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.
New Rose
The Vibrators Lyrics
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I gat a feelin inside of me
Its kinda strange like a stormy sea
I don know why,i dont know why
I guess these things have gotta be
I gotta new rose ,i got her good
Guess I knew that I always would
I cant stop,to mess around
See the sun,see the sun it shines
Dont get too close or itll burn your eyes
Dont you run away that way
You can come back another day
I never thought this could happen to me
I been so strange,so why should it be
I dont deserve...somebody this great
Id better go , or itll be too late,yeah
The Vibrators, a British punk band, released "New Rose" in 1977 as their debut single, kicking off a wave of punk-inspired music. The song begins with the question "Is she really going out with him?" which sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics, which are introspective and a little wistful. The singer has a new love interest in his life (the eponymous "new rose") and doesn't quite know how to process his own emotions around this new development. He is introspective and uncertain, likening his feelings to a stormy sea.
Despite his uncertainty, the singer is clearly excited about his new relationship; he has "got her good" and can't stop "messing around" with her. The sun is shining on this newfound love, but the singer urges caution, warning that getting too close could result in being burned. At the end of the song, the singer seems almost surprised that he could be deserving of someone as great as his new rose, and he considers leaving before it's too late.
"New Rose" is a classic punk song that encapsulates the early days of the genre. It's fast-paced and energetic, with shouted lyrics and a catchy guitar riff. However, what sets it apart from other songs of the era are the lyrics, which are more introspective and contemplative than many punk songs. This is perhaps why it struck a chord with audiences everywhere and has endured as a beloved song to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
Is she really going out with him?
Expressing disbelief that someone they are interested in is dating someone else.
I gat a feelin inside of me
The singer has a strong feeling within themselves.
Its kinda strange like a stormy sea
The feeling is unusual and tumultuous.
I don know why,i dont know why
The singer does not know the origin of the feeling.
I guess these things have gotta be
The singer resigns themselves to the inevitability of the situation.
I gotta new rose ,i got her good
The singer has found a new love interest and feels they have secured a good relationship with them.
Guess I knew that I always would
The singer always had confidence they would find someone.
I cant stop,to mess around
The singer cannot resist playing around in the new relationship.
I gotta brand new rose in town
The singer has a new love interest in their life.
See the sun,see the sun it shines
The sun symbolizes happiness and positivity.
Dont get too close or itll burn your eyes
The singer warns not to get too caught up in the good feelings as it may lead to heartbreak.
Dont you run away that way
The singer pleads for their love interest to stay and not run away.
You can come back another day
Suggesting taking a break from the relationship and trying again another time if things are too intense.
I never thought this could happen to me
The singer is surprised to have found someone who is interested in them.
I been so strange,so why should it be
The singer questions why they have been single for so long despite feeling like they are strange or different.
I dont deserve...somebody this great
The singer feels unworthy of their amazing new love interest.
Id better go , or itll be too late,yeah
The singer feels pressure to act quickly before they lose their chance with this new love interest.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JIM MCBRIDE, JAMIE LEE THURSTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind