They are commonly regarded as an important influence on the Manchester music scene, the independent record label movement and the punk rock, power pop, pop punk and indie rock genres in general. They are primarily remembered for their singles, a string of would-be hits that combined a strong grasp of pop song craftsmanship with rapid-fire punk energy. These singles were collected on Singles Going Steady, described by critic Ned Raggett as a "punk masterpiece" The widely covered "Ever Fallen in Love?" remains one of their best-known songs.
The name "Buzzcocks" partially comes from the Manchester slang term cock meaning youngster, and its use in the 1970s ITV drama serial Rock Follies which included the catch phrases "that's the buzz, cocks" and "give me a buzz, cock!"
Buzzcocks were one of the key first generation British punk rock bands to form in the wake of the Sex Pistols in 1976. They were founded by Mancunians Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto, however Devoto left soon after the group released their Spiral Scratch EP (on their own independent label), leaving Shelley to take over vocals.
They are best known for their catchy, poppy punk sound, which has been widely influential, which was adopted as Peter Shelley took over on the vocals, singing about what the whole punk rock scene opted not to sing about: love. Devoto in the meanwhile formed Magazine.
They rehearsed in a friend's kitchen and played at the all-day 100 club punk "festival", in London. At the end of 1977 the band signed to United Artists and released "Orgasm Addict", with Shelley's high-pitched vocal delivery and Ramones-esque fuzz-guitar sound ensuring the controversial single would be played over again. Later came "What Do I Get?" which hit the UK charts and showed Shelley's brilliance in songwriting.
An LP was then released, Another Music in a Different Kitchen which came with its own carrier bag, labelled "Product". In 1978-79 five chart-hitting singles were released including "Ever Fallen in Love?" and had captured a pop-loving audience by this time. Love Bites, their second LP was released later on, which had less excitement than the last album, though it did sell well, with Steve Diggle taking over lyric-writing.
October 1979 saw A Different Kind of Tension which was panned by some critics, quite unfairly, as it contains some excellent songs, the title track being the stand-out. It perhaps suffered from being the second album to be released that year, with the record company keen to capitalise on the band's chart success at the time.
3 more singles followed in 1980, but the spark had clearly gone out for a while. Musical differences and the long slog behind them led to the band splitting in early 1981. Pete Shelley embarked in a solo career..
He released three dance/electronic influenced solo albums: Homosapien, XL1 and Heaven and The Sea - all with the same fine songwriting skills. Meanwhile, Steve Diggle formed Flag of Convenience - a power pop combo - and toured with some success.
A 5 album/CD set was released in 1989 called Product, which contained all the albums to date, plus the greatest hits and B sides album, Singles Going Steady, and the last non-album singles, Why She's A Girl From the Chainstore, Airwaves Dream and Running Free, plus the B sides
In 1992 the Buzzcocks reformed, without original drummer John Maher and bassist Steve Garvey, and releasd Trade Test Transmissions in 1993, quite different from their earlier material, with nods to the power pop scene popular at the time. All Set in 1996 saw a return to form with familiar riffs and pin sharp lyrics pop-punk. Next year Chronology was released, the missing album, including outtakes from the three United Artists albums. In 1999 they released Modern, which saw Shelley in reflective mode and Steve Diggle taking over more of the vocal duties.
Then followed another brief break in 2000, with Shelley teaming up with old band-mate Howard Devoto to release a largely disappointing album, Buzzkunst. Compilations followed, including Inventory in 2003, which contained every single to date, and 30 in 2005 to celebrate 30 years performing
2005 saw the Buzzcocks back touring and in 2007 they released the superb Flat Pack Philosophy, widely agreed to rank up with the best of Buzzcocks output
2008/9 saw a short tour where the band played tracks from Another Music and Love Bites.
In August 2011 they headlined the first night of The Rhythm Festival in Bedfordshire.
In November 2011 it was announced they would be playing two shows in 2012 that would feature the original line-up as well as the classic line-up of the band reunited for the first time in many years; these shows took place on 25 May 2012 in Manchester at the O2 Apollo and on 26 May in Brixton at the O2 Academy. It was announced on 26 May 2012 that, for the first time, they would headline Thursday night in the Empress Ballroom at the Rebellion Festival in Blackpool sharing the stage with the likes of Rancid, Public Image Limited and Social Distortion.
On 1 May 2014 Buzzcocks released the album The Way via PledgeMusic. On 13 September 2014 Buzzcocks played "a brief but triumphant set" at Riot Fest 2014 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. In October 2014 Buzzcocks toured the U.K. for three weeks with The Dollyrots as main support.
In 2016, the band embarked on their 40th-anniversary tour (dubbed "Buzzcocks 40"). In 2017, "Why Can't I Touch It" was featured in the opening segment of the Telltale game 'Guardians of the Galaxy.
Buzzcocks continue to be a huge influence on many bands and are still enjoyed by a large, and very loyal, fanbase.
Pete Shelley died on 6 December 2018.
Runaround
Buzzcocks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're driving me crazy
You give me the runaround
Please and I'm not criticizing
You're driving me crazy
You give me the runaround
Nobody thrills me like you
Though I'm patient and I've waited
You give me the runaround
I'm in love trust that it's true
Just give me a sign
God knows I'm dedicated
You give me the runaround
Sex is a bone of contention
You're driving me crazy
You give me the runaround
Love scarcely warrants a mention
You're driving me crazy
You give me the runaround
Confession's good for the soul
And we've both seen better days
I'm gettin' so frustrated
You give me the runaround
Situation's out of control
Gotta be another way
I've desire that must be sated
You give me the runaround
Think of how things ought to be
Realty not fantasy
So certain 'bout the way that I feel
You say you need a guarantee
Just tell me what you want me to see
Oh how I wish that you would be mine
Sex is a bone of contention
You're driving me crazy
You give me the runaround
Love scarcely warrants a mention
You're driving me crazy
You give me the runaround
Confession's good for the soul
And we've both seen better days
I'm gettin' so frustrated
You give me the runaround
Situation's out of control
Gotta be another way
I've desire that must be sated
You give me the runaround
Think of how things ought to be
Realty not fantasy
So certain 'bout the way that I feel
You say you need a guarantee
Just tell me what you want me to see
Oh how I wish that you would be mine
The song Runaround by Buzzcocks expresses the frustration of a person in a relationship where their partner is not fully committed to them. The lyrics talk about the confusion and mixed signals that the person is receiving from their partner, who is driving them crazy and giving them the runaround, hence the title of the song. The lyrics hint at both physical and emotional intimacy being lacking in the relationship, with the bone of contention being sex, and love scarcely warranting a mention. The person is dedicated to the relationship despite their partner being non-committal, but their desire must be sated. The lyrics convey a sense of longing and the feeling of being trapped in a situation that is out of their control.
The chorus repeats throughout the song, emphasizing the frustration that the person is experiencing. The repetition of the phrase "You give me the runaround" signifies the confusion and mixed signals that the person is receiving from their partner. The lyrics also suggest that the person is willing to work on the relationship, but their efforts seem to be in vain as their partner is not reciprocating. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the person wishing that their partner would be theirs.
Line by Line Meaning
You send my blood pressure rising
You make me feel excited and anxious.
You're driving me crazy
You're making me feel mentally and emotionally overwhelmed.
You give me the runaround
You're leading me on and not being clear about your intentions.
Please and I'm not criticizing
I'm not trying to be negative, but please be more direct with me.
Nobody thrills me like you
No one excites me in the same way that you do.
I want you all the time
I crave your attention and affection constantly.
Though I'm patient and I've waited
Even though I've been patient and willing to wait for you.
I'm in love trust that it's true
I'm deeply in love with you, please believe me.
Just give me a sign
Please give me some indication of your true feelings.
God knows I'm dedicated
I'm committed and devoted to you, despite your mixed signals.
Sex is a bone of contention
We have differing views on the importance of sex in our relationship.
Love scarcely warrants a mention
We don't seem to prioritize expressing our love for each other.
Confession's good for the soul
It's healthy to be honest about our feelings and thoughts.
And we've both seen better days
Our relationship has faced some challenges in the past.
I'm gettin' so frustrated
I'm becoming increasingly annoyed and upset by your lack of clarity.
Situation's out of control
Our relationship is spiraling and feels chaotic.
Gotta be another way
There has to be a better approach to resolving our issues.
I've desire that must be sated
I have a strong desire that needs to be fulfilled.
Think of how things ought to be
We need to realistically consider how our relationship should progress.
Realty not fantasy
We can't just rely on idealized versions of our relationship.
So certain 'bout the way that I feel
I'm confident in my love for you and my desire to be with you.
You say you need a guarantee
You're asking for assurances about our future together.
Just tell me what you want me to see
Please be more transparent about your true feelings and intentions.
Oh how I wish that you would be mine
I deeply desire a committed relationship with you.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PETER SHELLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
hawkeyepierce12
Believe it or not, this is the album I'm currently listening to in my car. It's been a little while since I've dug it out. This is one of the best tracks off it. I also love Soul on a rock, Under the sun and Choices.
floydy opz
The Buzzcocks eh? Those little runarounds..... don't ya just love 'em?
Erik Dejaeghere
Buzzcocks, si tu expérimentes pas, il est temps de te poser des questions... HA !