They first played live in January 2000 and released the first of 7 singles (including splits with Boris, Paul O'Reilly and Querelle) later that year. Their 1st LP, The Lonely World of The Dudley Corporation, preceded their first tours to the US and UK, In Love With The Dudley Corporation brought further visits to the US, Iceland, and mainland Europe, a listing for 59th greatest Irish LP of all time in Hot Press magazine, a top-30 single in the Irish chart, and was licensed in the US, the Netherlands, Australia and Japan. Album number 3, Year of the Husband was released on Absolutely Kosher in 2008 with Rob Bochnik (The Frames/Smog) at the helm, and featuring recordings from the legendary Inner Ear (Fugazi) studios in Washington DC. The album featured sleeve art by Rick Froberg, of Obits/Hot Snakes/Drive Like Jehu. The 4th Dudley Corporation LP, Everyone Does Everything Wrong, was released in May of 2013.
“One listen to The Lens Begin or Step-Out and you'll realise it's time to fall in love with The Dudleys all over again.” – The Irish Times
"10 for production, a 10 for songwriting, and an 11 for character of being. The Dudley Corporation deserve every inch of credit they will receive." - Transform
"These guys wrong-foot the naysayers time after time" – Irish Times
“this Dublin three-piece have perfected the whole stop/start, quiet bit/loud bit thing.” – Q
“Absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder. A convincing and rewarding return.” – Hot Press
“This is a stunning comeback - destined to make somebody somewhere really happy.” – Clare People
"When they got to the crossroads with the sign reading 'comfortable mediocrity' one way and 'awkward brilliance' the other, Dublin's The Dudley Corporation are one of those rare bands who've chosen the latter." - Rock Sound
"an unruly uninhibited listen" – Golden Plec
"There is so much greatness in this album that it can't be explained in mere words, a little like love itself." AU Magazine (#8 LP of 2004)
“Playful, smart, rich in variety and ideas, this is a big and downright entertaining delight from this Dublin trio!” – Westzeit
“The Dudley Corporation have made a meticulously produced album that, with a mixture of precision-groove postrock and guitar ballads, is entirely unpretentious, but is impressive, poignant and thrilling.” –
Motor.de
www.thedudleycorporation.com
Score
The Dudley Corporation Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Burn me out
Unkempt in Solo's
Don't even know my scales.
We break your rules cos we know we can't get caught
No engineer put me in this hole
Oh no, solo, don't go
‘It's full of lies that I hope you don't mind'
Oh no, solo, don't go
Making these entries
Mortal and sullied
You caught my eyes on your grey scale thighs
Lost composure, got lost in all your lies
‘D'you get the letter, did it make you feel better?'
aow, aow , aow
‘It's full of lies that I hope you don't mind'
Aow, aow, aow
The song "Score" by The Dudley Corporation is a high-energy, fast-paced punk rock track with playful and somewhat cryptic lyrics. The opening lines "Doh Ray Mi Assholes, Burn me out" seem to mock the traditional music education system, suggesting that playing by the book is not for the band. This is further emphasized in the line "Don't even know my scales", indicating that their musical abilities have been acquired without formal training. The lyrics "We break your rules cos we know we can't get caught, No engineer put me in this hole" suggest that the band operates independently and refuses to conform to industry standards.
The chorus is an interplay between the main singer and the backing vocals, with the singer asking "D'you get the letter, did it make you feel better?" The response is "Oh no, solo, don't go, 'It's full of lies that I hope you don't mind'", creating a back and forth conversation. The lyrics "Making these entries, Mortal and sullied" suggest that the band's music-making is raw and imperfect, while the lines "You caught my eyes on your grey scale thighs, Lost composure, got lost in all your lies" appear to be addressing an enigmatic individual, whose charm proves irresistible.
Overall, the lyrics of "Score" are cryptic and up for interpretation. However, they seem to be mocking the established rules of the music industry while reveling in the freedom to create raw, unpolished music.
Line by Line Meaning
Doh Ray Mi Assholes
We are not interested in following traditional musical conventions and we do not care if it offends anyone.
Burn me out
We are playing music with great passion and intensity, which can be physically and emotionally exhausting.
Unkempt in Solo's
Our music is not polished or refined, particularly in solos, but that's because we prioritize raw emotion over technical perfection.
Don't even know my scales.
Our band may not be classically trained and may not adhere to conventions of music theory, but we play what feels right to us.
We break your rules cos we know we can't get caught
We intentionally deviate from established musical norms because we are confident in our abilities and unafraid to take risks.
No engineer put me in this hole
We are independent musicians who are not controlled by outside forces like record labels or producers.
‘D'you get the letter, did it make you feel better?'
We are questioning whether or not someone received our communication (presumably a breakup letter) and are questioning how it made them feel.
Oh no, solo, don't go
We are pleading with the solo musician to not stop playing.
‘It's full of lies that I hope you don't mind'
The aforementioned letter contained untruths, but we hope the recipient can overlook that and move on.
Making these entries
We are making artistic expressions, like entries in a diary or journal.
Mortal and sullied
Our music is imperfect and human, like all of us.
You caught my eyes on your grey scale thighs
We are admiring someone's physical appearance.
Lost composure, got lost in all your lies
We may have been deceived by the same person we admired, and it caused us to lose our emotional balance.
aow, aow , aow
A rhythmic vocalization with no real meaning, used to express strong emotions in the moment.
Aow, aow, aow
See above.
Contributed by Mason B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.