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Neil Halstead — Little Twig
Album: Oh! Mighty Engine
Avg rating:
6.5

Your rating:
Total ratings: 916









Released: 2008
Length: 3:32
Plays (last 30 days): 1
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I'm counting all the steps right back to you
Little twig, you are a fig
Ment of me
Or is it you

Your bicycle makes trouble for us all
Got no brakes
You got the shakes
And little boys well they drop their toys
When you fly past..yes they do

The art of living well is not just choice
It's down to luck and often who you .. Trust
Oh little twig you do trust well,
You do trust well

Seagulls on the roof
Have kept me wide-awake and pale
In case I fail
To sleep again
To dream of you
To take my turn on some thing new

Mudguard in a flap and chain is slack
Tyres are flat
Oh little twig you rattle past
Like a can of nails on an angels tail
Yes you do

Sunday morning papers say you failed
To make it through
Oh little twig
Can this be true?
Can this be true?
Can this be true?
Comments (61)add comment
 ciarataylor wrote:

Not a fan of whistled “s”.  Sounds like a speech impediment and sets one’s teeth on edge. Meh. 🫤 Rates a 5



And just as many others will see it as a speech "feature."  I'm so glad we aren't all the same.
Posted 6 months ago by ZenAce    [ Reply ]
 ciarataylor wrote:

Not a fan of whistled “s”.  Sounds like a speech impediment and sets one’s teeth on edge. Meh. 🫤 Rates a 5



Its known as "Sibilance"
Posted 1 year ago by Devaplan    [ Reply ]
Not a fan of whistled “s”.  Sounds like a speech impediment and sets one’s teeth on edge. Meh. 🫤 Rates a 5
Posted 1 year ago by ciarataylor    [ Reply ]
Love these lyrics!
Posted 1 year ago by Kajukenbo    [ Reply ]
 keenevision wrote:

For a few heartbeats I thought it was a Elliott Smith! Very nice.



also a tiny bit like José González
Posted 1 year ago by hightail    [ Reply ]
 Chrisjea wrote:

I either need PSD or LSD


Eh, just grab a PBR and some THC instead.
Posted 1 year ago by sjccroquet    [ Reply ]
Very nice!
Posted 1 year ago by hightail    [ Reply ]
For a few heartbeats I thought it was a Elliott Smith! Very nice.
Posted 2 years ago by keenevision    [ Reply ]
Oh! What a lovely discovery.
For whatever reason, I really connected with this song. Gentle, sweet - beautiful.
Initially, I had it pegged as Nick Drake.
Thanks for bringing it to my attention, RP!
Posted 3 years ago by jonathantwigg    [ Reply ]
Another Nick Drake wanna be
Posted 4 years ago by blues11764    [ Reply ]
This is REALLY a nice little tune!  Good job Neil!
Posted 5 years ago by dublanica    [ Reply ]
I need like more of this. Nice folky tunes.
Posted 6 years ago by robijn    [ Reply ]
I either need PSD or LSD
Posted 8 years ago by Chrisjea    [ Reply ]
He almost lost me at "little twig, you are a fig" (spectacularly dumb). Then completely lost me at the whistle. 
Posted 9 years ago by maggierob    [ Reply ]
 zair99 wrote:

I found myself a bit distracted by that as well!  Especially the delayed gap-toothed whistles on the ends of a few phrases.  I wouldn't say I hate it, but it does distract from an otherwise very nice song.
 
Exactly! {#Clap}
Posted 13 years ago by crispynz1    [ Reply ]
According to other ratings, if Beatles were playing it, the song would be a 9.

Posted 13 years ago by jcjoh    [ Reply ]
 Sloggydog wrote:
I already liked it but when i see this geezer is from Luton (that's Lu'on to those who know) just down the road from where i live i decided he needed more credit.
 
He's from Lu'on? Well, encoulez mes vieilles bottes! So the town of the Hatters has produced yet another crap singer to follow in Paul Young's footsteps? Do Loo'n's contributions to world culture never cease?

I spent much of my childhood in that dull sh1tehole, and was never happier than when I finally escaped its turgid clutches. It's no surprise that it was voted a Crap Town of the Year. Truly a Town Called Malice full of white van men and knuckledragging racists. The best thing about Loo'n is the M1 going Northbound. Devoid of charm, culture or any distinctiveness, it's just another dormitory town for Lahndan, and  makes Milton Keynes look positively quaint and characterful.

