Bananamour



Bananamour is the fourth studio album by Kevin Ayers and it featured some of his most accessible recordings, including "Shouting in a Bucket Blues" and his whimsical tribute to Syd Barrett, "Oh! Wot A Dream". After Whatevershebringswesing, Ayers assembled a new band anchored by drummer Eddie Sparrow and bassist Archie Legget and employed a more direct lyricism. The centrepiece of the album is 'Decadence', his withering portrait of Nico: "Watch her out there on display / Dancing in her sleepy way / While all her visions start to play / On the icicles of our decay / And all along the desert shore / She wanders further evermore / The only thing that's left to try / She says to live I have to die." The song was later covered by the Australian psychedelic rock band The Church on their 1999 album A Box of Birds.

The album marked the end of Ayers' first Harvest Records series.

Track listing
All songs written by Kevin Ayers

Side 1
 * 1) "Don't Let It Get You Down (For Rachel)"
 * 2) "Shouting in a Bucket Blues"
 * 3) "When Your Parents Go to Sleep"
 * 4) "Interview"
 * 5) "Internotional Anthem"

Side 2
 * 1) "Decadence"
 * 2) "Oh! Wot A Dream"
 * 3) "Hymn"
 * 4) "Beware of the Dog"

Track listing (2003 CD reissue)

 * 1) "Don't Let It Get You Down" (4:04)
 * 2) "Shouting In A Bucket Blues" (3:45)
 * 3) "When Your Parents Go To Sleep" (5:47)
 * 4) "Interview" (4:43)
 * 5) "Internotional Anthem" (0:43)
 * 6) "Decadence" (8:05)
 * 7) "Oh! Wot A Dream" (2:48)
 * 8) "Hymn" (4:35)
 * 9) "Beware Of The Dog" (1:27)
 * 10) "Connie On A Rubber Band" (2:56)
 * 11) "Decadence (Early Mix)" (6:57)
 * 12) "Take Me To Tahiti" (3:37)
 * 13) "Caribbean Moon" (3:02)

Personnel

 * Kevin Ayers / Guitar, Vocals
 * Archie Legget / Bass, harmony vocals, lead vocal on track 3
 * Eddie Sparrow / Drums
 * Steve Hillage / Lead Guitar on track 2
 * Mike Ratledge / Organ on track 4
 * Robert Wyatt / Harmony Vocal on track 8
 * David Bedford / Orchestral Arrangement on track 9
 * Howie Casey / Tenor Saxophone
 * Dave Caswell / Trumpet
 * Tristan Fry / Cymbal
 * Lyle Jenkins / Baritone Saxophone
 * Ronnie Price / Piano
 * Barry St. John /Vocals
 * Liza Strike / Vocals
 * Doris Troy /Vocals