Where Did Our ‘The’ Go?

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Buzzcocks

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 1 April 2022 13:07 (three years ago)

Talking Heads

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 1 April 2022 13:07 (three years ago)

Ukraine

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 1 April 2022 13:07 (three years ago)

(Assuming this thread probably already exists but challenging to search for, apologies if so)

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 1 April 2022 13:08 (three years ago)

Pixies

― ledge, Friday, 1 April 2022 13:10 (three years ago)

Wirral

― Piedie Gimbel, Friday, 1 April 2022 13:27 (three years ago)

Is this specifically for acts/places/things that once had a 'the' but then removed it? Or anything that feels like it should have a 'the' but doesn't?

Anyway... Can.

https://i.discogs.com/oxR_IC9Z1ASUHz2mtXiDiqRQHOV9jU04Ma7ZejtEsco/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTI2NjA1/NjctMTI5NTQzNTAz/MC5qcGVn.jpeg

― emil.y, Friday, 1 April 2022 14:05 (three years ago)

Yachts

― Mark G, Friday, 1 April 2022 14:07 (three years ago)

Answer to emil.y: yes.

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 1 April 2022 14:08 (three years ago)

Meaning the latter, of course.

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 1 April 2022 14:08 (three years ago)

From Steve Martin's memoir:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CZCn6JgWEAAbjPE?format=jpg&name=small

― jaymc, Friday, 1 April 2022 14:09 (three years ago)

Pink Floyd

― Kim Kimberly, Friday, 1 April 2022 14:12 (three years ago)

Pretenders

― Precious, Grace, Hill & Beard LTD. (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 1 April 2022 14:13 (three years ago)

A unique feature of the packaging is that the band is named as "The Sonic Youth" in the cover art.

(Sister)

― Kim Kimberly, Friday, 1 April 2022 14:14 (three years ago)

y might be giants

― ciderpress, Friday, 1 April 2022 14:16 (three years ago)

Is that a Welsh act?

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 1 April 2022 14:16 (three years ago)

Cream

― but also fuck you (unperson), Friday, 1 April 2022 14:17 (three years ago)

lonious monk

― ciderpress, Friday, 1 April 2022 14:17 (three years ago)

Is this specifically for acts/places/things that once had a 'the' but then removed it? Or anything that feels like it should have a 'the' but doesn't?

Anyway... Can.

🖼

https://media.hitparade.ch/cover/big/suzi_quatro-can_the_can_s.jpg

― I'm too sophisti for the pun generator, so sophisti it hurts (breastcrawl), Friday, 1 April 2022 14:17 (three years ago)

Soft Machine

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3d/The_Soft_Machine-album.jpg/220px-The_Soft_Machine-album.jpg

― Chappies banging dustbin lids together (President Keyes), Friday, 1 April 2022 14:17 (three years ago)

Facebook

― jmm, Friday, 1 April 2022 14:19 (three years ago)

ledge

― ledge, Friday, 1 April 2022 14:37 (three years ago)

Holloway Road

― Alfred Ndwego of Kenya (Tom D.), Friday, 1 April 2022 14:37 (three years ago)

USA!

― Ste, Friday, 1 April 2022 14:38 (three years ago)

The The

― Ste, Friday, 1 April 2022 14:39 (three years ago)

Lonius Monk

― Chappies banging dustbin lids together (President Keyes), Friday, 1 April 2022 14:40 (three years ago)

Thanks, but we already have that one upthread.

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 1 April 2022 14:43 (three years ago)

Lma and Louise!!!!

― imago, Friday, 1 April 2022 14:44 (three years ago)

This reminds me of a book called I Hate Rock and Roll by Tony Tyler, where he insists on naming all groups with a "The" in front like the UK press did in the 60s: The Yes, The Cream etc.

Which group was the first to do without "The"? I suspect Them, followed by Love.

