Career
Cockney Rejects were formed in 1977 by brothers Jeff and Micky Geggus, with their brother-in-law Chris Murrell on bass and Paul Harvey on drums. Their first demo, "Flares n' Slippers", caught the attention of Small Wonder Records owner Pete Stennett, who introduced the band to Bob Sergeant. With Sergeant, they recorded their single "Flares n' Slippers", which sold out its first pressing. Murrell and Harvey were then replaced by Vince Riordan on bass and Andy Scott on drums, from fellow East End London band, The Tickets. This became known as Cockney Rejects' classic lineup, and its debut at the Bridge House in Canning Town in June 1979 is considered a turning point for the band. In September of that same year, the band signed with EMI and released their album Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 in February 1980.
Their biggest hit single in the United Kingdom, 1980's "The Greatest Cockney Rip-Off", was a parody of Sham 69's song "Hersham Boys". Other Cockney Rejects songs were less commercial, partly because they tended to be about hard-edged topics such as street fighting or football hooliganism. Other singles to appear in the UK were "Bad Man," "We Can Do Anything," "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles " and "We Are the Firm" — all from 1980.
The violence depicted in their lyrics was often mirrored at their concerts, and the band members often fought to defend themselves (often from supporters of opposing football teams) or to split up conflicts between audience members. Jeff and Mick Geggus (who are brothers) had both been amateur youth boxers, and had fought at the national level. Bass player Vince Riordan's uncle was Jack "The Hat" McVitie, a Cockney gangster who was murdered by Reggie Kray.
Cockney Rejects expressed contempt for all politicians in their lyrics, and they rejected media claims that they had a British Movement following, or that the band members supported the views of that far right group. In their first Sounds interview, they mockingly referred to the British Movement as the "German Movement" and stated that many of their heroes were black boxers. Jeff Turner's autobiography Cockney Reject describes an incident in which the band members and their supporters had a massive fight against British Movement members at one of Cockney Rejects' early concerts.
EMI records released a definitive Rejects retrospective on 29 August 2011. Called Join the Rejects, the Zonophone years '79-'81, it was a three-disc collection of all their EMI recordings including all the Peel sessions and rare demos from the day. Also included was a colour booklet with a blow-by-blow account of the stories behind the music by Micky Geggus.
The Rejects movie East End Babylon and an album of the same name were released in 2013.
Tony Van Frater died in October 2015, aged 51.
In February 2016, it was announced that former Cockney Reject bass player Vince Riordan had re-joined the band again.
The group were slated to perform their first Australian shows in February 2019, however a family emergency necessitated the postponement of the concerts to July. The concerts were later rescheduled to October and went ahead that month to critical acclaim.
http://www.cockneyrejects.com/
https://myspace.com/readytoruck/bio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockney_Rejects
https://www.facebook.com/TheCockneyRejects
http://www.discogs.com/artist/254787
I'm Not a Fool
Cockney Rejects Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't stand being stuck in here with you
Gonna have a laugh
Gonna break into a store
I'm so bored that I don't care anymore
Told our mate to keep dog eye
But he went and told a lie
They took us down the station
Now my life's in ruins
I ain't got nothing left
RIT:
I'm not so ignorant I'm not a fool
So keep your intelligence
I am not a fool
Not a fool, there's nothing left
I'm not a fool, there's nothing left
Had to pay for a lawyer
Pay two hundred quid
That's a lot of money
For the silly thing that I did
People say that I'll get sent down
But I don't give a damn
Don't you try to say I'm mad
It's just the way I am
RIT
RIT
Gotta break out find something else to do
I can't stand being stuck in here with you
Gonna have a laugh
Gonna break into a store
I'm so bored that I don't care anymore
Told our mate to keep dog eye
But he went and told a lie
They took us down the station
They done us for theft
Now my life's in ruins
I ain't got nothing left
RIT
The above lyrics from Cockney Rejects's song I'm Not a Fool speak to the frustration and restlessness of youth who feel trapped in their lives and are looking for a way out. The singer expresses their desire to break out and find something else to do, to escape their current situation, which is characterized by boredom ("I'm so bored that I don't care anymore") and being stuck with someone they don't want to be around ("I can't stand being stuck in here with you"). In an act of rebellion, they decide to break into a store and steal something, but they are caught and arrested. This leads to even more problems and expenses, including having to pay for a lawyer and potentially facing jail time.
