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)

Sidewalk Begging
Dicks Lyrics

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Well, I′m crazy
The way that I live
I've been sidewalk begging
But nobody gives

I′ve been living on the streets
All of my life
I got no momma, no daddy

I ain't got no wife

I don't wanna be an old man
I don′t wanna be a dead man
I′m crazy
I'm crazy

Well, you can look at my face
Can see I′m no good
I know I oughta do better
If only I could

The little children walk around me
(?)
I wanna live to be a hundred years old
I don't wanna die
No, no, no-no, no!

I don′t wanna be an old man
I don't wanna be a dead man
I′m crazy
I'm crazy

The police want to arrest me
And throw me in jail
I guess they don't already know it
My life is a hell

The little children walk around me
(?)
I wanna live to be a hundred years old
I don′t wanna die
No, no, no-no, no!

I don′t wanna be an old man
I don't wanna be a dead man
I′m crazy
I'm crazy

I′m crazy
I'm crazy, crazy!

Overall Meaning

In Dick's song "Sidewalk Begging," the lyrics reflect the perspective of a person who is living on the streets and begging for survival. The singer expresses their feelings of despair and loneliness, as they describe their life without family or a stable home. They highlight the futility of their situation, as they beg on the sidewalk but receive no help or support from those passing by.

The lyrics convey the singer's deep desire to escape their current circumstances. They express a fear of growing old or dying on the streets, and a longing for a better life. The reference to being "crazy" could be interpreted in two ways: as a metaphor for their desperate state of mind or as a societal label that dismisses their struggles and suffering.

The song also touches on the social stigma and harsh treatment that the singer faces. They mention the police wanting to arrest them and the judgment from others, particularly children who walk by but seemingly ignore their presence. This further emphasizes their isolation within society.

Overall, the lyrics of "Sidewalk Begging" portray the emotional toll and vulnerability of living on the streets, while highlighting the deep yearnings for a better life and a sense of belonging.

Line by Line Meaning

Well, I′m crazy
I am mentally unstable or unpredictable

The way that I live
My lifestyle is unconventional or chaotic

I've been sidewalk begging
I have been begging for money on the streets

But nobody gives
Despite begging, no one offers me any help or support

I've been living on the streets
I have been homeless for my entire life

All of my life
Since birth or for a long time

I got no momma, no daddy
I do not have parents

I ain't got no wife
I am not married

I don't wanna be an old man
I do not want to grow old

I don′t wanna be a dead man
I do not want to die

Well, you can look at my face
If you observe my appearance