The original group consisted of Stefan Cush (Vocals, Guitar), Paul Simmonds (Guitar, Bouzouki, Mandolin, Keyboards), Phil "Swill" Odgers (Vocals, Guitar, Tin Whistle, Melodica), Jon Odgers (Drums, Percussion) and Shanne Bradley (Bass, Flute).
Their first single, "The Green Fields of France", was released in 1984. Written by Eric Bogle (of 'The Band Played Waltzing Matilda' fame), the song's protagonist imagined having a conversation with one of the fallen soldiers of World War I whilst sitting by his graveside. The song received considerable airplay on the John Peel show on BBC Radio 1 and finished at No.3 in Peel's Festive 50 for that year.
The following year came TMTCH's debut album, 'The Night of a Thousand Candles' and its accompanying single "Ironmasters" - this time a self-penned number by main songwriter Simmonds, linking the Industrial Revolution to the present-day treatment of the working class. The original final line of the song - "and oh, that iron bastard, she still gets her way" (a reference to the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher) had to be removed for the single version to ensure radio airplay.
In 1985 the band signed for MCA records and released "How Green Is The Valley". The record included "Ghosts Of Cable Street" a political number concerning The Battle of Cable Street in 1936 and "Shirt Of Blue" which regarded the miners' strike of 1984-5 . At the end of promotion for the album Shanne Bradley was replaced on bass by Ricky McGuire (ex UK Subs ).
In 1987 the band switched to Magnet Records and the new record released was, what may fans consider their best "Waiting For Bonaparte". Once again the strongest songs were stories of historical origin. "The Colours" told of an English mutineer sailor during the Napoleonic War and "The Crest" a stretcher bearer during World War II. Sadly whilst "The Colours" was at no.61 in the British top 75 it was blacklisted by Radio 1 due to the line "You've Come Here To Watch Me Hang", which echoed the events happening in South African townships at the time.
In 1988 the band were on the move again and signed for new label Silvertone (who later put out The Stone Roses debut release). Highlights of "Silvertown" included "Rain, Steam and Speed", "A Place In The Sun" and "A Map Of Morocco". They followed this up in 1990 with "The Domino Club" , which had a more conventional rock sound dispensing with much of the folk element in their sound.
Surprisingly the band split in 1991 after releasing a live set "Alive, Alive-0". Paul Simmonds and "Swill" Odgers then formed Liberty Cage who released an album "Sleep Of The Just" in 1994 and an EP "I'll Keep It With Mine" in 1995.
To the delight of their fans the band reformed (minus drummer Jon Odgers who had become Therapy? drum technician). Their new cd was "Never Born To Follow", released on the Demon label in 1996. The following year the band released the mini-album "Six Pack". Two "Best Of" collections followed "Majestic Grill" and "The Mud, The Blood And The Beer" both 1998.
The band again withdrew into semi retirement during which Odgers and Simmonds again relased new material together, "Baby Fishlips" in 1999 and "Folk At The Fortress" in 2002.
The band released a brand new cd in 2003 "The Cherry Red Jukebox", which most fans agreed was a real return to form. In 2005 the band released a DVD to celebrate 21 years together "21 Years Of Love And Hate". This was later released as a live double CD "Smugglers and Bounty Hunters". The band continue to play occasional live concerts. Their next planned release is an acoustic folk orientated cd, including reworking of several popular old songs from their back catalogue.
During breaks from the band "Swill" Odgers has released two Cd's with his band "The Swaggerband" which includes Ricky McGuire and Jon Odgers plus lyrical contribution from Paul Simmonds. They are "The Day After" in 2004 and "Elvis Lives Here" on Irregular Records in 2006.
Official Website http://www.tmtch.net/
Shirt Of Blue
The Men They Couldn't Hang Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is it the colour of fine bright blue?
Has your mother sent you off to your school?
From the street with a pretty view
Shall we wrestle in the old school yard
Like the other children do?
We can scuff these shoes You can tear your hands
Hey there Tommy since you moved away
They've taken our town and they've made it new
And now there stands a chemical plant
Where the cherry orchard grew
And I married Lucy from the back of our class
Who once wrote letters to you
And we've got kids and we send them to school
From the street with a pretty view
Oh in your shirt of blue
Oh in your shirt of blue
(Chorus...)
