The Thieving Magpie (album)
{{Short description|1988 live album by Marillion}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox album
| name = The Thieving Magpie (La Gazza Ladra)
| type = live
| artist = Marillion
| cover = La Gazza Ladra cover.jpg
| alt =
| released = 28 November 1988{{cite magazine |last=Smith |first=Robin |date=12 November 1988 |title=News: Listen Like Thieves |magazine=Record Mirror |page=4 |issn=0144-5804}}
| recorded = 1984, 1986, 1987
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Neo-prog
| length = 112:18
| label = EMI (UK)
Capitol Records (US)
| producer = Marillion and Privet Hedge
| prev_title = B'Sides Themselves
| prev_year = 1988
| next_title = Seasons End
| next_year = 1989
| misc = {{Singles
| name = The Thieving Magpie (La Gazza Ladra)
| type = live
| single1 = Freaks (live)
| single1date = 14 November 1988
}}
}}
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{AllMusic | class = album | id = the-thieving-magpie-la-gazza-ladra-mw0000198842 | label = Marillion: "The Thieving Magpie" > Review | first = Eduardo | last = Rivadavia | accessdate = 16 March 2015}}
}}
The Thieving Magpie (La Gazza Ladra) is a double live album by the British neo-prog band Marillion. It was named after the introductory piece of classical music the band used before coming on stage during the Clutching at Straws tour 1987–1988, the overture to Rossini's opera La gazza ladra, which translates as "The Thieving Magpie".
The album was released shortly after singer Fish's departure from the band (and before Steve Hogarth's arrival) and was intended to document the "Fish years". It complements the band's first live album Real to Reel insofar as there are no overlaps. The Thieving Magpie is not a continuous live recording, but a compilation of tracks recorded at different times and places, with audible gaps between them and different moods on the individual tracks. However, the double vinyl version does include the first side of the UK number one concept album Misplaced Childhood (1985). The CD and cassette version includes the full album, as well as the track "Freaks" – originally the b-side to "Lavender", it was used as the lead single for The Thieving Magpie peaking at no. 18 in the UK.
The album was produced by Christopher "Privet" Hedge, who had been Marillion's sound engineer from early on in their career.
Cover art
The cover was designed by regular Marillion contributor Mark Wilkinson, who went on to work for Fish. The front part contains photorealistic airbrushed renderings of the band members. The back cover features characters found on the covers of the previous albums, i.e. "The Jester" (Script for a Jester's Tear), "The Boy" (Misplaced Childhood), and "Torch" (Clutching at Straws). The inside of the vinyl gatefold sleeve consists of a rather blurred photograph of the band on stage, circa 1986.{{fact|date=January 2025}}
Release history
Originally, the album was released on double vinyl and the above-mentioned extended double CD/cassette set. In 2005, EMI Japan released a "vinyl replica" edition, i.e. a CD in a miniaturised version of the original vinyl packaging. The track listing, however, is the same as on the original 2CD version. On 22 June 2009, EMI released a digitally remastered version (along with Recital of the Script and Live From Loreley).{{fact|date=January 2025}}
Track listing
=Double LP version=
{{tracklist
|headline = Side 1
|extra_column = Recording venue and date
|title1 = Intro: La Gazza Ladra
|length1 = 2:45
|title2 = Slàinte Mhath
|length2 = 4:49
|extra2 = Edinburgh Playhouse, 17/18/19 December 1987
|title3 = He Knows You Know
|length3 = 5:12
|extra3 = Sheffield City Hall, 6 March 1984
|title4 = Chelsea Monday
|length4 = 8:00
|extra4 = De Montfort Hall, 5 March 1984
}}
{{tracklist
|headline = Side 2 (Misplaced Childhood Part 1 - Hammersmith Odeon, 9/10 January 1986)
|extra_column = Recording venue and date
|title1 = Pseudo Silk Kimono
|length1 = 2:19
|title2 = Kayleigh
|length2 = 3:52
|title3 = Lavender
|length3 = 2:27
