1. The Riot… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two acts/bands called The Riot Squad.
1. The Riot Squad were a pop group from London, initially managed and produced by Larry Page and later, for their reunion, by Joe Meek. Members included Graham Bonney (vocals), Ron Ryan (guitar), Len Tuckey (guitar), Mark Stevens (keyboards), Mike Martin (bass), Mitch Mitchell (drums), Rodger Crisp, Terry Clifford, Butch Davis, Derek "Del" Roll. Their only constant member was to be Bob Evans (saxophone), who, after the band split for the first time, "reunited" The Riot Squad with all new musicians.
In early 1967 they were joined by David Bowie, who at the time was recording material for his self-titled debut album. The band consisted of six members: Bowie (lead vocalist, guitar, tenor saxophone), Rod Davies (guitar), Croke Prebble (bass), Bob Evans (saxophone, flute), George Butcher (keyboards) and Derek Roll (drums). This incarnation recorded several as-yet unreleased tracks, including a cover of the The Velvet Underground's "I'm Waiting for the Man" and a Velvets-influenced Bowie original called "Little Toy Soldier".
2. The Riot Squad was also a 'gabber' trance German techno band.
I'm Waiting for my Man
The Riot Squad Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Twenty-six dollars in my hand
Up to Lexington 1-2-5
So sick and dirty, more dead than alive
I'm waiting for my man
Hey white boy, what you doin' in town
Hey white boy, you chasin' all the women around
I'm just looking for a good friendly behind
I'm waiting for my man
Here he comes, he's all dressed in black
Real shoes and a big straw hat
He's never early, he's always late
First thing you learn is that you've always gotta wait
I'm waiting for my man
Dirty brown stone, up three flights of stairs
Nobody's tried to pin you, and nobody cares
He's got the works, gives you sweet taste
Then you gotta split because you've got no time to waste
I'm waiting for my man
Baby, don't you holler, honey, don't you bawl and shout
I'm feeling good, I know I'm gonna work it on out
I'm feeling good, I feel oh so fine
Until tomorrow but that's just another time
I'm waiting for my man to walk me home
The Riot Squad's song Waiting for My Man paints a vivid picture of a person desperate to score some drugs, waiting for their dealer to show up. The first verse sets the scene: the singer has $26 in their hand and is waiting in a specific location - on Lexington Avenue between 125th and 126th streets in Harlem, New York. They describe themselves as "so sick and dirty, more dead than alive," emphasizing their desperate need for the drug.
The second verse introduces some dialogue between the singer and a passerby, specifically a white man. The white man questions what the singer is doing there, accusing them of chasing women. The singer responds with a tongue-in-cheek remark about just looking for a friendly companion. The exchange highlights the singer's outsider status, being a white person in a predominantly black neighborhood, as well as their obsession with obtaining their drug.
The third verse sees the singer's dealer finally arrive, "all dressed in black" with fancy shoes and a hat. However, their dealer is always late, and the singer emphasizes the importance of waiting when trying to buy drugs. The fourth and final verse describes the location where the drugs are obtained, a "dirty brown stone" three flights up. The singer sings about the rush they feel from taking the drugs before acknowledging that they must hurry to avoid being caught.
Overall, Waiting for My Man is a poignant reflection of drug addiction, desperation, and the lengths people will go to satisfy their cravings. The unapologetic, candid lyrics and edgy melody helped it achieve cult status among the avant-garde of the '60s and '70s.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm waiting for my man
The singer is waiting for someone to arrive.
Twenty-six dollars in my hand
The singer has a certain amount of money with them.
Up to Lexington 1-2-5
The singer is heading to a specific location.
So sick and dirty, more dead than alive
The artist is very unwell and has a difficult time keeping themselves composed.
Hey white boy, what you doin' in town
The artist is being questioned about their presence in a certain area.
Hey white boy, you chasin' all the women around
The singer is being accused of pursuing women around the area.
Oh pardon me, sir, it springs to my mind
The singer apologizes for their behavior.
I'm just looking for a good friendly behind
The artist clarifies that they are not after anything in particular, but just looking for companionship.
Here he comes, he's all dressed in black
The person the artist has been waiting for approaches and is wearing all black clothing.
Real shoes and a big straw hat
The person the artist has been waiting for is now identifiable by their shoes and hat.
He's never early, he's always late
The person the singer has been waiting for is habitually late.
First thing you learn is that you've always gotta wait
The artist muses about the fact that waiting for this person is always a part of their relationship.
Dirty brown stone, up three flights of stairs
The location where the person the singer has been waiting for is taking them is less than glamorous.
Nobody's tried to pin you, and nobody cares
The singer suggests that being unremarkable has given them freedom from scrutiny.
He's got the works, gives you sweet taste
The person the singer is waiting for has drugs that they will share.
Then you gotta split because you've got no time to waste
The artist will have to leave soon after trying the drugs they are being offered.
Baby, don't you holler, honey, don't you bawl and shout
The artist assures their companion not to be alarmed about their behavior while high.
I'm feeling good, I know I'm gonna work it on out
The singer is feeling positive about the drug experience they are having.
I'm feeling good, I feel oh so fine
The singer is continuing to feel the positive effects of the drugs they have consumed.
Until tomorrow but that's just another time
The artist recognizes that the high they are experiencing is not going to last forever.
I'm waiting for my man to walk me home
The artist's companion will take them home after the drug experience is over.
Contributed by Michael N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Kreln1221
It's amazing how much Bowie sounded like Lou Reed on this cover.
@lyndalbreen7690
1966: Bowie was already a great talent spotter. How many bands and individuals would have languished and disappeared without his willingness to identify and promote the works of other musicians
@dougsmith7083
You'd think that a band that had the backing of both Larry Page and Joe Meek that included musical talents like Mitch Mitchell, Len Tuckey and, David Bowie at various times during their 3 year history would have had a killer track or two...this cover is probably the best thing to bear the name of The Riot Squad.
Abysmal discography...
Thankfully, Mitchell, Bowie and Tuckey had great success with their musical careers shortly after bailing on this tire fire
@dang2443
complete bullshit you just spewed
@auroradelaparra6917
🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺
@karimtabrizi376
Amazing to hear this.
@drstevie
BRILLIANT !
@gerardmurphy6263
Bowie still finding his way
@kevink1098
Wednesday, April 5, 1967: Decca Studios, Broadhurst Gardens, West Hampstead, London Borough of Camden, Greater LondonÂ
David Bowie connived with sound engineer Gus Dudgeon to make use of downtime at Decca Studios, so from 10:00pm to 12 midnight, The Riot Squad recorded (without any play backs) the key four tracks from their new stage show: 'Toy Soldier', 'Silly Boy Blue', 'I'm Waiting For My Man' (where Bowie played harmonica, and Dudgeon supplied laughter and vocal sound effects), and 'Silver Treetop School For Boys'. The songs were later released posthumously by Acid Jazz Records on The Riot Squad's extend play, 'The Toy Soldier EP' (AJX329S), on Monday, June 24, 2013. By the way, actually these songs had been already released a year before, in 2012, together with almost all The Riot Squad's recordings (issued and unissued), on a digital downloand-only anthology, 'The Last Chapter Mods & Sods'.
@tonybravado9993
Mick Farren claims that The Deviants were the first UK band to cover this...