By the early '80s, bands like Sham 69, the Angelic Upstarts, and the Cockney Rejects had transformed the working-class punk sensibility into a Cockney-dominated subgenre dubbed Oi! As early progenitors of the scene, Cock Sparrer was in demand once again, especially after their song "Sunday Stripper" appeared on an Oi! compilation. They began gigging again and quickly landed a record deal, resulting in the 1982 hit single "England Belongs to Me," which struck a chord during the middle of the Falklands War. Cock Sparrer's official U.K. debut album, Shock Troops, was also released in 1982 and became a long-standing Oi! favorite. Guitarist Beaufoy left the band in 1983 and was replaced by the tandem of Chris Skepis (rhythm) and Shug O'Neill (lead). This lineup recorded the follow-up album, 1984's Runnin' Riot in '84, but Skepis and O'Neill both departed shortly thereafter. Beaufoy rejoined briefly for the Live & Loud album, released in 1987, but disagreements within the band and (again) with their record company precipitated another breakup.
In late 1992, Cock Sparrer was invited to play a reunion gig at the Astoria, near Charing Cross. The appearance of over 2,000 fans stunned the band into a full-fledged reunion, featuring the original quartet of McFaull, Beaufoy, Burgess, and Bruce, plus new rhythm guitarist Daryl Smith. In early 1994, Cock Sparrer released Guilty as Charged, their first album of all-new material in a decade. The odds-and-ends EP Run Away followed in 1995, featuring live and studio recordings; the proper follow-up to Guilty as Charged, Two Monkeys, was released in 1997, with rumors that it would be the band's last album featuring all new material. A spate of compilations and live recordings followed during the next few years, with the band continuing to tour extensively, hitting the U.S. in 2000.
Argy Bargy
Cock Sparrer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sunday nights on the radio
Terry played the songs we wanted to hear
And Terry said things no one else would dare
He gave it all that he had to give
They said it was his only reason to live
But we just listened to the rock n roll
Terry the DJ's radio show
[Chorus]
He give it some of that argy bargy
Giving it all the chance
He give it some argy bargy
Now what do you think of that
Then came the evening of the Mile End row
The Ol' Bill found out I don't know how
We know they tried to lock us up that night
We were ready for a fight
Terry came onto the air at ten
He said the filth were waiting for us then
Down at the Black Boy they were there in force
And he was right of course
[Chorus]
They told him that he'd better change the song
They said to tell us that the kids were wrong
They gave him one more Sunday night, to get it right
That was the night when the girls all cried
That was the night that he said goodbye
Cause no matter who paid him,
Terry never told us a lie
[Chorus:Repeat x2]
The Cock Sparrer's song ‘Argy Bargy’ is a tribute to the British DJ, Terry Satten, who played rock n roll and punk music on Sunday nights on the radio. Terry was a figure who wasn't afraid to play the songs that others wouldn't dare, which helped him establish a loyal following. The song describes Terry's dedication to his craft and the passion he put into his work, with lines like ‘He gave it all that he had to give’ and ‘Terry the DJ's radio show.’ The chorus ‘He give it some argy bargy, now what do you think of that?’ is a reference to Terry's antagonistic nature, which he used to stir up controversy and to challenge the norms of the time.
The song then goes on to describe an event that happened one evening in Mile End, where the police tried to arrest them, and Terry broadcasted his show live while the police were waiting outside for them. Terry was known for his unapologetic attitude and willingness to challenge authority, which is reflected in this part of the song. The lyric ‘That was the night when the girls all cried’ portrays the tension and emotions of the time, and ‘Cause no matter who paid him, Terry never told us a lie’ sums up Terry's integrity.
Line by Line Meaning
It started off like any other show
The beginning was usual in every way
Sunday nights on the radio
It was on the air on Sunday nights
Terry played the songs we wanted to hear
Terry played the music the audiences wanted to hear
And Terry said things no one else would dare
Terry expressed his thoughts boldly and fearlessly
He gave it all that he had to give
Terry devoted himself completely to his craft
They said it was his only reason to live
People thought that was the only meaningful thing in his life
But we just listened to the rock n roll
The listeners only cared about the music
Terry the DJ's radio show
The show belonged to Terry, the DJ
[Chorus]
Refrain
He give it some of that argy bargy
Terry added some controversy and conflict
Giving it all the chance
Giving everything he had got
He give it some argy bargy
He added some controversy and conflict
Now what do you think of that
What do you think about Terry's actions?
Then came the evening of the Mile End row
The Mile End neighborhood witnessed an argument or fight
The Ol' Bill found out I don't know how
The police appeared mysteriously somehow
We know they tried to lock us up that night
The police aimed to restrain them that night
We were ready for a fight
The group was ready to defend themselves
Terry came onto the air at ten
Terry's show aired at 10 pm
He said the filth were waiting for us then
Terry warned them that the police were waiting for them
Down at the Black Boy they were there in force
The police force was gathered at the Black Boy pub.
And he was right of course
Terry's prediction was correct
[Chorus]
Refrain
They told him that he'd better change the song
They advised Terry to change his music choice
They said to tell us that the kids were wrong
They wanted Terry to pass on a message that the kids were incorrect
They gave him one more Sunday night, to get it right
They gave Terry another chance to get things right
That was the night when the girls all cried
The night when girls wept
That was the night that he said goodbye
That was the last show
Cause no matter who paid him,
Terry never compromised on what he believed in
Terry never told us a lie
Terry was always honest with the listeners
[Chorus:Repeat x2]
Refrain repeated twice
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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