Despite their situation, the singer asserts their intelligence and agency, insisting that they are not a fool ("I'm not so ignorant I'm not a fool / So keep your intelligence / I am not a fool"). Their actions may be misguided or reckless, but they are not naïve or easily taken advantage of. They are aware of the consequences of their actions and choose to accept them rather than conform to society's expectations or others' judgments of them.
Overall, the song captures the frustration and rebellion of youth who feel trapped in their lives and are looking for a way out. It portrays a desire for freedom and agency, even when that means breaking the law and enduring the consequences. At its core, the song is an anthem for anyone who has ever felt stuck and wants to escape.
Line by Line Meaning
Gotta break out find something else to do
I need to escape and find a new activity because being with you is boring and suffocating.
I can't stand being stuck in here with you
Being trapped with you is unbearable and unpleasant.
Gonna have a laugh
I will find something entertaining to do.
Gonna break into a store
I plan to illegally enter a business to steal something.
I'm so bored that I don't care anymore
My boredom has led me to the point of not caring about anything anymore.
Told our mate to keep dog eye
I advised my friend to be cautious and suspicious.
But he went and told a lie
However, he betrayed my trust and told an untruth.
They took us down the station
We were apprehended and taken to the police station.
They done us for theft
We were charged with stealing.
Now my life's in ruins
My existence is destroyed and in disarray.
I ain't got nothing left
I have lost everything and have nothing left.
I'm not so ignorant I'm not a fool
I am not unintelligent, and I am not gullible or foolish.
So keep your intelligence
Don't flaunt your intellect or try to patronize me.
Not a fool, there's nothing left
I may not be a fool, but I am still left with nothing due to my choices and actions.
I'm not a fool, there's nothing left
I am not foolish, but I have lost everything and am left with nothing as a result of my actions.
Had to pay for a lawyer
I was required to hire legal representation.
Pay two hundred quid
I paid two hundred pounds for my legal fees.
That's a lot of money
Two hundred pounds is a substantial amount of money.
For the silly thing that I did
I had to pay a lot of money for my foolish, illegal actions.
People say that I'll get sent down
Others predict that I will be imprisoned.
But I don't give a damn
I don't care what others think or say about me.
Don't you try to say I'm mad
Do not attempt to label me as crazy or irrational.
It's just the way I am
This is simply my personality and behavior, whether it is deemed appropriate or not.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ajengalfiana3765
Gotta break out find something else to do
I can't stand being stuck in here with you
Gonna have a laugh
Gonna break into a store
I'm so bored that I don't care anymore
Told our mate to keep dog eye
But he went and told a lie
They took us down the station
They done us for theft
Now my life's in ruins
I ain't got nothing left
[RIT:]
I'm not so ignorant I'm not a fool
So keep your intelligence
I am not a fool
Not a fool, there's nothing left
I'm not a fool, there's nothing left
Had to pay for a lawyer
Pay two hundred quid
That's a lot of money
For the silly thing that I did
People say that I'll get sent down
But I don't give a damn
Don't you try to say I'm mad
It's just the way I am
[RIT]
[RIT]
Gotta break out find something else to do
I can't stand being stuck in here with you
Gonna have a laugh
Gonna break into a store
I'm so bored that I don't care anymore
Told our mate to keep dog eye
But he went and told a lie
They took us down the station
They done us for theft
Now my life's in ruins
I ain't got nothing left
@royurquhart9847
One of the best yet underrated bands around - full stop. (or 'Period' if you are American)
@deafanddestructiononthepis3149
No one I know underrates one of the very best punk bands of all time thats fuckin crazy!
@markcbb
Great riff and superb guitar sound
@ianwhitehead691
Love the Cockney Rejects, & I'm a
Lancashire lad. PUNK & SKINS 🤪😁😜
@VincentRE79
Great guitar playing on this song.
@darylbond3899
Micky Geggus : SUCH an underrated guitarist!!
Geezers a COLOSSUS!!!!
@xxfalconlifexx9715
They always knew how to start a song; their intros are always really engaging and reel you in.
@marcwilluweit2558
still in my top 5. guess i will forever love the rejects. unmatched oi-punk at it's very best!
@markbrewin2728
fuck im 56 and still jump around to this album
@LarzGustafsson
Brilliant!