Yes Sir, I Will

Yes Sir, I Will
Studio album by Crass
Released	1983
Recorded	1983
Genre	Anarcho punk Noise rock
Length	43:53
Label	Crass
Producer	Crass
Crass chronology
Christ The Album (1982) Yes Sir, I Will (1983) Best Before 1984 (1986)

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Allmusic

Yes Sir, I Will, released by Crass in 1983 (see 1983 in music), was the band's last 'official' album. The record consists of one continuous piece of music spread over the two sides of the original vinyl release (the CD release split the album into 7 tracks), making it the longest punk song ever recorded, although this is intercut with two brief interludes; a section of self-parody ("The Feeding of the Five Knuckle Shuffle") and a ballad-style piano "Anarchy's Just Another Word" section sung by drummer Penny Rimbaud. The album was essentially a bitter and virulent attack on then prime minister Margaret Thatcher and her government in the aftermath of the Falklands War, set nearly wholly over a raging and an almost free-form improvised backing provided by the groups' instrumentalists. Many of the 'lyrics' of this piece, which can be read at [1], are extracted from Rimbaud's extended poem Rocky Eyed. Sleeve notes for the album include parts of Rimbaud's article The Pig's Head Controversy [2] that originally appeared in the Crass produced magazine International Anthem.

The title of the record is ironic, taken from a news cutting reporting a conversation said to have taken place between Charles, Prince of Wales and a badly burned soldier (Simon Weston) who had returned from the Falklands;

"Get well soon," the Prince said. And the soldier replied "Yes sir, I will".

Penny Rimbaud, commenting on this, has said "That was the hook. That was such an audacious thing to do at the time. Especially given that one had to feel compassion for Simon Weston." A film made by Crass member Gee Vaucher to accompany Yes Sir, I Will was shown at the UK National Film Theatre's Stuff the Jubilee festival of punk films in 2002, and the track has been recently remixed by Penny Rimbaud to incorporate additional jazz instrumentation provided by Ingrid Laubrock (saxophone) and Julien Seigal (double bass) to augment the original performance.

The 'Crassical Collection' version of this release, including new artwork by Gee Vaucher, remastered sound and liner notes by Steve Ignorant and Penny Rimbaud, was released on May 17th, 2011. The reissue also contains a second disc (entitled 'Why Don't You Fuck Off?'), which features Penny Rimbaud's 2002 remix of the album, featuring jazz instrumentalists Ingrid Laubrock and Julien Seigal.

Personnel

• Steve Ignorant - Vocals
• Joy De Vivre - Vocals
• Phil Free - Guitar
• Gee Vaucher - Voices, Artwork
• Eve Libertine - Vocals
• N.A.Palmer - Guitar (Rhythm), Vocals, Voices
• Penny Rimbaud - drums, Vocals
• Pete Wright - Bass
• Paul Ellis - Piano, Strings
• Crass - Producer
• John Loder - Engineer
• Judy - Typing

Quotes

• "The listener experiences and shares the performer's exhaustion as voices crack, the beat wanders, energy flags and returns" - George McKay describing the album in Senseless Acts of Beauty (Verso, 1996)

Tracks

CD release

1. "Yes Sir, I Will" – 5:30
2. "Yes Sir, I Will" – 2:36
3. "Yes Sir, I Will" – 1:00
4. "Yes Sir, I Will" – 2:08
5. "Yes Sir, I Will" – 6:47
6. "Yes Sir, I Will" – 5:41
7. "Yes Sir, I Will" – 20:08

'Crassical Collection' reissue tracklisting

Note that the tracks on disc 1 are cut up incorrectly. This tracklist assumes that it uses the original cuts from the 1990 CD. Disc 2 is cut up correctly.

Disc One - Yes Sir, I Will

1. "Step Outside" and "Rocky Eyes"
2. "Anarchy's Just Another Word"
3. "Speed Or Greed"
4. "The Five Knuckle Shuffle"
5. "A Rock 'n' Roll Swindler"
6. "Burying The Hatchet"
7. "Taking Sides"

Disc Two - Why Don't You Fuck Off?

1. "Birth Of A Notion"
2. "Step Outside"
3. "Rocky Eyes"
4. "Anarchy's Just Another Word"
5. "Mouthing The Words"
6. "The Five Knuckle Shuffle"
7. "A Rock 'n' Roll Swindler"
8. "Taking Sides"