New Big Prinz
Lyrics
Rockin' records
Rockin' records
Rock the record
Rockin' records
The guy's rock records
Big priest
Big priest
Ah-big priest
Rockin records
Rock the record
Rob's rock record
Drink the long
Drink the long draught
Drink the long draught for big priest
Drink the long draught down
Drink the long
Drink the long draught
Big priest
He is not (appreciated)
Drink the long
Drink the long draught
Drink the long draught for big priest
Rock the records
Check the record
Check the guy's track record
Check the record
Check the guy's track record
He is not appreciated
Check the record
Check the record
Check the guy's track record
Big priest
Check the record
Check the record
Check the guy's track record
Check the record
Check the guy's rock record (2)
He is not appreciated
Drink the long draught down
Drink the long
Drink the long for big priest
Check the record
Check the record
Check the guy's track record
Check the record
Check the guy's track record
He is not appreciated
Rock the records
Rock the records
Rockin' records
Big priest
Drink the long
Drink the long draught
Drink the long draught for the big priest
Check the record
Check the record
Check the guy's track record
Check the record
Check the guy's track record
He is not appreciated
Rock the records
Rock the records
Rockin' records
Big prinz
Rockin records
Rockin records
Rockin records
Rockin records
Rockin records
Rockin rec - rock's records
Notes
1. Also called, on various releases, "Big New Prinz" and "New Big Priest." The song's lyrical point of departure is "Hip Priest," from which it takes the line "He is not appreciated," and adapts "drink the long draft, Dan," as "Drink the long draft down," as well as the phrase "Big Priest" which is close to "Hip Priest." Its musical point of departure is the sound of Gary Glitter, particularly "Rock and Roll Part Two." Other Fall songs that feature Gary Glitter-sounding riffs are "Glam-Racket" and "Mountain Energei." Here the character of the Hip Priest is perhaps meant to loosely fit the theme of I Am Kurious, Oranj, although "priest" would be an odd epithet for William of Orange, who was known for waging more or less religiously-themed wars against the Catholic king of France, Louis XIV.
According to Zack:
"Live performances of this song almost always include more lyrics from 'Hip Priest': "Was shown in a freak show early on / And drunk from small brown bottle since I was so long." And MES can says that it's about William of Orange all he wants, but clearly the song is also about Mark Edward Smith, especially when performed outside the context of the ballet and especially when he hands the microphone to fans so they can sing these lyrics back to him."
2. Dan: "There used to be a rock-album discographical book called Rock Record and New Rock Record, edited by Terry Hounsome...it seems like it was a well-known reference work, and someone working in the music industry might well have had this on their office shelf and might well have said 'check the guy's rock record.' Well, they might!
More Information
Comments (13)
- 1. | 24/11/2013
- 2. | 24/11/2013
- 3. | 11/08/2015
- 4. | 25/08/2015
- 5. | 05/01/2016
- 6. | 21/11/2016
And MES can says that it's about William of Orange all he wants, but clearly the song is also about Mark Edward Smith, especially when performed outside the context of the ballet and especially when he hands the microphone to fans so they can sing these lyrics back to him.
- 7. | 24/11/2016
- 8. | 24/11/2016
- 9. | 11/10/2019
- 10. | 26/06/2020
I've got the third edition, which would be the edition closest to the writing of this song.
Editions to 1987 (taken from the preface, p.xi):
Rock Master 1978; 309 pages. Privately published by Terry Hounsome. Limited edition of 150 copies (Blue cover).
Rock Record 1979; 385 pages; 15,000 LPs; 3,200 entries. Privately published by Terry Hounsome (White cover).
New Rock Record 1981; 526 pages; 30,000 LPs; 4,500 entries. (Black cover) Blandford press. In USA Rock Record, Facts on File.
New Rock Record 1983 second edition; 718 pages; 37,500 LPs; 6,100 entries. (Red cover) Blandford press. In USA New Rock Record, Facts on File.
New Rock Record 1987 third edition; 752 pages; 45,681 LPs; 7,678 entries. (Gold cover) Blandford press. In USA New Rock Record, Facts on File.
After 1987, there were further editions,(http://www.rockrom.com/products/products.shtml), before it went on CDRom in 1995. The last paper edition was the 7th in 1997.
Anyway, it seems like it was a well-known reference work, and someone working in the music industry might well have had this on their office shelf and might well have said "check the guy's rock record". Well, they might!
Having had a look in the third edition, there's no specific textual connections.
- 11. | 02/12/2020
The jock and ginger connection ontuiges me .
- 12. | 27/01/2022
- 13. | 25/01/2023
Another loose connection though, albeit one further degree of separation - Rob gave me the number of a lady in Prestwich who was selling a record collection - turned out it was Hilary Moss and she reckons it was all MES' stuff he'd left behind at hers - original NEU! Tago Mago etc so a good chance! She was after daft money though and they were all in awful condition so I passed, sadly.
MES: What for the ballet? Yeah, it’s a good one that. Well, the song’s about a prince. Prince William of Orange. 1688. A glam rock version of it.