Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Huddled Masses is a retrospective which covers the first 25 years of The Residents' work. It collects album "concentrates" -- 10-minute medleys of the material from the albums -- as well as individual songs. It is more of a straight collection than the previous 20th Anniversary album, Our Finest Flowers, in that songs are presented in their original form and the concentrates are fairly straightforward, not multi-source mixtures.

There were two versions of the retrospective: a 4 CD limited edition from EuroRalph and a 2 CD US pressing from Rykodisc. The limited edition discs are called Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, and Roosevelt. The first two run backwards through the band's history, from Have a Bad Day all the way to Aircraft Damage from Santa Dog. The first is made up almost entirely of album concentrates, while the second is mostly individual songs. Jefferson contains selections from The Residents' extensive singles collection (in no particular order), and Roosevelt includes never-released material from a number of dead projects, plus the complete Prelude to "The Teds" which had only been available through the Hello Recording Club.

The Rykodisc version has two discs called Unum and Pluribus. They combine material from the first three of the EuroRalph CDs.

WASHINGTON
Album History 1996 - 1981

Have a Bad Day Concentrate
edited from: Have a Bad Day (1996)

One of the brightest jewels in The Residents' crown is the interactive CD-ROM project, Bad Day on the Midway. Winner of nine major multimedia awards, Bad Day allows a player to assume a character's role in a complex, devious story in which there are only losers.

Have a Bad Day, the album, turns the spotlight on the musical aspect of the CD-ROM with dark, haunting themes and surprises around every musical corner. This track is a condensation of the entire Have a Bad Day album.


Hunters Concentrate
selected from: Hunters (1995)

When The Residents were invited by the Discovery Channel to score a nature series, a great question mark hung over their collective heads. How does one approach composing for a ten-hour series, much less one about nature? The producers assured the group that there was going to be tons of blood and killing, which did ease the group's mind.

The series, Hunters, was aired in 1995 to great response. The Residents scored the entire series in an unusual tuning that they devised. This is just a tiny taste of an epic composition.


The Gingerbread Man Concentrate
edited from: The Gingerbread Man (1994)

As of this writing, The Gingerbread Man is The Residents only foray into the world of Enhanced CD. Though the project was also released as a music-only disc, the real version was a CD that would play not only in your CD player, but also in the CD-ROM drive of your computer. The computer added a whole new dimension of interactive video.

This track is a condensation of the musical album.


Six Amber Things
He Also Serves
Ship of Fools
selections from: Our Finest Flowers (1992)

To celebrate their 20th anniversary, The Residents wanted to do an album that looked backward without being nostalgic. They took music from various times in their career and combined the melodies and lyrics in unusual ways to create "new" compositions. Knowing their musical history helps one spot the clever deceptions, but the tracks are certainly strong on their own. Here are three tunes to enjoy.


Freak Show Concentrate
edited from: Freak Show (1990)

The biggest project that The Residents have ever envisioned is Freak Show. In addition to being a critically acclaimed album, it has also been a graphic novel, an award winning CD-ROM, a video, and a live stage show.

This condensation is of the original album.


CUBE E Concentrate
edited from: CUBE E (1990), Buckaroo Blues (1989), The King & Eye (1989)

The Residents conceived an idea for a performance that was as simple as: Cowboy music + Slave music = Rock & Roll. CUBE E, The History of American Music in 3 E-Z Pieces, was born. In three acts, American originals- the cowboy, the black slave, and Elvis are recreated in a surreal and outrageous spectacle. The selection here is a combination of three different CD's -- three hours of music edited to ten minutes. Whew!


God in 3 Persons Concentrate
edited from: God in 3 Persons (1988)

The closest The Residents have ever gotten to writing an opera is God in 3 Persons. This hour-long poetic monologue set to music is represented here only by a sense of style and mood. The complex story works on so many levels that this edit can not begin to touch the depth and vision of the work.


The Mole Trilogy Concentrate
edited from: Mark of the Mole (1981), The Tunes of Two Cities (1982), Intermission (1982), The Big Bubble (1985)

The early Eighties found The Residents floundering and looking for the meaning of life. The saga of the Moles vs. the Chubs became the symbolic representation of their quest for the elusive Lost Chord. While The Residents claim that it will take three more albums to complete the Trilogy, don't expect any new Mole albums anytime soon.

In addition to these four albums, The Residents toured a large performance piece, The Mole Show, and granted a license for an ongoing series of comic books, The Comix of Two Cities.



