...And the fighting takes over

Version one

Recorded 17th August 1981 for the Richard Skinner show, Radio 1. Broadcast August 1981. Later released on "Zoology" (2007) and "Wilder" deluxe edition (2013)

Julian Cope - Vocals

Troy Tate - guitar

Jeff Hammer - Keyboards

Alfie Agius - bass

Ted Emmett, Luke Tunney - brass

Version two 

Recorded Autumn 1981, released on "Wilder" album, November 1981.

Julian Cope - vocals, bass?

Dave Balfe - keyboards

Troy Tate - guitar

Ted Emmett, Luke Tunney - brass

James Eller - bass?

Written by Julian Cope

Was it love at first sight? According to "Head on" it was. The Teardrop Explodes were on the east coast of America on their first proper foreign tour, playing their opening date in Albany. North of New York, north of Woodstock and Saugerties, north of Yasgurs Farm and Big Pink, these heroic places from the psychedelic sixties. These may have been playing on Cope's mind but he had more important worries - teaching the band the songs, being the front man instead of the bass player, and most importantly who were those two women at the front of the stage?  They looked so cool, and they clearly knew and loved the band's music. Cope was entranced, and after the gig he had to chat to them, he couldn't miss this chance, fate had brought them together, it was up to him to give fate a helping hand. They were sisters, Patty and Dorian, from Manhattan. They came along to other Teardrop gigs in the area and almost instantly Cope fell in love with Dorian. They shared time and space together, metaphorically and literally.  They had a connection, as they say. Dorian became Cope's muse, his stability in the acid rush of fame back home and freaked out tour of the endless expanse of America. 

The only problem was that Cope was already married. He had met Kathy Cherry during his first year in CF Mott College in Liverpool and their casual friendship had become a more serious relationship as time went on.  Were they in love? Who knows. But in the summer of 1979 they were married. Cope was being contrary - the Liverpool scene was emotionally stunted and Cope was making a heroic gesture towards what the post punk scene considered to be "love". Apparently David Balfe gave Cope a lot of stick for getting married until Cope snapped back "Balfe, she's only my first wife"

But that was a long long time ago, at least it seemed that way. Cope had changed as much as his band had in the intervening months. The distance between America and the UK was nothing compared to the distance between Cope and his wife. When he returned in the Spring of 1981 he tried to hide the affair but it was soon discovered by his family and there were confrontations, tears, the usual fallout. It wasn't pretty and it wasn't much fun.

The mess was channelled into "...And the fighting takes over". Or at least it feels that way. I don't think Cope has ever confirmed it, so maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree. But there's a melancholy mood which hangs heavily over this song. 

The first version recorded was the BBC Richard Skinner session in August 1981. Of course Cope muddies the water by stating (in the brief and mostly incorrect sleeve notes to "Zoology") that it was recorded as a demo at Warner Brothers studio. This is repeated in the "Culture Bunker" track listing, and the version on that box set is sourced from "Zoology" as the astute listener will hear a glimpse of the cross-fade at the start. The best sounding version of the August recording is definitely the "Wilder" double CD edition. Whatever the provenance of the recording, the essentials of the song are in place already by August. 

The song is built on a stunningly beautiful arpeggio guitar part played by Troy Tate. Apparently he wanted a writing credit for it, Cope (and his publisher) disagreed and offered an "arranged by" credit. The sleeve of "Wilder" doesn't have any credit of that kind. Whatever the reality of the creation of the song, it would be a far lesser song played by any other guitarist. Tate's guitar is sensitive, delicate and heartbreaking. The verse arpeggios are expertly played with little runs here and there while the instrumental sections are more chordal, but with little links between the lower notes and the upper strings. It's a beautiful performance and adds another deep layer of melancholy to the song.

The August recording is again a glimpse of how "The Great Dominions" album would have sounded. The chorus is smothered in Jeff Hammer's unimaginative Hammond organ chords, the trumpet line is muted and sometimes barely audible, the sound quality isn't that great, there's a plate reverb which makes everything sink into a muddy mush. And yet Cope's vocal is heartbreakingly emotional, and the false ending leads to a crescendo which almost - almost - works, there's a deep bass note and sustained organ hanging over the song's finale, a brief blast of trumpet before it fades away completely. A missed chance? Possibly.

A few months later and a reformed Teardrop Explodes are in AIR studios in Oxford Circus and "...And the fighting takes over" gains a clarity missing somewhere in the mud of August. Troy Tate's guitar part is slightly faster, more developed and more assured, the echoing trumpet line is clearer and David Balfe's Prophet 5 synths are more subtle than Jeff Hammer's blaring Hammond organ. The instrumental coda gets an additional delicate synth melody, alongside some subtle additions towards the end. Musically the performance is immaculate.

Which leads us to the lyrics and Cope's performance. The words seem to come from a moment of contemplation in the middle of an argument. There's regret and memories of joy and laughter from younger times. "As two souls rush together" is quite poetic, again a moment of looking into someone's eyes - searching for truth, beauty, that spark which ignited somewhere in the past, and a realisation that both protagonists were being childish. No surprise. "...and the fighting takes over" feels like a central key to the album, the final verse mentions "Colours fly away from me" - the song "Colours fly away" was on side one track two, here we are at side two track four, it's all interrelated - children again, tiny children, mummy and daddy elsewhere in the lyrics of the album. The 1960s English psychedelia was a return to childhood - "See Emily Play", "Strawberry Fields Forever" - is reflected in Cope's 1980s English psychedelia too. A retreat away from the big bad world with adult problems. The last few lines of lyrics offer no solace. 

"I think about the first time

And lately

Oh lately

I think again"

There's no resolution to the fighting, no settlement to the argument, not in words but there's comfort in the instrumental coda, those final additional synth melodies can bring tears to my eyes - they're not bright and forceful, they're soft and warm, like a hug from someone who cares. Which is exactly what you need when you've been fighting.

Once the song was issued on "Wilder" in November 1981, "...and the fighting takes over" was played live a few times. It appears in a handful of live shows from 1982, usually around eight songs into the set. The live arrangement is quite faithful, but Gary Dwyer adds a subtle offbeat drum pattern - the same one as the verse of "Log cabin" - and the trumpet melody is handled by Balfe's synthesiser while Ronnie Francois adds tasteful bass parts. At the end, the trumpet plays a solo, extrapolated from the brief snippet in the August recording. Maybe the song was too subtle for live performances, but it was supplanted by "Log cabin" in the main set and disappeared quickly which is a shame.

"...And the fighting takes over" is one of Cope's most open hearted songs, played sensitively by the band. I'm not ashamed to say It has made me cry on more than one occasion. A beautiful song, one of the Teardrop Explodes' finest moments.