New Boots And Panties
Ian Dury
1977
Album Summary
New Boots and Panties!! is the debut album by Ian Dury, released in the UK on Stiff Records on 30 September 1977. The record covers a diverse range of musical styles reflecting Dury's influences and background in pub rock, taking in funk, disco, British music hall and early rock and roll, courtesy of Dury's musical hero Gene Vincent. There are cheeky love songs and character stories based on the working-class people of the East End and Essex Estuary areas where he grew up. The songs are frequently ribald and profane, but also contain humour and affection for his characters. Widely considered to be the best album of Ian Dury's career, it is also his biggest selling, having been certified platinum status in the UK for 300,000 sales, in June 1979. Sales of the album during the first few months after its release were modest, and the album's only single, "Sweet Gene Vincent", failed to chart. Subsequently, three singles, "What a Waste", "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick" and "Reasons to Be Cheerful, Part 3" all reached the top ten of the UK Singles Chart, and their success kept the album in the spotlight and ensured consistent sales over the next two years. New Boots and Panties!! was among the UK's top 30 best selling albums of both 1978 and 1979, and eventually peaked at number 5 in the UK Albums Chart in February 1979, 17 months after its release, after "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick"'s chart-topping success. The album's title derives from Dury's habit of buying clothes second hand and refers to the only items of clothing he insisted on buying new. According to Ian Dury & the Blockheads: Song By Song, the name was chosen by Dury from a list of twenty potential titles drawn up by compere Kosmo Vinyl. New Boots and Panties!! has been reissued several times, including a three-disc edition for its 30th anniversary and a five-disc box set for its 40th anniversary.
WikipediaI didn't stop smiling throughout this entire album. It's wonderfully quirky, musically gorgeous, and tells a whole bunch of stories. The mainstream media always painted Dury as a novelty act, this album puts that idea to bed almost immediately. Great stuff.
Such a weird act would never get off the ground these days but Ian Dury deserves the cult following. I've never listened to a full Blockheads album before and I thought this one was terrific! Humorous lyrics but the songs are also catchy and get the foot tapping. Good stuff all round
When I first started listening to this I was definitely at a one or a two phase, but through a forced break in my listening and coming back to it later it allowed me to take a step back from the shock value and truly appreciate the lyricism and instrumentals that were actually really quite good, I’m gonna be coming back to this one for a while
Wow. I have a new favourite thing. I’d heard of this dude but never listened. Not too late to the party, but late.
A very amusing album. The quality of the singer isn't anything special. This album is for the lyrics. Instrumentation is pretty good.
Enjoyed this! Bit of a punk influence. Ended up checking out his Sex Drugs and rock and roll album afterwards too!
Funky and intelligent lyrics. Simple and down to earth. It's starting to feel like punk is a catch-all.
When I started listening to this I was confused and almost offended. Like I thought I was being pranked. I thought somebody recorded randy newman trying to do an impression of the clash, and I was not sure at all why this album was so critically praised. As I listened through I warmed up to it a little bit, I enjoyed the more punk-type stuff at the end of the album, and overall it was a mostly enjoyable if not strange album.
Quite a hodge-podge of styles on this one, from disco, to downtempo funk, to rock&roll to sing-along pub songs. I love the opener, with Chaz Jenkels’ keyboards up front, and I always thought it should have been covered by a disco band and a singer with a good voice. I found on first listen that Ian's voice gave the whole album a novelty feel and gave it a 2. But then I read some reviews and listened again, focusing on the lyrics which gave a squalid depiction of life in the working class boroughs of London in the 70s (with some sexual humour thrown in). This was a brave release in the UK in 77 and it would have been much easier for him to stick to more straightforward punk tunes.
I really like Ian Dury, he's a proper rock'n'roll guy and he's got such a strong attitude and charisma. Unfortunately, that did have to carry some of this. The energy is good, the vibe is great, the tongue-in-cheek humour is there - all it's missing is consistently good songs. Some of them were very good. A lot of them missed the mark
Alors que je travaillais dans mon précédent cabinet d'avocats, ma supérieure hiérarchique avait l'habitude, quand je lui remettais le travail qu'elle m'avait commandé, de dire à haute voix "Mais qu'est-ce qu'il m'a fait ?!" en posant son regard éberlué sur mes écrits. Je fus viré moins de trois semaines après le début de mon contrat. Cette phrase, je l'ai répétée tout au long de l'écoute de cet album. Aucun moyen pour moi néanmoins d'y mettre fin prématurément.
It took a second for me to warm up to this album, but my god it’s very very good. Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll all the way! Gonna look for it on vinyl next time I’m out
I love most of the songs on this record.. a lot! Didn't like Blackmail Man.. at all! Really hard to decide between a 4 and a 5, but giving it 5 because it's quite original.