LINCOLN
Album History 1980 - 1972

Easter Woman
Amber
Red Rider
Floyd
The Nameless Soul
Love Leaks Out
The Simple Song
Moisture
Loneliness
When We Were Young
selections from: The Commercial Album (1980)

The idea for The Commercial Album grew out of the recording process for The Residents' previous album, Eskimo. In the finale of Eskimo, The Inuit population has gone from singing ritual pieces to singing jingles that they heard on television. As the group thought about this transformation of religion, the power of jingles, and what can be expressed in 60 seconds became yet a new obsession. Upon completing The Commercial Album, The Residents purchased 40 one-minute advertising spots on KFRC, San Francisco's best top-40 AM radio station at that time, and played one of the 60-second songs in each ad space in order to get major radio play (as a result, Billboard Magazine wrote an interesting story questioning the definition of payola and advertising in the radio market). The effect of strictly held time limits on composition has intrigued The Residents ever since.

Here are ten examples of 60-second songs out of the 40 found on the album.


Eskimo Concentrate
edited from: Eskimo (1979)

Eskimo is the album that first made people take The Residents seriously as an avant garde force. Each "song" is actually a story (in true Eskimo tradition) told with sound. With the album, written text was also provided to aid the imagination. The Residents had managed to create an album that straddled music and non-music in a previously unforeseen way.

This condensation provides only a small taste of the "ethnic" delights.


Constantinople
Blue Rosebuds
Lizard Lady
Hello Skinny
selections from: Duck Stab (1977), Buster & Glen (1978)

The Residents were in the right place at the right time to surf the "New Wave" movement in the late '70s. They knocked out the Duck Stab 7" EP rather quickly and found so much success (read "sales") that they went back into the studio to craft another EP, Buster & Glen. The whole thing then turned into an album with each EP occupying a side. This remains one of the most influential albums of The Residents career. All of the selections presented here have been covered by bands currently surfing the "Alternative Music" movement of the '90s.


Fingerprince Concentrate
edited from: Fingerprince (1976), Babyfingers (1976)

Fingerprince was a schizoid release. The music went in several directions at once. A notable example is the 17 minute wonderfully wacky percussion piece, "6 Things to a Cycle." The Residents had recorded too much material for one disc, but not enough for two. This resulted in the release of the equally schizoid Babyfingers 7" EP that same year.

This sampling of the album and EP follows this schizoid approach as well.


The Third Reich 'N' Roll Concentrate
edited from: The Third Reich 'N' Roll (1975)

The Residents either loved cheesy rock music or hated it. This album could certainly be taken either way. Rawer, fresher, and more näive than music of the mid '70's, The Third Reich 'N' Roll embodies all the elements that are "rock and roll."

This condensation misses none of the punch of this deconstruction of popular '60s and '70s "bubble gum" music.


Not Available Concentrate
edited from: Not Available (1974)

German philosopher N. Senada's "Theory of Obscurity" was in full swing when the group recorded this opus. This theory required that they record an album in complete seriousness, but not release it. The idea was to see how one works when there is no audience. Their record company eventually released it during a disagreement. While one might think this would anger The Residents, they simply shrugged, saying that they never made the decision to release it. Not Available is a musical story following the life of Edweena and her suitors. This condensation shows it is as strange as it is beautiful.


Meet the Residents Concentrate
edited from: Meet the Residents (1973)

This first album by The Residents feels more like a collection of experiments than the solidly constructed albums for which the group became known. This condensation samples some of these experiments and shows just how daring these folks could be when faced with a running tape recorder.


Aircraft Damage
selection from: Santa Dog (1972)

"The first one's free" could have been the motto for The Residents in 1972 when they recorded and released an outrageous double set of 45RPM records, Santa Dog. That's because they gave away all the copies as Christmas presents. "Aircraft Damage" was side "D" and a great summation to a remarkable beginning.


JEFFERSON
Singles History 1972 - 1997

Jambalaya
single from: Stars & Hank Forever (1986)

The B-Side of the "Kawliga" single in Holland and the B-Side of "Hit the Road Jack Almost Dance Mix" in the USA.


Don't Be Cruel
single from: The King & Eye (1990)

The video for this single was created entirely on a Macintosh computer, a feat unheard of at that time.


From the Plains to Mexico
single: From the Plains to Mexico (1988)

This track was released only in Italy. It was a one-sided single that came with a book on The Residents. It has never been on an album, though a live version is part of the CUBE E performance and album.


Double Shot
single: Double Shot (1988)

Never before available on an album, "Double Shot" was inspired by the God in 3 Persons project.


Harry the Head
selection from: Freak Show (1991)

This track inspired the Jim Ludtke animated video that, in turn, inspired the Freak Show CD-ROM.


Don't
single: Don't Be Cruel (1990)

One of the two B-Side songs from the Don't Be Cruel single which have never been available on an album.


