at the show and even watching it on dvd from tom,i dont know what that song is called, did it appear on anything, whats it about, is there ANY sort of recording of it and if so where can i get it? that song blew me away then and it does now. i love the guitar solo that just goes from a searing speed to a slowed groove. man its great. any input from joe, mike, vitus, steve, eggplant or any bandmember would be awesome.

"Make Believe", a Vitus song which the band played in the early '80s (it is also on the video of the Whisky '82 concert). They never recorded a finished version of the song, but perhaps they will sometime in the future (?).

You've heard it before, I think- it's on that old cassette tape I have, that you listened to last time you were here. It's a live version from 1983. I think Joe said he has some recording or other, a different one.

That little ditty is called "Make Believe" and was written around the same time as the songs on the 'Painting Smiles' album. It was a very brief period where I was cranking out songs quicker than Joe, or perhaps Joe had just slowed down a bit.

The concept of the song is the breakup of a relationship that was one-sided to begin with to the point that no relationship ever existed in the first place. Pretty plain stuff but in usual Last fashion we managed to take it over the top and so that now there's a real psychotic on the loose in a world that doesn't exist. It's a heart break song about someone with no grip on reality. Fictitious I assure you.

We played the song live with the Last for a brief period. It came and went from the set and the lyrics also were in a state of flux. It was one of those songs where we could really spook the audience between the grinding 3 way chord modulation and the intense persona Joe would assume while delivering the hard cold lack of reality scenario. Good times were had by all.

It was a powerful piece to have in our quiver for a mixed bill with a hardcore band's draw in attendance.

Trotsky Icepick played their version of the song briefly circa 1988. I was never able to make the song transition into the snide / tongue and cheek approach TI had for just about everything it undertook. Besides, you need someone like Joe fronting the band to make this work. John Talley-Jones was not singing in Trotsky at the time or perhaps it might have worked. John's take on this song would have been very interesting but he came up with plenty reality tweeked songs on his own.

The Last recorded "Make Believe" twice when Steve Andrews was in the band and one version just needs the vocals tracked. The instrumental backing complete with Joe's cool lead playing and a chunky Vox Continental organ through Elton John's Leslie cabinet rocks. The rhythm section is none other than John Frank and John Rosewall. They nail it down good.

Dave Nolte has recently transferred that master tape and perhaps someday soon Joe can add the vocal for a final version.

Thank you, Vitus, for all the great info on this great song!

(I didn't just scream out loud in joy at the thought of it being recorded, did I?)


Actually, I do know a few people who are exactly like the one in the song.
Scary.

I wasn't talking 'bout YOU, Tom! You were just purposely misled.

My world is peppered with loonies. Like the woman who is possibly throwing the whammy at me!

As you have all noticed, there is a delay between CC Rag and Make Believe. "We may never play it."
For the record, we all had set lists the Saturday before the show. We decided on a lark to try Make Believe and it came together in two attempts. Joe printed a new set list adding the song - but I just kept my old copy having scribbled the title on the paper. 'Turns out I didn't see my chickenscratch in the dark of The Echo.
If there was a camera on my side you would have seen me utter the words, "Oops-'Forgot about that one."

"Make Believe" was one of my favorite Last songs to play, and I'm really glad that it was included in the show. I also loved playing "What Is in There?", but our set was already too long.

Ha! Maybe another camera caught that...


Anyway, I too heard the live version at Nancy's. As well as a studio version of SOmeday I'll Have You, without the lovely backing vocals. Still good, though.


Anyway, that song blew me away live - just like Rufo. It is nice to know that two people, standing right next to each other, were equally blown away at the exact same moment. Very cool!

It also rules on the DVD. As well as the DVD of the '82 show.

Great song, Vitus! And Joe does an awesome job singin'/"becoming" that song.

And as usual, the rhythm section is spot-on.

Perfection? Oh hell yes.

thanks so much for all that information. that song was/is one of the most amazing things ive heard without a doubt this year. i can imagine how mind warping it must have been to have seen and heard that song then as now. i dont know what itll take to have a complete recorded version of the song done but it needs to be done, that song easily ranks in the pantheon of some of the greatest last material.Vitus your songwriting is well beyond that of mere mortals to make something like that, i mean it takes a near act of god to get me to react to a song like that. the only other thing i would ask is if you would be gracious enough to perhaps post the lyrics? seriously, those changes and just everything about that song just kills me.

Where's Gary???...

Joe's laughing. I'm supposed to give you the lyrics? Did he send you? I believe Joe asked me for those back 1981?

I will gladly post a set of lyrics. I can almost guarantee these may have little in common with what Joe sang at the Echo.

There are no definitve lyrics, uh, just yet. As best I can remember (keep in mind there was another band trying this tune for a little while and lyrics morphed further) it went kinda like this:


(V1)

I SAW THE DAY
YOU CAME MY WAY
A DREAM TO BE THAT YOU WERE MY WORLD
YOU PLAYED ALONG
COULD DO NO WRONG
EVERYONE COULD SEE THAT YOU WERE MY GIRL


(CHORUS)

TAKE A LOOK TAKE A LOOK
READ ME LIKE AN OPEN BOOK
TAKE A LOOK TAKE A LOOK
THERE?S NOTHING THERE YOU?RE OFF THE HOOK

(V2)

COME THINGS THAT MAY
THAT CURTAIN GRAY
BETWEEN THIS SEA AND THINGS THAT MATTERED

I BROKE IT DOWN
REALLY TORE IT DOWN
THOSE LITTLE PIECES NOW LIE SCATTERED

(OTHER CHORUS)

THE TRUTH LAYS PUNCTURED DEEP INSIDE
WITH NOTHING LEFT TO HIDE
PLEASE TAKE ME IN PLEASE TAKE ME IN YOUR ARMS

(BRIDGE)

I SAW CONFUSION
I COULD NEVER SEE THINGS RIGHT
I DOVE INTO THE LIGHT
I BROKE MY HEART THAT NIGHT

'Tis a good song, that one!

I always thought the chorus was "take a look - take a lie"

Joe probably thought that too Dan.

Look, these lyrics are pretty sucky I know but that's never stopped us from plowing into the song. All other interpretations of whatever it is Joe's been singing all these years is perfectly welcome and perhaps we can assemble a less embarrassing set of lyrics right here.

I think I want to change up that little reggae riff I do a little bit. C to C9th.

I dig this.

wow - never saw that version either . . .

now if i could only see it performed again....hmmm

Instead of posting those godawful lyrics I should have allowed everyone to upload their interpretation of whatever they think Joe's been singing all these years.

this is still a fucking amazing song, hence me digging up this thread from teh boards further reaches. i popped the dvd in and watched the whole thing again this morning, cause i cant just watch part of it i have to see all of it. Vitus those lyrics are far from being sucky at all. and while reminiscing about the echo does anyone has the audio portion of the show recorded straight from teh board? cause i would kill for that.

Rufo - There's a pretty good studio take of "Make Believe" from '83 or '84 that will be getting properly transferred to digital in the spring. We played it better back then and this superior version will be available sometime soon I promise, even if it has to be CDR.

By the way the other chorus that Joe sings goes:

TAKE A LOOK TAKE A LOOK
THINGS ARE NOT AS YOU PERCIEVE
TAKE A LOOK TAKE A LOOK
ALL YOU SEE IS MAKE BELIEVE

on of the truly truly amazing last songs among the many others, just spinechillingly great. i do like the lyrics even if you think they are a little hokey.

Regarding the lyrics, I like all the variations posted here. I care not one bit what Vitus thinks of them, I dig 'em!