Written by: David Bowie, Brian Eno, Reeves Gabrels, Mike Garson, Erdal Kızılçay, Sterling Campbell
Recorded: May 1994 – February 1995
Producers: David Bowie, Brian Eno, David Richards
Released: 25 September 1995
Available on:
1.Outside
Personnel
David Bowie: vocals, keyboards, synthesizer, treatmentsBrian Eno: keyboards, synthesizer, treatments
Reeves Gabrels: guitar
Erdal Kızılçay: bass guitar, keyboards
Mike Garson: piano
Sterling Campbell: drums
‘(Segue) – Baby Grace (A Horrid Cassette)’ is the first of five spoken-word pieces on David Bowie’s 1.Outside album.
In the Outside story, Baby Grace Blue was a 14-year-old murder victim. Her death is being investigated by detective Nathan Adler and his assistant Paddy, who work for Art-Crime Inc.
The murderer is a mysterious artist known as The Minotaur. There are three main suspects: Leon Blank, a former convict and outsider; Ramona A Stone, Blank’s former lover, who may also have been in a relationship with Adler; and Algeria Touchshriek, a septuagenarian man who portrays himself – perhaps falsely – as lonely and frail.
Outside, Track 5 – Segue – Baby Grace (A Horrid Cassette)
This is a little segue by one of the characters connected with the story and concept of the album. #TimsTwitterListeningParty
— Mike Garson (@mikegarson) July 5, 2020
The subject matter on this album is so out there – so dark. #TimsTwitterListeningParty
— Mike Garson (@mikegarson) July 5, 2020
Some of you are going to have to help explain the story and narrative details of these characters. Use the hashtag #TimsTwitterListeningParty and share with the rest of the class, please…
— Mike Garson (@mikegarson) July 5, 2020
Lyrics
Test, testing, testing.
This, hmmm, Grace is my name, and and I was… um
It was that phot– a fading photograph of a patch, a patchwork quilt.
And they’ve put me on these, Ramona put me on these interest drugs. So I’m thinking very too bit too fast like a brain hatch.
And ah they won’t let me see anybody. If I want to sometimes… and I ask.
I can still hear some pop… popular musics and aftershocks. (Ah-choo)
See I’ve been watching a television of, um, in the homelands.
That’s the new homelands and, um, that’s all I can remember.
And now they just want me to be quiet. And I think something is going to be horrid.