The Dicks were an American punk rock band originally active from 1980 to 19… Read Full Bio ↴The Dicks were an American punk rock band originally active from 1980 to 1986. The band is considered influential in introducing the sound of hardcore punk, particularly in their home state of Texas, and incorporating communist lyrics and blues rock influences into their sound. Singer Gary Floyd was noted as one of a handful of openly gay musicians in the hardcore scene. In the mid-'80s, The Dicks relocated to San Francisco. The band reunited from 2004 to 2016.

The Dicks emerged during the halcyon days of Austin, Texas punk. The scene centered around the local dive bar Raul's frequented by local freaks, artists, and soon-to-be punk rockers. The band was the creation of Gary Floyd, a 26 year old from Palestine, Texas who had been a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War and was openly, flamboyantly gay. Although he was advertising the Dicks before they were even an actual band, Floyd soon joined forces with three "terrorist thugs" to complete the group: guitarist Glen Taylor, bassist Buxf Parrot, and drummer Pat Deason. They started writing burly blues-drenched punk anthems and began playing raucous, shows with local heroes The Big Boys. Unlike that band's funk-infused, high-production value drag show, the Dicks opted for a cruder but still spectacular approach. Gary Floyd would assault the audience with chocolate frosting pulled from his panties, inviting any rowdy audience members to suck his dick.

The band's first single, Dicks Hate the Police, was dropped onto the world in 1980 on MDC's R Radical label. The title track to this EP is unlike anything else before or after - a total powerhouse of a song. The B-side found the band playing faster and harder than most other U.S. punk bands at the time. Like most of their Texas peers, the Dicks had a sound that didn't fit any one mold or genre. Sometimes punk, hardcore, blues, or free-form ranting, they were always playing music on the edge of insanity. Their next record is one of the ultimate documents of Texas punk - a split live LP with the Big Boys recorded at Raul's. While the Big Boys don't sound as great as their studio material, the Dicks really explode off the vinyl with a ripping live set that captures both the great songwriting and amazing energy they brought to the table.

Dicks Hate The Police

Having caught the attention of punk producer Spot, the Dicks recorded their first full length for SST. Kill from the Heart finds the Dicks' blues punk attacking conservatism and especially racism with unbridled fury. In 1982, before the album came out, Gary and the Dicks moved to San Francisco, followed by MDC and DRI who took up with them at a squatted beer plant known as the Vats. Along with their new neighbors Crucifix and Michigan's The Crucifucks, they embarked on the 1983 Rock Against Reagan tour: an exhausting 3 month extravaganza organized by the Yippies. The tour took a lot out of the band, and after its completion only Gary returned to the city by the bay. There he reformed the band with three new musicians: drummer Lynn Perko, guitarist Tim Carroll, and bassist Sebastian Fuchs.

This line-up recorded the PEACE? EP, a concept single attacking the injustices of war. While the record is powerful, especially the scorching "I Hope you Get Drafted," it also demonstrated the cleaner, more blues-rock direction that the new band was taking. 1985's These People LP, released on Alternative Tentacles, showcased a Dicks who were expanding punk sounds to play more straightforward, longer bluesy rock songs. Nonplused by the reaction from punk audiences ("play faster!"), Gary decided to end the Dicks in 1986. He and Lynn Perko started Sister Double Happiness, who recorded for SST. Gary later went solo and has a new project called Black Kali Ma on A.T. Glen Taylor, unfortunately, passed away. Alternative Tentacles has reissued a collection CD of Dicks material that is a good starting point, and bootlegs of the LP (good quality) and first 7" (bad quality) aren't too hard to come by. Go get them now.

(taken from KillFromTheHeart)

Little Boys' Feet
Dicks Lyrics

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(Boy of mine, boy of mine, dear little boy of mine)
Boy of mine, boy of mine, although my heart was aching,
I seem to know that you'd want to go,
Pride in your manhood waking,
I'll be here, waiting, dear,
Till at the glad dawn breaking,
I'll hear you say you're home to stay,
Dear little boy of mine (mine),

Dear little boy of mine. (boy of mine)

(Boy of mine, boy of mine, although my heart was breaking)
I'll hear you say you're home to stay,

Dear little boy of mine(mine), dear little boy of mine
(dear little boy of mine).

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Dick's song "Little Boys' Feet" are a bittersweet ode to a mother's love for her growing son. The song begins with the repetition of the phrase "boy of mine," indicating the deep affection the mother has for her child. Despite the ache in her heart, she understands that her son desires to assert his manhood and leave the nest. There is a sense of pride and acceptance in her tone, as she waits for him to return a mature young man.

The mother's love is unconditional and steadfast, as shown in the lines "I'll be here, waiting, dear/Till at the glad dawn breaking." She is willing to patiently wait for her son to come back to her, knowing that he needs to embark on his own journey. The final stanza of the song is a final plea for her son to return home and reaffirm his love for her. The repetition of "dear little boy of mine" emphasizes the emotional pull that this child has on his mother's heart.

Overall, the lyrics to "Little Boys' Feet" paint a poignant picture of the complex emotional terrain that parents experience as they watch their children grow up and move away.

Line by Line Meaning

Boy of mine, boy of mine, dear little boy of mine
Addressing her son with affection and endearment

Boy of mine, boy of mine, although my heart was aching
Expressing the pain of letting go of her son, but understanding that it is part of his becoming a man

I seem to know that you'd want to go
Recognizing her son's desire to explore the world and gain independence

Pride in your manhood waking
Acknowledging her son's growing sense of maturity and pride in his coming-of-age

I'll be here, waiting, dear
Reassuring her son that she will always be there for him, even from a distance

Till at the glad dawn breaking
Anticipating the joyous moment of her son's return home

I'll hear you say you're home to stay
Eagerly awaiting her son's announcement that he will settle in and make his home with his family

Dear little boy of mine (mine),
A loving reminder of her connection to her son, despite his growth and independence

Dear little boy of mine. (boy of mine)
Affectionate repetition of her endearment for her beloved son

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERNEST R. BALL, J. KEIRN BRENNAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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