps not insignificantly Hitchcock's latest band, Venus 3, includes Buck as well as Bill Rieflin, who finally became REM's full time drummer. May still be.

Posted 13 years ago by WonderLizard    [ Reply ]
REM's Peter Buck actually performed as a guest on this song and his guitar sound is heard in the track.  He also played on "Flesh Number One (Beatle Dennis)," which also features harmony vocals by Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze) that is also on the same album.


Posted 13 years ago by chedak    [ Reply ]
...robyn hitchcock and the egyptians actually opened for REM during the green tour; nice double-bill...
Posted 14 years ago by mandolin    [ Reply ]
 paulmack wrote:

Perhaps so, but check out Robin's early work as a member of The Soft Boys (try "Underwater Moonlight") and you'll hear him doing similar things even then, ~ 1979 and 1980, when REM was just beginning. And they both got the Rickenbacker jangle, ultimately, from The Byrds.

 
Thanks, I knew about the Byrds influence...i will check out The Soft Boys.

Posted 14 years ago by jules44    [ Reply ]
 jules44 wrote:
Holy REM riff batman! Driver Eight....
 
Perhaps so, but check out Robin's early work as a member of The Soft Boys (try "Underwater Moonlight") and you'll hear him doing similar things even then, ~ 1979 and 1980, when REM was just beginning. And they both got the Rickenbacker jangle, ultimately, from The Byrds.

Posted 14 years ago by paulmack    [ Reply ]
Holy REM riff batman! Driver Eight....
Posted 14 years ago by jules44    [ Reply ]
I kept hearing the vocalist from Porcupine Tree and thinking of Robyn Hitchcock and was gonna request him. I was just thinking that his stuff with the Egyptians would fit well with other stuff on here.
Posted 15 years ago by Giselle62    [ Reply ]
 AdyMiles wrote:
Really annoying, noisy 'music'
 
You must be a fan of that really pleasing, silent 'music'.

Posted 15 years ago by peter_james_bond    [ Reply ]
Really annoying, noisy 'music'
Posted 15 years ago by AdyMiles    [ Reply ]
never heard this before.  lovin the bass!
Posted 15 years ago by wrangler    [ Reply ]
Still love this album
Posted 15 years ago by AphidA    [ Reply ]
Thanks Bill&Becca!
I haven't heard Robyn since the late 80's.  I had forgotten about him and how much I liked his style. 
Posted 15 years ago by Thistle    [ Reply ]
 pauljw wrote:
If you look in many early interviews, REM have always stated that Hitchcock is one of their influences, not the other way around. More accurately, REM sound like RH.

Check out the Robyn Hitchcock and the Minus 3 LP "Ole Tarantula" - that also sounds like REM, but that's because the band is 3/4 of the touring version of REM.

On a sunny afternoon in Dundee (Scotland) it's nice to hear him on the radio.

The quality of Scottish Dwarves must be superior to those States-side ... oftentimes incomprehensible ... but always interesting - it's the accent.
 

