Robert Wyatt’s ‘Shipbuilding’

‘Shipbuilding’/‘Memories of You’ (Rough Trade Records, 1983). Photograph by Paul McDermott.

‘Shipbuilding’ was written by Clive Langer (music) and Elvis Costello (lyrics) and released by Rough Trade in August 1982. It was reissued in April 1983 in four different 7” sleeves.

The sleeves all featuring sections from two of Stanley Spencer’s 1940s series of eight panels entitled Shipbuilding on the Clyde.

The 7” sleeves feature two different sections each from “Riggers” and “Riveters”, which fold out into four-page leporello pictures. Photographed above the sleeves are from top to bottom:

1. Riggers 2 - Man and woman with tarpaulins
2. Riveters 1 - Men hammering rivets
3. Riggers 1 - Men with ropes
4. Riveters 2 - Man at a brazier

‘Shipbuilding’ was featured on an episode of BBC Radio 4’s Soul Music. It’s a really great documentary that goes into detail about the writing of the song, it’s political theme and much more: “the blend of subtle lyrics and extraordinary music makes this a political song like no other. It transcends the particular circumstances of its writing: the Falklands War and the decline of British heavy industry, especially ship-building.” The documentary is here.