The Vibrators recorded sessions at for John Peel at BBC Radio 1 in October 1976, June 1977, and February 1978. They were one of the pioneering punk bands that played at London's Roxy Club. They headlined in January 1977, supported by The Drones, and in February they played twice at the venue. In March 1977 the band supported Iggy Pop on his British tour. Later that year they backed ex-Mott the Hoople frontman Ian Hunter.
The band signed to Epic Records in early 1977. Their debut album, Pure Mania was co-produced with Robin Mayhew, the sound engineer for David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust live shows, and reached the Top 50 of the UK Albums Chart. The album is well regarded by some music critics and, 17 years after its release The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music named Pure Mania one of the 50 best punk albums of all time.
Their follow-up album, V2, narrowly missed the UK Top 30. The only single to be taken from that album, "Automatic Lover", was the only Vibrators’ single to reach the UK Top 40 where it reached #35. It earned the band a TV appearance on the prime-time TV show Top of the Pops. The Vibrators’ final single on Epic, "Judy Says (Knock You In The Head)", was released in June 1978. It reached #70 in the UK singles chart. Years later it was included in Mojo magazine’s list of the best punk rock singles of all time.
A lack of further chart activity, and with only one UK Top 40 single to their credit, sees the Vibrators join the list of one-hit wonders; a list that includes other UK punk and new wave acts such as The Banned, John Cooper Clarke, The Flying Lizards, Jilted John, 999, the Radio Stars, and the Rich Kids.
During the 1980s, John Ellis recorded and toured frequently with Peter Hammill, and subsequently The Stranglers, eventually joining the latter full-time in the 1990s. Pat Collier went on to work closely with The Soft Boys, producing their seminal album, Underwater Moonlight, and Robyn Hitchcock, producing and mixing some of his solo albums (to which Knox also sometimes contributed). Despite numerous line-up changes, The Vibrators are still touring to this date as a three-piece, "Knox" and "Eddie" being the only original members.
Keep It Clean
The Vibrators Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never use speed, I never put the needle in.
Bad sex, heavy debts,
It's too late to run when they come and snap your legs.
Br: Just 'cos they do it in the movies,
Doesn't mean to say that it's cool,
It's only bits of plastic,
2. Razor blades, guns and chains,
You'll never get to heaven if you're gonna play those games.
I do believe,
If you keep it clean then you got to succeed.
Ref: An' if you wanna get on, you gotta keep your business clean. x4
(Keep it clean!)
The Vibrators' song "Keep It Clean" is a fast-paced, punk-rock anthem that warns against the dangers of drugs, bad sex, and violence. The first verse sets the scene with a list of vices: cocaine, heroin, and heavy debts. The songwriter proclaims that they would never use speed or put a needle in their arm. The consequences of such behavior are dire, like having your legs snapped when they come for you. The chorus emphasizes the importance of keeping a clean business if you want to succeed. The second verse escalates the stakes even further with the mention of razor blades, guns, and chains. The songwriter insists that if you are going to play those dangerous games, you will never get to heaven.
The bridge of the song is a clever commentary on the glorification of violence and drug use in movies. The Vibrators suggest that just because it looks cool on the big screen doesn't mean it's a good idea in real life. It's all just bits of plastic and lies projected on the wall. This is a powerful indictment of the media's influence on youth culture.
Overall, the message of "Keep It Clean" is clear: avoid drugs, violence, and other dangerous activities if you want to succeed in life. It's a powerful reminder that rock 'n' roll can be more than just mindless rebellion; it can also be a force for positive change and social commentary.
Line by Line Meaning
Cocaine, heroin,
Listing dangerous and addictive drugs that the singer does not partake in.
I never use speed, I never put the needle in.
Emphasizing the singer's abstinence from drugs that could potentially harm them.
Bad sex, heavy debts,
Highlighting the consequences of making poor decisions or commitments.
It's too late to run when they come and snap your legs.
Expressing that avoiding the fallout from decisions is not an option and that consequences are inescapable.
Just 'cos they do it in the movies,
Suggesting that popular media creates glorifications of dangerous behavior that are not inherently accurate.
Doesn't mean to say that it's cool,
Rejecting the notion that imitation of popular media translates to admirable behavior.
It's only bits of plastic,
Dismissing the images and messages of popular media as shallow and meaningless.
Lies projected on the wall.
Implying that popular media distorts reality and projects false ideals and normalities.
Razor blades, guns and chains,
Listing dangerous weapons and tools that the singer discourages the use of.
You'll never get to heaven if you're gonna play those games.
Portraying the use of certain weapons or tools as immoral and detrimental to one's well-being.
I do believe,
Introducing the singer's personal belief system.
If you keep it clean then you got to succeed.
Asserting that righteous and honest behavior is key to prosperity and success.
An' if you wanna get on, you gotta keep your business clean. x4
Reiterating the idea that morality and ethics play a crucial role in achieving success and maintaining it.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: J.ELLIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
zincbooster
Lyrics
1. Cocaine, heroin,
I never use speed, I never put the needle in.
Bad sex, heavy debts,
It's too late to run when they come and snap your legs.
Br: Just 'cos they do it in the movies,
Doesn't mean to say that it's cool,
It's only bits of plastic,
Lies projected on the wall.
2. Razor blades, guns and chains,
You'll never get to heaven if you're gonna play those games.
I do believe,
If you keep it clean then you got to succeed.
Ref: An' if you wanna get on, you gotta keep your business clean. x4
(Keep it clean!)
Shannon Flores
Pure 💘 love ..simple. I still have this album in my incredible archive of warped but beautiful stuff! Kinda like me! Have a happy day everyone!🥰
plumpton444
cant believe this is on here, one of my favourite tunes off all time, thanks for posting mate brings back so many memories when tunes were tunes unlike the crap nowadays !!
Walk the Line 9
ive owned this album from new+have never stoped playing it-great band still touring+still good
Michel Salazar
Great song. My favorite from the album, alongside She's Bringing You Down
plumpton444
one of the best punk songs ever thanks for posting
baldy1
class album
Peter Scheid
At 0:30 I thought at the time that my LP had a scratch...nah, that's part of it. What an amazing song.
Kinetra Flipt
I had this album in the 80’s
tubzanelovescock
another sweet sweet straight edge song
Andrea Prodan
Incredibly un-hip lyrics for their time! The ANTI.rocker theory! Pretty cool, actually. Somehow this band is like a Punk version of Steve Hillage.