The group originally formed in 1985, playing its first gigs in Dallas's Deep Ellum neighborhood. Its current members are Jim "Reverend Horton" Heath on guitar and lead vocals, Jimbo Wallace on the upright bass, and Scott Churilla on drums. Through relentless touring and a manic stage show, they have established themselves as one of the most popular underground acts in America. Their sound is self described as "Country-fed punkabilly." Their music is a mixture of country, punk, big band, swing, and rockabilly, all played loud and energetically with lyrics that are often very humorous.
Jim Heath played in a cover band called Southern Comfort with friends from Corpus Christi Ray, his high school, before attending the University of Texas at Austin in the fall of 1977. At UT, he often entertained friends and dormmates and was often found playing in the stairwells at Moore-Hill Dormitory late into the night to avoid disturbing the sleep of roommate Harold Shockley, now a Corpus Christi banker. Jim left school in the spring to join up with a touring cover band by the name of Sweetbriar. Three years later, former dormmate David Livingston, now in his senior year of school and at home visiting family, saw a familiar face on stage and reunited with Jim. David told Jim stories of the punk music scene in Austin and the acts playing at venues like Raul's and Club Foot. Once, while home on another visit, David took Jim to a Dallas rock and roll venue, The Bijou, to see an act called The Cramps. After the show, there broke out a punks vs. rockers brawl in the parking lot. While Jim and David escaped any involvement in the scuffle, Jim later claimed to have had an epiphany on that evening. Always a fan of blues and honky tonk, Jim returned the favor by taking David and his wife, Ellen, to see The Blasters in Dallas at a venue known as the Hot Klub and Jim's love for roots rock took over from there.
Jim had married a former bandmate from Sweetbriar, and together they had a child. Together they decided that the rock-and-roll lifestyle was over and that it was time to have real jobs. Around 1985, Jim was known as "Jim the Sound Guy" by those who frequented two warehouses that by night became music venues, Theater Gallery and The Prophet Bar. Jim used the old Sweetbriar PA system to earn from $20-$50 per night for extra money, running sound for bands such as the New Bohemians, End Over End, Shallow Reign and Three On A Hill. One night during a lull, Russell Hobbs, one of the original Deep Ellum visionaries and proprietors of these venues goaded Jim into getting up to play. He played alone, tearing through a version of "Folsom Prison Blues" that is now so familiar to millions of Reverend Horton Heat fans around the world. Throughout the song, Hobbs hooted and shouted out, "Go Reverend". Jim decided then and there to form a band and came up with the name Reverend Horton Heat, as an ode to Johnny Horton, using the shortened version of his last name, Heath. The late nights and the fact the Jim was now playing in a band and his wife and former bandmate was not took its toll on the marriage and she soon left with their child and dog. Jim's feelings upon the loss of his family are well documented in the song, "Where In The Hell Did You go With My Toothbrush?". The Jimi Hendrix poster mentioned in the song was on the back of a door that Jim used for a practice room in the house he shared with his wife and child. The dog's name really was Smokey.
About this time, David and Ellen moved back from Oklahoma City, where they had been since graduating from UT. David began to book gigs for Jim and his new band, and their refeshing sound and raw live performance quickly won over the local music scene. Jim drew crowds to brand new music venues, playing three nights a week at Froggy Bottoms in the then brand new West End and assured a quick start to Club Dada, the first "for profit" bar in Deep Ellum by playing every night for the first two weeks that it was open. David continued to work with Reverend Horton Heat until 1989, when his own new family and day job required all of his attention, and Jim needed a real manager who could get him out on the road and into the studio. Jim and David remain close friends today, and a song that they co-wrote together back in the '80s, "Liquor, Beer and Wine", appeared on 1994's "Liquor In The Front".
Check out the [url=http://[officialsite]www.victorymerch.com/store/reverendhortonheat]Reverend Horton Heat merch store.
