Cattle and Cane

"Cattle and Cane"
7" single cover
Single by The Go-Betweens
from the album Before Hollywood
B-side"Heaven Says"
ReleasedFebruary 1983
RecordedOctober 1982
I.C.C. Studios – Eastbourne, England
GenreAlternative rock
Length4:12
LabelRough Trade
Songwriter(s)Grant McLennan, Robert Forster
Producer(s)John Brand
The Go-Betweens singles chronology
"Hammer the Hammer"
(1982) 		"Cattle and Cane"
(1983) 		"Man O'Sand to Girl O'Sea"
(1983)

"Cattle and Cane" is a song by the Australian alternative rock band The Go-Betweens, released as the first single from their second album Before Hollywood. It was released as a single in the United Kingdom by Rough Trade Records in February 1983 and reached No. 4 on the UK Independent Chart.[1][2] The single and album were both released in Australia on Stunn,[3] a small label allied with EMI. The Stunn pressings were of poor quality and their distribution limited.[4]

Vocalist and bass guitarist Grant McLennan wrote the lyrics for his mother as an autobiographical description of his return home to a Queensland farm when a boy. He used Nick Cave's acoustic guitar while staying at Cave's London apartment. Vocalist and guitarist Robert Forster co-wrote the song.[5] Drummer Lindy Morrison also supplied backing vocals.[6][7] The single and album both failed to appear on the relevant Australian Kent Music Report Top 50 charts.[8] In May 2001, "Cattle and Cane" was selected by Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time.[9]

  1. ^ "The Go-Betweens: Cattle And Cane". Go-Betweens.org.uk. Retrieved 17 March 2010.
  2. ^ Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980–1989. Cherry Red Books. ISBN 0-9517206-9-4. Archived from the original on 7 July 2010.
  3. ^ "Go-Betweens, The – Cattle and Cane". Discogs. Retrieved 17 March 2010.
  4. ^ Nichols, David (1997). The Go-Betweens. Portland, Oregon: Verse Chorus Press. ISBN 1-891241-16-8.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference APRA Cattle was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference ARDb was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Raggett was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Kruger was invoked but never defined (see the help page).