One Chord Wonders

Power and Meaning in Punk Rock

Dave Laing

• Publisher: PM Press
• Year: 2015
• ISBN:
  9781629630571
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Punk Music

Originally published in 1985, One Chord Wonders was the first full-length study of the glory years of British punk rock. The book argues that one of punk's most significant political achievements was to expose the operations of power in the British entertainment industries as they were thrown into confusion by the sound and the fury of musicians and fans.

Through a detailed examination of the conditions under which punk emerged and then declined, Dave Laing develops a view of the music as both complex and contradictory. Special attention is paid to the relationship between punk and the music industry of the late 1970s, in particular the political economy of the independent record companies through which much of punk was distributed. The rise of punk is also linked to the febrile political atmosphere of Britain in the mid-1970s.

Using examples from a wide range of bands, individual chapters use the techniques of semiology to consider the radical approach to naming in punk (from Johnny Rotten to Poly Styrene), the instrumental and vocal sound of the music, and its visual images. Another section analyses the influence of British punk in Europe prior to the music's division into "real punk" and "post-punk" genres.

The concluding chapter critically examines various theoretical explanations of the punk phenomenon, including the class origins of its protagonists and the influential view that punk represented the latest in a line of British youth "subcultures." There is also a chronology of the punk era, plus discographies and a bibliography.

Appendix 1

Song Titles

(A) PUNK ROCK ALBUMS

The Damned: Damned Damned Damned (Stiff 1977), ‘Neat Neat Neat’, ‘Fan Club’, ‘I Fall’, ‘Born To Kill’, ‘Stab Yor Back’, ‘Feel The Pain’, ‘New Rose’, ‘Fish’, ‘See Her Tonite’, ‘1 Of The 2’, ‘So Messed Up’, ‘I Feel Alright’

The Clash: The Clash (CBS 1977), ‘Janie Jones’, ‘Remote Control’, ‘I’m So Bored With The USA’, ‘White Riot’, ‘Hate & War’, ‘What’s My Name’, ‘Deny’, ‘London’s Burning’, ‘Career Opportunities’, ‘Cheat’, ‘Protex Blue’, ‘Police & Thieves’, ‘48 Hours’, ‘Garageland’

The Stranglers: Rattus Norvegicus IV (United Artists 1977), ‘Sometimes’, ‘Goodbye Toulouse’, ‘London Lady’, ‘Princess Of The Streets’, ‘Hanging Around’, ‘Peaches’, ‘(Get A) Grip (On Yourself)’, ‘Ugly’, ‘Down In The Sewer’

The Sex Pistols: Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols (Virgin 1977), ‘Holidays In The Sun’, ‘Bodies’, ‘No Feelings’, ‘Liar’, ‘God Save The Queen’, ‘Problems’, ‘Seventeen’, ‘Anarchy In The UK’, ‘Submission’, ‘Pretty Vacant’, ‘New York’, ‘EMI’

The Vibrators: Pure Mania (CBS 1977), ‘Into The Future’, ‘Yeah Yeah Yeah’, ‘Sweet Sweet Heart’, ‘Keep It Clean’, ‘Baby Baby’, ‘No Heart’, ‘She’s Bringing You Down’, ‘Petrol’, ‘London Girls’, ‘You Broke My Heart’, ‘Whips And Furs’, ‘Stiff Little Fingers’, ‘Wrecked On You’, ‘I Need A Slave’, ‘Bad Time’

(B) UK TOP 50 BEST-SELLING SINGLES OF 1976

1.   ‘Save Your Kisses For Me’ (Brotherhood of Man)

2.   ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ (Elton John and Kiki Dee)

3.   ‘Mississippi’ (Pussycat)

4.   ‘Dancing Queen’ (Abba)

5.   ‘A Little Bit More’ (Dr Hook)

6.   ‘If You Leave Me Now’ (Chicago)

7.   ‘Fernando’ (Abba)

8.   ‘I Love To Love (But My Baby Just Loves To Dance)’ (Tina Charles)

9.   ‘The Roussos Phenomenon’ (EP) (Demis Roussos)

10. ‘December 1963’ (Oh What A Night)’ (Four Seasons)

11. ‘Under The Moon Of Love’ (Showaddywaddy)

