The group was named for the squat where they lived together: 101 Walterton Road, Maida Vale, although it was for a time rumoured that they were named for "Room 101", the infamous torture room in George Orwell's novel 1984. The novel was later to become something of a manifesto for the political element of the punk rock movement.
The 101'ers were supported by the Sex Pistols at the Nashville Room on 3 April 1976, and this is when Strummer claimed he saw the light and got involved in the punk scene.
Joe Strummer commented on this event in the Don Letts documentary Westway to the World on the end of the 101'ers by saying "5 seconds into their (the Pistols') first song, I knew we were like yesterday's paper, we were over."
By the time their debut single was released in 1976, Joe Strummer was in The Clash and the band were no more. Clive Timperley later joined The Passions, Dan Kelleher went to The Derelicts and Richard Dudanski went on to work with The Raincoats and Public Image Limited. Tymon Dogg worked with Strummer briefly in The Clash (playing on one track on Sandinista!) and later, in The Mescaleros.
Their recorded output was initially limited to one single. However, by 1981, interest in The Clash was at its height and a second single and a compilation album Elgin Avenue Breakdown was released. Several of the tracks on the latter album were live recordings, and there is no evidence that the band ever conceived of these recordings as a full length album.
Before his death in 2002, Joe Strummer had been planning to re-release Elgin Avenue Breakdown, complete with previously unreleased tracks that would encompass everything the band ever recorded. The project was completed with the help of Strummer's widow Lucinda Tait and former drummer Richard Dudanski, and released in May, 2005 via Astralwerks in the US and EMI in Europe.
Band Line-Up
* John "Woody" Mellor (Joe Strummer) - Guitar, Vocals
* Clive "Evil C" Timperley - Lead Guitar
* Marwood Chesterton aka " Mole" - Bass (replaced Jan 76 by Dan Kelleher)
* Dan Kelleher - Bass, Additional Guitar Oct 75-Jan 76,
* Richard "Snakehips" Dudanski - Drums
* Simon Cassell (Big John) - Sax
* Alvaro Peña-Rojas - Sax
* Antonio Narvaez - Drums
* Julian Yewdall - Vocals, Harmonica
* Patrick Nother - Bass (1st gig)
* Martin Stone - Lead Guitar (final gig)
* Tymon Dogg -
Surf City
The 101'ers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I bought a '30 Ford wagon and we call it a woodie
(Surf City, here we come)
You know it's not very cherry, it's an oldie but a goodie
(Surf City, here we come)
Well, it ain't got a back set or a rear window
But it still gets me where I wanna go
And we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun
You know we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now
Two girls for every boy
You know they never roll the streets up 'cause there's always somethin' goin'
(Surf City, here we come)
You know they're either out surfin' or they got a party growin'
(Surf City, here we come)
Yeah, and there's two swingin' honeys for every guy
And all you gotta do is just wink your eye
And we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun
You know we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now
Two girls for every boy
And if my woody breaks down on me somewhere on the surf route
(Surf City, here we come)
I'll strap my board to my back and hitch a ride in my wetsuit
(Surf City, here we come)
And when I get to Surf City I'll be shootin' the curl
And checkin' out the parties for a surfer girl
And we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun
You know we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now
Two girls for every boy
The 101'ers' song Surf City is an ode to Southern California's beach culture and the abundance of young, attractive girls who frequent the area. The first verse sets the scene for the journey to Surf City in a 1930 Ford wagon, or "woody" as it's commonly referred to, despite its older age. The wagon may not be in the greatest condition and lacks modern features like a back seat or rear window, but it's still a reliable means of transportation to get to the coveted Surf City. The chorus repeated twice throughout the song emphasizes that the reason for the trip is due to the fact that there are two girls for every boy in Surf City, making it an ideal destination for young men looking to have some fun.
The second verse speaks to the liveliness of Surf City and the never-ending activity in the area. Whether it's people out surfing or a party in full swing, there is always something going on. The verse also highlights the favorable odds for men, with two "swingin' honeys" for every guy. All it takes is a simple wink of the eye to be in good company. The final verse alludes to the possibility of a breakdown on the way to Surf City, but even that scenario doesn't discourage the singer from continuing on to the surf destination. In fact, he would strap his surfboard to his back and hitchhike in his wetsuit if necessary to reach his ultimate goal of catching waves and checking out the parties for a "surfer girl."
Line by Line Meaning
Two girls for every boy
There are twice as many girls as there are boys in Surf City.
I bought a '30 Ford wagon and we call it a woodie
(Surf City, here we come)
You know it's not very cherry, it's an oldie but a goodie
(Surf City, here we come)
Well, it ain't got a back set or a rear window
But it still gets me where I wanna go
I purchased a 1930 Ford station wagon, which doesn't look great, but it still fulfills the purpose of carrying us to Surf City. Although it doesn't have a back seat or a rear window, we're still able to travel to our destination.
And we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun
You know we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now
Two girls for every boy
We're headed to Surf City to engage with the girls as there are twice as many girls as boys in that city, and we're excited to have some fun.
You know they never roll the streets up 'cause there's always somethin' goin'
(Surf City, here we come)
You know they're either out surfin' or they got a party growin'
(Surf City, here we come)
Yeah, and there's two swingin' honeys for every guy
And all you gotta do is just wink your eye
Life never stops in Surf City since either the people are surfing or enjoying at a party. Moreover, there are two attractive girls for every guy, and you only have to make eye contact to attract the right one.
And if my woody breaks down on me somewhere on the surf route
(Surf City, here we come)
I'll strap my board to my back and hitch a ride in my wetsuit
(Surf City, here we come)
And when I get to Surf City I'll be shootin' the curl
And checkin' out the parties for a surfer girl
In case my car breaks down on the way to Surf City, I will carry my surfboard on my back and hitch a ride wearing a wetsuit. Once we arrive at Surf City, I will hit the waves and explore some parties to find a surfer girl to chat with.
And we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun
You know we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now
Two girls for every boy
We cannot wait to reach Surf City to have a blast with the girls, given their outnumbering presence over the guys, and create some unforgettable memories.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRIAN DOUGLAS WILSON, JAN BERRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind