Diamond Bollocks is the twelfth and final track on Mutations, a B-Side of Cold Brains, and a bonus 7" released with the vinyl version of Mutations.
Description[]
Beck explained the inspiration for Diamond Bollocks on KCRW in 1998:
"["Diamond Bollocks"] happened because we'd been in [the studio] about 10 days, I think, doing all these waltzes and dirges and all these 3/4 songs. And I came into the lounge and everybody was watching these acid rock videos, Justin and Roger and everybody were. I think we all just needed to rock out for a minute because we'd been, like I said, in the slow lane for awhile. And the studio is fairly sedentary and we needed to get our cockles warm, just kinda kick it into gear a little bit."
Beck later explained it in more detail. "We literally, in one night, recorded eight songs, then took the 24-track tapes and cut them all up on a tape and created this crazy song. It was more about the process than the actual song, but I ended up liking the song too.".
Beck said him and the band wanted a change of pace, and they got it. The song starts out with a carnival beat, which makes you believe it's going to head in that direction, but every few seconds the song turns into a different song. It goes something like this:
- Harpsichord intro to choral bridge (0:00 - 0:27)
- Big rock guitar riff, first verse (with lyrics from Erase the Sun, (0:27 - 1:22)
- Band jam, drumming (1:22 - 1:52)
- Birds tweeting (1:52 - 1:57)
- Bass solo mixed with harpsichord (1:57 - 2:23)
- Middle "Lonesome Whistle" bridge (2:23 - 2:53)
- Noisy bridge (2:53 - 3:07)
- Another rock section, end verse (3:07 - 4:12)
- Calm harpsichord chorus ("Looking back at some dead world...") (4:12 - 4:54)
- One last rock blast, more mad drumming (4:54 - 5:36)
- Synthesizer coda (5:36 - 6:02)
So this song is literally 11 songs in one. Lyrically, the song is a mix of creative phrases, although spun together randomly. In 1995, Beck recorded a B-Side for the Deadweight single named Erase the Sun. It included various lyrics that would later appear in Diamond Bollocks, such as "choice cut meets from derelict boulevards," "dazzlements of accidents," "hari-karis," "spinning round the golden looms," and "offices and fountains they named for you."
The initial idea was for it to be track 2 on Mutations, but Beck moved it (on American versions of the album) to a hidden track at the very end. "It's part of the record, but it's like the wayward son at the Thanksgiving dinner who just doesn't really fit in with the family anymore, is the black sheep. So you put him at the end of the table..." he explains. In order for it to appear on American versions of the album, you must wait a full minute and a half after Static, then it will play.
When Mutations was released on vinyl in 1999, Diamond Bollocks could not fit on the 12". In order to make up for this, it was included as a bonus 7" for purchasing the album, with Runners Dial Zero as it's B-Side.
Lyrics[]
Looking back at some dead world that looks so new
Offices and fountains that they named for you
Dazzlements of accidents, rejoice their doom
Hari-karis spinning 'round the golden looms
Girl, you dream infections from the nauseous heart
Choice cut meats from derelict boulevards
Hear that lonesome whistle blow
No direction to be known in a senile revelry
A tearful gaze turns away, emoting cold and grey
Scented eunuchs clothe our wretchedness
Looking back at some dead world that looks so new
Offices and fountains that they named for you
So ungrateful to the who's-and-what's-his-face
Perilous confections look so out of place
Looking back at some dead world that looks so new
Looking back at some dead world that looks so new
Looking back at some dead world that looks so new
Looking back at some dead world that looks so new
Listen[]
Diamond Bollocks
Tracks
- 1: Cold Brains - 3:41
- 2: Nobody's Fault but My Own - 5:02
- 3: Lazy Flies - 3:44
- 4: Canceled Check - 3:14
- 5: We Live Again - 3:05
- 6: Tropicalia - 3:20
- 7: Dead Melodies - 2:36
- 8: Bottle of Blues - 4:56
- 9: O Maria - 3:59
- 10: Sing It Again - 4:19
- 11: Static - 5:18
- 12: Diamond Bollocks - 6:02 (unlisted)
B-Sides
Black Balloon • Diamond in the Sleaze • Electric Music and the Summer People • Halo of Gold • One of These Days • Runners Dial Zero
| B-Sides |
|---|
| Too See That Woman of Mine • Steal My Body Home • Mutherfuker • Untitled (Cupcake) • Alcohol • Corvette Bummer • Fume • MTV Makes Me Want to Smoke Crack • Soul Suckin Jerk (reject) • Totally Confused • Special People • Super Golden Black Sunchild • Trouble All My Days • Asskizz Powergrudge (Payback! '94) • Got No Mind • Spanking Room • Feather In Your Cap • Whiskey Can Can • American Wasteland • Bonus Beats • Clock • Dark And Lovely • Lloyd Price Express • Make Out City • Where It's At (Remix by John King) • Where It's At (Remix by Mario C and Mickey P) • Where It's At (Remix by U.N.K.L.E) • 000.000 • Electric Music and the Summer People • Lemonade • Richards Hairpiece • The New Pollution (Remix by Mickey P) • The New Pollution (Remix by Mario C and Mickey P) • Thunder Peel • Burro • Brother • Devil Got My Woman • Jack-Ass (Butch Vig Mix) • Strange Invitation • Erase the Sun • SA-5 • Black Balloon • Halo of Gold • Diamond Bollocks • Diamond in the Sleaze • One of These Days • Runners Dial Zero • Salt in the Wound • Sexx Laws (Malibu Remix) • Sexx Laws (Wizeguyz Remix) • This Is My Crew • Arabian Nights • Dirty Dirty • Mixed Bizness (Alternative Mix) • Mixed Bizness (Cornelius Remix) • Mixed Bizness (Dirty Bixin Mixness) • Mixed Bizness (DJ Me DJ You Remix #1) • Mixed Bizness (DJ Me DJ You Remix #2) • Mixed Bizness (Fernando G Rmx) • Mixed Bizness (Nu Wave Dreamix) • Mixed Bizness (Transatlantic Remix) • Midnite Vultures • Zatyricon • Bad Cartridge • Ghost Range • Venom Confection • Bit Rate Variations in B-Flat • Girl (Octet Remix) • Ghettochip Malfunction • Gucci Bag in Flames • O Menina • Vampire Voltage No. 6 • Bonfire Blondes • Half & Half • Corrina, Corrina • Blue Randy • Up All Night (Oliver Remix) |