"Dumb Waiters" is a song by

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band

the Psychedelic Furs The Psychedelic Furs are a post-punk band founded in London in February 1977. Led by lead vocalist Richard Butler and his brother Tim Butler on bass guitar, the Psychedelic Furs are one of the many acts spawned from the British post-punk scene ...

, released as a single in April 1981 by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

. Written by the band and produced by

Steve Lillywhite Stephen Alan Lillywhite, (born 15 March 1955) is a British record producer. Since he began his career in 1977, Lillywhite has been credited on over 500 records, and has collaborated with a variety of musicians including new wave acts XTC, Big ...

, it was included on the band's second studio album ''

Talk Talk Talk ''Talk Talk Talk'' is the second studio album by the English rock band the Psychedelic Furs. It was released 15 May 1981 by Columbia Records. It was reissued with bonus tracks in 2002 by Columbia/Legacy and on vinyl in the UK in 2011 without b ...

'' (1981).

Release

To help promote ''Talk Talk Talk'', the UK single for "Dumb Waiters" was packaged in an embossed plastic sleeve, playable at 33⅓ RPM on a turntable, which contained a track with excerpts from the songs "Into You Like a Train", "I Wanna Sleep with You" and "

Pretty in Pink ''Pretty in Pink'' is a 1986 American teen romantic comedy-drama film about love and social cliques in American high schools in the 1980s. A cult classic, it is commonly identified as a "Brat Pack" film. It was directed by Howard Deutch, produc ...

". Lead vocalist Richard Butler opened the track by saying, "This is a Psychedelic Furs commercial. Buy ''Talk Talk Talk''". "Dumb Waiters" was the first Psychedelic Furs single to chart in the UK, peaking at No. 59. It also reached No. 27 on the U.S. National Disco Action Top 80 chart.

Critical reception

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

writer Dave Thompson said that the song "captures the band at its most frenzied, a state of mind which subsequent live versions only amplified". AllMusic's Ned Raggett called the song "especially striking. . .with its queasy, slow-paced arrangement that allows both uncanKilburn's harmonica and ohnAshton's guitar to go wild".

Cover versions

New York City

dance-punk Dance-punk (also known as disco-punk, punk-funk or techno-punk) is a post-punk subgenre that emerged in the late 1970s, and is closely associated with the disco, post-disco and new wave movements.Rip It Up and Start Again: Post Punk 1978-1984 ...

band the Rapture recorded a

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

of the song, which was included on the

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

of their 1998 debut single, "The Chair That Squeaks".

Track listing

;7" vinyl #"Dumb Waiters" – 3:35 #"Dash" – 3:06 *Playable sleeve contains "A Psychedelic Furs Commercial" – 4:39

Chart performance

References

External links

* {{authority control 1981 singles The Psychedelic Furs songs Song recordings produced by Steve Lillywhite 1981 songs Columbia Records singles Songs written by Tim Butler Songs written by John Ashton (musician) Songs written by Richard Butler (singer)