This artist is also on Last.fm as: 'The Reverend Horton Heat'
Bad Reputation
Reverend Horton Heat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You've got a bad reputation that's a what you got
A bad reputation but I like it a lot
A bad reputation and it's all over town
A bad reputation and it's going around
A bad reputation (bad reputation!)
You're a bad little chick and that's the word on the street
You're the kind of girl I'd like to meet
You've got bright red lips and a pretty face
A rose tattooed in a private place
Spiked high heels and a wiggle in your walk
Makin' everyone in this big city talk
A bad reputation (bad reputation!)
A bad reputation (bad reputation!)
You're a bad little chick and that's the word on the street
You're the kind of girl I'd like to meet
You've got bleached blonde hair and a tight boustia
Ain't no wonder all the people say
You're the sweetest thing any man could see
So come on over here and be sweet on me
A bad reputation (bad reputation!)
A bad reputation (bad reputation!)
You're a bad little chick and that's the word on the street
You're the kind of girl I'd like to eat
A bad reputation (bad reputation!)
A bad reputation (bad reputation!)
You're a bad little chick and that's the word on the street
You're the kinda girl I'd like to meet
You're the kinda girl I'd like to eat
The song "Bad Reputation" by Reverend Horton Heat is a classic rockabilly tune that speaks to the allure of a woman with a bad reputation. The lyrics describe a woman who is the talk of the town, with a bright red lips, a pretty face, a rose tattooed in a private place, spiked high heels, and a "wiggle in her walk." Despite her notorious reputation, the singer is drawn to her and sees her as the kind of girl he would like to meet and even eat.
The song celebrates the woman's sexuality and independence, as she flaunts societal norms and expectations. The chorus is repeated several times, with the singer almost chanting "bad reputation" as a badge of honor. The lyrics are simple and straightforward, with a catchy melody that encourages listeners to sing along.
Overall, "Bad Reputation" is a fun, lighthearted song that celebrates rebelliousness and non-conformity. It embraces the idea that living life on your own terms, even if it means having a bad reputation, can be empowering and attractive.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey!
The singer is trying to grab the attention of the person with a bad reputation.
You've got a bad reputation that's a what you got
The person has a notorious reputation among the public.
A bad reputation but I like it a lot
The singer is attracted to the person despite their reputation.
A bad reputation and it's all over town
The rumors about the person's reputation have spread throughout the entire town.
A bad reputation and it's going around
The rumors about the person's reputation are still circulating.
You're a bad little chick and that's the word on the street
The rumors about the person's reputation are well-known and talked about by everyone.
You're the kind of girl I'd like to meet
Despite the person's reputation, the singer is still interested in getting to know them.
You've got bright red lips and a pretty face
The person is physically attractive with striking features.
A rose tattooed in a private place
The person has a tattoo in a hidden area of their body.
Spiked high heels and a wiggle in your walk
The person has a confident and alluring way of walking, accentuated by their shoes.
Makin' everyone in this big city talk
The person's reputation has become a topic of conversation throughout the entire city.
You've got bleached blonde hair and a tight boustia
The person has blonde hair and wears revealing clothing.
Ain't no wonder all the people say
It's no surprise that people talk about the person with admiration or envy.
You're the sweetest thing any man could see
The person is sexually attractive and desirable.
So come on over here and be sweet on me
The singer is inviting the person to come closer and show affection towards him.
You're the kinda girl I'd like to eat
The singer desires the person both physically and sexually.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Steve Vanorden
this one's up there as one of greatest new era rockabilly tunes
Kurt Meyer
Steve Vanorden 1991 over twenty six years ago. I was 31 when this came out. You?
Augusto Celis
I don't even live in the States and I LOVE this music!!!
Troma
Merica!
Jessica Mason
@Tom Vear its impossible!
Tom Vear
imagine that!
Ed Bobich
This song kicks butt! No one brings it like the Reverend!
CarmineOnline18
I love this song!
Stuart Bundrick
Saw him recently and every bit great now as he was then
Three on a Match- Ventura Ca
This one always makes me cry.