Stiff Records BUY1 to BUY50: A Poll.

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I couldn't be arsed to format all 135 singles in the Stiff BUY series, so let's just concentrate on the first three years' worth. Which is tough luck for Madness, but there you go....

Poll Results

OptionVotes
BUY 6 THE DAMNED - NEW ROSE/HELP 7
BUY 38 IAN DURY & THE BLOCKHEADS - HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK/THERE AIN'T HALF BEEN SOME CLEVER BASTARDS 6
BUY 1 NICK LOWE - SO IT GOES/HEART OF THE CITY 5
BUY 47 KIRSTY MACCOLL - THEY DON'T KNOW/TURN MY MOTOR ON 5
BUY 16 WRECKLESS ERIC - WHOLE WIDE WORLD/SEMAPHORE SIGNALS 5
BUY 50 IAN DURY & THE BLOCKHEADS - REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL, PART 3/COMMON AS MUCK4
BUY 13 THE ADVERTS - ONE CHORD WONDERS/QUICK STEP 4
BUY 10 THE DAMNED - NEAT NEAT NEAT/STAB YOUR BACK/SINGALONGASCABIES 3
BUY 20 ELVIS COSTELLO - WATCHING THE DETECTIVES/BLAME IT ON CAIN/MYSTERY DANCE 3
BUY 22 LARRY WALLIS - POLICE CAR/ON PAROLE 2
BUY 26 JANE AIRE & THE BELVEDERES - YANKEE WHEELS/NASTY NICE 2
BUY 14 ELVIS COSTELLO - ALISON/WELCOME TO THE WORKING WEEK 2
BUY 25 WRECKLESS ERIC - RECONNEZ CHERIE/RAGS AND TATTERS 1
BUY 27 IAN DURY & THE BLOCKHEADS - WHAT A WASTE/WAKE UP 1
BUY 46 LENE LOVICH - SAY WHEN/ONE LONELY HEART 1
BUY 15 ELVIS COSTELLO - RED SHOES/MYSTERY DANCE 1
BUY 9 MOTORHEAD - WHITE LINE FEVER/LEAVING HERE 1
BUY 32 LENE LOVICH - I THINK WE'RE ALONE NOW/LUCKY NUMBER 1
BUY 11 ELVIS COSTELLO - LESS THAN ZERO/RADIO SWEETHEART 1
BUY 37 JONA LEWIE - HALLELUJAH EUROPA/PART 2 0
BUY 40 WRECKLESS ERIC - CRYING, WAITING, HOPING/I WISH IT WOULD RAIN 0
BUY 39 RACHEL SWEET - B.A.B.Y./SUSPENDED ANIMATION 0
BUY 36 MICKEY JUPP - OLD ROCK 'N' ROLLER/S.P.Y. 0
BUY 3 ROOGALATOR - ALL ABOARD/CINCINATTI FATBACK 0
BUY 44 RACHEL SWEET - I GO TO PIECES/WHO DOES LISA LIKE? 0
BUY 41 BINKY BAKER & THE PIT ORCHESTRA - TOE-KNEE BLACKBURN/RAINY DAY IN BRIGHTON 0
BUY 42 LENE LOVICH - LUCKY NUMBER/HOME 0
BUY 43 THE RUMOUR - FROZEN YEARS/ALL FALL DOWN 0
BUY 45 THE RUMOUR - EMOTIONAL TRAFFIC/HARD ENOUGH TO SHOW 0
BUY 2 PINK FAIRIES - BETWEEN THE LINES/SPOILING FOR A FIGHT 0
BUY 48 LEW LEWIS REFORMER - WIN OR LOSE/PHOTO-FINISH 0
BUY 49 WRECKLESS ERIC - HIT AND MISS JUDY/LET'S GO THE PICTURES 0
BUY 35 LENE LOVICH - HOME/WRITNG ON THE WALL 0
BUY 34 WRECKLESS ERIC - TAKE THE CASH(K.A.S.H)/GIRLFRIEND 0
BUY 33 WAZMO NARIZ - TELE-TELE-TELEPHONE/WACKER DRIVE 0
BUY 12 MAX WALL - ENGLAND'S GORY/DREAM TOCACCO 0
BUY 7 RICHARD HELL -ANOTHER WORLD/(I BELONG TO THE) BLANK GENERATION/YOU GOTTA LOSE 0
BUY 5 LEW LEWIS AND HIS BAND - BOOGIE ON THE STREET/CARAVAN MAN 0
BUY 17 IAN DURY - SEX & DRUGS & ROCK & ROLL/ RAZZLE IN MY POCKET 0
BUY 18 THE DAMNED - PROBLEM CHILD/YOU TAKE MY MONEY 0
BUY 19 THE YACHTS - SUFFICE TO SAY/FREEDOM (IS A HEADY WINE) 0
BUY 21 NICK LOWE - HALFWAY TO PARADISE/I DON'T WANT THE NIGHT TO END 0
BUY 23 IAN DURY & THE BLOCKHEADS - SWEET GENE VINCENT/YOU'RE MORE THAN FAIR (IAN DURY & THE KILBURNS) 0
BUY 24 THE DAMNED - ONE WAY LOVE/DON'T CRY WOLF 0
BUY 4 TYLA GANG - STYROFOAM/TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE BOOGIE 0
BUY 28 THE BOX TOPS - CRY LIKE A BABY/THE LETTER 0
BUY 29 HUMPHREY OCEAN & THE HARDY ANNUALS - WHOOPS A DAISY/DAVEY CROCKETT (HUMPREY OCEAN'S IRON HOOF) 0
BUY 30 JONA LEWIE - THE BABY SHE'S ON THE STREET/DENNY LAINE'S VALET 0
BUY 31 JUST WATER - SINGING IN THE RAIN/WITNESS TO THE CRIME 0
BUY 8 PLUMMET AIRLINES - SILVER SHIRT/THIS IS THE WORLD 0


mike t-diva, Wednesday, 28 November 2007 17:32 (eighteen years ago)

"they don't know"

close runner-ups:
"so it goes"
"who does lisa like?" (was that really the b-side??)
"new rose"
"problem child"
"whole wide world"
"hit me with your rhythm stick"
"reasons to be cheerful, pt 3"
"one chord wonders"
"alison"

fact checking cuz, Wednesday, 28 November 2007 17:42 (eighteen years ago)

"ENGLAND'S GORY/DREAM TOCACCO"

Ahum. Well, you know what I mean.

mike t-diva, Wednesday, 28 November 2007 17:44 (eighteen years ago)

I went for predictablity and perfection: "Rhythm Stick/Bastards", just beating "New Rose/Help" (literally life-changing as the latter was).

Hoping to see a bit of love for "So It Goes/Heart of the City", "Yankee Wheels", "Suffice To Say", "One Chord Wonders" and "England's Glory".

mike t-diva, Wednesday, 28 November 2007 17:49 (eighteen years ago)

I voted for the first Damned single, but my heart says Lene Lovich all the way. Did she ever write a bad song (even for Cerrone)?

I've heard so few of these.

Nate Carson, Wednesday, 28 November 2007 18:06 (eighteen years ago)

best one hit wonder of the times - yankee wheels

nonightsweats, Wednesday, 28 November 2007 20:22 (eighteen years ago)

"Watching the Detectives" very closely over "Reasons to Be Cheerful Pt. 3"

Matos W.K., Wednesday, 28 November 2007 22:44 (eighteen years ago)

Between BUY 11 & BUY 13 for me. Went with the Adverts 'cause Declan will no doubt get plenty of love from other posters.

JN$OT, Thursday, 29 November 2007 09:00 (eighteen years ago)

"What a Waste" is my official theme song, as well as being the most slyly (Sly-ly) funky Blockheads track here. So that.

Noodle Vague, Thursday, 29 November 2007 09:11 (eighteen years ago)

"They Don't Know", but the race is really close to being about a 15-way tie.

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 29 November 2007 09:14 (eighteen years ago)

What a great poll!

An easy choice for me - They Don't Know is one of the five best records ever made, so gets my vote. My other other favourites are I Think We're Alone Now, So It Goes/Heart Of The City, All Aboard/Cincinatti Fatback, all the Costellos, Reconnez Cherie, B.A.B.Y - actually everything on this list is fantastic.

The new Stiff Box (The Big Stiff Box : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Big-Stiff-Box-Set/dp/B000V7G042/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1196328672&sr=8-1) is great!

Dr.C, Thursday, 29 November 2007 09:32 (eighteen years ago)

BUY 6 for me, obv. - but most of 'em are great and especial thumbs up for all those Wreckless Eric singles, The Yachts' "Suffice To Say" and "Emotional Traffic" by (a Graham Parker-less) The Rumour - which may not be as well known as some of the Elvis Costello and Ian Dury numbers, but bloody well ought to be!

Stewart Osborne, Thursday, 29 November 2007 09:59 (eighteen years ago)

I don't think I've ever heard "All Aboard," but "Cincinnati Fatback" is a major fave from the Hits Greatest Stiffs thing. xpost.

If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Thursday, 29 November 2007 10:02 (eighteen years ago)

Now there's a book idea, Stiff Records. Has anyone ever seen the film of the first tour?

If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Thursday, 29 November 2007 10:03 (eighteen years ago)

"new rose" rules but "cincinatti (sic) fatback" is such a strange song -- who or what was roogalotr? somebody in the band must've been from cincinnati cause the lyrics list local music-heroes, not just obv ones liek LONNIE MACK and the COLLINS BROS but guys like POPEYE MAUPIN who played the blues in clubs on reading rd and mt adams. not sure if DEE FELICE is in there but what the heck "down by the banks of the o-hi-o"

m coleman, Thursday, 29 November 2007 11:04 (eighteen years ago)

WATCHING THE DETECTIVES/BLAME IT ON CAIN/MYSTERY DANCE

G00blar, Thursday, 29 November 2007 11:09 (eighteen years ago)

Very hard to pick: will have to get a hold of that box set and get back to you.

James Redd and the Blecchs, Thursday, 29 November 2007 11:13 (eighteen years ago)

Roogalater was Danny Adler. Born in Cincinatti.

Mark G, Thursday, 29 November 2007 11:15 (eighteen years ago)

Danny Adler and Roogalator

http://www.roogalator.com/articles/Sounds-Rejuvenator.jpg

Dr.C, Thursday, 29 November 2007 11:19 (eighteen years ago)

Oops.

Anyway - he was Elvis Costello before Declan MacManus was - note Fender Jazzmaster and national health specs.

Dr.C, Thursday, 29 November 2007 11:25 (eighteen years ago)

thanks doc

m coleman, Thursday, 29 November 2007 11:28 (eighteen years ago)

Actually, I rememember the first time I saw EC's single, I thought it was Danny Adler. Some of the tracks on "My aim is true" could have been Roogalator.

Mark G, Thursday, 29 November 2007 11:30 (eighteen years ago)

First time I heard My Aim Is True, I thought: total Graham Parker & the Rumour rip-off, he won't last long...

mike t-diva, Thursday, 29 November 2007 11:33 (eighteen years ago)

Best Moment in a Record Shop Ever: having trawled every record store in Cambridge for singles on this new label called Stiff (and having been openly laughed at in Harlequin for my troubles), I found this odd little back street store called "Remember Those Oldies". Well, might be worth a try...

"Hello, have you got any singles on the Stiff label?"

Lee Wood, shop owner and future founder of Raw Records (for it was he): "We've got all of them."

I bought BUY1, BUY4, BUY5 and the just released BUY6 on the spot. (In fact, it might even have been pre-release, as Remember Those Oldies was the first shop in the country to stock it.) BUY6 changed my life.

(They sold Sniffin' Glue from the first issue, as well... even the ultra-rare 100 Club Punk Festival special. What a fine shop that was.)

mike t-diva, Thursday, 29 November 2007 11:43 (eighteen years ago)

There used to be a tiny record shop in Carnaby street, did oldies mostly, but one day they had loads of those early stiff singles. I was just about to pick up a couple, until my mate Brian said "noooo that's that Punk nonsense, you don't want any of that!" and yanked me out of the shop, virtually. Of course, six months later he'd changed his mind about 'all that'.

Mark G, Thursday, 29 November 2007 11:56 (eighteen years ago)

Some of the tracks on "My aim is true" could have been Roogalator.

I dunno - Roog are pretty different to the EC 1st album sound - they always had that jazzy keybd thing going on which sets them apart for me.

I just got given that new version of My Aim Is True with the Live CD from the Nashville Rooms with it. It's really, really good. Really nervy and tight.

Dr.C, Thursday, 29 November 2007 12:06 (eighteen years ago)

OK, I admit purely on "Sneaky Feelings"

Mark G, Thursday, 29 November 2007 12:09 (eighteen years ago)

Never knew they reissued the Box Tops.....

the Answer is Whole Wide World

sonofstan, Thursday, 29 November 2007 12:39 (eighteen years ago)

xpost Or Blame It On Cain - both have that swing.

Dr.C, Thursday, 29 November 2007 12:59 (eighteen years ago)

"BUY6 changed my life."

Mine too.

Stewart Osborne, Thursday, 29 November 2007 13:17 (eighteen years ago)

"Alison" is great, so it's that one. Great poll btw!

Geir Hongro, Thursday, 29 November 2007 13:29 (eighteen years ago)

You too eh, Stewart?

It was a Moment of Clarity. I can still remember sitting there in stunned silence after playing "New Rose" for the first time...

mike t-diva, Thursday, 29 November 2007 13:35 (eighteen years ago)

What is this: HUMPHREY OCEAN & THE HARDY ANNUALS - WHOOPS A DAISY/DAVEY CROCKETT (HUMPREY OCEAN'S IRON HOOF) ?

James Redd and the Blecchs, Thursday, 29 November 2007 13:43 (eighteen years ago)

OK, I succumbed to a little poll-creator pressure and voted for "So It Goes/Heart of the City", although I think "Heart of the City" maybe should be docked for all the times Jake tried to foist it upon us, studio version/live (UK) album version/live album version with Dave's voice instead of Nick's.