Maybe Tommy
We grew up too quick
From the fields
Where the flowers grow
From a butterfly stick
To a baton and a brick
You changed your uniforms far too soon
Hey there Tommy shall we meet again
In the morning wet with dew
Me at the gates of the colliery
And you in your shirt of blue
Shall we wrestle in the muddy patch
Like the other poor men do?
We can scuff our boots we can tear our hands
And I will rip that shirt off you
Oh in your shirt of blue
Oh in your shirt of blue
Chorus to End...
The Men They Couldn't Hang's "Shirt of Blue" is a poignant song that speaks to the lost innocence of childhood and how it contrasts with adult life. The song revolves around two characters, the singer and Tommy, childhood friends who played together in the streets and in the old school yard. The lyrics start out by asking Tommy if he's got a new, fine and bright blue shirt, and if he's still going to school from the street with a pretty view. Then it transitions to how things have changed since they've grown up and moved away, as a chemical plant has replaced the old cherry orchard where they once played. The singer's life has turned out differently than Tommy's, as he ended up marrying Lucy from the back of their class and now has kids who go to school from the street with a pretty view just like they did as children.
The chorus speaks to the fact that perhaps they grew up too quickly, from the innocent and carefree life of playing with butterfly sticks and flowers in the fields to the harsh realities of adult life, where they have to change their uniforms too soon, a metaphor for growing up too fast. The last verse suggests a desire to return to those simpler times, as they want to meet again in the morning wet with dew, and wrestle in the muddy patch like other poor men do, fully remembering the days when their clothes were less precious and easily torn.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey now Tommy have you got a new shirt
Tommy, have you bought a new shirt?
Is it the colour of fine bright blue?
Is it an attractive light blue color?
Has your mother sent you off to your school?
Did your mother buy you the shirt for school?
From the street with a pretty view
From a street with a nice view
Shall we wrestle in the old school yard
Should we play fight in the school yard?
Like the other children do?
Like how other kids play fight?
We can scuff these shoes You can tear your hands
We can make our shoes and hands dirty and torn
And I'll rip that shirt off you
And I'll tear your shirt off
Hey there Tommy since you moved away
Tommy, since you left
They've taken our town and they've made it new
The town has been renovated
And now there stands a chemical plant
There's now a chemical plant there
Where the cherry orchard grew
Where the cherry orchard once stood
And I married Lucy from the back of our class
I married Lucy who sat in the back of our class
Who once wrote letters to you
Who used to write letters to you
And we've got kids and we send them to school
We have kids and send them to school
From the street with a pretty view
From a street with a nice view
Oh in your shirt of blue
Oh, in your blue shirt
(Chorus...)
Refrain
Maybe Tommy
Perhaps, Tommy
We grew up too quick
We grew up too fast
From the fields
From the countryside
Where the flowers grow
Where the flowers bloom
From a butterfly stick
From a stick to catch butterflies
To a baton and a brick
To a baton and a brick
You changed your uniforms far too soon
You started wearing adult clothes too soon
Hey there Tommy shall we meet again
Tommy, should we meet again
In the morning wet with dew
In the morning with dew on the ground
Me at the gates of the colliery
Me at the entrance of the coal mine
And you in your shirt of blue
And you wearing the blue shirt
Shall we wrestle in the muddy patch
Should we wrestle in the muddy area?
Like the other poor men do?
Like how other poor men fight?
We can scuff our boots we can tear our hands
We can damage our boots and hands
And I will rip that shirt off you
And I will tear your shirt off
Oh in your shirt of blue
Oh, in your blue shirt
Oh in your shirt of blue
Oh, in your blue shirt
(Chorus to End...)
Refrain until the end of the song
Contributed by Samuel Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
63CaptainKirk
..einfach ein genialer song, zeitlos, wird immer einer meiner Favoriten bleiben.....
1963johnbhoy
Camper Van Beethovenesque brilliant stuff from both.
TheWeardale1
perfect, my introduction into TMTCH... :)
Achim Maier
How much is this attitude needed today? Praise BoJo...
Chris McCrory
Still so strong.... Red kite rising is heart 💓 warming and as always 📣✊ relevant
Achim Maier
@Chris McCrory Is heart warming enough? I think we need stronger feelings - and a kind of feelings that isn't offered today. We need an international confederacy of workers to resist an international confederacy of capitalists.
wizemanCGC
they say the only bad thing about thatcher going to hell is that the poverty rate there skyrocketed when she got there
Robert Beardsell
But it's HELL, so no problem: all part of the punishment!
John Mcgrath
Rip cush
olafur tor jonsson
flottir