Furniture

Turnupspeed

Written by Jim Irvin, Hamilton Lee, Sally Still, Tim Whelan

Published by Copyright Control

When my foot goes down
I'll kill this prince of youth
When I take this corner
Your idol's bound to die
With a wheel through his chest
On a road that climbs
And you'll never say goodbye

When my foot goes down
I'll enter history
When I take this corner
A hero will be born
With a tear in his eye
And a secret inside
And a smile that's so forlorn

When my foot goes down
I'll immortalise this boy
When I take this corner
I'll give you all you need
Frozen at his peak
Perfect, doomed and sweet
But you won't remember Turnupspeed

Source: The Wrong People — 2010 Cherry Red reissue CD booklet (CDMRED441). Booklet reproduces the original Stiff 1986 LP lyric sheet.

Commentary

James Dean died in a road accident. Donald Turnupseed was driving the car he collided with on a mountain road. The title comes from an ironic misreading of his name. The song was improvised as it was recorded, each person adding a layer until it was completed. It was the B-side to "Love Your Shoes" and has never appeared on album before. Boz Boorer (later Morrissey's guitarist) played clarinet and recorded the session.

Band commentary — She Gets Out the Scrapbook — 1991 inlay (compiled by Jim, Tim, Hami)

Conceived, written, layered and recorded in the bowels of Chrysalis studios…we set up camp there for a while in the '80s. Features the 'tubes' a percussion instrument made from bits of plastic tubing held together by Sellotape. Also has a guest appearance by Boz Boorer, Morrissey's future guitarist and co-conspirator, who recorded the session and played clarinet.

Hamilton Lee — Band commentary, 2010 Cherry Red reissue booklet (compiled by Jim, Tim and Hami)

Inspired by Donald Turnupseed, the man driving the car which killed James Dean. I don't know why I added the "p".

Jim Irvin — Band commentary, 2010 Cherry Red reissue booklet (compiled by Jim, Tim and Hami)