<templatestyles src="Module:Infobox/styles.css"></templatestyles>
| Untitled | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
Script for a Jester's Tear is the debut studio album by the British neo-progressive rock band Marillion, released in 1983. Produced by Nick Tauber, it was recorded between December 1982 and February 1983 at The Marquee Studios in London.
Script for a Jester's Tear was intended to be part of a trilogy along with the next albums, Fugazi (1984) and Misplaced Childhood (1985).[3] It was a commercial success in the UK, produced the Top 40 singles "He Knows You Know" and "Garden Party",[4] and peaked at number 7 on the album chart.[5] It reached the Platinum certification and is credited with giving a second life to progressive rock.[6]
Singles[]
Script for a Jester's Tear was preceded by the single "Market Square Heroes", released in 1982, with "Three Boats Down from the Candy" and the 17-minute-long epic "Grendel" as B-sides. None of these songs appeared on the original album, though A-side can be briefly heard during a short radio segment prior to "Forgotten Sons". All tracks are featured in the bonus disc of the 1997 remastered edition.
Cover art[]
The artwork was created by Mark Wilkinson who would be commissioned to the role on all Marillion LPs and 12" singles of the Fish-era.[7]
Release[]
Critical reception[]
AllMusic critic John Franck has retrospectively given the album a 4.5 star rating. He called it "an essential work for any self-respecting first- or second-generation prog rock fan", but considered the "over-the-top" lyrics for "Chelsea Monday" to be a minor shortcoming.[2]
Commercial performance[]
Script for a Jester's Tear reached number 7 in the UK charts and spent there 31 weeks, the second longest chart residency of a Marillion album.[5] It was certified Platinum by the BPI on 5 December 1997 for sales in excess of 300.000 copies.[8] The album did not achieve a commercial impact in the U.S., making only number 175 in the Billboard 200.[9]
Formats and reissues[]
The album was initially released on LP[nb 1], 12" picture disc and cassette.[10] The first CD issue[nb 2] appeared in 1985.
As part of a series of Marillion's first eight studio albums, EMI Records re-released Script for a Jester's Tear on 29 September 1997 with 24-bit digital remastered sound and a second disc containing bonus tracks[nb 3].[1] The remastered version was also made available without the bonus disc in 2000[nb 4] and again in 2005 as a Japanese mini-LP replica[nb 5].
A new 180g heavy weight vinyl pressing identical to the original 1983 edition[nb 6] was released in 2012.[10]
Track listing[]
All tracks are written by Fish, Steve Rothery, Pete Trewavas, Mark Kelly, Mick Pointer, Diz Minnett, and Brian Jelliman, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Script for a Jester's Tear" | Fish, Rothery, Trewavas, Kelly, Pointer | 8:39 |
| 2. | "He Knows You Know" | 5:22 | |
| 3. | "The Web" | Fish, Rothery, Trewavas, Kelly, Pointer, Jelliman | 8:48 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4. | "Garden Party" | 7:15 | |
| 5. | "Chelsea Monday" | Fish, Rothery, Trewavas, Kelly, Pointer, Minnett | 8:16 |
| 6. | "Forgotten Sons" | 8:21 | |
| Total length: | 46:45 | ||
- The total length is listed for the first CD edition[nb 2]. The remastered version[nb 3] is 14 seconds longer.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Market Square Heroes" (Battle Priest version) | Fish, Rothery, Trewavas, Kelly, Pointer, Minnett | 4:17 |
| 2. | "Three Boats Down from the Candy" | Fish, Rothery, Trewavas, Kelly, Pointer , Minnett | 4:30 |
| 3. | "Grendel" (Fair Deal Studio version) | 19:08 | |
| 4. | "Chelsea Monday" (Manchester Square demo) | Fish, Rothery, Trewavas, Kelly, Pointer , Minnett | 6:52 |
| 5. | "He Knows You Know" (Manchester Square demo) | 4:28 | |
| 6. | "Charting the Single" | Fish, Rothery, Trewavas, Kelly, Pointer | 4:51 |
| 7. | "Market Square Heroes" (alternative version) | Fish, Rothery, Trewavas, Kelly, Pointer, Minnett | 4:48 |
| Total length: | 49:04 | ||
- All individual writing credits are from the 1997 remastered edition[nb 3]. In the original 1983 version[nb 1] the whole band is listed as writers, arrangers, and performers; all lyrics are credited to Fish.
Personnel[]
|
|
Charts[]
|
|
|
Certifications[]
| Region | Certification |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[8] | Platinum |
References[]
- Notes
- Citations
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Script for a Jesters Tear". Fish-TheCompany.Com: Official Site. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Franck, John. Marillion: "Script for a Jester's Tear" > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
- ↑ Lee, Craig (9 March 1986), "New Kids in Town: Fish 'N' Ambition", Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, retrieved 13 March 2015
- ↑ "Marillion". Official Chart Company. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Marillion – Script for a Jester's Tear". Official Chart Company. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
- ↑ Popoff, Martin (2016). Time And a Word: The Yes Story. Soundcheck Books. p. 98. ISBN 0993212026.
- ↑ Dome, Malcolm (18 February 2015). "Cover Story: Marillion - Script For A Jester's Tear". Classic Rock. TeamRock. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "British album certifications – Marillion – Script for a jester's Tear". British Phonographic Industry.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Marillion: "Script for a Jester's Tear" > Awards". AllMusic.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Script for a Jesters Tear". The Official Marillion Website. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Marillion – Script for a Jester's Tear". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
- ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
- ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
External links[]
Template:Marillion