Apologies to those outside England who may well be scratching their bonces at this. Just believe me when I say that Luton does not, and will never, have a Tourist office.

Posted 14 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
 SwampYankee wrote:
Whenever I hear this tune, I think of Pink Floyd. Anyone else?
 
I think of pink nighties.

Posted 14 years ago by jptl    [ Reply ]
The shoegazers are alright with me. Saw him live recently in a tiny club. It was, er, mellow.

Posted 14 years ago by On_The_Beach    [ Reply ]
I already liked it but when i see this geezer is from Luton (that's Lu'on to those who know) just down the road from where i live i decided he needed more credit.
Posted 15 years ago by Sloggydog    [ Reply ]
 WayUpNorth wrote:
Yup, and Nick Drake ... in a good way.  Don't know what he's actually referring to as Little Twig but with the sweet mood of the music it brings to mind my sons ...{#Roflol}
 
Me too but sometimes my dad called me little twirp ... close I guess
Posted 15 years ago by martinc    [ Reply ]
 SwampYankee wrote:
Whenever I hear this tune, I think of Pink Floyd. Anyone else?
  Yup, and Nick Drake ... in a good way.  Don't know what he's actually referring to as Little Twig but with the sweet mood of the music it brings to mind my sons ...{#Roflol}


Posted 15 years ago by WayUpNorth    [ Reply ]
Slightly.  Ummagumma period.
 SwampYankee wrote:Whenever I hear this tune, I think of Pink Floyd. Anyone else?

Posted 15 years ago by max_redonx    [ Reply ]
well, _that_ melody will be stuck in my head for a while.  Simple but quite nice
hm...   caught my ear again today (8/12).  I really like this.
Posted 15 years ago by Wizzuvvoz    [ Reply ]
 SwampYankee wrote:
Whenever I hear this tune, I think of Pink Floyd. Anyone else?
 
not really


Posted 15 years ago by Jim__Sheila    [ Reply ]
It just wrings tears from my heart! {#Cry}Love love love it...
Posted 15 years ago by lmic    [ Reply ]
 Sloggydog wrote:
I like it.  A bloke born just round the corner from where i'm living.  I like it.  I see he's touring with Jack Johnson in August.  He has a similar sought of sound maybe tempered with a little of the sound of willy mason.
 

Sponsored by new Red Bull Max. 
Posted 15 years ago by rascal420    [ Reply ]
I like it.  A bloke born just round the corner from where i'm living.  I like it.  I see he's touring with Jack Johnson in August.  He has a similar sought of sound maybe tempered with a little of the sound of willy mason.
Posted 15 years ago by Sloggydog    [ Reply ]
this song always makes me stop whatever it is I'm doing and kind of 'zone' for awhile.
really raw
really beautiful
Posted 15 years ago by SuzenJueL    [ Reply ]
I'm starting to like this song, but I'm having trouble with this damn twig concept.
Posted 15 years ago by rdo    [ Reply ]
 Bine wrote:
I hate the way the singer "whistles" the S. Just sets my teeth on edge. 
 
I found myself a bit distracted by that as well!  Especially the delayed gap-toothed whistles on the ends of a few phrases.  I wouldn't say I hate it, but it does distract from an otherwise very nice song.
Posted 15 years ago by zair99    [ Reply ]
 von_Hayek wrote:

Yep!
 
I thought it was, until I checked.
Posted 15 years ago by curufinwe    [ Reply ]
 basketcase wrote:
Echoes of Nick Drake
 
Yep!

Posted 15 years ago by von_Hayek    [ Reply ]
du-du-du-du-du-du du-du-du-du...tu-tu-tu du-du-du {#Sunny}
Posted 15 years ago by Arcee    [ Reply ]
 BillG wrote:

Fixed.  Sorry about that.
 
