Van Der Graaf Generator — Pawn Hearts (1971)

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1. Lemmings (11:39)
2. Man-Erg (10:21)
3. A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers (23:04)
a) Eyewitness
b) Pictures / Lighthouse
c) Eyewitness
d) S.H.M.
e) Presence of the Night
f) Kosmos Tours
g) (Custard's) Last Stand
h) The Clot Thickens
i) Land's End
j) We Go Now

Total Time: 45:04

Bonus tracks on remaster (2005):
4. Theme One (original mix) (3:15)
5. W (first version) (5:04)
6. Angle of Incidents (4:48)
7. Ponker's Theme (1:28)
8. Diminutions (6:00)

Credits:

- Peter Hammill / lead vocals, guitars, pianos
- Hugh Banton / organs, piano, mellotron, bass pedals, bass guitar, synthesiser, vocals
- Guy Evans / drums and percussion
- David Jackson / saxes, flute, vocals

GUEST:
- Robert Fripp / electric guitar

"...I'm getting Charisma to send you a copy of the Pawn Hearts lyric sheet, there was meant to be one with each album, but I only remembered to check that they were getting it all together at the last minute, and they weren't, so some went out without..."
- Peter Hammill in a letter to Jem Shotts, 21st February 1972

http://www.vandergraafgenerator.co.uk/pawnhts.htm

American label

The American version contained "Theme One"

American Promo

Buddah Records Canada

Brazilian Release

Spanish Promo (1972)

(This picture was taken at Luxford House, Crowborough, Surrey. There is a photograph of the house, taken in 2005, in The Book.)

"Nohjndijcrackycracky was an appalling misprint for Nohjnohjcrackycracky, being a catchphrase for our then roadies, Nohj and Cracky, two sons of the Leek who have since left us...no real mystery!!!"

"The picture inside was completely spontaneous (in form!) - originally we'd intended a picture of us playing Crowborough tennis, a VdGG invention involving the table we're standing on and the football under Dave's arm... I won't try to explain the rules, as it's quite complicated, but a very energetic game of skill!! So we took lots of shots of that (all of which are equally weird, and some of which may yet be used) and then had a few frames left, so got into the psychedelic Nazi's trip! When we saw the effect, the pose, infra red film and all, we instantly overcame any inhibitions about freaking people, and knew it HAD to be that! The black shirts and yellow ties, incidentally, are not as directly connected to it as might be thought... they arose from conversations in the making of PH, in which we decided that we were going so far out inside (you can take that any way you want, musically, emotionally, psychically), that all we could do was have a "blackshirts" society to denote our outsanity. It's a bit of a self-defeating concept, but only 1/4 serious!! So for this cover, this idea came back! I hope all that makes some sense, but it's difficult, because people know us through the music, yet this is only peripherally in the music, and has more to do with the unrealities in which we live....(guarded) explanations in song on the next album, I hope!!"
- Peter Hammill in a letter to Jem Shotts, 21st February 1972

"The pose was in ironic reference to a statue in Kaiserslautern which had given us chills."
- Peter Hammill in an interview with Mju:zik magazine, February 1998

"I remember that much of 'Pawn Hearts' was written in my country cottage, which thereafter was haunted by a strangeness which clearly could be laid at the door of the damned fellow (Peter Hammill)..."
- Tony Stratton-Smith in an interview with Music Week, 29th September 1979

Jim Christopulos talks to Paul Whitehead about the cover.

Ricardo Odriozola, in collaboration with Mark Graham, has written the ultimate "Musical Guide to Pawn Hearts". Ricardo, a professional musician who works at the Grieg Academy in Bergen, Norway launched the guide at a "Pawn Hearts Day" that was organised by the "Peter Hammill and Van der Graaf Generator Study Group" in Guastalla, Italy over the weekend of 6th and 7th October 2007. Further details and ordering facility can be found at their dedicated website: www.pawnhearts.ukf.net.