The Blades are set to play together for the first time in 27 years on Friday, 13th December in the Olympia Theatre. Tickets, €26 including booking fee, go on sale next Friday 4th October at 9am via Ticketmaster.
So it is as good an opportunity as any to post the lyrics and audio from lead singer Paul Cleary’s 1986 solo single ‘Dublin City Town’. It was released on ‘Raytown Records’ (I assume this was Cleary himself?) just after the break up of the band.
The song deals with wealth inequality, the gombeen political class, the developers destruction of city architecture, youth unemployment, emigration and alcoholism. All with a catchy melody.
The rich get richer the poor get lost
They’re given coloured sweets
to sample at no cost.
But we can change things
if we’re not afraid
of careerist politicians overpaid.We’ve still got a sense of humour
poverty is an ugly rumour
The planners try to pull it down
Dublin City Town
This ship is sinking
but we won’t drown
here in Dublin City Town.Don’t hang your head down
or feel ashamed
’cause if you haven’t got a
job you’re not to blame.
And how many young girls
just out of school
Are forced to taking a slow boat
boat to Liverpool.
We’ve a liquid black solution
For a dodgy constitution
The planners try to pull it down
Dublin City Town
This ship is sinking
but we won’t drown
here in Dublin City Town.You can’t put a million people down
come with me to Dublin
Some people try to drag us down
Dublin City town
This ship is sinking
but we won’t drown
here in Dublin City Town.
(Note: the lyrics on the back of the 7″ single are a bit over the place with a couple of key lines missing and the two verses printed in the wrong order)
The b-side was a live recording of ‘Revelations of Heartbreak’ recorded in Mountjoy Prison.
We’ve covered The Blades several times before on this blog:
– Still sounding sharp, looking back at The Blades (March 2012)
– The Blades Live (December 2011)
– The Blades singles (September 2011)
– os Blades? (June 2011)
– The Bride Wore White video (January 2011)
– Hot For You single (March 2010)
– Revelations (Of 45s) (February 2010)
[…] me, it would seem that all of your politics came together in ‘Dublin City Town‘. As I wrote before on the blog, the song deals with wealth inequality, the gombeen political […]
[…] on the left-wing politics of the band, check out an earlier piece of mine on the band or another article on one of Cleary’s best and most political songs ‘Dublin City Town’. – the […]
Sam, brilliant post. I tried replying to it on Cedar Lounge but the screen kept freezing so apologies for stepping from one world to another.
I’ll try and catch the bits that occurred to me in one go.
Big Sound Authority; I don’t think that was on Respond. I think that they turned Weller down and that was half the fascination about them – imagine having the chutzpah to turn him down when he was at the the height of his powers.
83 and 84, I think, was when Weller was at his best; Ever Changing Moods, Long Hot Summer, You’re the best Thing; There was politics in there but it wasn’t overly preachy. By the time they did Our Favourite Shop it got a bit out of hand and even though it was straight in at number one it was humourless, dull and sanctimonious. Gave it about three or four listens, knew for sure it was crap and didn’t buy anything else they released.
Found some of the other bands, Redskins etc, to suffer the same problem. I didn’t mind the politics; would’ve agreed with much of it but it was too much of a chore to listen to. The Housemartins changed that in 86.
Other mod bands knocking about around then – The Times, there used to be a cassette of theirs floating around ‘This is London’ that was quite good, can’t remember if they ever put out a record. The Gents were another – one of the Raheny lads brought them over and they played the CIE club behind Clery’s. The Times were better but I mention The Gents cos I did one of their single sleeves. You’re right about the Merton Parkas – they were crap. For me it was The Jam/Style Council and The Blades. You can throw in Madness I think there as well – ‘Grey Day’.
Other tunes worth hearing from then;
About half of the Special AKA album – In The Studio
Spandau Ballet – Chant (We don’t need this pressure on)
Culture Club – Church of the Poisoned Mind
Wham – first 2 or 3 singles
They wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea – their clothes certainly weren’t mine, but they knocked out a few decent tunes. I think Spandau and Wham were ex-mods.
Pigbag’s tune was spot-on. Weller ripped it off (what’s new?) for Precious on the Town Called Malice single.
Undertones – have seen/heard a couple of interviews now with Mickey Bradley about Gonna Happen. It IS about the hunger strike in 81; it was their only political song and it works on whatever level you choose to take it at. It may be slightly oblique (?) but
‘no point in waiting today stupid revenge is what’s making you stay’
‘two faced to you when you’re taking them on’
‘going to sleep without blinking a blue eye’
all struck me as being about Thatcher.
Anyways there the different bits I could remember.
Absolutely fantastic comment. Thanks so much.