12. ‘You To Me Are Everything’ (Real Thing)

13. ‘Forever And Ever’ (Slik)

14. ‘Sailing’ (Rod Stewart)

15. ‘Young Hearts Run Free’ (Candi Staton)

16. ‘The Combine Harvester (Brand New Key)’ (Wurzels)

17. ‘When Forever Has Gone’ (Demis Roussos)

18. ‘Jungle Rock’ (Hank Mizell)

19. ‘Can’t Get By Without You’ (Real Thing)

20. ‘You Make Me Feel Like Dancing’ (Leo Sayer)

21. ‘Mamma Mia’ (Abba)

22. ‘Hurt’ (Manhattans)

23. ‘Silly Love Songs’ (Wings)

24. ‘Convoy’ (C.W. McCall)

25. ‘Kiss And Say Goodbye’ (Manhattans)

26. ‘You Just Might See Me Cry’ (Our Kid)

27. ‘Love Really Hurts Without You’ (Billy Ocean)

28. ‘You See The Trouble With Me’ (Barry White)

29. ‘Let ’Em In’ (Wings)

30. ‘No Charge’ ( J.J. Barrie)

31. ‘Jeans On’ (David Dundas)

32. ‘Don’t Take Away The Music’ (Tavares)

33. ‘Howzat’ (Sherbet)

34. ‘Rodrigo’s Guitar Concierto de Aranjuez’ (Manuel and The Music of the Mountains)

35. ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ (Queen)

36. ‘Misty Blue’ (Dorothy Moore)

37. ‘Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel’ (Tavares)

38. ‘Dance Little Lady Dance’ (Tina Charles)

39. ‘I Am A Cider Drinker (Paloma Blanca)’ (Wurzels)

40. ‘Music’ ( John Miles)

41. ‘Love Machine’ (Miracles)

42. ‘Aria’ (Acker Bilk)

43. ‘Let’s Stick Together’ (Bryan Ferry)

44. ‘In Zaire’ (Johnny Wakelin)

45. ‘The Killing Of Georgie’ (Rod Stewart)

46. ‘Girl Of My Best Friend’ (Elvis Presley)

47. ‘Play That Funky Music’ (Wild Cherry)

48. ‘You Don’t Have To Go’ (Chi-Lites)

49. ‘I Only Wanna Be With You’ (Bay City Rollers)

50. ‘Arms Of Mary’ (Sutherland Brothers and Quiver)

Appendix 2

Punk Singles in Top 30 Charts

1977

Adverts: ‘Gary Gilmore’s Eyes’

Boomtown Rats: ‘Looking After No.1’ and ‘Mary Of The 4th Form’

Clash: ‘Complete Control’

Tom Robinson Band: ‘2–4–6–8 Motorway’

The Rods: ‘Do Anything You Wanna Do’

Jonathan Richman: ‘Egyptian Reggae’

Sex Pistols: ‘God Save The Queen’, ‘Pretty Vacant’ and ‘Holidays In The Sun’

Stranglers: ‘Peaches’, ‘No More Heroes’ and ‘Something Better Change’

1978

Boomtown Rats: ‘Rat Trap’, ‘Like Clockwork’ and ‘She’s So Modern’

Buzzcocks: ‘Promises’ and ‘Ever Fallen In Love’

Clash: ‘Tommy Gun’ and ‘White Man In Hammersmith Palais’

City Boy: ‘5 7 0 5’

Ivor Biggun: ‘Winkers’ Song’

The Jam: ‘David Watts’ and ‘Down In The Tube Station At Midnight’

Public Image Limited: ‘Public Image’

Rezillos: ‘Top Of The Pops’

Rich Kids: ‘Rich Kids’

Tom Robinson Band: ‘Glad To Be Gay’

Sex Pistols (and Ronnie Biggs): ‘No One Is Innocent’/’My Way’

Sham 69: ‘Angels With Dirty Faces’, ‘If The Kids Are United’ and ‘Hurry Up Harry’

Siouxsie and the Banshees: ‘Hong Kong Garden’

Stranglers: ‘Nice And Sleazy’, ‘Five Minutes’ and ‘Walk On By’

X-Ray Spex: ‘Identity’ and ‘Germ Free Adolescents’

Appendix 3

Select Discography

The records listed...