James Redd and the Blecchs, Thursday, 29 November 2007 13:47 (eighteen years ago)

I once read an interview with Dave Edmunds where he complained about this: "what did I want to release "Heart of the City" for? That was Jake's idea!"

James Redd and the Blecchs, Thursday, 29 November 2007 13:50 (eighteen years ago)

xpost - it's Kilburn and The High Roads (7-foot tall) bassist Humphrey Ocean. I guess the Hardy Annuals are some kind of Blockheads/Kilburns collective, or the Rumour?

Dr.C, Thursday, 29 November 2007 13:53 (eighteen years ago)

Thanks, Doc. Apparently he is now a painter (Ian Dury was his art tutor?), with a Philip Larkin and Sir (James) Paul McCartney hanging in the National Portrait Gallery. Also was artist in residence for Wings over America tour! Also was curious if his Davey Crockett was the same corny old song that went "Davey, Davey Crockett, king of the wild frontier" but it's probably not.

James Redd and the Blecchs, Thursday, 29 November 2007 14:10 (eighteen years ago)

Russell Hardy was the Pianist in Kilburn and the High Roads, and occasionally with Ian, solo. Co-wrote (presumably the music) loads of songs with him.

xpost yes, yes it was.

Mark G, Thursday, 29 November 2007 14:14 (eighteen years ago)

BUY 33 WAZMO NARIZ - TELE-TELE-TELEPHONE/WACKER DRIVE

Famous for always wearing two ties, apparently.

Also, his name is esperanto for "Was Morrissey a racist?"

Mark G, Thursday, 29 November 2007 14:15 (eighteen years ago)

I *think* saw the Hardy Annuals supporting ID & The Blockheads in London in December 1978, sharing a bill with the Albertos and a puppet show called Mr Adams & Mr Dandridge, but the old memory's not what it used to be and I was upstairs in the circle, so, um, not much use really!

mike t-diva, Thursday, 29 November 2007 14:18 (eighteen years ago)

Binky Baker (BUY 41) was (is?) Annie Nightingale's husband, by the way. The entire lyric of "Toe Knee Black Burn" consists of the four constituent syllables being repeated in different sequences, in a jolly music hall style.

mike t-diva, Thursday, 29 November 2007 14:22 (eighteen years ago)

I like BUY 41 - didn't he release some stuff on Compact too?

Dr.C, Thursday, 29 November 2007 14:25 (eighteen years ago)

This seems like a good place to mention this wonderful compilation :

pub-rock goodness

Black Claw! The Pirates! Tyla Gang! Bees Make Honey!

Dr.C, Thursday, 29 November 2007 14:35 (eighteen years ago)

BUY 10 'Neat Neat Neat' for me.

zeus, Thursday, 29 November 2007 15:26 (eighteen years ago)

Almost too tough to call. So many of these singles meant so much to me at the time and ever since. And I was entirely besotted with Lene Lovich.

Soukesian, Thursday, 29 November 2007 23:14 (eighteen years ago)

Revive from Downtime siesta.

James Redd and the Blecchs, Tuesday, 4 December 2007 20:54 (eighteen years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

ILX System, Thursday, 6 December 2007 00:01 (eighteen years ago)

ohooooo.

Mark G, Thursday, 6 December 2007 00:32 (eighteen years ago)

Is the Motorhead b-side "Leaving Here" the Eddie Holland song?

James Redd and the Blecchs, Thursday, 6 December 2007 01:40 (eighteen years ago)

Yes it is, and a wonderful thing to behold.

Mark G, Thursday, 6 December 2007 01:43 (eighteen years ago)

Awesome.

James Redd and the Blecchs, Thursday, 6 December 2007 01:45 (eighteen years ago)

For years I thought they were covering the Birds, I thought their version was the original. Still never heard the actual original.

Colonel Poo, Thursday, 6 December 2007 10:43 (eighteen years ago)

I have 3 versions on my ipod here : Eddie Holland, The Birds and The Who. Great song!

Dr.C, Thursday, 6 December 2007 10:57 (eighteen years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

ILX System, Friday, 7 December 2007 00:01 (eighteen years ago)

i can get behind those results

electricsound, Friday, 7 December 2007 00:07 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah!

Mark G, Friday, 7 December 2007 00:28 (eighteen years ago)

ILM gets it more or less right shockah! (Although I'd like to have seen some love for "Suffice To Say"...)

mike t-diva, Friday, 7 December 2007 15:31 (eighteen years ago)

No love for the mighty Roogalator :(

But, yeah an OK result. Shoulda been Kirsty though.

Dr.C, Friday, 7 December 2007 15:46 (eighteen years ago)


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