I saw an REM concert in 1988 and this was the opening act.
Posted 15 years ago by rdo    [ Reply ]
"You've got to be kidding!"
Watching Romeo dissolve I was tempted to join him by the mirror of the lake where the statues unfurled I had never seen a man so abuse his reflection as the light shines through your Chinese bones watching Juliet unrobe I would hasten toward her but around her feet I sat that her serpent was curled and her eyeballs had rolled up so her pupils had vanished and the light shines through your Chinese bones as the light shines through your Chinese bones I met an interesting dwarf and I told him a story as he walked towards the East then the shadow was right something Shakespeare never said was 'you've got to be kidding' as the light shines through your Chinese bones as the light shines through your Chinese bones the line between us is so thin I might as well be you and everywhere I've ever been I know you're going to Chinese bones Chinese Bones
Posted 16 years ago by laozilover    [ Reply ]
Happy to see some Robyn Hitchcock on RP....He is so genius...
Posted 16 years ago by Monster    [ Reply ]
Nice tune!!
Posted 16 years ago by coolpeople_rule    [ Reply ]
If you look in many early interviews, REM have always stated that Hitchcock is one of their influences, not the other way around. More accurately, REM sound like RH. Check out the Robyn Hitchcock and the Minus 3 LP "Ole Tarantula" - that also sounds like REM, but that's because the band is 3/4 of the touring version of REM. On a sunny afternoon in Dundee (Scotland) it's nice to hear him on the radio. The quality of Scottish Dwarves must be superior to those States-side ... oftentimes incomprehensible ... but always interesting - it's the accent.
Posted 17 years ago by pauljw    [ Reply ]
Damn, THAT is some REM guitar. How about following this song with Pretty Persuasion? I'm totally in the mood for that now . . .
Posted 17 years ago by lathyris    [ Reply ]
phineas wrote:
Well, duh....he wrote: "Verily, thoust kiddeth." You can look it up.....
My brother dead! I know thou dost but jest: TITUS ANDRONICUS, act II, scene III
Posted 18 years ago by fortinbras    [ Reply ]
Less scary than I remember him from the late 80s. (Actually reminding me a little of Al Stewart, of all people, on this cut.)
Posted 18 years ago by lmic    [ Reply ]
Posted 18 years ago by R_P    [ Reply ]
You can never play too much Robin. Quirky, psychededlic, playful, melodic, inventive, personal.
Posted 18 years ago by deadfdr    [ Reply ]
edisoncarter wrote:
Gosh, I was just thinking the guitar sounded just like Peter Buck -- good to know I have some ear ....
Me too - I was thinking it sounds like an REM song, but less interesting.
Posted 18 years ago by Maaike    [ Reply ]
earthbased wrote:
How about "Balloon Man"?
... Here you go ... ... Howzat?
Posted 18 years ago by Mari    [ Reply ]
How about "Balloon Man"?
Posted 18 years ago by earthbased    [ Reply ]
jdehls wrote:
More Robyn Hitchcock. How about "Underwater Moonlight"
submitted it recently. Got rejected.
Posted 18 years ago by MM_Prague    [ Reply ]
Mari wrote:
Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians' Chinese Bones ( Globe Of Frogs? )...
Are your song comments computer generated?
Posted 18 years ago by AphidA    [ Reply ]
bbching wrote:
I think I just heard the line "I met an interesting dwarf and I told him a story." I never get to meet the interesting dwarves - only the boring ones. And they are NEVER interested in my stories.
Maybe it's you...
Posted 19 years ago by WonderLizard    [ Reply ]
I think I just heard the line "I met an interesting dwarf and I told him a story." I never get to meet the interesting dwarves - only the boring ones. And they are NEVER interested in my stories.
Posted 19 years ago by bbching    [ Reply ]
physicsgenius wrote:
I don't know who wrote that comment, but it is. spot. on.
Its sorta like mebbe something Edge of U2 would be play over and over and over, except a bit a bit higher up the fret board.
Posted 19 years ago by Daveinbawlmer    [ Reply ]
physicsgenius wrote:
The deedle-deedle deedle-deedle background has got. to. go.
I don't know who wrote that comment, but it is. spot. on.
Posted 19 years ago by physicsgenius    [ Reply ]
The deedle-deedle deedle-deedle background has got. to. go.
Posted 19 years ago by physicsgenius    [ Reply ]
Platypus wrote:
sounds identical to the guitar in that one REM tune - anyone know which one I'm talking about?
"Don't go back to Rockville(?)"
Posted 20 years ago by trekhead    [ Reply ]
cherylg4 wrote:
One of my favorite lines in all of rock: "Something Shakespeare never said was 'You've got to be kidding' "
Well, duh....he wrote: "Verily, thoust kiddeth." You can look it up.....
Posted 20 years ago by phineas    [ Reply ]
Not to complain or anything, but this is one of Robyn's more mediocre tunes, IMHO.
Posted 20 years ago by drH    [ Reply ]
michaeltrego wrote:
It should sound like REM, Peter Buck is playing guitar on this song. Good ears! Mike
Gosh, I was just thinking the guitar sounded just like Peter Buck -- good to know I have some ear ....
Posted 20 years ago by edisoncarter    [ Reply ]
One of my favorite lines in all of rock: "Something Shakespeare never said was 'You've got to be kidding' "
Posted 20 years ago by cherylg4    [ Reply ]
Always good to hear old Robyn. Thanks.
Posted 21 years ago by bsknight    [ Reply ]
oh yes, thank you RP!!!
Posted 21 years ago by paulmall    [ Reply ]
blackridge wrote:
Robyn Hitchcock is a lyrical maniac and a great musician. If you had a chance to see him while he was with the Egyptians (and still young)you too were probably amazed that 3 people could make so much music on a stage.
actually, i have seen him with and without the egyptians, the latest time being 3 years ago and he never stopped. the best show was when it was just he and his guitar on a stage with a bookcase. if anyone has a chance, go see him!! his presence is amazing
Posted 21 years ago by cyndromeda    [ Reply ]
I love Robyn Hitchcock and would enjoy hearing more from him! Thanks for the great selection.
Posted 21 years ago by Carissa    [ Reply ]
It should sound like REM, Peter Buck is playing guitar on this song. Good ears! Mike
Originally Posted by faramir: I clicked on the comments to see if I was the only one who thought so. Even the rythm section and the singing are very REM--in fact, I would say this is the closest I've heard someone coming to being REM. Before I saw the name of the song, I was already leaning towards Reckoning's Seven Chinese Brothers. I'll have to go home tonight and listen.
Posted 21 years ago by michaeltrego    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by Platypus: sounds identical to the guitar in that one REM tune - anyone know which one I'm talking about?
I clicked on the comments to see if I was the only one who thought so. Even the rythm section and the singing are very REM--in fact, I would say this is the closest I've heard someone coming to being REM. Before I saw the name of the song, I was already leaning towards Reckoning's Seven Chinese Brothers. I'll have to go home tonight and listen.
Posted 22 years ago by faramir    [ Reply ]
Robyn Hitchcock is a lyrical maniac and a great musician. If you had a chance to see him while he was with the Egyptians (and still young)you too were probably amazed that 3 people could make so much music on a stage.
Posted 22 years ago by blackridge    [ Reply ]
sounds identical to the guitar in that one REM tune - anyone know which one I\'m talking about?
Posted 22 years ago by Platypus    [ Reply ]
More Robyn Hitchcock. How about \"Underwater Moonlight\"
Posted 22 years ago by jdehls    [ Reply ]
Robyn Hitchcock presents where the droll meets the odd and it always comes out precious!
Posted 22 years ago by BC_Night_Heron    [ Reply ]