Sweet Gene Vincent
Ian Dury Lyrics

Blue Gene baby
Addressing Gene Vincent, referring to his nickname 'Blue Gene'

Skinny white sailor,
Describing Gene Vincent's physical appearance

The chances were slender
The probability of success was low

The beauties were brief
The moments of success and fame were fleeting

Shall I mourn your decline
Asking whether to lament Gene Vincent's downfall

With some Thunderbird wine
Proposing an alcoholic drink to cope with Gene's decline

And a black handkerchief?
Asking whether a mourning accessory is appropriate

I miss your sad Virginia whisper
Nostalgic yearning for Gene's unique vocal style

I miss the voice that called my heart
Missing the emotional power of his voice on the listeners

Sweet Gene Vincent
Repeating the title to emphasize the subject of the song

Young and old and gone
Portraying Gene Vincent's life and music as spanning across the ages and now over

Who, who, who slapped John?
Joking and asking for information about a hypothetical fight

White face, black shirt
Describing the stage outfit of a typical audience member

White socks, black shoes
Continuing the physical description from the previous line

Black hair, white Strat
Referring to Vincent's guitar, a Stratocaster, by its color and contrasting it with his hair

Bled white, died black
Acknowledging the death of the singer, as represented by the opposites of 'white' and 'black'

Sweet Gene Vincent
Repeating the chorus to reinforce the message of the song

Let the blue roll tonight
Inviting the audience to dance to the music

At the sock hop ball in the Union Hall
Naming a specific kind of dance and a likely venue for it

Where the bop is their delight
Acknowledging the popularity of rock 'n' roll and dancing in the context of the audience

Here come duck-tailed Danny
Referring to a typical greaser or rocker of the time

Dragging Uncanny Annie
Referring to the female dance partner of the above

She's the one with the flying feet
Describing Annie's ease and grace of movement

You can break the peace
Referring to the potential for violence or fights within the dancehall

Daddy sickle grease
Referring to the pomade used to style hair in a greased-back fashion

The beat is reet complete
Celebrating the perfection and satisfaction of the music's rhythm and beat

And you jump back, honey
Encouraging Annie to dance with style and abandon

In the dungerees
Describing the clothing style of the youth at the time

Tight sweater and a ponytail
Further describing Annie's appearance and fashion sense

Will you guess her age
Acknowledging the youthfulness and attractiveness of Annie

When she comes back stage?
Asking whether the audience can tell how old she really is

The hoodlums bite their nails
Describing the tension and anticipation among the crowd

Black gloves, white frost
Continuing the pattern of opposites to describe death and afterlife

Black crepe, white lead
Continuing the imagery of funerals and mourning items

White sheet, black knight
Subverting the expectations of readers for a traditional 'white knight'

Jet black, dead white
Concluding the series of opposites which symbolize Gene Vincent's life and death

Sweet Gene Vincent
Final repetition of the chorus and the song's title

There's one in every town
Asserting that there is always someone like Gene Vincent around

And the devil drives
Implying that Vincent's musical career and inspiration may have come from darker forces

Till the hearse arrives
Taking the metaphor and acknowledging that eventually, everything ends

And you lay that pistol down
Referencing a song that Vincent himself made famous and making a parallel between the struggles of music and life

Sweet Gene Vincent
Final repetition of the chorus and the song's title

There's nowhere left to hide
Acknowledging the inevitability of time and change, and the risk of being forgotten or ignored

With lazy skin and ash tray eyes
Describing the physical toll of a career on the road and the hardships of touring

A perforated pride
An image of something that is pierced or wounded, which represents the fragility or sensitivity of an artist's ego

So farewell mademoiselle
Saying goodbye to someone, possibly a lover or female companion

Knickerbocker Hotel
A specific hotel in New York City, associated with fond memories

Farewell to money owed
Acknowledging the financial struggles of a musician's life

But when your leg still hurts
Humorous imagery that suggests a carefree or busy lifestyle has its own drawbacks

And you need more shirts
Continuing the above thought with a touch of absurdity or practicality

You got to get back on the road
Ending the song with a sense of determination or inevitability, that the road goes ever on