Come on Pilgrim

Released: September 28, 1987
Recorded: March 1987 (1987-03) at Fort Apache Studios, Roxbury, Massachusetts

Come On Pilgrim showcased much of the Pixies’ variety and set up the beginnings of many trends in their music. It includes two songs partly sung in Spanish (“Vamos” and “Isla de Encanta”) which drew upon some of his experiences in Puerto Rico (“Isla de Encanta” is an alteration of the island’s nickname, “Isla del Encanto” meaning “Isle of Enchantment”). Two songs explicitly mention incest — “Nimrod’s Son” and “The Holiday Song” (HolidaySong.ogg sample (help·info)). “I’ve Been Tired” refers metaphorically to sex and rock & roll culture, and there are four songs with overt religious references or language (“Caribou”, “Nimrod’s Son”, “The Holiday Song” and “Levitate Me”). Beyond lyrical trends, Come On Pilgrim displayed Joey Santiago’s innovative guitar leads, Deal’s sunny vocal harmonies, and Francis’s vocal range, which varied from screaming to traditionally-sung melodies. A version of the song “Vamos” would appear on Pixies’ next two releases: re-recorded with Steve Albini for their first full-length album, Surfer Rosa, and as a live B-side on their first single, “Gigantic”.

Track listing

All songs by Black Francis except “Levitate Me” by Black Francis/Kim Deal/David Lovering/Jean Walsh

Release

The original 1987 UK release entered the UK indie album chart on October 24, 1987 (1987-10-24), spending 29 weeks on the chart and peaking at number 5.

Come On Pilgrim had no distribution in the United States when it was first released. It was unreleased in the United States until August 1988, when Rough Trade included it on their CD release of their first full-length album Surfer Rosa. At the same time, the two releases were issued on separate vinyl records by Rough Trade. Also in August 1988, 4AD released Surfer Rosa and Come On Pilgrim on CD together in the UK. This has been the standard UK CD release ever since, only being out of print for about six months in 1998. However, subsequent U.S. CD releases have split them in two.

In 1992, Elektra Records issued Come On Pilgrim and Surfer Rosa on separate CDs in the US. After 4AD re-acquired the band’s US distribution rights in 2004, they were again released on CD separately; this version of Come On Pilgrim was the first CD release to carry the 4AD catalogue number (MAD 709).

Come On Pilgrim received far more attention from the British music press than in the United States. It received reviews in Q Magazine, Sounds and NME.

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