Wallinger recorded the first two World Party albums (Private Revolution and Goodbye Jumbo) practically single-handed. The former reached the US Top 40 and the single ‘Ship Of Fools’ broke into the Top 30 (it was hastily dropped by radio in his native Great Britain because of the Zeebrugge ferry disaster). Goodbye Jumbo took equal amounts of inspiration from the eco movement and the Beatles, and the highly catchy single ‘Message In The Box’ provided Wallinger with his first UK Top 40 hit.
Wallinger’s muse, a relaxed and melancholic take on mid-period Beatles, has not so much been updated as revitalized on his subsequent, sterling work, although a minor breakthrough was made with 1993’s Bang!, which featured Wallinger’s only UK Top 20 hit to date, ‘Is It Like Today’, and reached number 2 on the album charts. On Bang!, Wallinger was joined by Chris Sharrock (drums, ex-Icicle Works) and Dave Catlin-Birch (guitars/keyboards). Some of the reviews for 1997’s Egyptology were unnecessarily cruel (especially the New Musical Express). It was by his standards another good album, which, although still locked into the Beatles’ sound (this time circa 1968), featured some great moments, notably the gentle ‘She’s The One’ and the meatier ‘Curse Of The Mummy’s Tomb’. The former indirectly gave Wallinger a worthy chart-topping single, when Robbie Williams’ cover version reached the top of the UK singles chart in November 1999 (Williams’ songwriting partner Guy Chambers (b. 12 Jan 1963, England) was at one time a member of World Party).
The next World Party album, 2000’s Dumbing Up, retreated from the ambitions of Egyptology, and found Wallinger resorting to his pick ‘n’ mix style of songwriting. He is one of the best magpie songwriters around, and the strong influence of ELO, Bob Dylan (‘Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream’ in the shape of ‘Who Are You?’) and even Rare Bird (shades of ‘Sympathy’ in ‘All The Love That’s Wasted’) could be heard, in addition to strong memories of the Beatles’ ‘Dear Prudence’ and ‘Baby You’re A Rich Man’ in ‘Another 1000 Years’.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin.
All The Young Dudes
World Party Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How he'd kick it in the head when he was 25
Don't wanna stay alive when you're 25
Wendy's stealing clothes from unlocked cars
Freddy's got spots from ripping off stars from his face
Funky little boat race
The television man is crazy
Man I need a TV when I've got T. Rex
Hey brother you guessed I'm a dude
All the young dudes
Carry the news
Boogaloo dudes
Carry the news
All the young dudes
Carry the news
Boogaloo dudes
Carry the news
Now Jimmy looking sweet though he dresses like a queen
He can kick like a mule
It's a real mean team
We can love
Oh we can love
And my brother's back at home
With his Beatles and his Stones
We never got if off on that revolution stuff
What a drag
Too many snags
Well I drunk a lot of wine
And I'm feeling fine
Gonna race some cat to bed
Is this concrete all around
Or is it in my head
Oh brother you guessed I'm a dude
All the young dudes
Carry the news
Boogaloo dudes
Carry the news
All the young dudes
Carry the news
Boogaloo dudes
Carry the news
The lyrics of World Party's song "All The Young Dudes" describe the lives of several young people who are disillusioned with their present and future prospects. Billy talks about his desire to commit suicide when he is 25, suggesting his lack of hope and sense of purpose. Wendy is stealing clothes from unlocked cars, a sign of desperation and the inability to afford them. Freddy is desperate for attention and recognition, so he is ripping off stars from his face to stand out. The television man characterizes them as juvenile delinquent wrecks, while T. Rex is the only comforting thing to them. The chorus, "All the young dudes carry the news," represents the idea that the youth are the ones who will carry on the legacy and move forward with progress.
The verses describe the various characters, from Jimmy, who is able to kick like a mule, to the singer's brother back home with his love for Beatles and Stones, to the disappointing revolution. The singer responds to the lack of hope by turning to wine and racing someone to bed. The overall message seems to be that the youth carry the weight of the future and that the prospects of that future being bleak lead to desperation and escapism.
Line by Line Meaning
Billy rapped all night 'bout his suicide
Billy talked all night about his plan to kill himself
How he'd kick it in the head when he was 25
He talked about wanting to die by shooting himself in the head when he turns 25
Don't wanna stay alive when you're 25
He believes that life is not worth living beyond the age of 25
Wendy's stealing clothes from unlocked cars
Wendy has been stealing clothes from cars that are left unlocked
Freddy's got spots from ripping off stars from his face
Freddy has scars on his face from removing piercings
Funky little boat race
A slang phrase for a group of people gathering for a party or a race
The television man is crazy
The person on TV who talks about society is eccentric
Saying we're juvenile delinquent wrecks
He is labeling them as young people who behave irresponsibly
Man I need a TV when I've got T. Rex
He doesn't need a TV anymore now that he has discovered T. Rex, a band he enjoys listening to
Hey brother you guessed I'm a dude
He is confirming that he is one of the young men he's referring to in the song
All the young dudes
The subject of the song who are all young men
Carry the news
They are knowledgeable about what is happening in society and have information to share
Boogaloo dudes
A slang phrase for those who love to dance and have fun
Now Jimmy looking sweet though he dresses like a queen
Jimmy looks attractive even though he is dressed in women's clothing
He can kick like a mule
Jimmy is a tough guy and should not be underestimated
It's a real mean team
He and Jimmy are a tough duo to mess with
We can love
Despite their tough exterior, they are still capable of love
Oh we can love
Reinforcing the fact that they are not just filled with anger
And my brother's back at home
His brother is at home
With his Beatles and his Stones
His brother likes the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, two popular bands
We never got it off on that revolution stuff
He and his brother are not into the idea of revolution and social change
What a drag
He finds the idea uninteresting, boring and depressing
Too many snags
It's too much of a hassle to go through with the idea
Well I drunk a lot of wine
He has had a lot of wine and is feeling good
And I'm feeling fine
He is feeling good and happy
Gonna race some cat to bed
He is going to race someone to bed
Is this concrete all around or is it in my head
He's questioning his reality and surroundings
Oh brother you guessed I'm a dude
He is confirming again that he is one of the young men he's been referring to in the song
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Bowie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind