SISTER

also appears on:

• Hold That Tiger (live '87)
• Rhythm & Noise (live '87)
• MIX TAPE #3 (live '90)

Line-up:
Thurston - guitar/vocals
Kim - bass/howl
Lee - guitar
Steve - drums

Lyrics   status: confirmed

I got a catholic block
Inside my head
I let it go to work
Bring it all back home
It serves you right
And I can motor down
You got to earn your freedom
Get it on my own
I just live forever
There just is no end
I just trust the oppression
Like I trust your friends
I got a catholic block
Inside my head
I let it play around
Iron to gold

Come back to me a while

I got a catholic block
It's around my head
I got a catholic block
And it's blood orange red
I got a catholic block
Do you like to fuck?
I got a catholic block
I guess I'm out of luck

NOTES:

• Marks the first use of an acoustic guitar melodically on a Sonic Youth album (played by Lee). I say "melodically" because he did use one on Ghost Bitch, but for drastically different results.
• The photograph below is a scan of an early scratch set of lyrical ideas for this tune (w/ one line from Cotton Crown).
• A bell sound almost resembling a toy music box can be heard at 2:41.
• Resurfaced in live sets in 2003, last played in '96.
• Jim O'Rourke played guitar on this song while he was in the band.

ALTERNATE VERSIONS:

• On "Hold That Tiger" - LIVE - 3:55

  Recorded live on 10/14/87 at the Cabaret Metro in Chicago, Illinois. Segued into from "Pipeline".

• Another live version of this song appeared on the "Good Feeling" and "Underground Rhythm & Noise" compilations. I think it's the same version, but I don't know for sure where it's from (possibly 6/4/87 London). Any info?

• On "Mix Tape #3" - LIVE - 3:46

  Recorded live on 11/03/90 in Irvine, CA. Same gig as 'Dirty Boots' EP.