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.
Sunday Stripper
Cock Sparrer Lyrics
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'fore she moved into my town
She was stone cold broke but her legs were pretty
And her hair looked mean as she let her hair down
She followed in her mother's footsteps
To make a little cash on the side
Invested in a well-made cat suit
[Chorus:]
She's just a Sunday stripper
At the bar on the corner
She's a g-string tripper
But I'm in love with her
I get dressed every Sunday morning
Get my hair back nice and clean
I take a slow walk down to the bar she works
And I try to find me a front row seat
I sit there quietly drinking
I never have to wait too long
Before she's up there in spotlight satin
And the beer gets too low
[Chorus]
I picture her putting on her make-up
Deciding what to wear
I can see her hand pulling up her stockings
Painted nails riding through her hair
And as I sit believing
She goes in just for me
The others watch but I don't care
She's mine for all the world to see
[Chorus]
The song "Sunday Stripper" by Cock Sparrer is a narrative-driven ballad about a man's love for a woman who works as a stripper at a bar on Sundays. The lyrics depict the singer's infatuation with the stripper, who he fell in love with after seeing her perform at the bar. The song goes into detail about the woman's background, mentioning that she moved to the singer's town from Garden City and that she comes from a line of strippers as she followed in her mother's footsteps to make money. The singer portrays the woman as a hardworking individual who invested in a well-made cat suit to show off and earn money.
The chorus describes the woman as a "Sunday stripper" and a "g-string tripper," with the singer proclaiming that he is in love with her. The singer seems to regard the woman as more than just a stripper, and he enjoys watching her perform. He even imagines what she must be like when she's getting ready for work, imagining her putting on makeup, choosing what to wear, pulling up her stockings, and painting her nails. The end of the song emphasizes the singer's possessiveness of the stripper as he states that she's "mine for all the world to see."
Overall, the song "Sunday Stripper" explores themes such as love, infatuation, possession, and admiration. It also sheds light on the club culture and the lives of strippers who work hard to make ends meet.
Line by Line Meaning
She came from, well, in Garden City
She originally lived in Garden City before moving to his town
'fore she moved into my town
Before moving to his town, she was living in Garden City
She was stone cold broke but her legs were pretty
Despite being financially struggling, she had attractive legs
And her hair looked mean as she let her hair down
Her untamed hair somehow gave her a fierce or intimidating look
She followed in her mother's footsteps
She pursued the same career as her mother
To make a little cash on the side
To earn additional income
Invested in a well-made cat suit
She spent money to buy a high-quality cat suit
Showed all the boys she had nothing to hide
By dressing up in provocative clothing, she made it clear that she was not shy or secretive about her body
She's just a Sunday stripper
She works as a stripper on Sundays
At the bar on the corner
She performs at a local bar
She's a g-string tripper
She wears a g-string during her performances
But I'm in love with her
The artist is romantically interested in her
I get dressed every Sunday morning
Every Sunday, the singer dresses up nicely
Get my hair back nice and clean
The singer takes extra care to make sure his hair looks good
I take a slow walk down to the bar she works
The singer walks slowly to the bar where she performs
And I try to find me a front row seat
The artist attempts to secure the best seat possible in the front row
I sit there quietly drinking
While he waits for her performance, the artist sits calmly and drinks
I never have to wait too long
Her performance comes on fairly quickly
Before she's up there in spotlight satin
Soon enough, she is performing in the spotlight, wearing satin clothing
And the beer gets too low
As he watches the performance, the artist's drink becomes empty
I picture her putting on her make-up
The artist imagines her applying her make-up back stage
Deciding what to wear
He imagines her choosing what clothes to wear for her performance
I can see her hand pulling up her stockings
He imagines her putting on her stockings
Painted nails riding through her hair
Her painted nails contrast with her hair color
And as I sit believing
As he watches the performance, he feels as though she is performing just for him
She goes in just for me
He imagines that she is performing only for him
The others watch but I don't care
Even though other people are also watching her perform, the singer is only focused on her
She's mine for all the world to see
Even though other people are watching, the artist feels as though she belongs to him in that moment
Contributed by Jason T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
sye lee
The best oi band from the uk, and still riding high now with recent tours...
Ray Witte
Best Oi! Band in the world. Cheers from the states.
Paco S
Yeah mate i think the same but i am german
Deckerd01
This is the 1 of the best stripping tracks ive ever heard..real,raw n should b on an advert 1 of my favourites
Z. S. N.
One of the greatest rock bands of all time.
Giorgio Laffertino
an all time classic!
punkerstein
great band! great music! 100% Oi street punk rock!
Craig Jones
A absolute classic !
William Cole
One of my all time favorite songs
David Dayus
This was on the first OI album. I heard it many years ago now. Still amuses me.