Gypsy Roadhog

"Gypsy Roadhog"

UK/European cover of "Gypsy Roadhog".
Single by Slade
from the album Whatever Happened to Slade
B-side "Forest Full of Needles"
Released January, 1977
Format 7" Single
Genre Glam rock, hard rock
Length 3:20
Label Barn Records
Songwriter(s) Noddy Holder, Jim Lea
Producer(s) Chas Chandler
Slade singles chronology
"Nobody's Fool"
(1976)		 "Gypsy Roadhog"
(1977)		 "Burning in the Heat of Love"
(1977)

"Nobody's Fool"
(1976)		 "Gypsy Roadhog"
(1977)		 "Burning in the Heat of Love"
(1977)
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Alternative Cover

Belgian cover of "Gypsy Roadhog".

"Gypsy Roadhog" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1977 as the only single from the band's seventh studio album Whatever Happened to Slade. It was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler. It reached No. 48 in the UK.[1]

Background

Having returned from the US in late 1976, Slade found the UK music business much changed from when they had left in 1975 to try and crack the American market. Punk rock had exploded to become the dominant influence on youth culture and the music press. In August 1976, the band began recording their new album Whatever Happened to Slade. In January 1977, the band released "Gypsy Roadhog" as the lead single. However, after performing the song on the children's television show Blue Peter, complaints about the song's lyrics led to the BBC banning the record. As a result, the single stalled at No. 48, and remained in the charts for only two weeks. Whatever Happened to Slade was released in March but failed to chart.[2]

The song's lyrics depicted the tale of a cocaine dealer in America and as such included various drug references. In a 1989 interview on Sky by Day, Holder recalled of the song and its banning:

"We'd written this called "Gypsy Roadhog" and it was going up the charts, and Blue Peter asked us to appear and we went on and it went out live. The song was all about a cocaine dealer in America, but it was actually an anti-drug song. The next day in all the newspapers, Keith Richards had just been arrested for cocaine and there's all things in the paper about using silver spoons and everything. There was a line about a silver spoon in our song and Blue Peter went berserk when they found out the song was about cocaine, 'cause it had already gone out then. Radio One banned the record and it sank without a trace."[3]

Release

"Gypsy Roadhog" was released on 7" vinyl by Barn Records in the UK, Ireland, Belgium and Germany.[4] It was the first Slade single to be released on Barn, which was owned by the band's manager Chas Chandler.[5] The B-Side, "Forest Full of Needles", was exclusive to the single and would later appear on the band's 2007 compilation B-Sides.

Promotion

The band performed the song on Top of the Pops, Supersonic and also Blue Peter. For the Blue Peter performance, an alternative and shortened version of the song was used, featuring amended lyrics. The song was performed by the band riding in an open-roofed car. In a 1986 fan club interview, Lea recalled that the BBC demanded Slade alter the words for the performance of the song on the show. Despite the change of lyrics, complaints were still received and the single was banned.[6] The performance of the song on Top of the Pops would not surface again until January 2012 where it was fully played on BBC4.[7]

Track listing

7" Single
  1. "Gypsy Roadhog" - 3:20
  2. "Forest Full of Needles" - 3:30

Critical reception

Upon release, Record Mirror said of the single: "As subtle as an iron leg, the Wolverhampton Wanderers return to the fold and just as if there had been no musical progression in the last two years. They could be in the same league as Status Quo if they tidied up their sound."[8] New Musical Express stated: "This makes all the right sounds and even has a toe tapping beat, but it isn't a patch on the rude, offensive, and entirely wonderful noise these boys made some four or more years ago. It's careful use of American place names and general blandness could give them that desperately needed American hit, but as far as these isles are concerned, it's just the latest step in their continuing irrelevance."[9] Melody Maker said: "I do seem to recall having heard this insistent than immediately memorable but McCafferty in full flood gives it the necessary distinction to raise it above average. Chart potential."[10]

In a review of Whatever Happened to Slade, Record Mirror stated: "It features their last single "Gypsy Roadhog" which didn't get too far in the charts and most of the other tracks are in the same vein - solid, rocking numbers, just not quite distinctive as "Cum On Feel the Noize" or "Coz I Luv You"." In a 2010 review of the album, Classic Rock commented: ""Gypsy Roadhog" and "Big Apple Blues" are wide-wheeled, turbo-powered throwbacks to the prized US market with which the band had just lost their life-or-death battle."

Chart performance

Chart (1977) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart[1] 48

Personnel

Slade
Additional personnel

References

  1. 1 2 "SLADE | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
  2. ↑ Whatever Happened to Slade - Salvo 2007 remaster booklet liner notes
  3. ↑ "Noddy Holder Interview - Sky By Day 1989". YouTube. 2011-01-10. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  4. ↑ "ALL Discography @ www.collectadisc.co.uk". Collectadisc.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  5. ↑ "Barn Label Discography - UK". 45cat. Retrieved 2011-08-10.
  6. ↑ "1986 - Slade Fan Club www.sladefanclub.com". Sladefanclub.com. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  7. ↑ "SLADE - Gypsy Roadhog (TOTP 1-20-1977)". YouTube. Retrieved 2012-06-23.
  8. ↑ Record Mirror magazine 22 January 1977
  9. ↑ "1977 Press Cuttings". Slade Scrapbook. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  10. ↑ "1977 Press Cuttings". Slade Scrapbook. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
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