Released on:
The Isness
The Mello Hippo Disco Show
The Isness & The Otherness
The Otherness
The Isness (The Abbey Road Version)
Also known as:
The Mello Hippo Disco Show
Life’s a Flow
Yo-Yo (Abbey Road Version)
Runtime: 4:33 (The Isness), 4:21 (Mello Hippo), 4:32 (The Otherness), 3:48 (Abbey Road Version).
The version of ‘The Mello Hippo Disco Show‘ first heard on the ‘Psychedelic Manifesto’ video, the Abbey Road version is generally considered the best version, aligning much closer with the Beatlesy ’60s psychedelic pop sound. Softer drums and fewer layers of organ remove the proggy feel of the final mix of the song, and the shorter runtime make it more easily approachable. Opening with the mellotron line and guitar samples from ‘Trying to Make Impermanent Things Permanent’, the track feels much closer to that 1997 track than the final mix does; the middle section even features Mikey Rowe’s full organ solo, rather than the slightly more aimless meandering of the mid section on the final mix. The utter madness that follows the chorus is also marvellous, a cacophony of noise that sounds like a brass band speeding up into infinity, followed by car horns, an orchestral warm up and the opening guitar riff once more. Despite its more overtly poppy feel, the inclusion of large chunks of ‘Trying to Make…’ make the track feel much more FSOL-ish than the rockier final version.
The mix has appeared numerous times since the 2002 Abbey Road version was scrapped: first as the closing part of the ‘Mello Hippo Disco Show’ single, bringing the suite to a fitting climax; later in 2004 on The Otherness as ‘Yo-Yo (Abbey Road Version)’; finally on the 2018 Abbey Road Version of The Isness, minus the string reprise.
Credits
Written by Cobain, Dougans, Rowe.
Produced by The Future Sound of London.
Engineered by Yage and Stone Freshwaters at The Galaxial Pharmaceutical.
From initial recordings ‘Trying to Make Impermanent Things Permanent’ and ‘Yo-Yo’ at Earthbeat Studio ’97, engineered by Yage.
Mellotron, Farfisa and keyboards – Mikey Rowe.
Reprise synth – Daniel Pemberton.
Brass arrangement – Dominic Glover trumpet, Fayaz Virgi trombone
Flute – Chris Margary.
End female voice – Anjali Saga.
Reprise orchestration – The Mike McEvoy Orchestra composed and orchestrated by Mike McEvoy, recorded at Stepping Stone, engineered by Stik (July ’96).
Cellos – Helena Binney, Jane Fenton, Christene Jackson.
Horn – Philip Eastop.
Oboe/cor anglais – Kate St. John.
Violins – Morven Bryce, Joanna Archard, Sarah Tilley, Mark McEvoy.
Trombone – Mark Eades.
Additional la-la’s – The Electric Gospel Choir (Gloria Gee, Rechenda Elmhurst, John-Llewelyn Evans, Christine Settle, Jacqueline Goddard, Adrian Osmond, Jon English).
Harp – Thelma Owen.
Fractional Difference 