Secrets of the I Ching


Secrets of the I Ching is the first full length album by 10,000 Maniacs, released in 1983 by Christian Burial Music, the band's own label. The album was recorded at SUNY Fredonia with only 500 copies made. This is also the first of their recordings with the new and permanent drummer Jerome Augustyniak. Rerecorded versions of the songs "Tension", "Grey Victory", "Daktari" and "My Mother the War" appeared on their 1985 album The Wishing Chair. The song "Tension" is itself a re-recording of a song that initially appeared on the band's debut EP, Human Conflict Number Five.
All the tracks on this LP, in remixed, remastered and resequenced form, appear as part of the 10,000 Maniacs compilation CD .

Track listing

All songs written by John Lombardo and Natalie Merchant, except where indicated
  1. "Grey Victory" – 2:59
  2. "Poor de Chirico" – 3:09
  3. "Death of Manolete" – 3:52
  4. "Tension" – 3:30
  5. "Daktari" – 4:10
  6. "Pit Viper" – 3:51
  7. "Katrina's Fair" – 2:57
  8. "The Latin One" – 2:59
  9. "National Education Week" – 2:47
  10. "My Mother the War" – 3:31
The above track listing is for the original Mark Records pressing for Christian Burial Music, the band's own label. Subsequent editions of this album are missing "National Education Week".

Personnel

recalled Merchant saying, "...and I'll inform you that I was only 17 years old, so it made a big impression on me – that I'd written the most pretentious lyrics since lysergic acid had been in flower. I was upset then but now I laugh about it because I've put Robert Christgau in perspective."