They soon changed their name to The Adicts and became known for their distinctive Clockwork Orange 'Droog' image, which, along with their urgent, uptempo music and light-hearted lyrics, helped set them very much apart from the rest of the genre. Temporary 1980s name changes to ADX and FUN ADICTS, for a children's TV appearance, also occurred.
Their song "Viva La Revolution" was featured in the video game Tony Hawk's Underground.
The band still has all its original members, uncommon for a band with such longevity.
The music of The Adicts proves that punk music is a very broad genre, often featuring extra instruments and sound clips such as carousel music (How Sad), violin played by Derick Cook (Joker in the Pack), gongs and keyboard percussion by Anthony Boyd (Chinese Takeaway), and even completely different songs like the switch to Gain To Lose's Tune #24 at the end of G.I.R.L..
The look of the majority of the bandmates is that of the Droogs from the Stanley Kubrick film A Clockwork Orange based on the book by Anthony Burgess. All white with black combat boots and black bowler hats. The band says that the look appealed to them because of the teenage angst associated with A Clockwork Orange. Singer "Monkey" wears full joker make-up and his clothes are wild, patterned suits, flared trousers, colorful dress shirts, and other such things. His favorites seem to be checkerboard patterns, or polkadots. And of course, there's the obligatory bowler hat and gloves. Along with the look come stage antics involving streamers, confetti, playing cards, joker hats, toy instruments, and glitter just to name a few things.
members:
Keith 'Monkey' Warren - Vocals.
Mel (Spider)Ellis - Bass
Pete Dee Davison - Guitar
Michael 'Kid Dee' Davison - Drums
John 'Scruff' Ellis (Mel’s brother) - Guitar
Dan Gratziani - Violin,Piano,Mandolin
The Tango
The Adicts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Put on my bowler
Looked in mirror
Ready for the tango
I phoned a taxi
For me and Maxine
She looked fantastic
We danced the tango
We danced again
We had laughter
And then after
Face to face we danced
the tango
Cheek to cheek we danced
the tango
The Adicts's song The Tango appears to be a typical dance track, with its upbeat tempo and its lyrics describing a night out for a dance with a female partner. However, underneath the dancing euphoria lies another message – that of an existential crisis. The song's protagonist seems to be trying to escape the mundanity of his life by indulging in the excitement of the tango dance. The lyrics suggest that he is trying to find meaning and fulfillment through the dance, but ultimately, the dance comes to an end, and he is left with only memories of the night.
The lyrics also suggest that the singer is seeking connection through the dance. His partner, Maxine, looks "fantastic," and they dance cheek to cheek. However, again, the dance is only temporary, and after it ends, they will go their separate ways. This mirrors the fleeting nature of human connection, and how often we are left feeling empty after seeking it out.
Overall, The Tango is a complex commentary on the human condition, highlighting our desperate search for meaning, connection, and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
Picked up umbrella
I picked up my umbrella as a precaution against the weather
Put on my bowler
I put on my bowler hat to complete my outfit
Looked in mirror
I looked in the mirror to ensure that I looked presentable
Ready for the tango
I was fully prepared to dance the tango
I phoned a taxi
I called a taxi to take me and Maxine to the dance venue
For me and Maxine
Maxine and I were going to the dance together
She looked fantastic
Maxine looked stunning in her outfit
We danced the tango
Maxine and I executed the tango dance routine
We drank champagne
We celebrated our successful dance with glasses of champagne
We danced again
We decided to dance again for the sheer enjoyment of it
We had laughter
We shared moments of joy and amusement throughout the dance
And then after
After the dance and the champagne, we continued to enjoy each other's company
Face to face we danced the tango
Maxine and I danced the tango routine in close proximity, facing each other
Cheek to cheek we danced the tango
During the dance, our cheeks came in contact as part of the routine
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KEITH WARREN, MELVIN LEROY ELLIS, MICHAEL DAVISON, PETER JONNATHAN DAVISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ronin JoLin
i've explored so many types of rock music and I can say The Adicts is at the top of my favorite... It's Punk but it's so positive and uplifting...lets bring back this type of punk rock!
CartoonMan!
it's Oi! Early Oi! was less serious, more fun and could be quite poppy.
Paul 21
Überall hin
isko rotul
Its called Punk Pathetique, the fun Punk. Listen to Toy Dolls too. They are hilarious.
The Rinja
check out toy dolls
wormfarmer420
It is a crime that this album is not on Spotify for me to endlessly stream
Rinse 420
thanks to the adicts i have never walked alone since my teenage years
Michel Motoboy SP !!!
Pqp, adicts é do caralho 🤘🤘🤘
Bruno Hermetica
bailemos tango que grande The adicts!!!
Miguel Vasquez
My favorite track by the Adicts, along with in the Background