Blimps, Karmann Ghias And Submarines

Happy birthday to Thomas Dolby, born 14th October 1958.

Following last week's dip into Thomas' videography, I realised that apart from another post in 2024 about his song Flying North, I've never done a dedicated Dolby Dubhed selection.

So, to celebrate his 67th year, I've created a 67-minute collection of classics, rarities and remixes spanning 1980 to 1992. 

I'm less familiar with his music in the second half of the 1990s and into the 21st Century and will undoubtedly take a tour at some point, but there's plenty to see here, including the defining hit single featuring the brilliant Dr. Magnus Pike.

The original version of The Devil Is An Englishman featured on the soundtrack album to Ken Russell's 1986 film Gothic. Screamin' Lord Byron is Thomas, plus actor Gabriel Byrne, who played the poet Byron in the film and whose dialogue is featured heavily. Timothy Spall was also in the film (and the song) as Dr. Polidori.

1992 song Eastern Bloc is subtitled The Sequal (sic) as it picks up the story of the characters from Thomas' 1982 single (and personal favoruite) Europa And The Pirate Twins.

Dolby fans will take note that the number of omissions from this selection mean that there is plenty more to revisit in a future selection (or two).

For now, here's to you Thomas, hope you have a good one!

1) Hyperactive! (Heavy Breather Subversion) (Remix By Thomas Dolby) (1984)

2) The Ability To Swing (1988)

3) Europa And The Pirate Twins (Extended Version By Thomas Dolby) (1981)

4) Radio Silence (Album Version By Thomas Dolby) (1982)

5) The Devil Is An Englishman (Extended Version By Martin Rushent): Screamin' Lord Byron ft. Timothy Spall (1987)

6) Airhead (Def Ears Mix By Bassy Bob Brockmann) (1988)

7) Pedestrian Walkway (Demo) (1980)

8) Mulu The Rain Forest (1984)

9) Budapest By Blimp (Edit) (1988)

10) She Blinded Me With Science (Single Version ft. Dr. Magnus Pike) (1982)

11) Dissidents (The Search For Truth Part I) (Remix By François Kevorkian & Dominick Maita) (1984)

12) Eastern Bloc (The Sequal - Edited Version By Thomas Dolby) (1992)

13) I Love You Goodbye (Version By Thomas Dolby) (1992)

14) One Of Our Submarines (Extended Version By Thomas Dolby & Tim Friese-Greene) (1982)

1981: Europa And The Pirate Twins EP: 3

1982: She Blinded Me With Science EP: 10, 14

1982: The Golden Age Of Wireless: 4

1984: Dissidents EP: 11

1984: Hyperactive! EP: 1

1984: The Flat Earth: 8

1987: The Devil Is An Englishman EP: 5

1988: Airhead EP: 9

1988: Airhead's Revenge EP: 6

1988: Aliens Ate My Buick!: 2

1992: I Love You Goodbye EP: 12, 13

2009: The Golden Age Of Wireless (Expanded Edition): 7

Blimps, Karmann Ghias And Submarines (1:06:52) (GD) (M)