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Party of One - Super-Leggera (1994) [Car In Car Disco Product, No Number, Cassette]
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Here it is: the tape that named this little corner of the internet. This is the only Party of One tape you could expect to find in the wild, if you're lucky. I've encountered two playable copies, so I remain optimistic. This is a great, fun little tape. As Peter H tells it, he wrote and recorded them all in a weekend and sent them off to Joel. The sound varies a lot.
At the top, slower-sweeter "Horseshoes" runs into the more fun "My New House", and then into "Claremont Cometh". After that, there's a lot of fun 4-track stuff, including the catchy "Wisconsin Optimist".
When you flip over to B, you get "Venus", then right into more standard Casio drumbeat type Party of One fare on "I Ain't Got No Health Insurance". "Stewing In Yr Juices" and "Self-Help" are more talking than singing, then "Heavy Water" brings the tunes back. At the tail end, sweeter acoustic tones on "I'm Never Leaving Home Again" lead into some laughs for "One Too Many", sort of a bookend.
The title of the tape, Super-Leggera (super-light) is one of Peter's many automotive references (see also "Superamerica" and "Supersqualo" on Delicious, Homemade). I'll just throw you to some Wikipedia pages and let you have at it.
Insert:
Recorded @ 96 Years, 7/7-9/94 using Franklin Bruno's 4-track. Everything by Peter Hughes. Thanks to Joel & John Darnielle & the above. Cover photo by Lillian Hughes, Chino, 1991. Write Party of One c/o Sonic enemy, PO Box 9, La Verne CA 91750.
Side A
A1. Horseshoes
A2. My New House
A3. Claremont Cometh
A4. Dark Matter
A5. Wisconsin Optimist
A6. Chinese Motherlode
A7. Novice
A8. Planned Obsolesence
Side B
B1. Venus
B2. (I Ain't Got No) Health Insurance
B3. Stewing In Yr Juices
B4. Self-Help
B5. Heavy Water
B6. I'm Never Leaving Home Again
B7. One Too Many
A1. Horseshoes
pick a number
any number
roll it around your tongue
pick a weekend
pick an hour
tell me how you turn it to your advantage
there is peace at the end of this road
there's a horseshoe hanging over every door
take a picture
take it easy
take my number, i'll call when i get home
hang your coat here
hang around some
hang your hopes as high up as you dare
there is peace at the end of this road
there are lemons on our windowsill
A2. My New House
well the fridge is full
of stuff to eat
got crazy people across the street
lots of eggs and lots of meat
lots of stuff for us to eat
my new house
my new house
my new house
my new house
computer hooked up to
talked to liz [?]
no cookies yet
says they're on our way
she's catchin [?]
but there's nothin doin
now it's too late
my new house
my new house
my new house
my new house
my, new house
you should see my new house
uhhhhhhh
A3. Claremont Cometh
LOOK OUT [INAUDIBLE)
SOMETHIN NEW ON THE SCENE
CLAREMONT COMETH TODAY
A4. Dark Matter
to some folks it doesn't matter
but for others it clearly does
the fact of the matter
just beause you can't see it
doesn't mean it doesnt make up 90% of the known universe
dark matter
can tell it's there
by the light that bends around it
don't try to tell me it's not there
you can see the light bend
A5. Wisconsin Optimist
well well wisconsin optimist
how ya gonna deal with this
nothin left foryou to do
but sit and watch the water rise
well where's your house gone
somethin bout a houseboat
chicken on the grill was lookin mighty mighty fine last august
chicken on the grill was lookin fine last august now its soggy
well wisconsin optimist
how you gonna deal with this
cheese is on the water
water's risin to the surface oh
the grass blades
everglades
approach
what's the last word you heard
from george michael 'fore he took the bar
wisconsin optimist
how ya gonna deal with this?
wisconsin optimist
how ya gonna deal with this
wisconsin optimist
whatcha gonna do with this
A6. Chinese Motherlode
back before i was born
[inaudible] had many different expectations
i was meant to go to the fields
pick a bucketful and bring it back to pa
he was always [inaudible]
now he got one and he wanted me to pick
a chinese motherlode
a chinese motherlode
a full bucket
not a cloud in the sky
birds circling singing on the wind
my bucket's full pa
i'm ready to come in
ringing supper bells
mom's over the stove
the door is working again
the mule is happy now
the mountains in the spring
are green and colorful
a chinese motherlode
is all we asked for, lord
A7. Novice
how much do you wanna bet
before the end of the night
how much do you wanna bet
that you tell me
see i've seen all this before
you're operating at a distinct disadvantage
you think there's gotta be more to this
but you're wrong
how much do you wanna bet
before i turn out the light
how much do you wanna bet
that you tell me
you betray your inexperience
the way you hold your head like something's owed you
oh but anyone else in your position
would simply smile and put his face in his hands
A8. Planned Obsolescence
[past the spoken part, this one is hard to make out even on the clearest rip of the tape, which is unfortunate, because there's a good moody vibe to it]
B1. Venus
[wherein peter tells a joke. also, hello from the latest invoking of the "no, i owe peter a solid, let's not" rule.]
B2. (I Ain't Got No) Health Insurance
i ain't got no health insurance
i ain't got no health insurance
if i got in a car wreck
my mom and dad would die in debt
cause i
ain't got no car parts insurance
see i used to have a job workin at the school
with full time benefits and everything was cool
but the people were all dicks
so one day i up and quit
and now i
ain't got no health insurance
i ain't got no health insurance
i ain't got no health insurance
all my friends are just the same
we're dumb and broke in the usa
and i ain't got no health insurance
B3. Stewing In Yr Juices
This is a back-and-forth, sometimes doing cross talk and sometimes with pauses over the guitar.
Dramatis personae:
P: Peter's voice, singing very slowly
O: (Other voice, quickly)
P: You're a lonnnng w
O: You're a long way from home!
P: ay from home. You'd better wear
O: You'd better wear gloves!
P: You better know the consequences
O: You'd better know the consequences of any action you may be forced to take!
P: be forced to take. A long wayyy
O: A long way from home! Why do you think they call it a glove box?
P: Why do you think they call it... a glove box? Always ready
O: Always ready to take responsibility for the asshole next to you!
P: for the asshole next to you.
O: This is your life,
P: This is your life,
O: like it or not.
P: Like it... or not
O: You're stuck with it
P: You're stuck with it
O: Lemme tell you a story. Once when I was a kid, me and a bunch of my friends, we used to go out at night and knock on people's doors, and run. One time we did this, and the neighbors were watching. And they started chasing us down the street. And we were running, and we got to the end, and jumped over this ditch/embankment thing, just as this guy grabbed me by the collar. And he took me back to his house and they all called the cops. And we had to sit there for a long time waiting on the cops.
P: (ooooohhh)
O: Then our parents came. And it was pretty embarrassing. But I learned my lesson. Don't fuck with the cops. Or asshole neighbors. Leave 'em be. Leave 'em be. Simple as that.
P: (inaudible singing, then) Don't forget your gloves!
O: Don't forget your gloves, man!
P: How many times
O: How many times do I have to tell you!
P: have to tell you!
O: I'm surprised you haven't gotten caught before!
P: I'm surprised you haven't got caught before. You've been a bad
O: You've been a bad boy.
P: boyyyy. Haven't you. Stewing in your juices.
O: Hahahahahaha.
B4. Self-Help
(spoken)
Well some folks say that
Folks today don't
work as hard as they used to
But all I know is
When I get home
I'm just as tired
As before
Before what?
Well
I guess you'd have to ask
Those other folks
B5. Heavy Water
only in new york
like the town where homer simpson was born
the children are all confused
the parents go insane
HEAVY WATERRRRRR
it's there in the current
bout two miles outside
of town you'll find the sign
lake by the edge of the road
stay out, danger
stay away
HEAVY WATERRRRR
it's not good for you
HEAVY WATERRRRR
think the mall is any solace
when your friends are all gone mad
[lots of shouting layered]
HEAVY WATERRRRR
somebody should pay
B6. I'm Never Leaving Home Again
i'm never leaving home again
no i like the comfort and convenience of my own bed
thanks
gimme a kitchen
a kiss on the cheek
gimme a backyard with my junk in it
and it's dark
and [inaudible]
no matter where you go
'cept maybe las vegas but who wants to go to las vegas
not me man
i went there once
i'm never leaving home again
no thanks
i like my own bed, thanks a lot, thanks a lot
i keep the sheets clean
or i don't
depending on if i do or don't want to
B7. One Too Many
well the girls looked fugly but they're lookin nice
and i just finished flushing the toilet twice
and my friend just stuffed down my shirt, some ice
i had one too many
i had one too many
well i, i think ishould be going home
but i'm having trouble picking myself off the floor
i don't know where's the door
i had one too many
i had one too many
go!
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