Respectable Street

"Respectable Street" is a song written by Andy Partridge of XTC, released as the opening track on their 1980 album Black Sea. According to Partridge, the song is about English streets^[3] and "the hypocrisy of living in a so-called respectable neighborhood. It's all talk behind twitching curtains. It's all Alan Bennett land."^[4] In another interview Partridge reveals that Respectable Street was based on a real street Bowood Road in Swindon, which was diagonally opposite the flat above a shop on Kingshill Road where he was living at the time he wrote it.^[5] Discounting the Canada-only "Love at First Sight", it was the fourth and last single issued from the LP. BBC Radio banned the song because of its references to abortion and a "Sony Entertainment Centre".^[6]

"Respectable Street"
Single by XTC
from the album Black Sea
Released	March 1981 (1981-03)
Recorded	1980
Studio	Townhouse Studios, London
Genre	Post-punk[1] pop[2]
Length	3:37 (album version) 3:07 (single version)
Label	Virgin
Songwriter(s)	Andy Partridge
Producer(s)	Steve Lillywhite
XTC singles chronology
"Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)" (1980) "Respectable Street" (1981) "Senses Working Overtime" (1982)

Legacy

A street view of Swindon in 2005

Music journalist John Harris highlighted "Respectable Street" as "one of the most evocative items in Partridge's oeuvre."^[3] In 1996, critic Jack Rabid praised its "sardonic crack" and wrote "am I the only one who's noticed that super-fans Blur have ripped this song off three times already???!!!!"^[7]

In 1982, it was the only song XTC performed at a televised gig simulcast in Paris, which became one of the last live performances of their career. Partridge experienced a panic attack mid-performance and walked off the stage.^[4]

It is the first XTC recording in which Dave Gregory contributed his keyboard playing.^[8]

Personnel

XTC

• Terry Chambers
• Dave Gregory
• Colin Moulding
• Andy Partridge

Variations

• Original album version - Black Sea (1980)
• Single remix (1981) - Rag and Bone Buffet: Rare Cuts and Leftovers
• Live versions
  • BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert (1982, recorded November 1980)
  • Urgh! A Music War (1981)
• Home demo, live studio demo, and instrumental versions released on 2017 expanded edition of Black Sea