The band was formed in 1973 by the amalgamation of two groups, Choise and The Golden Hammers. This led to an eight member band, with the unusual feature of having two vocalists, two drummers, two bassists and two guitarists. Their first single, Hey Rock 'n' Roll (written by the band), was released in April 1974. It reached number two in the UK singles chart. Showaddywaddy then went on to have a further 22 UK hits from this point until late 1982. The first few singles were all written by the band and these generally reached the top-20. However they had most of their biggest hits with pop versions of old '50s US rock 'n' roll songs, catchy tunes backed up by their colourful image, dance routines and numerous television appearances. Some of their best known covers are Three Steps To Heaven, Heartbeat, Under The Moon Of Love, You Got What It Takes, Blue Moon (based on the Marcels' interpretation), and I Wonder Why.
In total they had ten Top Ten singles, a Number One, and spent 209 weeks in the UK singles chart. At the peak of their popularity, this tally included having seven successive Top Five entries. Their biggest selling single was the aforementioned "Under The Moon Of Love", which sold 985,000 copies and gave the group its only UK Number One.
Band members
Current members
Romeo Challenger (born 19 May 1950, St John's, Antigua, West Indies) — drums (1973–present)
Rod Deas (born 13 February 1948, Scarborough) — bass (1973–present)
Ray Hatfield — guitars / vocals / (2017–present)
Rob Hewins — drums / guitars / vocals (2012–present)
Dean Loach — keyboards/ guitar / backing vocals (2012–present)
Andy Pelos — vocals / guitar (2012–present)
Billy Norman — bass guitar/ backing vocals (2018–present)
Former members
Paul Dixon — guitars / vocals / (2008–2017)
Dave Bartram (born 23 March 1952, Leicester) — vocals (1973–2011)
Trevor Oakes (born Trevor Leslie Oakes, 9 September 1946, Leicester) — guitars (1973–2008)
Al James (born Geoffrey Betts, 13 January 1946, Leicester - 16 November 2018) — bass (1973–2008)
Buddy Gask (born William George Gask, 18 December 1945, Leicester – 7 June 2011, Spain) — vocals (1973–1987)
Russ Field (born James Lewis Russell Field, 1 September 1949, Berwick-upon-Tweed) — guitars (1973–1985)
Malcolm "Duke" Allured (born 27 August 1945, Leicester) — drums (1973–1984)
Ray Martinez — guitars (1985–1995)
Danny Willson — guitars (1995–2009)
David Graham — saxophone (2009–2011)
Swansong
Showaddywaddy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For the last time I pray it will be the night of nights
'Cos I won't lack zest, I'll give my best
And show the magic's still there as I sing, over and over
Na na na na na na na na na na
I'll open strong, with my hit song
It was all just a dream when it made me a star
Before an empty hall I'll make my bow
Just a has-been my image wore thin
I'll just sing on this dying swansong
Na na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na na
The fanfare blows, oh well here goes
As I hear my first chord I can feel something strange
But the feeling's good, it warms my blood
The lights go on I can't believe my eyes
Na na na na na na na na na na
I see people, thousands of people
They're all cheering, they're all singing
Na na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na na na na...
The song "Swansong" by Showaddywaddy is a poignant reflection on the temporary nature of fame and success in the music industry. The singer of the song is a performer who is about to take the stage for what he knows will be his last performance. He admits to feeling nervous - "Tonight's the night, I'll get stage fright" - but he's determined to give it his all. He hopes that this final show will be remembered as the "night of nights," and that he will be able to demonstrate that the "magic's still there" as he sings his hit song over and over.
As he begins to perform, he recalls the early days of his career, when he was just a dreamer with a hit song. But now he knows that his time has passed. He'll "fade away" in front of an empty hall, and his image as a has-been will be all that remains. Despite this, he soldiers on and sings his dying swansong - a final tribute to his passion and determination as a performer.
The mood of the song is bittersweet, with a mixture of nostalgia, regret, and optimism. The chorus is infectious, with its repetition of "na na na na" creating a sense of joy and celebration. At the same time, the lyrics themselves are mournful, reflecting on the fleeting nature of fame and the inevitability of decline. Overall, "Swansong" is a powerful tribute to the highs and lows of a life in music.
Line by Line Meaning
Tonight's the night, I'll get stage fright
I am nervous for this performance, as it may be my last.
For the last time I pray it will be the night of nights
I hope that tonight's performance will be the best of my career.
'Cos I won't lack zest, I'll give my best
I am determined to give my best performance tonight, despite my nerves.
And show the magic's still there as I sing, over and over
I hope that I still have the ability to move the audience with my music, even after all these years.
Na na na na na na na na na na
This is the catchy chorus of the song, and signifies a moment of triumph in the performance.
I'll open strong, with my hit song
I want to start the performance with my biggest hit, to leave the audience with a lasting memory of my music.
It was all just a dream when it made me a star
My rise to fame felt like a dream, but I am grateful for the opportunity to share my music with so many people.
But it's sad to say, I'll fade away
Despite my past successes, I know that my career is coming to an end.
Before an empty hall I'll make my bow
I fear that my final performance will be in front of a small audience, but I will still give it my all.
Just a has-been my image wore thin
I am aware that I am past my prime, and that my music is no longer as popular as it used to be.
I'll just sing on this dying swansong
This may be my final encore, but I will put everything into it and hope to leave the audience with a lasting memory of my performance.
The fanfare blows, oh well here goes
As the final performance of my career begins, I am both excited and nervous.
As I hear my first chord I can feel something strange
There is an indescribable feeling in the air as I begin to play my music for the last time.
But the feeling's good, it warms my blood
Despite the sadness of the occasion, performing my music one last time fills me with a sense of joy and warmth.
The lights go on I can't believe my eyes
As the stage lights come to life, I am amazed by the size of the audience and the energy in the room.
I see people, thousands of people
There is a massive crowd gathered to hear my music for the last time, and it is an overwhelming sight.
They're all cheering, they're all singing
The crowd is fully engaged in the performance, singing along and cheering with each song.
Contributed by Grace W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sharon Plumb
One of the greatest Wadds songs, Buddy Gask no has been,just a great vocalist,never surpassed!!!!
DAVID ERRINGTON
Love this song. Dave Bartram excels in this .
Random Bloke
Best song they did without a doubt. Great work alex640213, brought back so many good memories. Still have the LP in the loft somewhere.
Keef
Brilliant album. Reminds me of my childhood
Barry Lewis
I had this album back in the day, what a fantastic song. I always loved the fact that Dave Bartram had a brilliant voice
Keef
Loved this Album, one of my first. It's weird listening to this without all the scratches that my album had at certain points :)
Keef
haha yep
Sandra Kilroy
Great song loved this band x
showaddywaddylady
The dogs danglies. Mr Bartram, you excelled with this one. Perhaps one of your finest hours, and to be there when you sang the first couple of lines for the last time was a privilege. x
Mandy
Love this song, bought back so many memories when I saw that album that I had. Wish I'd kept it, all of them really