SCARLETT
performed on:
A painterly, delicate song that became one of the most widely admired of the new tracks on CHILD, "Scarlett" is credited to Janet Kieran, Nick Parker, and Christina Singleton; in fact, it was Tina's last song for Plaastik. Although she recorded a version on her own with a nearly complete mix, included on her 2003 acetate of the album, it had no bridge and very few lyrics. At the time she left the band, the song had not been finished and she donated it to the band. Nick wrote new lyrics and Janet added the rest of the music. The band rerecorded the song for CHILD with an "exotic" (Kevin Keys) amped-up drum sound. The drums were added at the last minute; the acetate released to the press for reviews contains no drums on the track, nor does the RECENT ACTIVITY version have them. The vocals, contrary to press reports, were recorded by Tina as a favor to the band in summer 2004, a year after she left the band. It is apparently to be her final project with Plaastik.
A "new" mix was included on the compilation RECENT ACTIVITY. Truthfully, it is a reconstruction of Tina's original mix prior to her departure with the new vocal track and bridge added; it had to be duplicated because the original tape has been lost.
Released as the third single from CHILD (with a surprising video that included Tina strumming a guitar on an old bridge), "Scarlett" reached #22 on the charts. Some time prior to that, it was played acoustically on Conan, sung by Janet; other live versions have included an electric but slow rendition with Nick singing and a poorly received funk variation played in 2005.
ridin' along
the bridge like we do
you can almost see
the places we left
i ate the town
and rubbed against
the sea
you stumbled across
and cornered me
it's all gone now
all white and black
and you came
and handed me
a rose
fire and logic
treacle, power
always at home
and you're always gone
kill me
kill me
kill me now
kill me
kill me
kill me now