The band originally consisted of Eugene Reynolds (born Alan Forbes) vocals; Fay Fife (born Sheila Hynde) vocals; Jo Callis guitar; the enigmatically-named William Mysterious (born Alastair Donaldson), saxophone; Angel Patterson (born Alan Patterson), drums; Hi-Fi Harris guitar; and Dr D.K. Smythe bass guitar. Some of The Rezillos' bizarre early live repertoire, contained material from the likes of the Sweet, Screaming Lord Sutch, Fleetwood Mac (in the guise of Earl Vince and the Valiants) and the Dave Clark Five. Bootleg recordings exist of this stage of the band's history.
This line-up released their first single "Can't Stand My Baby" on the indie record label, Sensible Records. This led to a major recording contract with Sire Records. The band also underwent a transformation, shedding both Hi-Fi Harris, Dr. D.K. Smythe, and two backing singers. William Mysterious then shifted to bassist for the band's debut album Can't Stand The Rezillos, widely regarded as a classic of both Punk Rock and New Wave. A second single "Flying Saucer Attack" / "My Baby Does Good Sculptures" grazed the lower reaches of the UK Singles Chart, and contained different versions of the songs found on the album release.
However, the quintet reached the Top 20 of the UK chart with their third single, "Top of the Pops" in 1978. By this time, William Mysterious had left the band to be replaced by another bass player Simon Templar. The single version of "Top of the Pops" features him, whilst the album version was recorded by William Mysterious.
After releasing the album Can't Stand The Rezillos, Reynolds and Fife left the original band. The live LP Mission Accomplished But The Beat Goes On remains as a testament to the original line-up. A final single, "Destination Venus" made the lower reaches of the UK chart, and earned them a final appearance on the actual Top of the Pops.
Reynolds and Fife renamed themselves The Revillos for contractual reasons, recruiting new members, including original Rezillo Hi-Fi Harris, and released an album Rev Up in 1980 under the new name. The Revillos had a longer career than The Rezillos, and toured and released music continually during the 1980s. The band had an ever changing line-up, but the focus and nucleus always remained Reynolds and Fife. The band later also released a compendium of their music. The remaining three Rezillos plus Troy Tate, ex-Teardrop Explodes, renamed themselves Shake, and released a 10" EP and a single ("Invasion Of The Gamma Men") before disbanding. A side project named S.W.A.L.K was also short lived. Jo Callis went on to perform with The Human League.
Some of The Revillos reformed in 1994, playing a series of concerts in Japan, and recording the Live and On Fire in Japan album. In 1996, they issued a rarities compilation album, From the Freezer, and played some live dates in Britain.
In 2001, the band reformed with the classic line-up sans Simon Templar, his bass duties being taking by Johnny Terminator. They continue to play live and record to the present day.
Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked in Tonight
The Rezillos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's all when the youth and there's soon gonna be a fight - be a fight
It says someone's gonna get their head kicked in tonight!
Everybody is rockin' and everyone just wants more - more
So there's gonna be a pool of blood on the dancin' floor - floor
Somebody's gonna get their head kicked in tonight!
Tear down the walls, tear down the wall
All those boys, gonna be a big fight
And...take it outside
Everybody is rockin' and everyone just wants more, more
So there's gonna be a pool of blood on the dancin' floor, floor
Somebody's gonna get their head kicked in tonight!
We're gonna rip off the halls
Tear down the walls
All those boys, gonna be a big fight
And...take it outside
Everybody is rockin' and everyone just wants more, more
So there's gonna be a pool of blood on the dancin' floor, floor
Somebody's gonna get their head
Somebody's gonna get their head
Somebody's gonna get their head kicked in tonight!
The Rezillos's song Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked in Tonight is a classic punk rock anthem with a straightforward message about impending violence. The song paints a picture of a raucous youth culture, in which everyone is having a good time until a fight breaks out. The energy is high, with everyone wanting more, until someone inevitably gets hurt. The lyrics repeat the ominous phrase "somebody's gonna get their head kicked in tonight," creating a sense of tension and impending danger throughout the song.
The opening lines of the song set the scene for the chaos to come: "So everybody is rockin' and everyone is feelin' all right - all right. It's all when the youth and there's soon gonna be a fight - be a fight." The lyrics suggest that the energy and excitement of a youth culture can easily turn violent. The lines "We're gonna rip off the halls, rip off the walls, Tear down the walls, tear down the wall" suggest that the band is eager to tear down the existing structures and create chaos.
The repeated refrain of "somebody's gonna get their head kicked in tonight" creates a sense of anticipation and terror. The song suggests that there is a level of danger inherent in this type of youth culture, and that violence and aggression are never far away. Overall, the lyrics to Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked in Tonight are a warning against the dangers of a reckless, violent youth culture.
Line by Line Meaning
So everybody is rockin' and everyone is feelin' all right - all right
The atmosphere is electric with excitement as all the youths in the room are having a great time.
It's all when the youth and there's soon gonna be a fight - be a fight
Due to the young and energetic crowd, a fight seems to be inevitable.
It says someone's gonna get their head kicked in tonight!
The crowd is so intense that a serious injury could occur in the fight that will inevitably happen.
Everybody is rockin' and everyone just wants more - more
The party-goers are all highly energized and craving more stimulation.
So there's gonna be a pool of blood on the dancin' floor - floor
The violent clash will result in bloodshed on the dancefloor.
Somebody's gonna get their head kicked in tonight!
The likelihood of a severe physical assault is high in this charged-up party environment.
We're gonna rip off the halls, rip off the walls
The level of intensity is such that the party-goers will tear the place apart, possibly physically destroying aspects of the venue.
Tear down the walls, tear down the wall
The rowdy crowd is going to destroy everything in their path, including entire walls of the venue.
All those boys, gonna be a big fight
The male party-goers are the most likely to engage in the violent fight that seems imminent.
And...take it outside
Ultimately, the fight will become so wild that the participants will need to move outside to continue their brawl.
Somebody's gonna get their head kicked in tonight!
Once again, the song reiterates the high likelihood of a severe injury to one of the participants in the violent melee.
Everybody is rockin' and everyone just wants more, more
The party-goers are almost frenzied in their need for more stimulation and excitement, driving them to engage in the violent altercation.
So there's gonna be a pool of blood on the dancin' floor, floor
The violent fight will result in a serious injury or bloodshed on the dancefloor at some point.
Somebody's gonna get their head
The threat of physical violence is looming large over the entire party, a threat that could lead to severe physical injury or worse.
Somebody's gonna get their head
The threat of physical violence is once again underlined, emphasizing how dangerous the party has become.
Somebody's gonna get their head kicked in tonight!
The song ends on a grim note, suggesting that the violent fight will play out and someone will be seriously injured or worse as a result.
Contributed by Emily W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.