2. An American doo wop group, whose lone hit was "Sh-Boom", ranked #215 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time. The Chords were a 1950s American doo wop group, whose lone hit was "Sh-Boom". They are sometimes mistakenly cited as the first R&B group of the 1950s to reach the pop charts. Although both versions of the song Sh-Boom (by The Chords and by The Crew-Cuts) were huge hits, it is the song Gee, released by The Crows in June 1953, that is properly credited with the honor of being the first Rock n’ Roll hit by a rock and roll group. The Chords - Carl (lead) and Claude Feaster (baritone), Jimmy Keyes (first tenor), Floyd "Buddy" McRae (second tenor) and Ricky Edwards (bass) - formed in 1951 in the Bronx, New York, but were not discovered until three years later, when they were spotted singing in a subway station, a performance that ultimately landed them a recording contract with Atlantic Records' Cat Records label. Jerry Wexler, Atlantic's A&R man, had the Chords cover a Patti Page hit, "Cross Over the Bridge" (it was also covered by The Flamingos for the Chance Records label), but it was the B-side, "Sh-Boom," a vocal tune with an a cappella catchy introduction that caught the imagination. A cover version later done by a white group called The Crew-Cuts, attempted to add their own spin on the song by seemingly adding nonsensical syllables ("shh-boom, shh-boom, yadda da da yadda da da da da da") that caused considerably more commotion. However the words ("Yadda da da yadda da da da da da") were never sung in the original version by the Chords. By the end of June 1954, "Sh-Boom" had climbed up the charts nationwide, charting on both the R&B (number three) and pop (number nine) lists, a nearly unprecedented feat for its time. For all practical purposes - along with The Crows' 1954 hit "Gee" (another upbeat B-side hit that DJs flipped over) - "Sh-Boom" introduced the white audience to black R&B music for the first time. [NOTE: The Crows "Gee" first appeared on the Billboard charts in March, 1954. While both versions of "Sh-Boom" were influential, better candidates for the first, or most influential song, by a black act to cross-over from the R&B charts to the pop charts, are The Dominoes' "Sixty Minute Man" which made it to #17 of the pop charts in 1951, and The Orioles' "Crying in the Chapel", #11 in 1953]. Not everyone thought the song was a precursor of good things to come. Peter Potter, host of TV's popular "Juke Box Jury", was seemingly aghast at the state of this then-new trend in pop music and attacked "Sh-Boom" asking if anyone would remember the admittedly demented ditty in five, let alone 20 years time and whether any record label would even think to re-release it in the future. Atlantic released numerous additional singles which mostly failed to chart. A last gasp attempt to resurrect the act came in mid 1955 when the group renamed themselves the Sh-Booms after their one big hit. The Chords/Chordcats/Sh-Booms went through several personnel changes during the late 1950s, recording a handful of forgettable records for Vik Records in 1957, and eventually returned to Atlantic in 1960 for one last recording before slipping away into the ether of time.
1. The British 1979 Mod Revival band called "The Chords" consisted of Chris Pope, Martin Mason, Billy Hassett, and Brett Ascott. The Chords story starts with cousins Billy Hassett and Martin Mason rehearsing Beatles and Who songs, etc, together at school. Via a New Musical Express advert Chris Pope joins in January 1978. They spend the year writing, rehearsing and playing a couple of gigs. They also fail to become the band in Quadrophenia - too loud apparently!. With the dawn of 1979 Paul Halpin (the original drummer and eventual road manager) is replaced with Brett (Buddy) Ascott. Buddy adds the final element the band is looking for. A powerhouse drummer with far too much energy and a desire to be Keith Moon, Buddy is the final link in the chain. By the end of March the band are playing the Wellington in Waterloo to packed crowds. In the audience are Paul Weller, NME and Polydor. This helps the band secure more gigs and an important support slot to The Jam.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P9-swHFctk
http://www.discogs.com/artist/658528-Chords-The-2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chords
http://www.chrishunt.biz/features54.html
http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=chords
http://www.thechords.co.uk/
https://myspace.com/thechordsuk
The British Way Of Life
The Chords Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
CHORUS intro
This is The British Way Of life now
I swallow my dreams like my beer
& Sunday dinner with the wife now
Coz nothing new happens here
Dirty streets ... Dirty dreams
A Pint with your best friend
plenty of shops ... nothing in stock
it never seems to end
A cinema ....a bowling green
little culture too preserve
Everybody's talking at each other
but no one speaks a word
Is it a dream .. Is it funny
Coz it always rains never Sunny .. Sunny
Chorus (repeat)
I work all week in a company office
They don't even know my name
I feel so cold watch me grow old
coz nothing will ever change
I drink with the boys every weekend now
To the future ..that's my dream
Marry the girl who lives down the road
support your local team
Is it a dream .. Is it funny
Coz it always rains never Sunny .. Sunny
Chorus (repeat)
This is the life X 4
Chorus (repeat) X 2
The Chords’s song The British Way of Life presents an honest depiction of everyday life in Britain in the early 1980s. The chorus of the song seems to indicate a feeling of resignation to one’s fate, as if the member of the working class has accepted that this is all there is to life. The lack of hope and feeling of despondency is evident in the line, "I swallow my dreams like my beer." The mention of Sunday dinner and nothing new happening also reflects the stagnancy and monotony of life. The verse "Dirty streets ... Dirty dreams" is an alliteration that captures the feeling of squalor that was spreading across the cities of the UK during that time, owing to budget cuts and municipal neglect.
The reference to popular leisure activities at that time, such as going to the cinema or playing bowling, indicates the lack of anything substantive to do. The assertion that everybody talks at each other, but no one speaks a word, points towards the social atomization that was occurring in the UK. The verse that follows depicts a feeling of anonymity within workplaces, where people feel as though they do not matter. The verse "Marry the girl who lives down the road, support your local team" highlights the provincialism that existed at the time, where people often had difficulty looking beyond their immediate circles.
Line by Line Meaning
This is The British Way Of life now
The current British way of life
I swallow my dreams like my beer
Coping with life by suppressing one's aspirations
& Sunday dinner with the wife now
Traditional weekend meal shared with one's spouse
Coz nothing new happens here
Lack of excitement, predictability in life
Dirty streets ... Dirty dreams
Urban environment for both cityscapes and one's aspirations
A Pint with your best friend
Socialising with a close male companion over a pint of beer
plenty of shops ... nothing in stock
Multiple shops with nothing available or in demand
it never seems to end
Feeling of monotony; lack of change
A cinema ....a bowling green
Entertainment options available
little culture too preserve
Limited cultural experiences to preserve
Everybody's talking at each other
People talking over each other and not listening
but no one speaks a word
Lack of meaningful communication
Is it a dream .. Is it funny
Questioning if the current situation is a farce
Coz it always rains never Sunny .. Sunny
Unfavorable weather conditions
I work all week in a company office
Routine office work throughout the week
They don't even know my name
Corporate anonymity
I feel so cold watch me grow old
Lack of fulfillment and feeling of ageing due to a robotic 9 to 5 routine
coz nothing will ever change
No anticipation of change, just repeating the same routine
I drink with the boys every weekend now
Drinking with same gender friends over the weekend
To the future ..that's my dream
Venturing into the future is one's greatest aspiration
Marry the girl who lives down the road
Settling down with the girl from the same neighbourhood
support your local team
Encouragement of giving credence to the local sports team
This is the life X 4
End statement of being content with what has been described
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Chris Pope
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Soro
dirty streets like dirty dreams
????????????? for your best friend
plenty of shops with nothing in stock
never seems to end (never seems to end)
a cinema, a bowling green
a culture to preserve
everyone always staring at each other
but no one speaks a word
(is it a) dream or is it ??????????
(does it) always rain or is it sunny, sunny
this is the british way of life
i sallow my dreams like my beer
sunday dinner with the wife now
cos nothing new happens here
i work all week in the company office
don't even know my name
i feel so cold, make me feel old
nothing will ever change
drink with the boys every weekend
to the future and the queen
think i'll marry the girl who lives down the road
and support my local team
Nathaniel Garro
They threw a drumstick into the audience when I saw them in 1981-ish and I caught it and handed it to my mate because he wanted it so much. Never heard much from him since then, but the Chords album will ALWAYS be one of my favourites...
Aoki Carreno
I heard in an other chords comment how in 1981 someone got handed a drumstick that had been caught, how that guy was good mate of him and he wishes had stayed in touch..........
Nah, just kiddin
Rob Windess-Holmes
I saw Chris Pope, perform this in November 2009 and it still sounds great!
darrin stevens
i remember buying this when i was 13 loved it then and still do great tune
Michael Pisarik
The greatest time for music...vibrant..new kick ass..lived for the next Melody Maker and NME
Brian costello
What a great song fantastic memories
tootstanner
The best band that came out of the revival, stifled by Polydor
Steve
as much as I like The Chords - The Jam were simply better....they just had stronger songs.
Andy Newing
@Steve but for a debut Album what a statement and if only the'd had decent management they could have been massive
AgentOck
So many great bands from that era: Merton Parkas (I've never understood the hate), The Directions, Cigarettes, Small Hours... fantastic music.