Billy-G - you the man! 
Posted 15 years ago by slippery    [ Reply ]
The vocals, lyrics, guitar...all perfectly put together, one of my fave's~
Posted 15 years ago by SuzenJueL    [ Reply ]
He sounds a little like Nick Drake and that is definitely a good thing. With it's soft and breezy sound Neil lulls you into a false sense of security until the end when he drops the bomb...and you ask yourself what did he just sing? What happened to Little Twig? {#Cry}

Posted 15 years ago by peter_james_bond    [ Reply ]
 slippery wrote:
Is it just me or is bills copy of this song jagged?
Everytime I hear it his voice is being cut and the rythm jump a beat at the same spot.
 
Fixed.  Sorry about that.

Posted 15 years ago by William    [ Reply ]
Is it just me or is bills copy of this song jagged?
Everytime I hear it his voice is being cut and the rythm jump a beat at the same spot.
Posted 15 years ago by slippery    [ Reply ]
Whenever I hear this tune, I think of Pink Floyd. Anyone else?
Posted 15 years ago by SwampYankee    [ Reply ]
Please make it stop{#Frustrated}
Posted 15 years ago by jptl    [ Reply ]
I am mystified by the low rating! I love this tune.

Someone (on RP? songmeanings.net?) has written about how difficult it is to write songs relevantly about the joys of having children... I guess I'm easily moved by the parental-love theme.
Posted 15 years ago by lmic    [ Reply ]
The one word which comes immediately to mind on hearing this song is: twee. Cute if you're in the mood for tweeness, but sadly the Nottingham jury isn't in that sort of mood at work, so it's a nailed on Ho-Hum.
Posted 15 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
I hate the way the singer "whistles" the S. Just sets my teeth on edge. I tend to imagine the skip makes the song shorter - which I think is a good thing...
Posted 15 years ago by Bine    [ Reply ]
 MojoJojo wrote:


 
Excruciatingly gentle.

Posted 15 years ago by jptl    [ Reply ]


Posted 15 years ago by MojoJojo    [ Reply ]
 basketcase wrote:
Echoes of Nick Drake
 

I had the same thought. Pretty song, pretty voice.
Posted 15 years ago by SeaKat    [ Reply ]
 jagdriver wrote:
1 <== 2
 

Yep... a good time for a potty break after that rockin' last set.

Snow Patrol - The Lightning Strike
The Airborne Toxic Event - Sometime Around Midnight
Nico Stai - Dead Pony
Posted 15 years ago by jagdriver    [ Reply ]
1 <== 2
Posted 15 years ago by jagdriver    [ Reply ]
 basketcase wrote:
Echoes of Nick Drake
 

In voice only. Nick's guitar work stands alone as superb, unique, definitive.

Still this is quite likeable and a real smooth transition from Elliot Smith. Good work Bill Goldsmith.
Posted 15 years ago by horstman    [ Reply ]
 robco1 wrote:
I like his whistling tooth . . .
 
That makes one of us.........

And what's up with the skip???


Posted 15 years ago by jagdriver    [ Reply ]
 GawgaBoy wrote:
Was there a "skip" in there or just s network glitch on my stream?
 
I heard it as well. But I kinda liked the effect...

Posted 15 years ago by Chinju    [ Reply ]
he is whistling or is he singing?
Posted 16 years ago by More_Cowbell    [ Reply ]
Echoes of Nick Drake
Posted 16 years ago by basketcase    [ Reply ]
 GawgaBoy wrote:
Was there a "skip" in there or just s network glitch on my stream?
 
I heard it too - startling to say the least.

Made me wonder if my brother was throwing his baseball against our shared wall again just to make my old Silvertone stereo skip and make me yell at him.

Posted 16 years ago by nagsheadlocal    [ Reply ]
Was there a "skip" in there or just s network glitch on my stream?
Posted 16 years ago by GawgaBoy    [ Reply ]
This is great, quite unique and yet still has a very familiar folky quality.

Posted 16 years ago by peyotecoyote    [ Reply ]
I like his whistling tooth . . .
Posted 16 years ago by robco1    [ Reply ]
 ArbiterOfGoodTaste wrote:
Is this a new album from Neil?
Edit: Looks like it came out in July, will have to check it out!

 
I have read very positive reviews of it but so far haven't checked it out myself. Should give it a listen; I like this song a lot.

Posted 16 years ago by le_colonel    [ Reply ]
Is this a new album from Neil?
Edit: Looks like it came out in July, will have to check it out!

Posted 16 years ago by ArbiterOfGoodTaste    [ Reply ]