Head Full of Steam

"Head Full of Steam" is a song by the Australian alternative rock band The Go-Betweens that was released as the second single from their fourth album Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express. It was released as a 7" and 12" vinyl single on the Beggars Banquet label in the United Kingdom in May 1986, with "Don't Let Him Come Back" as the B-side. In Australia it was released in 1987 by True Tone Records, with "Little Joe" as the B-Side.

"Head Full of Steam"
Single by The Go-Betweens
from the album Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express
A-side"Head Full of Steam"
B-side"Don't Let Him Come Back"
ReleasedMay 1986
RecordedBerry Street Studio, London
Genre
Length3:35
LabelBeggars Banquet (UK)
True Tone (AUS)
Songwriter(s)Grant McLennan, Robert Forster[1]
Producer(s)Richard Preston
The Go-Betweens singles chronology
"Spring Rain"
(1986)		 "Head Full of Steam"
(1986)		 "Right Here"
(1987)

The single version is markedly different from the album recording, with added keyboards, and a middle eighth where Forster asks, "Can I come to your place, and can I wash your hair?"[2]

Video

The video was a take-off of Prince's recent video for "Kiss". If featured Forster cavorting in a mid-riff top and flares and McLennan in drag. Forster later wrote that, "This was weird and gave the video an odd edge. I didn't know what Grant was thinking. A team of psychologists at a lakeside retreat outside Vienna would have to work that one out."[3]

Critical reception

Ned Raggett at Allmusic states ""Head Full of Steam" finds the band in relatively jangly mode, the sparkling chime of Robert Forster's and Grant McLennan's guitars almost as close as they ever got to being like the Cocteau Twins. It's an inexact comparison admittedly—there's not any digital delay soundscapes for a start! -- while the steady, fairly relaxed pace of the song and its melody found the band in easy rather than tense, concerned mode. Forster himself is in fine form vocally, his particular plaintive style just nervously worried enough to convey his unsuccessful-but-he'll-try-anyway pursuit of an unrequited love. Thorn's singing is understated but adds a nice bit of low-key contrast and flair."[4]

In Jason McNeil's review of Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express in Popmatters he states the "lone drawback might be the laissez faire attitude on “Head Full of Steam”, a track whose title misrepresents it totally."[5] Alternately, The Guardian thought, "Its softer, janglepop sound showed that shifting towards simplification could work in their favour."[6]

Treblezine's Jeff Terich states that it is "another song that bears similarities to The Smiths. But it’s Grant McLennan’s voice that gives it away each time. Sounding like a cross between Robyn Hitchcock and Tom Verlaine, his voice is no less unmistakable than Morrissey’s.."[7]

Australian musician David McCormack (Custard) believes that "It’s a classic. It’s mysterious but it’s got such a great euphoric chorus. My fascination with this particular song is also about when I discovered it – whenever I put it on, it transports me back to Brisbane in the mid-80s, which is where I first heard it at a friend’s house. I also recommend checking out the video which features Robert doing his best Prince impersonation."[8]

Track listing

Original 7" Vinyl release

All tracks are written by G. McLennan, R. Forster[1]

No.TitleLength
1."Head Full of Steam" (Remix)3:35
2."Don't Let Him Come Back"2:30

Original 12" Vinyl release

All tracks are written by G. McLennan, R. Forster[1]

No.TitleLength
1."Head Full of Steam" (Remix)3:35
2."Don't Let Him Come Back"2:30
3."The Wrong Road" (Early Version) 

Release history
Region Date Label Format Catalogue
United Kingdom May 1986 Beggars Banquet 7" vinyl BEG 159
12" vinyl BEG 159T
Australia 1986 True Tone 7" vinyl 884 809-7

Credits
The Go-Betweens
Additional musicians
  • Tracey Thorn — backing vocals ("Head Full of Steam")
  • Dean B Speedwell — keyboards ("Don't Let Him Come Back")
Production
  • Producer — The Go-Betweens, Richard Preston
  • Artwork — Mick Lowe
  • Remix — Mike Pela

References
  1. "'Bye Bye Pride' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 7 July 2015. Note: User may have to click on 'Search again' and provide details at 'Enter a title:', e.g. Bye Bye Pride; or at 'Performer:' The Go-Betweens.
  2. "Liberty Belle". Rave Magazine. Stones Corner, QLD: Rave Magazine Pty Ltd (12 June 2001): 27.
  3. Robert Forster (2016). Grant & I. Penguin. pp. 167–168. ISBN 978-0-6700782-2-6.
  4. Raggett, Ned. "Head Full of Steam - The Go-Betweens". Allmusic. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  5. MacNeil, Jason (3 February 2005). "The Go-Betweens: 16 Lovers Lane / Tallulah / Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express". Popmatters. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  6. Hayley Scott. "The Go-Betweens – 10 of the best". The Guardian.
  7. Terich, Jeff (5 January 2005). "Go-Betweens - Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express". Treblezine. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  8. "Are these Robert Forster's Five Finest Moments". DoubleJ. 24 May 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
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