"Then She Appeared" is a song by Andy Partridge. It appeared on the 1992 album Nonsuch.
The demo appeared on Andy's Fuzzy Warbles Volume 2 in 2002.
XTC's next album, Apple Venus Volume 1 in 1999, was named after a line from the first stanza of this song. This continued a trend started with Oranges & Lemons possibly being named after a line from Skylarking's "Ballet for a Rainy Day," except this time it was intentional.
The song contains what sounds like a reference to "the giggling crew of Mary Celeste." The ship found adrift and deserted in the Atlantic in 1872 was, indeed, called Mary Celeste. But on many websites, including, unfortunately, this one, the lyrics are incorrectly shown as Marie Celeste. That was the name used by Arthur Conan Doyle some years later in a fictional account of the fate of the Mary Celeste's passengers and crew. Just wondered if you and/or Andy P knew this. It's a very common mistake. I've taken the liberty of correcting it.
Quotes[]
Andy: “A slice of whimsy and a chance to mention Fox Talbot. You don't hear many pop songs invoke the name of one of the founders of photography.”
Andy: “. . . another one which I claimed was by a group called The Golden, and that was called ‘Then She Appeared’. . . . I've since played ‘Then She Appeared’ to Gus Dudgeon, because he's a Dukes fan, and he said, ‘God, you should do that seriously!’ So I'm now at the dilemma where, do I rewrite these ludicrous forgery lyrics to be more personal or do we just do it as a copy of The Dukes? So I've got myself into a real fifth dimension of a dilemma here.”
Andy (on the demo): “A gloriously colourful glossy magazine, called Strange Things Are Happening, interviewed us about the whole Dukes thing in the 80's, but in August 1990, myself and Happenings' Phil Smee, cooked up a scheme. I would record two songs that the magazine would claim came from 67/68 (by two different bands). A double ‘A’ side flexi disc sporting both tunes would then be given away with a forthcoming issue. This track was to have been by a foppish bunch called ‘The Golden’ [see also ‘It's Snowing Angels’ by Choc Cigar Chief Champion]. Forgery can be fun.”
Lyrics[]
Album version[]
Then she appeared, apple venus on a half open shell
Then she appeared, the first photograph on Fox Talbots gel
I was a little frightened
Flying with my senses heightened
Cherubim cheered
Then she appeared
Then she appeared, as the giggling crew of Mary Celeste
Then she appeared, pale Atlantis rising out of the west
I was a little dazzled
Catherine wheeled and senses frazzled
Know it sounds weird
Then she appeared
And the sun which formerly shone
In the clearest summer sky
Suddenly just changed address
Now shines from her blue eyes
Then she appeared, brittle shooting star that dropped in my lap
Then she appeared, dressed in tricolour and phrygian cap
I was a little troubled
Hookah with my senses bubbled
All Edward leared
Then she appeared
And the moon which formerly shone
On the marbled midnight mile
Suddenly just packed its bags
Now shines from her bright smile
Then she appeared
Out of nowhere
Demo version[]
Then she appeared
Like a note struck from the Liberty Bell
Then she appeared
Like a wish from out of somebody's well
I was a little frightened
Looking with my senses heightened
Cherubim cheered
Then she appeared
And the sun which normally hung
In the clearest summer sky
Suddenly just changed address
And shone from her blue eyes
When she appeared
With a smiling lamb that sat on her lap
When she appeared
With a moa feather stuck in her cap
I was a little dazzled
melting with my senses frazzled
know it sounds weird
then she appeared
And the sun which normally hung
In the clearest summer sky
Suddenly just changed address
And shone from her blue eyes
Then she appeared
Then she appeared