― Halfway there but for you, Friday, 1 April 2022 14:49 (three years ago)

I don’t know if there are enough examples to create a thread for the opposite case but Smashing Pumpkins

― Lavator Shemmelpennick, Friday, 1 April 2022 14:50 (three years ago)

Which group was the first to do without "The"? I suspect Them

You mean m? Love those guys

― Lavator Shemmelpennick, Friday, 1 April 2022 14:51 (three years ago)

Four Tops

― Chappies banging dustbin lids together (President Keyes), Friday, 1 April 2022 14:53 (three years ago)

Batman

― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Friday, 1 April 2022 14:55 (three years ago)

The Guess Who? started as Guess Who?

― Chappies banging dustbin lids together (President Keyes), Friday, 1 April 2022 14:55 (three years ago)

too many people say Jesus And The Mary Chain over here. (or they did when they still knew about that band)

― StanM, Friday, 1 April 2022 14:56 (three years ago)

Where is that? I've never heard it said that way.

― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Friday, 1 April 2022 14:57 (three years ago)

ah Batman is a good one

― Ste, Friday, 1 April 2022 15:01 (three years ago)

https://i.discogs.com/QjQkDLBmQd-Y0-onstfU3fEAdM8BunfTH64ogY7-egI/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:519/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTkzNjQ1/MTMtMTQ3OTMwMDkx/NS04ODc0LmpwZWc.jpeg

― Chappies banging dustbin lids together (President Keyes), Friday, 1 April 2022 15:05 (three years ago)

disc 2, track 5

― Chappies banging dustbin lids together (President Keyes), Friday, 1 April 2022 15:05 (three years ago)

A friend of mine used to say "The Jesus and Mary Jane." I couldn't move him off of it.

― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Friday, 1 April 2022 15:06 (three years ago)

_Which group was the first to do without "The"? I suspect Them_

You mean m? Love those guys

New York, London, Paris, Munich

― I'm too sophisti for the pun generator, so sophisti it hurts (breastcrawl), Friday, 1 April 2022 15:12 (three years ago)

Is this specifically for acts/places/things that once had a 'the' but then removed it? Or anything that feels like it should have a 'the' but doesn't?

Lemonheads gave up on being mis-articled and added a The on their seventh album.

― beepy fridges (sic), Friday, 1 April 2022 15:19 (three years ago)

Creation

― Precious, Grace, Hill & Beard LTD. (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 1 April 2022 15:20 (three years ago)

The Guess Who? started as Guess Who?

They lost their question mark to the Mysterians along the way as well.

― Halfway there but for you, Friday, 1 April 2022 15:28 (three years ago)

Pentangle

― reassessing life after bookmarking a Will Smith thread (PBKR), Friday, 1 April 2022 15:32 (three years ago)

ohio state university

― towards fungal computer (harbl), Friday, 1 April 2022 15:32 (three years ago)

Asda

― ignore the blue line (or something), Friday, 1 April 2022 15:35 (three years ago)

https://i.discogs.com/AKUzfJ92iL4CmqY1r31RibL-jb8o5LRiZNWyZYEO3FI/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:585/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTY2MjM4/NzQtMTQ3OTE3ODQ2/Ni01Mjc5LmpwZWc.jpeg

― Dan Worsley, Friday, 1 April 2022 16:01 (three years ago)

what was the first rock 'n' roll band not to be called "the something(s)"?

― Kim Kimberly, Friday, 1 April 2022 16:16 (three years ago)

Cure (c. Wish, for that four-letter alt-rock punch)

― eatandoph (Neue Jesse Schule), Friday, 1 April 2022 16:44 (three years ago)

^ for the unfamiliar: for this album with a four-letter title, the band’s designers came up with a logo that used the same character in four different rotations

― beepy fridges (sic), Friday, 1 April 2022 16:52 (three years ago)

As introduced by Robert Elms back in the day:

"From half-spoken shadows emerges a canvas. A kiss of light breaks to reveal a moment when all mirrors are redundant. Listen to the portrait of the dance of perfection: the Spandau Ballet."

― Master of Treacle, Friday, 1 April 2022 16:53 (three years ago)

Not only The Pink Floyd, but The AMM:

https://i0.wp.com/recordmecca.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/IMG_4183.jpeg

― joni mitchell jarre (anagram), Friday, 1 April 2022 17:01 (three years ago)

https://nr53.files.wordpress.com/2007/03/videokaf.jpg

― I'm too sophisti for the pun generator, so sophisti it hurts (breastcrawl), Friday, 1 April 2022 17:02 (three years ago)

Bowery, depending on the situation. It started in the olden days as Bowery Lane. At some point it acquired a "the." Seems to be in transition now.

Letters sent to the Bronx are addressed "Bronx, NY."

― Josefa, Friday, 1 April 2022 17:51 (three years ago)

the people I heard say "Jesus & The Mary Chain" were in Belgium/Flanders btw (xposts)

― StanM, Friday, 1 April 2022 18:04 (three years ago)

American here but I don’t get the JAMC thing… I
thought the name was supposed to refer to a chain, not two people named Jesus and Mary Chain. It just sounds weird without the article.

― brimstead, Friday, 1 April 2022 18:21 (three years ago)

oh wait nvm lol

― brimstead, Friday, 1 April 2022 18:22 (three years ago)

Matt Johnson cornered the market?

― Infanta Terrible (j.lu), Friday, 1 April 2022 18:26 (three years ago)

Heard “Jesus & The Mary Chain” loads in Australia.

― beepy fridges (sic), Friday, 1 April 2022 18:39 (three years ago)

yeah me too, by people I was never friends with again

― assert (matttkkkk), Friday, 1 April 2022 19:46 (three years ago)

also Pixies never had a “the”

― assert (matttkkkk), Friday, 1 April 2022 19:49 (three years ago)

That is not necessary for their inclusion on this thread.

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 1 April 2022 19:58 (three years ago)

they neither had one nor seem like they should have

― assert (matttkkkk), Friday, 1 April 2022 21:30 (three years ago)

My kids and I always scratched our heads over "Winnie-ther-Pooh." Is this some kind of British in-joke?

― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Friday, 1 April 2022 21:39 (three years ago)

they neither had one nor seem like they should have

Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 1 April 2022 21:41 (three years ago)

I do sir, and more! and more.

― assert (matttkkkk), Friday, 1 April 2022 21:45 (three years ago)

“Baby, baby. .. where did our the go?”

― calstars, Friday, 1 April 2022 21:49 (three years ago)

Ben Folds Five

― kinder, Friday, 1 April 2022 21:57 (three years ago)

I've just googled it and I'm still not sure if Red Hot Chili Peppers are called the Red Hot Chili Peppers

― kinder, Friday, 1 April 2022 22:00 (three years ago)

they neither had one nor seem like they should have

They have a lower case one all over their Wikipedia page, unlike Buzzcocks.

― ledge, Friday, 1 April 2022 22:01 (three years ago)

If there can be a newish band called Cults, can I start The Beetle?

― Andy the Grasshopper, Friday, 1 April 2022 22:23 (three years ago)

I've just googled it and I'm still not sure if Red Hot Chili Peppers are called the Red Hot Chili Peppers

Good point but have you looked at the disambiguation at the top here? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Hot_Chili_Peppers

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 1 April 2022 22:34 (three years ago)

If there can be a newish band called Cults, can I start The Beetle?

Are you familiar with the Nick Lowe EP Bowi, if not The Rumour album Max, although I guess that is kind of a different thing.

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 1 April 2022 22:36 (three years ago)

Feel like this may work for titles too. For example, the follow-up to The Heroic Trio is Executioners, as if things were so bleak they couldn’t afford or be arsed to put an article in there.

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 1 April 2022 22:47 (three years ago)

I have never heard anyone call Pixies anything other than The Pixies irl

― Chappies banging dustbin lids together (President Keyes), Friday, 1 April 2022 23:33 (three years ago)

“Baby, baby. .. where did our the go?”

“Baby, I need your the-ing/Got to have all your the-ing”

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 1 April 2022 23:51 (three years ago)

I have never heard anyone call Pixies anything other than The Pixies irl

look they even labelled their own t-shirt and compilation Death to the Pixies, I realise it doesn't hold water

― assert (matttkkkk), Saturday, 2 April 2022 00:03 (three years ago)

You have to read that title as, Death to "the". Pixies.

― Halfway there but for you, Saturday, 2 April 2022 00:07 (three years ago)

In German feminine, Die Pixies.

