The Dave Clark Five (DC5) was an English rock and roll group of the 60s, kn… Read Full Bio ↴The Dave Clark Five (DC5) was an English rock and roll group of the 60s, known as one of the few that were able to present something of a commercial threat to The Beatles, the dominant group of the period, during the beat music craze. They were, in fact, the second group of the 'British Invasion' after the Beatles to have a chart hit in America with "Glad All Over", a sort of 'signature song' of the band that continues to receive airplay. DC5 sold over 100 million records, appeared the most of any group on the Ed Sullivan Show, and were the pioneers in introducing the concept of music videos, a la MTV, decades before it went into fashion. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008 in a ceremony officiated by fan Tom Hanks.

The band, from London, UK, started out as The Dave Clark Quintet in 1957, with Dave Clark on drums, Dave Sanford on lead guitar, Chris Walls on bass, Don Vale on piano (and arranger) and a saxophone player. By 1962, the band had changed its name to The Dave Clark Five and settled on the line-up that continued until the band called it a day in 1970: Dave Clark (drums, vocals; born December 15, 1939), Lenny Davidson (guitar; born May 30, 1944), Rick Huxley (bass; born August 5, 1942; died February 11, 2013), Denis Payton (saxes, harmonica, vocals; born August 11, 1943, died December 17, 2006), Mike Smith (keyboards, vocals; born December 6, 1943, died February 28, 2008).

Between 1964 and 1967, the band had 17 records in the US Billboard Top 40, with 12 Top 40 United Kingdom hits.

The DC5 disbanded in 1970, having placed three singles on the UK chart that year, two of which reached the Top Ten. That same year, Davidson, Huxley and Payton left and Alan Parker and Eric Ford joined on lead guitar and bass; this line-up, renamed "Dave Clark & Friends", lasted until 1973.

Who Does He Think He Is
The Dave Clark Five Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Who does he think he is?
Now get on your door every night
He's only jealous because he knows
That I'm holding you tight
We want you follows hurry home
I won't be satisfied
Until I'm all alone
And we're on fire

Since he's been around
He's been trying to make you see
That he really loves you
And he wants you abandon me
Don't believe a word
That he might say
He's only trying to make you regret

That day that we met here
...??????

Overall Meaning

The Dave Clark Five's song "Who Does He Think He Is" is about jealousy, competition, and possessiveness in a romantic relationship. The singer in the song is accusing a third person - "who does he think he is?" - of trying to come between him and his lover. He is resentful of the other person's attempts to woo his girlfriend away from him, and he warns her not to fall for his "lies." The lyrics also suggest that the singer feels threatened by this other person's presence, and that his feelings of insecurity are fueling his possessive behavior: "We want you follows hurry home/I won't be satisfied/Until I'm all alone/And we're on fire."

The song can be read as a commentary on toxic masculinity and the way that male entitlement and jealousy can poison relationships. The singer's insistence on "holding [his girlfriend] tight" and his anger at anyone who threatens to take her away suggest that he sees her as a possession rather than an equal partner. The other man is depicted as a rival who is trying to "abandon" the singer in order to claim what he sees as his rightful prize. The song is a cautionary tale about the dangers of possessiveness and the importance of respecting each other's autonomy and agency in relationships.

Line by Line Meaning

Who does he think he is?
Why does he believe he has the right to come between us?

Now get on your door every night
He tries to visit you too often

He's only jealous because he knows
His motive is envy, as he realizes that I am the one who is with you

That I'm holding you tight
I am with you and holding you close

We want you follows hurry home
We want you to come back to us quickly

I won't be satisfied
I will not feel content

Until I'm all alone
Until we have some time alone together

And we're on fire
And our passion is ignited

Since he's been around
Ever since he has been in our lives

He's been trying to make you see
He has been trying to convince you

That he really loves you
That he has genuine romantic feelings for you