The band formed in Liverpool, England in 2001, taking their name from Magic Band guitarist Bill Harkleroad, better known as Zoot Horn (or "Zuton") Rollo. With all the members being Liverpudlian, this led to comparisions with The Coral, especially as both bands were signed to the same record label - Deltasonic - and had the same producer - Ian Broudie. Their debut album - Who Killed The Zutons? - was released on October 18th 2004, and reached number 9 in the UK album chart.
Line up
David McCabe on lead vocals and guitar Abi Harding on saxophone and vocals
Sean Payne on drums, percussion and vocals
Russell Pritchard on bass guitar and vocals
Dirty Dancehall
The Zutons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everyone's dancing in the dirty dance hall
The chins they did wobble, the eyes did stare
There was a sense of threat in the air
Everyone's dancing, feeling fine
But looking like Zombies, as though they're dying
I stood alone in the darkened room
My mouth is dry and my heart goes boom
Oh the dogs and the vermin were mooching in the streets
Sniffing out the candy and the left over meat
Down in the alley a tramp falls asleep
Murdering the hooker and chops off their feet
Everyone's dancing, feeling fine
But looking like Zombies, as though they're dying
I stood alone in the darkened room
My mouth is dry and my heart goes boom
This is just a night in the City of Culture
But everyone's whacked and looks like vultures (4x)
All the lights came on and the music stopped
Men in uniform outside on watch
The tramp waits by the bush to pounce
Woken up again by a young girl's shout
Closing up the club, a fight breaks out
All the Black Mariahs were left in no doubt
One got killed another one ran
They ended up arresting an innocent man
This is just a night in the City of Culture
But everyone's whacked and looks like vultures (4x)
The Zutons's song Dirty Dancehall is an insightful and observant commentary on the darker side of nightlife. The lyrics describe a scene of chaos and danger, with hints of violence and depravity lurking just beneath the surface of a seemingly carefree party atmosphere. The opening lines paint a vivid picture of a world turned upside down, as the sun fades and night descends, and the revelers in the dirty dance hall become increasingly uninhibited and unpredictable. The imagery of wobbling chins and staring eyes adds to the sense of unease, hinting at a loss of control and self-awareness among those in attendance.
As the song progresses, the lyrics take on an even darker and more disturbing tone. The reference to vermin and dogs in the streets, as well as the tramp and the murdered hooker, paint a picture of a city in decay and decline, where life is cheap and danger lurks around every corner. The juxtaposition of this gritty, violent reality with the mindless, frenzied dancing in the club is a powerful commentary on the way we try to escape from our problems and fears, even as they continue to haunt and threaten us.
Overall, Dirty Dancehall is a haunting and thought-provoking song that offers a sobering perspective on the darker side of urban nightlife. Through its vivid imagery and stark contrasts, the song highlights the ways in which we try to escape from the harsh realities of our lives, even as they continue to shape and define us.
Line by Line Meaning
Well the sun grew dim and the night grew tall
As the daytime changed into nighttime, it got darker
Everyone's dancing in the dirty dance hall
People are dancing in a dilapidated nightclub
The chins they did wobble, the eyes did stare
People looked uncoordinated and disoriented
There was a sense of threat in the air
There was a feeling of danger present
Everyone's dancing, feeling fine
The crowd was enjoying themselves
But looking like Zombies, as though they're dying
Despite appearing to be in a trance-like state, they were having fun
I stood alone in the darkened room
The singer was alone in the shadowy part of the club
My mouth is dry and my heart goes boom
The artist was feeling both nervous and excited
Oh the dogs and the vermin were mooching in the streets
There were stray animals wandering around outside
Sniffing out the candy and the left over meat
The animals were scavenging for scraps
Down in the alley a tramp falls asleep
A homeless person was sleeping in the alley
Murdering the hooker and chops off their feet
This is a description of a grisly and violent crime
All the lights came on and the music stopped
The party ended abruptly
Men in uniform outside on watch
There were security personnel positioned outside
The tramp waits by the bush to pounce
The homeless person was lurking nearby, possibly looking to steal or harm someone
Woken up again by a young girl's shout
Someone screamed or yelled, possibly out of fear
Closing up the club, a fight breaks out
As the place was shutting down, a brawl started
All the Black Mariahs were left in no doubt
The police were sure of who to arrest
One got killed another one ran
There was a fatality and a fleeing suspect
They ended up arresting an innocent man
The wrong person was taken into custody
This is just a night in the City of Culture
This chaos is nothing new in this urban area
But everyone's whacked and looks like vultures (4x)
People were acting strange, resembling scavenging birds over prey
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ABIGAIL HARDING, BOYAN CHOWDHURY, DAVID ALAN MCCABE, RUSSELL THOMAS PRITCHARD, SEAN FRANCIS CALEB PAYNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind