Rocktrospectiva: The Conceptual Masterpiece "Misplaced Childhood" Turns 40

Released on 17 June 1985 "Misplaced Childhood" was the third studio album by the British neo-prog band Marillion. It was a concept album loosely based on the childhood of Marillion's lead singer, Fish, who was inspired by a brief incident that occurred while he was under the influence of LSD.

The album was recorded during the spring of 1985 at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin and produced by Chris Kimsey. Misplaced Childhood is the group's most commercially successful album, peaking immediately at number one in the UK charts and spending a total of 41 weeks on the chart. It featured Marillion's two most successful singles, the guitar-led rock ballad "Kayleigh", which reached number two in the UK,  and piano-led "Lavender", which peaked at number five, other single released were "Heart Of Lothian."

Misplaced Childhood was Marillion's first full concept album consisting of two continuous pieces of music on the two sides of the vinyl record. The story has thematic elements of lost love, sudden success, acceptance, and lost childhood, along with an upbeat ending. As Fish explains, he conceived the concept during a 10-hour acid trip.

Several of the songs and titles contain notable autobiographical references; for example, "Kayleigh" references the breakdown of relationships as a whole but is centered around Fish's past girlfriend named Kay Lee. Fish came up with the name Kayleigh in order to obscure the original name due to the song being too personal. Another example is "Heart of Lothian" ("I was born with the heart of Lothian") which is a reference to a traditional region of Scotland – Fish himself being from Midlothian – and a reference to the Heart of Midlothian, a mosaic heart in the pavement of Edinburgh's Royal Mile.

The theme of childhood is developed in "Lavender", which is partly based on the traditional folk song "Lavender Blue". Like "Kayleigh" it is a love song, but whereas "Kayleigh" was about the failure of an adult relationship, "Lavender" recalls the innocence of childhood. 

The front cover features a soldier drummer portrayed by Robert Mead, a then-ten-year-old boy who lived next door to Wilkinson. Mead also appeared on the artwork of the album's three hit singles, "Kayleigh", "Lavender", and "Heart of Lothian", and can be seen in the music video for "Kayleigh". The Jester from the two previous studio albums is imagined escaping through the window on the back cover.

Misplaced Childhood was released in the United Kingdom and topped the UK Albums Chart, becoming the first and the only Marillion album to do so. It stayed on the charts for 41 weeks, the longest chart residency of any of the band's albums. The album was also highly successful across mainland Europe reaching number 3 in Germany, number 6 in Switzerland and the Netherlands, the latter of which is where Marillion have one of their largest fanbases, and number 10 in Norway. In the United States, Misplaced Childhood came out on the Capitol Records label and reached number 47 on the Billboard 200 chart, the highest position the band has ever achieved.

Misplaced Childhood was "not only the band's most accomplished release to date, but also its most streamlined... With its lush production and punchy mix, the album went on to become the band's greatest commercial triumph, especially in Europe where they would rise from theater attraction to bona fide stadium royalty." It was called the cornerstone of the entire 'neo-prog' movement and one of the best concept albums ever recorded. 

 

Misplaced Childhood Track List: 

 

1. Pseudo Silk Kimono

2. Kayleigh

3. Lavender

4. Bitter Suite

        i)   Brief Encounter

        ii)  Lost Weekend

        iii) Blue Angel

        iv) Misplaced Rendezvous

        v)  Windswept Thumb 

5. Heart Of Lothian

        i)   Wide Boy

        ii)  Curtain Call 

6. Waterhole (Expresso Bongo)

7. Lords Of The Backstage

8. Blind Curve

        i)   Vocal Under A Bloodlight

        ii)  Passing Strangers

        iii) Mylo 

        iv) Perimeter Walk

        v)  Threshold

9. Childhood0s End?

10. White Feather