Do you like Bring on the Dancing Horses?

by **JackT** » Thu May 28, 2009 4:28 pm

I vote a definite 'yes'. I loved the track the first time a played it. It was the chorus that got to me.

The video is bittersweet--they all look so young and vibrant.

by **black francis** » Thu May 28, 2009 4:33 pm

I'm a yes.

by **shadows on the trees** » Thu May 28, 2009 4:37 pm

I had to say no. It's an okay song, but it's boring. It's the same few phrases over and over again, and the music is bland.

by **JackT** » Thu May 28, 2009 4:39 pm

See ya....

shadows on the trees wrote:I had to say no. It's an okay song, but it's boring. It's the same few phrases over and over again, and the music is bland.

by **withahip** » Thu May 28, 2009 4:48 pm

I was so sad when I bought STL&S and the extended flute version I had heard on college radio was not on it.

by **Mr. Brian** » Thu May 28, 2009 5:45 pm

Love it , but hate it live. They didn't even really play it live until after Evergreen as I recall. I know when I saw them in 87 they didn't do it.

by **guitarplayer on here too** » Thu May 28, 2009 5:59 pm

Yeah, like it. Agree with you Mr Brian, the live version of today is awful. It's such a basic tune, but the way it was originally recorded and mixed made that song (which is surprising considering the synths, etc badly affected the grey album). It sounds too lame live and is not helped by the way Mac sings it, same with Never Stop.

by **JackT** » Thu May 28, 2009 6:01 pm

guitarplayer on here too wrote:Yeah, like it. Agree with you Mr Brian, the live version of today is awful. It's such a basic tune, but the way it was originally recorded and mixed made that song (which is surprising considering the synths, etc badly affected the grey album). It sounds too lame live and is not helped by the way Mac sings it, same with Never Stop.

Yeah that is a great point. The synths sounded great then and still do today. Maybe because the production and arrangement were really creative.

by **tonywojo** » Thu May 28, 2009 6:15 pm

It aint the best

I like all the nursery names in it

It reminds me of zebedee

by **kook** » Fri May 29, 2009 12:18 am

Nope.
It drags. The flourishing harp thing is kitschy and Mac's doing the overly sincere thing with his voice during the verse.

by **Dr Cheese** » Fri May 29, 2009 1:50 am

Mr. Brian wrote:Love it , but hate it live.

Me too, it just turns into a bit of a dirge live.

by **Voodoo Billy** » Fri May 29, 2009 3:13 am

It has to be 'yes'. I'd only been into the Bunnymen since Ocean Rain (since Silver on Top of the Pops to be precise) and the wait for a new release seemed like an eon (sound familiar? But it was only about 18 months). Then this came out and I remember them playing it on Wogan in the UK, Will with that fender tele and Mac with one of his best haircuts. It seemed a complete change of tack at the time, in the same way that Never Stop had followed Porcupine. Perhaps it was its instant accessibility, compared to some of the previous two albums, that set it apart. Maybe it was just the Bunnymen trying their hand at perfect '80's pop, and it is certainly of its time. You have to remember that, over here anyway, we were at the time being subjected to The Cult and The Mission when this was released.
And the video, well what can you say? A Bunnymen / Corbijn classic. Perhaps the only trick they missed was in the record buying public's reaction to it. Despite a multi-format release (including the beautiful shaped picture disc and the Peel session double 7") it failed to make a big impression on the charts, possibly suggesting that a move towards a rockier feel would have been more successful for the Grey Album than its synth-based sound.
I have to say, I don't mind hearing it live these days though I wish Mac would sing it straighter. Songs like Do it Clean, Crocodiles etc lend themselves to alteration / "ad lib" but the strength of "Horses" was its sheer simplicity.
So a yes from me, especially when you think of the dirge which was released by other bands in Autumn 1985.

by **moses (2)** » Fri May 29, 2009 3:54 am

withahip wrote: the extended flute version.

fnarr fnarr

by **adders** » Fri May 29, 2009 8:12 am

Yes, I remember the Wogan appearance, still got it on VHS somewhere. Thought it (the song) was different to anything they had done before. It was better than anything else out at that time.

by **archivistmgc** » Sat May 30, 2009 3:10 pm

I like it, but it's not a favorite. I would prefer to see it replaced by something else in the live set.