The Gingerbread Man
outtake from: The Gingerbread Man (1994)

Not a single, but it's certainly a tune to remember. This version was found on the "working" tapes for The Gingerbread Man album and has never previously been released.


Kawliga
single from: Stars & Hank Forever (1986)

This is the original single mix, not one of the later dance mixes.


Where is She?
selection from: The 13th Anniversary Show (1987)

A live recording and the basis of The 13th Anniversary Show video seen on the 20 Twisted Questions laserdisc. Never before available on an album.


Jailhouse Rock
single: Jailhouse Rock(1987)

While The Residents were on tour in Australia, they went into the studio and recorded this single. It was released only in Australia. Never before available on an album, a studio version is on the Residue album.


This is a Man's World
single: This is a Man's World (1984)

The USA single. A different version was recorded and released as a single in Australia in 1987. A live version of the Australian single is on the 13th Anniversary Show album.


Jingle Bells
(1985)

Think of this as a bonus track. Never before available on an album. Never a single or anything else.


Satisfaction
single: Satisfaction / Loser=Weed (1976)

The single. A live version is on The Mole Show album.


Loser=Weed
single: Satisfaction / Loser=Weed (1976)

The B-Side of "Satisfaction."


Earth vs Flying Saucers
single: Earth vs Flying Saucers (1986)

An edited version of the soundtrack of the video, Earth vs Flying Saucers. The one-sided seven inch 45 came with a book on The Residents. Never before available on an album.


Beyond the Valley of a Day in the Life
single: The Beatles Play The Residents and The Residents Play The Beatles (1977)

The single, side one.


Flying
single: The Beatles Play The Residents and The Residents Play The Beatles (1977)

The single, side two.


For Elsie (excerpt)
single from: For Elsie (1987)

The B-Side of "Hit the Road Jack."


Teddy Bear
(1990)

Live from The Baby King episode of 20 Twisted Questions laserdisc. Never before available on an album.


Surrender
single: Don't Be Cruel (1989)

One of the two B-Side songs from the "Don't Be Cruel" single. Never before available on an album.


Hit the Road Jack (remix)
single: Hit the Road Jack (1987)

This is a remix of the single.



ROOSEVELT
History Mystery

Tryin' to Beat It
(1995)

Originally intended for Have a Bad Day, this short track was eliminated because of the Michael Jackson musical reference.


Siren Song (of the Shrunken Head)
Ugly Beauty
(1986)

The Residents, at one time, envisioned an album with a decidedly male point-of-view, referred to The Man's Album. The project never jelled. The Big Bubble was being recorded and it's boldness made the material for Man seem a bit tame. However, many pieces were written for the proposed project. It's remains can be found today scattered though For Elsie, Safety is a Cootie Wootie, and other non-album recordings. Remarkably, these two songs, which were on a working reel, had vocals, very unusual for unfinished material.


Anganok (excerpt)
(1991)

The is the opening section of a mini opera project. The Residents were dissatisfied with the result, but liked the opening enough to allow its use. Part of it had been grabbed for bits on the Uncle Willie Highly Opinionated Guide to The Residents companion CD.


Teddy
I Tried to Cry
The Cry of a Crow
Struggle
(1993)

These four tracks were released by the Hello Recording Club, as Prelude to The Teds. The Teds is a performance/film idea that The Residents have had floating around for a while. These songs were working pieces that were finished for release at the request of the band, They Might Be Giants (who run Hello).


Spaghetti Sunda
(1996)

The Residents have heroes, too. Sundanese composer/producer Gugum Gumbira, and his wife, singer Euis Komariah recently invited The Residents to join them at an all-night recording of Sundanese music in Bandung, Java. Euis Komariah made them spaghetti. To commemorate this night, The Residents assembled this piece from Sundanese melodies, adding the sampled voice of Ms. Komariah.


Love Me
(1993)

Originally intended for a European compilation album, Love Me was completed and then abandoned when the proposed project was never realized.


Hallowed Be Thy Ween
(1971)

Baby Sex was an album which was recorded by The Residents in 1971 under N. Senada's Theory of Obscurity. It has never been released, but after 26 years The Residents thought some people might be interested in hearing some of it. Hallowed Be Thy Ween is notable because it ends with the recording of a riot that erupted at the end of an early Residents performance.


America
(1997)

The End

In 2000, Ralph America released a limited edition version of the Roosevelt disc, entitled Roosevelt 2.0. This release also featured a condensed version of Pollex Christi.

It came packaged inside a wooden cigar box, wood burned with an image of Mr. Skull smoking a cigar, and sealed with a Ralph America cigar label. In the box was a card explaining a little bit about our Roosevelts, a little bit of tobacco for aroma, and (for the first 100 hundred packages) a cigarillo.