English Settlement

Album information

The cover design is based upon the Uffington White Horse in southwest Oxfordshire, which is about 8 miles east of Swindon, Wiltshire, XTC's home town.

The album spawned three UK singles: "Senses Working Overtime" (released on 8 January 1982 and reaching No. 10 on the UK singles chart); "Ball And Chain" (released 26 February 1982 and reaching No. 58 on the UK singles chart); and "No Thugs in Our House" (released 14 May 1982).

The album was previewed with a live performance on The Old Grey Whistle Test program in January where they performed "Yacht Dance" (their only performance of the song) and "No Thugs In Our House". They also made a live appearance on The Oxford Road Show performing "Snowman", "Ball and Chain" and "Jason and the Argonauts". The song "English Roundabout" was inspired by a Swindon landmark known as The Magic Roundabout. This song is a rare example of popular music written in the unusual 5/4 time signature.

The band made promotional videos for "Senses Working Overtime", "No Thugs in Our House", "All of a Sudden (It's Too Late)" and "Ball and Chain".

Only nine full shows were performed on the proposed 1982 English Settlement World Tour due to Partridge's collapsing at Le Palace in Paris, France on 18 March (during the first song in their set) and subsequent breakdown after their performance at The California Theatre, San Diego, California, U.S.A. on 3 April. This would prove to be XTC's last show as a touring band.

English Settlement is the last XTC album recorded while Terry Chambers was still a full member, although Chambers did appear on a few tracks of Mummer. The band's retirement from the road, caused by Partridge's nervous breakdown, meant that he could no longer make money as the band's drummer, only as a guest performer.

English Settlement is XTC's longest studio album, as well as the band's first double album. Despite being well short of the industry red book requirement of a maximum 74:33 playing time for CDs, the first pressings of the CD edition removed the tracks "Leisure" and "Down In The Cockpit", with no explanation given. All later CD remasters restore the entire album.

The drums on the The New Radicals debut album's Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too title track were sampled from the XTC song "All of a Sudden". According to XTC's songwriter Andy Partridge, "the sample was used without permission" and the band and its record company eventually received £70,000 in compensation for its use.

Initial U.S. and Canadian track listing

A 1-LP version was initially released in the United States on Epic Records and in Canada on Virgin Records. Five songs were removed for this release ("Yacht Dance" 3:56, "Leisure" 5:32, "Knuckle Down" 4:28, "Fly on the Wall" 3:19, "Down in the Cockpit" 5:27).

1. "Runaways" (Moulding)
2. "Ball and Chain" (Moulding)
3. "Senses Working Overtime"
4. "Jason and the Argonauts"
5. "Snowman"

1. "Melt the Guns"
2. "No Thugs in Our House"
3. "It's Nearly Africa"
4. "English Roundabout" (Moulding)
5. "All of a Sudden (It's Too Late)"

1-LP worldwide version

Released in much of the world in 1982.

1. "Runaways" (Moulding)
2. "Ball and Chain" (Moulding)
3. "Senses Working Overtime"
4. "Jason and the Argonauts"
5. "Snowman"

1. "Melt the Guns"
2. "No Thugs in Our House"
3. "Yacht Dance"
4. "English Roundabout" (Moulding)
5. "All of a Sudden (It's Too Late)"

Personnel

with:

Chart performance

English Settlement spent 11 weeks on the UK album charts, reaching No. 5. In the U.S., the album spent 20 weeks on the Billboard 200 album charts and reached its peak position of No. 48 in May 1982.

Album