The band started when frontman Dury (born in Upminster, Essex, United Kingdom on 12 May 1942 and died 27 March 2000), had a chance encounter in a musical instrument hire shop with guitarist Chaz Jankel. Jankel took Dury's lyrics, fashioned a number of songs, and they began recording with drummer Charley Charles, bassist Norman Watt-Roy and the former Kilburns saxophonist Davey Payne. An album was completed, but major record labels passed on the band. However, next door to Dury's manager's office was the newly formed Stiff Records, a perfect home for Dury's maverick style. The classic single "Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll", marked Dury's Stiff debut and this was swiftly followed by an album. titled 'New Boots and Panties', which was to eventually achieve platinum status.
It wasn't until October 1977 that Dury and his band started to go out as Ian Dury and the Blockheads, when the band signed up for the Stiff "Live Stiffs Tour" alongside Elvis Costello And The Attractions, Nick Lowe, Wreckless Eric and Larry Wallis. The tour was a success and Stiff launched a concerted Ian Dury marketing campaign, resulting in the Top Ten hit What a Waste and the classic UK number one Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick. The band toured to great acclaim throughout Europe.
The band's second album Do It Yourself was released in June 1979 in a Barney Bubbles-designed sleeve of which there were over a dozen variations, all based on samples from the Crown wallpaper catalogue. Another top ten single, Reasons to be Cheerful, kept Dury in the public eye.
In 1980 Jankel left The Blockheads to concentrate on a solo career and was replaced by former Dr Feelgood guitarist Wilko Johnson, who also contributed to the next album Laughter and its two minor hit singles.
Ian Dury And The Blockheads disbanded in 1981 after Dury secured a new recording deal with Polydor Records through A&R man Frank Neilson, choosing to work with a group of young musicians which he named The Music Students and recorded the album Four Thousand Weeks' Holiday. This album marked a departure from his usual style and was not as well received by fans for its American jazz influence.
The Blockheads reformed several times before Ian Dury's death, most notably to play a series of benefit concerts for Charley Charles.
Sweet Gene Vincent
Ian Dury and the Blockheads Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Skinny white sailor, the chances were slender
The beauties were brief
Shall I mourn you decline with some Thunderbird wine
And a black handkerchief?
I miss your sad Virginia whisper
I miss the voice that called my heart
Young and old and gone
Sweet gene Vincent
Who, who, who slapped john?
White face, black shirt
White socks, black shoes
Black hair, white star
Bled white, died black
Sweet gene Vincent
Let the blue roll tonight
At the sock hop ball in the union hall
Where the bop is there delight
Here come duck-tailed Danny dragging Uncanny Annie
She's tehone with the flying feet
You can break the peace daddy sickle grease
The beat is reet complete
And you jump back honey in the dungarees
Tight sweater and a pony tail
Will you guess her age when she comes back stage?
The hoodlums bite their nails
Black gloves, white frost
Black crepe, white lead
White sheet, black knight
Jet black, dead white
Sweet gene Vincent
There's one in every town
And the devil drives 'till the hearse arrives
And you lay that pistol down
Sweet gene Vincent
There's nowhere left to hide
With lazy skin and ash-tray eyes
A perforated pride
So farewell mademoiselle, knicker-bocker hotel
Farewell to money owed
But when your leg still hurts and you need more shirts
You got to get back on the road
The song "Sweet Gene Vincent" by Ian Dury and The Blockheads is a vibrant tribute to the rock and roll legend Gene Vincent. The lyrics have a certain poetic quality to them and are about the life and death of Vincent, who had a meteoric rise to fame and an untimely demise at the age of 36. The opening lines of the song describe him as a "blue gene baby" and a "skinny white sailor", portraying him as a blue-collar hero.
As the song progresses, Dury sings about Vincent's signature style, which included a white shirt and black pants or vice versa, as well as his band The Blue Caps. The chorus of the song, "Sweet Gene Vincent, young and old and gone" signifies that despite being gone, Vincent's music and legacy live on forever. The final verse talks about Vincent's death and how "the devil drives 'til the hearse arrives" implying that his rock and roll lifestyle inevitably led to his demise.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue gene baby
Referring to Gene Vincent’s iconic blue jeans
Skinny white sailor, the chances were slender
The odds were not in Gene's favor, but he made it as a musician anyways
The beauties were brief
The success and youthfulness of pop stars are short-lived
Shall I mourn you decline with some Thunderbird wine
Should I drink in sorrow to the end of Gene’s career?
And a black handkerchief?
Should I dress like I'm at a funeral for Gene's final show?
I miss your sad Virginia whisper
Gene's voice was unique and Ian Dury misses it
I miss the voice that called my heart
Ian Dury misses Gene Vincent's voice and considers it a communicator of emotions
Sweet gene Vincent
Title of the Song
Young and old and gone
Gene had fans of all ages while he was active, and is now dead
Who, who, who slapped john?
Lyric meant to be playful or nonsensical, as it has no discernible meaning in the context of the song
White face, black shirt
Gene's appearance was an early version of the goth aesthetic
White socks, black shoes
Continuation of the previous line
Black hair, white star
Gene's hair was black, and he had a white star on his shirt
Bled white, died black
Referring to Gene's white blood and black leather jacket
Let the blue roll tonight
Call to celebrate Gene and his blue jeans
At the sock hop ball in the union hall
Referring to a typical dance party during the time Gene Vincent was active
Where the bop is there delight
The dance moves and music during this time are celebrated and enjoyed
Here come duck-tailed Danny dragging Uncanny Annie
Reference to dancers and showmen of the era
She's tehone with the flying feet
Annie is a skilled dancer
You can break the peace daddy sickle grease
The energetic atmosphere at the dancing party
The beat is reet complete
The music is perfect and complete
And you jump back honey in the dungarees
Lyrics expressing pleasure to see a partner dance well
Tight sweater and a pony tail
Typical fashion of the time
Will you guess her age when she comes back stage?
The question is asked, whether the character is old or young
The hoodlums bite their nails
The song makes reference to the attraction between the opposite sexes
Black gloves, white frost
Symbolism, Gene's hand are like frosted windows, with black gloves
Black crepe, white lead
Symbolism, mourning clothes with white crosses from lead
White sheet, black knight
Deathbed with knight by the side of the worsted curtains
Jet black, dead white
Continuation of the previous line and references to the brightness of death
There's one in every town
Reference to Gene's popularity and also to the fact that every town has a musician like Gene
And the devil drives 'till the hearse arrives
Slave to success, Gene will continue playing until he dies
And you lay that pistol down
Gene won't fight it, he will accept death
There's nowhere left to hide
There's no escaping death
With lazy skin and ash-tray eyes
Gene Vincent was aging and becoming less attractive
A perforated pride
Gene Vincent's ego was deflating as he aged
So farewell mademoiselle, knicker-bocker hotel
Reference to Gene's goodbyes before leaving the city
Farewell to money owed
It is unclear what this line is referring to, as it doesn't appear to connect with other lines in the song
But when your leg still hurts and you need more shirts
When you can't afford to stop working, you keep going even when you're not in the best shape
You got to get back on the road
Gene Vincent had to continue touring to make a living
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHARLES JEREMY JANKEL, IAN ROBINS DURY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind