Justified And Ancient

Label

KLF Communications

Genre

Pop Soul

Media Type

45s

Duration

3:37

Composer(s)

Jimi Cauty;Bill Drummond;Ricardo Lyte

Entered Chart

Feb 1, 1992

Peak Date

Mar 21, 1992

Released

March 1991 (original track)25 November 1991 (remade)[1]

Recorded

Trancentral

Catalog #

Arista 12401

B-Side

(album version without Wynette)

One line in this song is "Make mine a 99," and the record comes under a few different codes, including CHOC-ICE or KLF99. A '99 is an ice cream with a flake in it (Flake'99). To promote this record The KLF hijacked an ice cream van in Liverpool and gave out free 99s around Liverpool. The ice cream stunt is mentioned in the line, "They're justified and they're ancient and they drive an ice cream van." The song originally appeared on The KLF's album The White Room, which was released in March 1991. Sung by reggae musician Black Steel it ends the album. In November 1991, the single "Justified & Ancient (Stand by The JAMs)" was released, featuring the lead vocals of "The First Lady of Country" - Tammy Wynette. The subtitle "(Stand By The JAMs)," doubles as a nod to Wynette's hit "Stand By Your Man" and KLF's earlier incarnation, "The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu" In the video, Wynette sits on a throne and the words "Miss Tammy Wynette is the first lady of country music" scroll by. >> The title "Justified & Ancient" refers to the KLF's pseudonym and earlier incarnation, "The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu" (The JAMs). The JAMs took their name from Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson's sci-fi tinged, conspiracy theory-laden Illuminatus! Book series in which The Justified Ancients Of Mu Mu are a fictional subversive cult who have been around since pre-history. The song lyrics describe the Justified Ancients making their way to Mu Mu Land in an ice cream van. Tammy Wynette admitted to NME that she thought the track was called "Justified And Anxious" until the day KLF's Bill Drummond turned up in Nashville with the tapes under his arm. "As it was, I didn't understand what some of the words meant. I know about ice cream vans, but I'd never heard of a 99 before," she added. "Bill explained it to me and now it makes perfectly good sense. I'm still not sure about Justified and Ancient though." The Tammy Wynette version reached #1 in several countries, including Austria, New Zealand and Sweden. It was only kept from the Christmas #1 slot in the UK by the death of Freddie Mercury and the re-release of "Bohemian Rhapsody." The song revived Tammy Wynette's career. Afterwards KLF were swamped with phone calls from pop stars' agents and managers. "I was in the studio," recalled their engineer and producer Mark Stent to Select, "and we had Neil Sedaka phoning up, we had Sweet phoning up, we had all kinds phoning up. I mean, that's just when I've been there."

All bound for Mu Mu Land
All bound for Mu Mu Land
(Hey)

(Hey, hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (justified)
(Hey, hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land

Mu Mu Land
Mu Mu Land
All bound for Mu Mu Land

They're justified, and they're ancient
And they like to roam the land
(Just roll it from the top)
They're justified, and they're ancient
I hope you understand
(To the bridge, to the bridge, to the bridge now)

They called me up in Tennessee
They said "Tammy, stand by the jams"
But if you don't like what they're going to do
You better not stop them 'cause they're coming through
(Bring the beat back)

(Hey, hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (justified)
(Hey, hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (justified)

Mu Mu Land
Mu Mu Land
All bound for Mu Mu Land

They're justified, and they're ancient
And they drive an ice cream van
(Just roll it from the top)
They're justified, and they're ancient
With still no master plan
(To the bridge, to the bridge, to the bridge now)

The last train left an hour ago
They were singing, "All aboard"
All bound for Mu Mu Land
Then someone started screaming, "Turn up the strobe"
(Bring the beat back)

(Hey, hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (justified)
(Hey, hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (ancients of Mu Mu)

Justified and ancient, ancient and a-justified
Rocking to the rhythm in their ice cream van
With the plan and the key to
Enter into Mu Mu
Vibes from the tribes of the jams
I know where the beat is at
'Cause I know what time it is
Bring home a dime
Make mine a "99"
New style, meanwhile, always on a mission while
Fishing in the rivers of life
Fishing in the rivers of life (hey)
Fishing in the rivers of life (hey)
Fishing in the rivers
Fishing in the rivers
Fishing in the rivers of life (hey)

(Bring the beat back)

(Hey, hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (justified)
(Hey, hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (justified)

Mu Mu Land
Mu Mu Land
All bound for Mu Mu Land (ancients of Mu Mu)
Mu Mu Land (ancients of Mu Mu)
Mu Mu Land (ancients of Mu Mu)
All bound for Mu Mu Land
Mu Mu Land
Mu Mu Land
All bound for Mu Mu Land