|title4 = Bitter Suite
|length4 = 7:38
|title5 = Heart of Lothian
|length5 = 5:12
}}
{{tracklist
|headline = Side 3
|extra_column = Recording venue and date
|title1 = Jigsaw
|length1 = 6:24
|extra1 = Sheffield City Hall, 6 March 1984
|title2 = Punch & Judy
|length2 = 3:23
|extra2 = Sheffield City Hall, 6 March 1984
|title3 = Sugar Mice
|length3 = 6:03
|extra3 = Edinburgh Playhouse, 17/18/19 December 1987
|title4 = Fugazi
|length4 = 8:39
|extra4 = Sheffield City Hall, 6 March 1984
}}
{{tracklist
|headline = Side 4
|extra_column = Recording venue and date
|title1 = Script for a Jester's Tear
|length1 = 8:45
|extra1 = Sheffield City Hall, 6 March 1984
|title2 = Incommunicado
|length2 = 5:23
|extra2 = Edinburgh Playhouse, 17/18/19 December 1987
|title3 = White Russian
|length3 = 6:14
|extra3 = Edinburgh Playhouse, 17/18/19 December 1987
}}
=Double CD version=
{{tracklist
|headline = Disc 1
|extra_column = Recording venue and date
|title1 = Intro: La Gazza Ladra
|length1 = 2:45
|title2 = Slàinte Mhath
|length2 = 4:49
|extra2 = Edinburgh Playhouse, 17/18/19 December 1987
|title3 = He Knows You Know
|length3 = 5:12
|extra3 = Sheffield City Hall, 6 March 1984
|title4 = Chelsea Monday
|length4 = 8:00
|extra4 = De Montfort Hall, 5 March 1984
|title5 = Freaks
|length5 = 4:06
|extra5 = Maimarktgelände, 21 June 1986
|title6 = Jigsaw
|length6 = 6:24
|extra6 = Sheffield City Hall, 6 March 1984
|title7 = Punch & Judy
|length7 = 3:23
|extra7 = Sheffield City Hall, 6 March 1984
|title8 = Sugar Mice
|length8 = 6:03
|extra8 = Edinburgh Playhouse, 17/18/19 December 1987
|title9 = Fugazi
|length9 = 8:39
|extra9 = Sheffield City Hall, 6 March 1984
|title10 = Script for a Jester's Tear
|length10 = 8:45
|extra10 = Sheffield City Hall, 6 March 1984
|title11 = Incommunicado
|length11 = 5:23
|extra11 = Edinburgh Playhouse, 17/18/19 December 1987
|title12 = White Russian
|length12 = 6:14
|extra12 = Edinburgh Playhouse, 17/18/19 December 1987
}}
{{tracklist
|headline = Disc 2 (Misplaced Childhood, Hammersmith Odeon 9/10 January 1986)
|title1 = Pseudo Silk Kimono
|length1 = 2:19
|title2 = Kayleigh
|length2 = 3:52
|title3 = Bitter Suite
|length3 = 7:38
|title4 = Heart of Lothian
|length4 = 5:12
|title5 = Waterhole (Expresso Bongo)
|length5 = 2:16
|title6 = Lords of the Backstage
|length6 = 6:07
|title7 = Blind Curve
|length7 = 5:34
|title8 = Childhoods End?
|length8 = 2:48
|title9 = White Feather
|length9 = 4:22
}}
Personnel
- Fish - vocals
- Steve Rothery - guitar
- Mark Kelly - keyboards
- Pete Trewavas - bass, backing vocals
- Ian Mosley - drums
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (1988–1989)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|Netherlands|46|artist=Marillion|album=The Thieving Magpie (La Gazza Ladra)|rowheader=true|accessdate=14 February 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Germany4|19|id=820|artist=Marillion|album=The Thieving Magpie (La Gazza Ladra)|rowheader=true|accessdate=14 February 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Sweden|33|artist=Marillion|album=The Thieving Magpie (La Gazza Ladra)|rowheader=true|accessdate=14 February 2022}} |
| {{album chart|Switzerland|18|artist=Marillion|album=The Thieving Magpie (La Gazza Ladra)|rowheader=true|accessdate=14 February 2022}} |
| {{album chart|UK|25|artist=Marillion|rowheader=true|accessdate=14 February 2022}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (1989)
! scope="col"| Position |
|---|
| scope="row"| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100){{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-1989|title=Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts|language=de|work=GfK Entertainment|publisher=offiziellecharts.de|accessdate=14 February 2022}}
| 98 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United Kingdom|artist=Marillion|title=The Thieving Magpie|award=Gold|relyear=1988|certyear=1988|id=7354-334-2}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Marillion}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thieving Magpie, The}}