Song Trivia
Dance of the Manatee
Kyla Cries Cologne
Vice/Versa
The Wife, the Kids, and the White Picket Fence
April Fools and Eggmen
A Seafarer's Knot
A Wolf Descends Upon the Spanish Sahara
Walls of Jericho
Tall Tales Taste Like Sour Grapes
Upgrade^Brigade
Say When
An Honest Conman
Whiskey & Ritalin
Musical Chairs
Amarillo Sleeps on My Pillow
A Loophole in Limbo
Short-Haired Tornado
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
Bright Bulbs & Sharp Tools
The Greener Grass
Pour the Coal to 'er
Song Information
Dance of the Manatee is known for having the most variation between recordings resulting in many various versions.
Dance of the Manatee could possible be a reworked version of a very old Fair to Midland song Abbey's Account, a song with no public recordings.
After The Carbon Copy Silver Lining, Fair to Midland played Dance of the Manatee at Acoustic shows.
Two demos were recorded of Dance of the Manatee for i.f.s.
Dance of the Manatee was re-recorded for Fables', being the album's first track and very first Fair to Midland single.
A music video was made for Dance of the Manatee featuring art from Fables' artwork designer James Riches.
Fair to Midland recorded an acoustic version of Dance of the Manatee for WCCC Live at Planet of Sound, Vol. 3.
This line was retooled for Arrows and Anchor's Coppertank Island.
Cliff Campbell on "Dance of the Manatee" from an interview at Rock On Request:
If you asked me....well everybody has a different interpretation for all of our songs, and that's kind of what they're written for, to be open to interpretation. But if you ask me personally, I didn't write it, I've just read the lyrics, but what I get from it is what society views the modern day man as. That's what I get from it... he's the modern day man; he's just being treated how people treat a man that. You know, actually, he's not a modern day man. Because what people want in a modern day man, he is not him. It's just an example of what happens nowadays to people who are polite, kind, and who bend over backwards to help people. It's really like no pride, he's just out there and they're not really looking for him, you know what I mean, and nobody's there to care anymore. That's just what I get from it.
Structure and Composition
"Dance of the Manatee" is a moderately fast song at 110 beats per minute and is written in the key of F minor. Most of the song uses 4/4 timing, with the exception of one measure before the last chorus that uses 3/4 timing. During the introduction the song features a four-chord refrain of F5, Bb5, Db5, and Ab5, followed by a fill lasting one measure.
Versions
Dance Of The Manatee (Demo) from old live recordings
Dance Of The Manatee (Demo V1) from inter.funda.stifle Demo recordings
Dance Of The Manatee (Demo V2) from inter.funda.stifle Demo recordings
Dance Of The Manatee from inter.funda.stifle (2004)
Dance of the Manatee from Fables From a Mayfly (2007)
Dance of the Manatee (Acoustic) from the compilation album WCCC Live at Planet of Sound, Vol. .
Dance of the Manatee (Acoustic) from the Sony Connect session
Song Information
A Demo created on Reason exists.
Kyla Cries Cologne was a highlight track for inter.funda.stifle in 2004.
It was re-recorded for Fables from a Mayfly in 2007.
Versions
Kyla Cries Cologne (Reason Demo)
Kyla Cries Cologne (Demo) from inter.funda.stifle Demos
Kyla Cries Cologne from inter.funda.stifle (2004)
Kyla Cries Cologne from Fables From a Mayfly (2007)
Song Information
Fair to Midland is known for playing an Acoustic Blues version of Vice/Versa,They've played this version on numerous radio stations.
Namely, on KLXU 88.9FM, Los Angeles CA on August, 2nd, 2005,
and on Z104.5 THE EDGE, Tulsa OK in 2009.
An Acoustic version of Vice/Versa was also recorded for Sony Connect.
Versions
Vice/Versa (Demo) from old live recordingsVice/Versa (Demo) from inter.funda.stifle (2004) Demos
Vice/Versa from inter.funda.stifle (2004)
Vice/Versa from Fables From a Mafly (2004)
Vice/Versa (Acoustic) from the Sony Connect session
The Wife, the Kids, and the White Picket Fence
Song Information
"Wifey" is a new song recorded for Fables.Darroh has said that "The Greener Grass" is the second part to "Wifey".
Song Information
"April Fools" is a new song recorded for Fables.
Song Information
A demo created on Reason exists, but an inter.funda.stifle. Demo, however, does not.
Versions
A Seafarer's Knot (Reason Demo)
A Seafarer's Knot from inter.funds.stifle (2004)
A Seafarer's Knot from Fables from a Mayfly (2007)
A Wolf Descends Upon the Spanish Sahara
Song Information
A Wolf Descends' was recorded for the i.f.s. demos, but never made it on i.f.s. itself.It was then remade for Fables.
The "u" in "upon" is lowercase on the back of Fables.
Versions
A Wolf Descends upon the Spanish Sahara from the inter.funda.stifle. DemosA Wolf Descends upon the Spanish Sahara from Fables From a Mayfly
Walls of Jericho
Song Information
Before Fables, "Walls of Jericho" was always titled with "The" in front of it.
Versions
The Walls Of Jericho (Demo) from live recordingsThe Walls Of Jericho (Demo V1) from inter.funda.stifle. Demo recordings
The Walls Of Jericho (Demo V2) from inter.funda.stifle. Demo recordings
The Walls Of Jericho from inter.funda.stifle. (2004)
Walls of Jericho from Fables From a Mayfly (2007)
Tall Tales Taste Like Sour Grapes
Song Information
"Tall Tales" is a new song recorded for Fables. "Tall Tales" was Fair to Midland's second ever single.Song Information
"Upgrade^Brigade" was recorded as a i.f.s. demo, premiering on i.f.s. itself.
It was then re-recorded for Fables.
Versions
Upgrade^Brigade (Demo) from live recordings
Upgrade^Brigade (Demo) from inter.funda.stifle Demo recordings
Upgrade^Brigade from inter.funda.stifle (2004)
Upgrade^Brigade from Fables From a Mayfly (2007)
Song Information
"Say When" is a new song recorded for Fables."Say When" shares similarities with "Quince" from inter.funda.stifle., they're both the last and softest tracks on their respective album.
"Say When" is mostly reserved for encores live.
Song Information
"An Honest Conman" is only available as a bonus track through iTunes after buying Fables From a Mayfly."An Honest Conman" is a spiritual revision of Granny Niblo, specifically the Demo version recorded for inter.funda.stifle, Granny Niblo (Demo 1).
Versions
Granny Niblo (Demo 1) from the inter.funda.stifle. DemosSong Information
Darroh apparently wrote this song on exactly what it's called... Whiskey & Ritalin.
Song Information
Premiered on 93X Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota Radio, October 5th, 2009.
The 2009 Demo continued to be a single until 2011 when the Arrows and Anchors version was released,.
which Premiered on ARTISTdirect on April 2nd, 2011 and on iTunes on April 18th, 2011.
Versions
Musical Chairs from the 2009 Demos.
Song Information
"Amarillo" premiered on May 19th, 2011 on ftmband.com after Brett notified the forums a day before.
Song Information
Premiered on Fair to Midland's FWIW Crash Video promo after the band suffered a crash in Phoenix on January 9th, 2010.
Versions
A Loophole in Limbo from the 2009 Demos
Song Information
Presumably written for Krysta Cameron, Darroh's "Short-Haired Tornado".
Versions
Rikki Tikki Tavi from the 2009 Demos
Song Information
Was rarely, if ever, played live before recording the 2009 demos.
Versions
Bright Bulbs & Sharp Tools from the 2009 Demos.
Song Information
"The Greener Grass" was originally titled "The Groomsman".
According to Darroh, this song has a connection to "The Wife, The Kids, and The White Picket Fence" from Fables From a Mayfly.
The opening of "The Greener Grass" was used as an introduction to Fair to Midland's first song when playing live for many years.
Song Information
Originally titled "St. Elmo's Fire".