… Read Full Bio ↴Ian Dury (1942-2000) was an English singer, songwriter, and bandleader.
Born on 12th May 1942, he is best known as founder and lead singer of the British band Ian Dury and the Blockheads, though he began his musical career in pub-rock act Kilburn & the High Roads. He wrote many famous songs including "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick", "What a Waste", and "Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll". He died on 27th March 2000.
At the age of seven, Dury contracted polio; very likely, he believed, from a swimming pool at Southend on Sea during the 1949 polio epidemic. After six weeks in a full plaster cast in Truro hospital, he was moved to Black Notley Hospital, Braintree, Essex, where he spent a year and a half before going to Chailey Heritage Craft School, East Sussex, in 1951. Chailey was a school and hospital for disabled children, and believed in toughening them up, contributing to the observant and determined person Dury became.
Fly in the Ointment
Ian Dury Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stain on the character
Dust on the wainscot
Hair on the gate
Bee in the bonnet
Ash on the waistcoat
Flake on the shoulder
Eye on the clock
Bat in the belfry
Head in the sand
Kick up the arse
Smudge on the collar
Hands in the paint
Flea in the ear
Snake in the grass
I though that you love me
'Cos that's what you said
Climb on the table
Pat on the bed
The further you love me
You were taking the piss-tic
Out of the frying pan
Into the mystic
Rock in the carpet
Gap in the market
The open umbrella
But wait in the hall
An old bit of gum
With nowhere to park it
Soldier of fortune
Ear on the wall
I thought that you loved me
Cos that's how I felt
Kick in the bollocks
Under the belt
I thought that you loved me
Now I know I'm a prune
I wish through the window
(this line is so mumbled I doubt he knows what he said)
Knot in the hanky
Rat on the landing
Little bit hanging
Pain in the bum
Mind your own business
Only one standing
Wrong side of the bed
Terrible hum
I thought that you loved me
Cos that's what you said
Grub on the table
Hat on the bed
I thought that you loved me
You were taking the piss-tic
Out of the frying pan
Into the mystic
(note: the noises in the last verse and chorus are just him making
Rolf Harris type noises, he doesn't actually say any proper words)
Ian Dury's "Fly in the Ointment" is a song that's filled with a litany of annoyances, referring to those things that get in our way and cause problems in our daily lives. The lyrics are poignant and capture the essence of how personal experiences can be very frustrating. Each verse describes a different obstacle that gets in the way of things: from "a bee in the bonnet" to "an old bit of gum with nowhere to park it." These obstacles serve as metaphors for larger problems we face in life, whether they are personal or societal.
Dury's song is also a commentary on the human condition, where we expect things to go a certain way, but they often don't. In the opening verse, he uses the metaphor of a "fly in the ointment," which is a reference to a small problem that undermines everything else that's good. He then goes on to list a series of other obstacles. The second verse adopts a similar pattern, with each line describing something that is out of place or unexpected. This pattern continues throughout the song, making it a reflection of the human desire for order and predictability, and the often-unpredictable nature of life.
Overall, "Fly in the Ointment" is a song that captures the mood of frustration and disappointment that we all feel from time to time. It shows how even the smallest things can get in the way and cause problems, and that sometimes, we just have to deal with these issues and move on.
Line by Line Meaning
Fly in the ointment
A small fault or flaw causing irritation and annoyance
Stain on the character
A negative mark on one's reputation
Dust on the wainscot
A small but visible inconvenience
Hair on the gate
A minor inconvenience or annoyance
Bee in the bonnet
An obsession or fixation causing distraction
Ash on the waistcoat
A careless mistake or slip-up
Flake on the shoulder
A small but noticeable burden or annoyance
Crack in the plate
A significant flaw or fault
Eye on the clock
Feeling pressured by time constraints
Bat in the belfry
Being perceived as crazy or foolish
Head in the sand
Ignoring or avoiding a problem or situation
Kick up the arse
A harsh warning or punishment
Smudge on the collar
A small yet noticeable imperfection
Hands in the paint
Being caught in the act of wrongdoing
Flea in the ear
An insistent or annoying voice or idea
Snake in the grass
A deceitful or untrustworthy person
I thought that you love me
Believing in someone's love and loyalty
'Cos that's what you said
Based on someone's words rather than actions
Climb on the table
Demanding attention or creating a scene
Pat on the bed
Giving a false sense of security or affection
The further you love me
Believing someone loves more as time goes on
You were taking the piss-tic
Realizing someone was making fun or taking advantage of you
Out of the frying pan
Moving from one bad situation to another
Into the mystic
Entering an unknown or confusing realm
Rock in the carpet
A small but noticeable inconvenience
Gap in the market
Spotting a missed opportunity
The open umbrella
A sign of bad luck or misfortune
But wait in the hall
Being left in a state of uncertainty or suspense
An old bit of gum
A useless or forgotten item
With nowhere to park it
Feeling stuck or unable to move forward
Soldier of fortune
Taking risks for personal gain or profit
Ear on the wall
Eavesdropping or spying on others
Kick in the bollocks
A painful or unfair surprise
Under the belt
Causing harm or offense in an unfair or cruel way
Now I know I'm a prune
Feeling foolish or embarrassed
I wish through the window
Unintelligible
Knot in the hanky
A reminder or symbol of something important
Rat on the landing
An unwelcome or unpleasant surprise
Little bit hanging
A small but noticeable imperfection
Pain in the bum
A significant annoyance or inconvenience
Mind your own business
Stop interfering in someone else's matters
Only one standing
Being left alone or isolated
Wrong side of the bed
Being in a bad mood or starting the day off poorly
Terrible hum
A persistent and annoying noise
Grub on the table
A lack of basic necessities or resources
Hat on the bed
An omen of bad luck or misfortune
Contributed by Alaina K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.