Redondo Beach (song)
| "Redondo Beach" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Patti Smith from the album Horses | |
| Released | December 13, 1975 |
| Recorded | 1975 |
| Genre | Rock, reggae |
| Length | 3:26 |
| Label | Arista |
| Writer(s) | Patti Smith, Richard Sohl, Lenny Kaye |
| Producer(s) | John Cale |
| Horses track listing | |
|
Side one:
Side two:
| |
| "Redondo Beach" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Morrissey | ||||
| from the album Live at Earls Court | ||||
| B-side | "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" (Live) | |||
| Released | March 28, 2005 | |||
| Format | 7" vinyl, CD, DVD | |||
| Recorded |
Earls Court, December 18, 2004 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 4:03 | |||
| Label | Attack | |||
| Writer(s) | Patti Smith, Richard Sohl, Lenny Kaye | |||
| Producer(s) | Peter Asher | |||
| Morrissey singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Redondo Beach" is a rock/reggae song written by Patti Smith, Richard Sohl and Lenny Kaye, and first released on Patti Smith's 1975 album Horses. It was also published as a poem in Smith's 1972 book kodak under the title "Radando Beach".
The lyrics relate the suicide by drowning of a young woman following an argument with the song's narrator. It has frequently been interpreted as a lesbian-themed song; Smith appeared to encourage this interpretation in her live performances, frequently introducing the song with "Redondo Beach is a beach where women love other women".[1]
She later said that she wrote the lyrics in 1971 following a fight with her sister Linda; Linda subsequently disappeared for the day, causing Patti to worry that she had come to harm. Smith has also stated that she considers herself "beyond gender" in her artistic expression, and frequently writes from a male point of view. Smith's lyrics were set to a reggae arrangement.[2][3]
Cover versions
The song was performed by Angel Corpus Christi on I Love NY, her 1984 album of cover versions originally recorded by New York-based artists.
The song was part of Morrissey's live set list throughout his December 2004 Arena Tour. "Redondo Beach / There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" was a double A-side single released by Morrissey to promote his live album Live at Earls Court in 2005.[4]
Track listing
7" vinyl
- "Redondo Beach" (live) (Patti Smith, Richard Sohl, Lenny Kaye) – 4:07
- "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" (live) (Johnny Marr, Morrissey) – 4:50
CD single
- "Redondo Beach" (live) (Patti Smith, Richard Sohl, Lenny Kaye) – 4:07
- "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" (live) (Johnny Marr, Morrissey) – 4:50
- "Noise Is the Best Revenge" (Janice Long session 2004) (Morrissey, Boz Boorer) - 4:03
DVD single
- "Redondo Beach" (live) (Patti Smith, Richard Sohl, Lenny Kaye) – 4:07
- "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" (live) (Johnny Marr, Morrissey) – 4:50
- "It's Hard to Walk Tall When You're Small" (Janice Long session 2004) (Morrissey, Alain Whyte)
- "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" (live promotional video)
- "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" (video taken from Manchester Evening News Arena)
Charts
| Chart (2005)[5][6][7][8] | Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 11 |
| Ireland | 45 |
| Sweden | 33 |
| Eurochart Hot 100 Singles | 41 |
| Hot 100 Singles Sales | 10 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | 2005 | Attack Records | 7" vinyl | ATKSE011 |
| UK | 2005 | Attack Records | CD #1 | ATKXS011 |
| UK | 2005 | Attack Records | CD #2 | ATKXD011 |
Notes
- ↑ Allmusic.com review of Redondo Beach
- ↑ Smith, P. (1998) "Patti Smith Complete 1975-2006". Bloomsbury, London.
- ↑ "Even as a child I felt like an alien" - Patti Smith interview The Observer, 22 May 2005
- ↑ "Redondo Beach / There Is A Light That Never Goes Out". Archived from the original on 2008-02-24. Retrieved 2008-03-04.
- ↑ "UK chart". Retrieved 2008-03-04.
- ↑ "European charts". Retrieved 2008-04-02.
- ↑ "European Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. 2005-04-16. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
- ↑ "Hot Singles Sales". Billboard. 2005-04-30. Retrieved 2008-04-02.