The Ballard of J Drummer

Written by:

Mark E Smith

Initial release:

The Light User Syndrome

Date:

10 June 1996

Group on initial recording:

Mark E Smith – vocals; Brix Smith – guitar, vocals; Steve Hanley – bass;Julia Nagle – keyboards, guitar; Simon Wolstencroft – drums, programming; Karl Burns – drums, guitar, vocals

Commentary:

Keyboards in a military sounding tune. The story told in the lyrics is characteristically obscure. One of the lesser tracks on The Light User Syndrome.

A tale about Karl Burns or a nod to the musician Johnny Drummer? Who knows? Is Ballard wrongly spelled or is the dystopian Sci-Fi writer somehow connected? Who knows? Speculation is rife but at the end of it all probably pointless.