Transmissions from the Satellite Heart

Transmissions from the Satellite Heart is the sixth studio album by American rock band the Flaming Lips, released in 1993 by Warner Bros. Records.[10] The album marked the departure of Jonathan Donahue (to Mercury Rev) and Nathan Roberts, and the addition of guitarist Ronald Jones and drummer Steven Drozd.[11]

Transmissions from the
Satellite Heart
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 22, 1993
RecordedJanuary–February 1993
Genre
Length43:04
LabelWarner Bros.
Producer
  • The Flaming Lips
  • Keith Cleversley
The Flaming Lips chronology
Hit to Death in the Future Head
(1992)
Transmissions from the
Satellite Heart

(1993)
Clouds Taste Metallic
(1995)
Singles from Transmissions from the Satellite Heart
  1. "She Don't Use Jelly"
    Released: October 1993 / August 1994
  2. "Turn It On"
    Released: April 1995
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Chicago Tribune[2]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[3]
The Great Rock Discography8/10[4]
MusicHound5/5[5]
NME7/10[6]
Rolling Stone[7]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[8]
Select4/5[9]

The track "She Don't Use Jelly" is notable for being the band's first charting radio hit, after its video was featured on the MTV series Beavis and Butt-Head nearly a year after the album's release. "Turn It On" was also a moderately successful single, and also had two different music videos, one of which was shot at a laundromat. By 2002, Transmissions from the Satellite Heart had sold 300,000 copies worldwide.[12]

The EP Due to High Expectations... The Flaming Lips Are Providing Needles for Your Balloons was released the following year to promote the album and featured live versions of "Chewin the Apple of Yer Eye" and "Slow•Nerve•Action."

Critical reception

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Trouser Press wrote that "as post-punk novelty singles go, 'She Don’t Use Jelly' ... is grade-A whimsy, with Coyne’s wobbly singing the perfect complement to the band’s loose-limbed rumble."[10]

Track listing

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All songs written by the Flaming Lips except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Turn It On" 4:39
2."Pilot Can at the Queer of God" 4:16
3."Oh My Pregnant Head (Labia in the Sunlight)" 4:06
4."She Don't Use Jelly" 3:40
5."Chewin the Apple of Yer Eye" 3:52
6."Superhumans" 3:13
7."Be My Head" 3:15
8."Moth in the Incubator" 4:12
9."Plastic Jesus" ([note 1])Ed Rush, George Cromarty2:18
10."When Yer Twenty Two" 3:34
11."Slow•Nerve•Action" 5:55
Notes
  1. ^ "Plastic Jesus" is listed as "★★★★★★★" on all packaging.[13] In liner notes, it is called "Song from Cool Hand Luke".[14]

Personnel

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  • Wayne Coyne – vocals, guitar
  • Steven Drozd – drums, keyboards, guitar, vocals
  • Michael Ivins – bass, backing vocals
  • Ronald Jones – guitar, backing vocals
  • Keith Cleversley – recording engineer, mixing engineer

Charts

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Chart (1995) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[15] 108

References

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  1. ^ Ankeny, Jason. "Transmissions from the Satellite Heart – The Flaming Lips". AllMusic. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  2. ^ Kot, Greg (July 1, 1993). "Flaming Lips: Transmissions from the Satellite Heart (Warner)". Chicago Tribune.
  3. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). "The Flaming Lips". Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857125958 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ Strong, Martin C. (2004). "Flaming Lips". The Great Rock Discography (7th ed.). Canongate Books. p. 543–544. ISBN 1-84195-615-5.
  5. ^ Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel, eds. (1999). "The Flaming Lips". MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. p. 428–429. ISBN 1-57859-061-2.
  6. ^ "The Flaming Lips: Transmissions from the Satellite Heart". NME. June 19, 1993. p. 34.
  7. ^ Kot, Greg (October 28, 1993). "Transmissions From The Satellite Heart". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  8. ^ Kot, Greg (2004). "The Flaming Lips". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 300. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  9. ^ Perry, Andrew (August 1993). "The Flaming Lips: Transmissions from the Satellite Heart". Select. No. 38. p. 100.
  10. ^ a b "Flaming Lips". Trouser Press. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  11. ^ Buckley, Peter (August 3, 2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. ISBN 9781843531050 – via Google Books.
  12. ^ Derogatis, Jim (25 August 2002). "First Band On Mars". Spin. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  13. ^ "The Flaming Lips - Transmissions From The Satellite Heart | Releases | Discogs".
  14. ^ "The Flaming Lips - Transmissions From The Satellite Heart | Releases | Discogs".
  15. ^ "The Flaming Lips Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2021.