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.
Petrol
The Vibrators Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feels like I′m dying got so much in my veins (Petrol)
Don't wanna do it ′cause its burning away my brains (Petrol)
Met her a month ago how long can I last (Petrol)
Feel like I'm overdosing when I see her walking past (Petrol)
There goes the killer there she goes
They call her Petrol 'cause she burns like a flame
They call her Petrol because that′s her name
(What′s she called now?) Call her Petrol
(What's she do now?) Burns my heart
(What′s she called now?) Call her Petrol
(What's she do now?) She burns me!
At six o′clock when I was riding on the train
They took me home but I could not remember my name
I was so burned out last night I think that was enough
I feel so bad now I'm so down on love
There goes the killer there she goes
There goes the lover there she goes
They call her Petrol ′cause she burns like a flame
They call her Petrol because that's her name
(What's she called now?) Call her Petrol
(What′s she do now?) Burns my heart
(What′s she called now?) Call her Petrol
(What's she do now?) Burns me! (take it down)
That girl is hot she burns
Love is like a flame
Hotter than fire
Burn me!
The Vibrators' song Petrol is a fast-paced punk rock ballad about addiction and obsession. The lyrics chronicle the singer's struggles with a romantic interest named Petrol, who is likened to gasoline due to her all-consuming nature. The singer finds himself falling deeper into a self-destructive love affair with Petrol, and the intensity is likened to a drug overdose, with the lyrics comparing Petrol to a poison running through his veins. The chorus chants her name like a warning, cementing her status as a dangerous yet irresistible figure.
The song's title and central metaphor of comparing love to gasoline creates an edgy and fast-paced atmosphere, fitting for a punk rock song. The lyrics express the singer's anxiety and turmoil over his relationship with Petrol, with the metaphorical language emphasizing his extreme emotional state. The lyrics also feature the idea of the singer losing control, with the mention of not being able to remember his name and the line "burns my heart", suggesting he is willing to sacrifice everything for this attraction.
In conclusion, The Vibrators' song Petrol is a raw and emphatic portrayal of toxic love and its effects on the psyche. The powerful metaphorical language underscores the desperation and chaos that love can create and the pain of addiction and heartbreak it can cause.
Line by Line Meaning
Feels like I'm dying got so much in my veins (Petrol)
I feel like I'm on the brink of death because my blood is filled with petrol.
Don't wanna do it ′cause its burning away my brains (Petrol)
I don't want to continue this because it's ruining my ability to think straight.
Met her a month ago how long can I last (Petrol)
I only met her recently, how long can I handle this situation?
Feel like I'm overdosing when I see her walking past (Petrol)
Just the sight of her makes me feel like I am taking too much of something.
There goes the killer there she goes
The woman in question is walking by, she is alluring but also dangerous.
There goes the lover there she goes
The woman in question is walking by, she is someone that I have feelings for.
They call her Petrol 'cause she burns like a flame
She has been given the nickname 'Petrol' because she is fiery and intense.
They call her Petrol because that′s her name
Her given name is actually Petrol, potentially because of her personality.
(What's she called now?) Call her Petrol
People still refer to her as Petrol, that's her nickname.
(What's she do now?) Burns my heart
She is now causing me intense emotional pain.
(What's she called now?) Call her Petrol
Despite the pain she causes me, people still refer to her as Petrol.
(What's she do now?) Burns me! (take it down)
She is currently hurting me so badly that it's become unbearable.
At six o′clock when I was riding on the train
I was on the train at 6 pm.
They took me home but I could not remember my name
I was so intoxicated that I couldn't even remember my own name and needed help getting home.
I was so burned out last night I think that was enough
I was incredibly exhausted and worn out from my experiences with Petrol the previous night.
I feel so bad now I'm so down on love
I'm feeling terrible and sad about love right now because of how much Petrol has hurt me.
That girl is hot she burns
Petrol is incredibly attractive and passionate, but this also means she has the ability to hurt people.
Love is like a flame
Love is intense and has the ability to burn brightly, but can also be dangerous.
Hotter than fire
Love is extremely hot and intense, but can also cause great pain if not handled correctly.
Burn me!
The intense nature of love and relationships can sometimes cause us to feel hurt and burned by those we care about.
Writer(s): P.n. Collyer, Patrick Collier
Contributed by Henry H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.