― Precious, Grace, Hill & Beard LTD. (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 2 April 2022 00:26 (three years ago)

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixie_und_Dixie

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 April 2022 00:35 (three years ago)

minority report

― in places all over the world, real stuff be happening (voodoo chili), Saturday, 2 April 2022 00:38 (three years ago)

Who put the the in the bomp bah bomp bah bomp
Who put the the in the rama lama ding dong
Who put the the in the bop shoo bop shoo bop
Who put the the in the dip da dip da dip
Who was that man
I'd like to shake his hand
He made my baby fall in love with me (yeah)

― I'm too sophisti for the pun generator, so sophisti it hurts (breastcrawl), Saturday, 2 April 2022 07:38 (three years ago)

https://i.discogs.com/-5WUhRDCvc6AJj3xupsbl7pthOOd3nKXgkU5hMxxLzo/rs:fit/g:sm/q:40/h:300/w:300/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTQ5NTMz/My0xMTIzMzYwODcw/LmpwZw.jpeg

― fetter, Saturday, 2 April 2022 08:23 (three years ago)

https://images.eil.com/large_image/ORANGE_JUICE_THE%2BTHIRD%2BALBUM%2B-%2BGATEFOLD%2BSLEEVE-152099.jpg

― fetter, Saturday, 2 April 2022 08:25 (three years ago)

Cocteau Twins

― Elvis Telecom, Saturday, 2 April 2022 08:39 (three years ago)

Swans

― joni mitchell jarre (anagram), Saturday, 2 April 2022 09:00 (three years ago)

oh don't you "the" me
don't you "the" me no more

ohhhh baby, baby
where did our "the" go? ....

― sarahell, Saturday, 2 April 2022 17:14 (three years ago)

Excellent work all around. Go Team!

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 April 2022 17:33 (three years ago)

Go ‘the’ Team, surely?

― I'm too sophisti for the pun generator, so sophisti it hurts (breastcrawl), Saturday, 2 April 2022 17:59 (three years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSm6s--CYUQ

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:03 (three years ago)

Nits

― Maresn3st, Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:16 (three years ago)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3b/GoGos-Vacation.jpg

― mark s, Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:16 (three years ago)

bangles is more controversial but i favour it

― mark s, Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:20 (three years ago)

Tribalistas

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:22 (three years ago)

(been saving that one)

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:22 (three years ago)

https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-8e25iavqdi/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/500/613/New_York_Dolls_New_York_Dolls_Sticker__61150.1536807224.jpg

― mark s, Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:23 (three years ago)

Grateful Dead

― visiting, Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:24 (three years ago)

Lebanon

― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:24 (three years ago)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a5/Metalpriestess.JPG

― mark s, Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:25 (three years ago)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Age_of_Plastic#/media/File:Buggles_-_The_Age_of_Plastic.png

― mark s, Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:27 (three years ago)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/db/Buggles_-_The_Age_of_Plastic.png

― mark s, Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:27 (three years ago)

https://vinyl-records.nl/rock/usa/photo-gallery/eagles/long-run/eagles-long-run-1213.jpg

― mark s, Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:30 (three years ago)

Eagles already mentioned by jaymc via a Steve Martin except upthread but thanks for pictorial info.

I don’t know if there are enough examples to create a thread for the opposite case but Smashing Pumpkins

This thread includes all unstable “thes” so this and similar examples would belong here, although perhaps they should be marked as such to avoid confusion.

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:33 (three years ago)

Aargh, excerpt

― Never Mind the ILX, Here's the Blecch Pistols (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:33 (three years ago)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/bb/Ramones_-_Ramones_cover.jpg

― mark s, Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:34 (three years ago)

(oops sorry re eagles repeat, i was thread-searching to check so missed that)

― mark s, Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:35 (three years ago)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/22/Supersnazz.jpeg

― mark s, Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:39 (three years ago)

I wonder how many bands temporarily drop "The" from their names only for the sake of more elegant graphic design?

― Halfway there but for you, Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:39 (three years ago)

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/36/ff/35/36ff359cb6ea34bdb44d525823560c90.jpg

― mark s, Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:43 (three years ago)

responding to halfway there but for you: there's definitely a rush of the-less bands to coincide with full-on new wave sleeve design but that doesn't mean it's not their name, design is important

― mark s, Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:47 (three years ago)

http://images.45cat.com/rich-kids-rich-kids-emi-electrola-s.jpg

― mark s, Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:53 (three years ago)

But no-one was going to go into a record store: "Who is this band Buggles, I was looking for The Buggles?!?" And "the" comes and goes on covers and posters without most of us even noticing.
And a whole lot of band names sound to my ear a lot more stupid without "the".

― Halfway there but for you, Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:55 (three years ago)

I mean, why wouldn't bands have one written name and another spoken name?

― Halfway there but for you, Saturday, 2 April 2022 18:56 (three years ago)

Madness.

didn't. did. didn't.

― mark e, Saturday, 2 April 2022 19:01 (three years ago)

https://www.google.nl/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjdharSiPb2AhVw_HcKHZAOAtQYABAbGgJlZg&ae=2&sig=AOD64_1_mRMwEEhEpvOALAIMHp1oKGToOw&adurl&ctype=5&ved=0CAEQz7YHKA1qFwoTCJDLvNiI9vYCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD
the design thing predates new wave

happy to make a rock contribution. I have finally managed to un-niche myself!

― I'm too sophisti for the pun generator, so sophisti it hurts (breastcrawl), Saturday, 2 April 2022 19:06 (three years ago)

https://media.s-bol.com/2R7xlo5DE8lj/550x550.jpg

― I'm too sophisti for the pun generator, so sophisti it hurts (breastcrawl), Saturday, 2 April 2022 19:07 (three years ago)

Madness is even better because it’s half the band specifically saying “Madness split up, we are a completely new band called The Madness”

― beepy fridges (sic), Saturday, 2 April 2022 19:09 (three years ago)

(similar: 3/4 of Talking Heads forming a band called The Heads)

― beepy fridges (sic), Saturday, 2 April 2022 19:09 (three years ago)

like eagles and buggles these two go together:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/67/Welcome_Plastics.jpeg

https://www.vinylnet.co.uk/_assets/_user/images/prods/721937219310_1.jpg

― mark s, Saturday, 2 April 2022 19:17 (three years ago)

https://www.secondhandvinylrecords.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Kursaal-Flyers-%E2%80%8E–-Golden-Mile-vinyl-record-side-A-label-scaled.jpg

― mark s, Saturday, 2 April 2022 19:20 (three years ago)

https://i.discogs.com/uVZrDN0-qjr9bJKCgqkYKlHfZ1QQpNve74hVQsXWDqk/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:595/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTQxODgy/MDQtMTM2NTUwMzM4/NC0xNDU1LmpwZWc.jpeg

― mark s, Saturday, 2 April 2022 19:26 (three years ago)

Golden Earring, formerly known as The Golden Earrings.

― Precious, Grace, Hill & Beard LTD. (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 2 April 2022 19:56 (three years ago)

The Gambia - officially The Republic of The Gambia - seems to be greedily hoarding the’s

― Lavator Shemmelpennick, Saturday, 2 April 2022 22:41 (three years ago)

two years pass...

"The Ballroom Blitz"

― Thrapple from the Apple (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 22 July 2024 18:47 (one year ago)

The Sweet

― Thrapple from the Apple (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 22 July 2024 18:56 (one year ago)

The Portugal Man

― Hideous Lump, Monday, 22 July 2024 20:17 (one year ago)

Cocteau Twins

nope

― assert (matttkkkk), Monday, 22 July 2024 20:31 (one year ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH-_bsCwdRw

― Stoop Crone (Trayce), Tuesday, 23 July 2024 10:50 (one year ago)

During the Falklands War I remember my father doggedly referring to Argentina as The Argentine, which isn't strictly wrong (official name: The Argentine Republic).

― Grandpont Genie, Tuesday, 23 July 2024 13:07 (one year ago)

The Old Town Road

― Bad Bairns (Boring, Maryland), Tuesday, 23 July 2024 14:53 (one year ago)

Four Tops
― Chappies banging dustbin lids together (President Keyes)

"bands clearly not formed in portland, oregon"

― Kate (rushomancy), Tuesday, 23 July 2024 15:06 (one year ago)

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