Written by:
Mark E. Smith, Steve Hanley, Craig Scanlon, Mark Riley
Initial release:
How I Wrote Elastic Man/City Hobgoblins, Rough Trade RT048 7"
Date:
11 July 1980
Subsequent releases:
Bend Sinister, Beggars Banquet BEGC75 Cassette (live recording from Town and Country Club - reason for the title change to Town and Country Hobgoblins) 12 June 1986
The Collection, Castle Communications CCSCD365 CD; CCSMC365 Cassette March 1993
Grotesque, Castle/Essential, ESMCD640 CD 27 June 1998
Totally Wired - The Rough Trade Anthology, Castle, CD: CMDDD461 15 July 2002
The Rough Trade Singles Box, Castle CMEBX526 CD; 15 July 2002, Earmark 40006 LP; 4 August 2003
Totally Wired - The Rough Trade Anthology,
The Rough Trade Singles Collection, Earmark, 40014 LP; 8 September 2003
50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong - 39 Golden Greats, Sanctuary SMEDD017 CD; 31 May 2004
The Rough Trade Singles Collection, Earmark 40014S; 22 November 2004
The Fall Box Set - 1976-2007, Castle CMXBX1558 CD; 10 September 2007
Group on initial recording:
Mark E Smith - vocals, ; Marc Riley - guitar, Craig Scanlon - guitar; Steve Hanley - bass,; Paul Hanley - drums,
First played live:
20 February 1980
Last played live:
10 March 1987
Number of known performances:
64
Commentary:
A fairly popular number in gigs in the early 80s, it was rested for three years before being brought back in force (and a live version appearing on the cassette issue of Bend Sinister) in 1986 and for a few more outings the following year. The song rolls along nicely enough, but perhaps most attention should be paid to the imagery in the lyrics, with the line about Queen Victoria as a large black slug deserving its high place among MES's best lines