- EP
- Photography
Mermaid vs. Sailor (stylized as Mermaid vs Sailor) is the first demo extended play (EP) by Marina Diamandis, released under her previous stage name 'Marina and the Diamonds'. She self-composed and produced the entire EP with GarageBand. It was released on November 23, 2007, by Marina herself and sold as handmade CD-Rs through her MySpace page.
Background
Diamandis initially paid an artist to produce her songs, however, not liking the sound, she decided to write and self-produce the EP entirely in her room.[1] According to several interviews, Plastic Rainbow was the very first song she ever wrote, making her want to become a songwriter.
- Note: The following dates are compiled from first song mention via comments, meaning some could have possibly been released earlier.
On the 3rd of June, 2007,[2] Hermit the Frog's demo was the first self-produced song posted on her MySpace. On the 22nd,[2] Horror Pop was on the website. On the 7th of July,[2] Simplify was on her MySpace.
On the 28th of October,[2] The Common Cold was posted on her MySpace. Two weeks later, on the 11th of November,[2] Hermit the Frog's EP version was on the site, before the full project was released two weeks after.
Outtakes
In her MySpace era Marina made over a dozen songs. Those that can be considered outtakes are listed below:
- Hot, Cross Bun
- Hubba
- Lonely Bones
- Pancake Karma
- Perfect-Oh
- Silver Walls
- Starlight
- Supermodel's Legs
- The Common Cold
- Where Diamonds Grow
Twelve songs surfaced online in 2012 through a fanmade album called 'Give Me the Money', one of those being Marina’s cover of Perfect Stranger (Incorrectly titled 'Katyb.' in the album) which was recorded in 2010 and Happy Meal, which recorded after the EP was finished.[3]
The rest of the tracks are speculated to Mermaid vs. Sailor outtakes as they are all believed to have been produced in 2007 and share similar themes. Nautical themes (The Common Cold), dysfunctional relationships (Starlight, Perfect-Oh, Silver Wall), family, (Hot, Cross Bun, Hubba), views on society (Supermodel's Legs, Lonely Bones) with a tongue in cheek twist (Pancake Karma, Where Diamonds Grow) and all of them are produced/written by Marina herself on Garageband, like the EP tracks.
Possible Outtakes
These were all produced by an unknown producer in 2006, Marina did not like the "awful prog-rock" sound so she decided to produce her own music.[1] Plastic Rainbow's demo was originally in this same style, which was then reproduced by and put on Mermaid vs. Sailor. There is no evidence of stripped back versions of the other four songs, however, this does not mean they don't exist, as MySpace has had several data wipes.
Trivia
- Daddy Was a Sailor can be considered a "title track" of sorts, calling her father a sailor and her mother a mermaid.
- Further meaning the album is Mum vs Dad.
- Seventeen, Hermit the Frog and Simplify were later reworked and re-recorded for Diamandis's debut studio album The Family Jewels.
- However, Simplify only made it onto the teaser EP The Crown Jewels.
- The other EP songs are rumoured to have been re-recorded, there is no evidence of this, and notably, during this time Marina posted almost all of the album in demo form before it was released.
- Marina was 22 when this EP was released, with the majority of it being recorded when she was 21.
Artwork
The artwork shows a black and white photo of Diamandis looking straight in the camera with a serious expression. The title of the EP is written in the Jazz, "Marina and the Diamonds" is written in Santa Fe. The artwork seems to be made in Paint by Marina herself.
_(1).jpg "Mermaid vs. Sailor (12 Jul 2007) (1).jpg (36 KB)")
_(2).jpg "Mermaid vs. Sailor (12 Jul 2007) (2).jpg (33 KB)")
_(2)_edited.jpg "Mermaid vs. Sailor (12 Jul 2007) (2) edited.jpg (36 KB)")
_(3).jpg "Mermaid vs. Sailor (12 Jul 2007) (3).jpg (27 KB)")
CD
Track listing
| Standard Edition | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Co-Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
| 1. | Seventeen | N/A | Marina Diamandis | 2:40 |
| 2. | Horror Pop | N/A | Diamandis | 3:57 |
| 3. | Hermit the Frog | N/A | Diamandis | 3:39 |
| 4. | Daddy Was a Sailor | N/A | Diamandis | 3:15 |
| 5. | Simplify | N/A | Diamandis | 2:34 |
| 6. | Plastic Rainbow | N/A | Diamandis | 4:07 |
| Total length: | 20:03 | |||
| Alt. Track List | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Co-Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
| 1. | Daddy Was a Sailor | N/A | Marina Diamandis | 3:15 |
| 2. | Simplify | N/A | Diamandis | 2:34 |
| 3. | Hermit the Frog | N/A | Diamandis | 3:39 |
| 4. | Seventeen | N/A | Diamandis | 2:40 |
| 5. | Horror Pop | N/A | Diamandis | 3:57 |
| 6. | Plastic Rainbow | N/A | Diamandis | 4:07 |
| Total length: | 20:03 | |||
- This alternate track list features a different version of 'Horror Pop'.
References
 | |
|---|---|
| Merch • Photography • MySpace | |
| Discography | |
| Releases | Mermaid vs. Sailor |
| Tracklist | Seventeen • Horror Pop • Hermit the Frog • Daddy Was a Sailor • Simplify • Plastic Rainbow |
| Non-Album | Starlight • The Common Cold • Silver Walls • Supermodel's Legs • Lonely Bones • Perfect-Oh • Hubba • Hot, Cross Bun • Pancake Karma • Where Diamonds Grow |
| Misc | Philosopher My Arse • This Is L.A. • Troubled Mind • Like China Dolls • Porn Does Good |
| Other Eras | |
| Mermaid vs. Sailor • The Family Jewels • Electra Heart • FROOT • LOVE + FEAR • Ancient Dreams | |
