Come on Pilgrim

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Professional reviews
Come on Pilgrim

EP by The Pixies
Released	October, 1987
Recorded	March, 1987 at Fort Apache Studios, Roxbury, Massachusetts
Genre	Alternative, College rock
Length	20:28
Label	4AD (U.K.)/ Elektra (U.S.)
Producer(s)	Gary Smith
All Music Guide link
The Pixies chronology
	Come on Pilgrim (1987)	Surfer Rosa (1988)

Come on Pilgrim was the Pixies' first release, issued in October of 1987. The EP's title appears in the song "Levitate Me": "Levitate me/ Come on, pilgrim, you know he loves you." The lyric came from a catch phrase used by '70s Christian folk singer Larry Norman during his live concerts: "Come on Pilgrim, you know He loves you"^[1] — Pixies singer Black Francis once saw Norman perform at a Christian summer camp. He would later record one of Norman's songs during his solo career as Frank Black, plus share one concert stage with him.

1 Background
2 Content
3 Release
4 Critical reaction
5 Track listing
6 Personnel
7 Notes and references
8 External links

[edit] Background

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Come on Pilgrim's eight songs were taken directly from a 17-song demo tape (dubbed "The Purple Tape") which the band had recorded in March 1987, before being signed to 4AD. Immediately after signing, 4AD slightly remixed and released the eight Come on Pilgrim songs. The remaining nine songs were officially released in 2002 as the Pixies EP. Bassist/vocalist Kim Deal, then married, used the pseudonym "Mrs. John Murphy" on the first few Pixies records as an ironic feminist joke.^[2]

[edit] Content

Come on Pilgrim showcased much of the Pixies' variety and set up the beginnings of many trends in their music. The EP includes two songs partly sung in Spanish ("Vamos" and "Isla de Encanta") drew upon some of his experiences in Puerto Rico ("Isla de Encanta" is an alteration of the island's nickname, "Isla del Encanto" meaning "Isle of Enchantment"). Two songs explicitly mention incest — "Nimrod's Son" and "The Holiday Song" (sample (help·info)). "I've Been Tired" refers metaphorically to sex and rock & roll culture, and there are four songs with overt religious references or language ("Caribou", "Nimrod's Son", "The Holiday Song" and "Levitate Me"). Beyond lyrical trends, Come on Pilgrim displayed Joey Santiago's innovative guitar leads, Deal's sunny vocal harmonies, and Francis's vocal range, which varied from screaming to traditionally-sung melodies.^[3] A version of the song "Vamos" would appear on Pixies' next two releases: their first full-length album, Surfer Rosa, and as a B-side to the single Gigantic.

[edit] Release

Come on Pilgrim had no distribution in the United States when it was first released. It was unreleased in the United States until August 1988, when Rough Trade included it on their CD release of the Surfer Rosa LP and simultaneously issed the record on vinyl. In 1992, Elektra Records issued the EP on its own CD in the USA. After 4AD re-acquired the band's USA distribution rights in 2004, it was released on CD again; this was the first CD release to carry the EP's 4AD catalog number (MAD 709).

Although generally categorized as an EP, the 4AD catalog number (MAD 709) indicates that the label considers it a "mini-album." 4AD EP releases are given "BAD" catalog numbers, and mini-albums are given "MAD" catalog numbers.

[edit] Critical reaction

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Come on Pilgrim received far more attention from the British music press than in the United States. It received reviews in Q Magazine, Sounds and NME.^[4]^[5]^[6]