Not as strong as I remembered. But I remembered it as strong as chilli pickles and Social Workers, so it's still a 5 from me.
The rhyme schemes in this album are so playful and fun, but when all was said and done - Sweet Gene Vincent stole the show for me
Holy moly! What a unique, fun album. I love this guy's style, and his lyrics are goofy. Reminds me a bit of Taco, but this guy is 100% original.
This is some delightful pub rock. One or two songs got a little obnoxious, but a truly and definitively cheeky record.
Disco heterodoxo donde cabe el rock&Roll, el punk y el funk, entre otros, de espíritu social y burlesco. Raro y atrevido, no deja de ser divertido y único.
I've heard the off Drury track over the years, even favouring his son lately, but this was solid :)
Var opprinnelig skuffet av at Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick ikke var på dette albumet, men det kom seg fort. Dette må være noe av den mest britiske musikken jeg har hørt. Veldig varierende og stemningsfullt, liker veldig godt den lighthearted stemninga. Starten på Plaistow Patricia er jo kunst. Beste sanger: Wake Up And Make Love With Me, Billericay Dickie og Blackmail Man.
This one is hard to rate; vocals sound like they were recorded during a drunk karaoke night in a British pub, and every song misses the mark in terms of lyrics and mood by such hilariously wide margins, it deserves to be treated as a masterpiece.
I like this album . Been a while since I listened to it. Real nice to re-discover it. 4 🌟
I’ve never heard of this artist before, but they have some really cool instrumentals and the vocals match up perfectly for some very catchy songs.
Lots of fun, clever (if occasionally dubious) lyrics, catchy tunes and superb musicianship. What's not to like?
Bloo’y brill’iant innit! This album was on heavy rotation in the late 70’s by CFNY in Toronto and it still sounds fresh today. Love the jazz and funk influences overlaying the punk and Drury’s cockney accent singing very witty lyrics. Hit me with your rhythm stick isn’t here but other great songs such as Wake up and make love, Sex and Drugs, and Clever Trever are pretty damned great
I gave this a quick listen and quite liked it. I need to listen again but got busy with Halloween festivities. His voice is one that makes it hard for him not to be entertaining. I'm sure I would get to a 4 if I had the time to listen again but since The White Album is on deck, I need to move on. That's as detailed as I'll get this time but I'll make up for it w the Beatles.
Oke echt een tof album met veel toffe nummers you're more than fair...wel wel wel interessant
El fet que es publiqués l'any del punk i que el seu protagonista fos un personatge perfectament catalogable dins el génere podria portar-nos a engany, ja que els temes que composen el disc no poden estar més lluny de la improvisació i la ràbia espontànea. Més a prop del pub rock, amb cançons més properes al rock més clàssic i altres gairebé tocant el music hall, la col.lecció que engloba el disc és original i un bri d'aire fresc entre géneres. Sempre estimula quan s'escolta de nou
not this againnn. lol it's very 'rude' but kind of funny and surprisingly fun and varied instrumentals
A mixture of funk, Punk, and a very British sense of humour make this a must listen of the late '70s.
Silly little record, that verges on creepy at many points. The singing is not particularly good but has a certain charm that makes the songs sound sort of playful, which I ended up enjoying, and the song topics are pretty hilarious to begin with too. 8/10
It's hard to go back and remember how shocking this was. It seems more naughty little boy nowadays, although Blockheads and Blackmail Man have a bit of serious bite to them. My Old Man is quite lovely. The less said about Billeracay Dickie and You're More Than Fair, the better.
His vocal style is probably not everybody's cup of tea. But there's some really great stuff on here.
Enjoyed this alot more on second listen, it's funny and well put together, his voice gets a tad annoying at times but still worth your time
This was a fun listen, especially in that every song sounded like it could be on a different album. Hard to trace both it's influence and who influenced it!
Full of energy and humour this one, not really my cup of tea, glad I heard the rest of the album, not just the, single, 'popular' song.
Very good. 4 / 5 Classic: Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll Standouts: Wake Up and Make Love With Me, Sweet Gene Vincent, My Old Man, Clevor Trever,
Já começa com um Soltinho. Sweet Gene pode dar umas ideias interessantes. You`re More Than Fair.
I think during the first song, I was confused as to what I was listening to, but it won me over by the second song. Some phrases that kept echoing through my head were: "Anti-David Bowie", "funk with no charisma"... It's weird, but it's like if Bowie was creating outsider music, almost. Favorite tracks: "Blockheads", "I'm Partial to Your Abracadabra"
4/5 Very fun album! Like early British punk album. Standouts: Wake up and make love with me Sweet gene vincent If I was with a woman Blockheads Plaistow patricia Sex & drugs & rock & roll
Does Ian Duty have to shout so much? Yes, yes he bloody well does! Packed with grit, wit and authenticity, focus is more lyrical than melodic. Great album.
Saw a documentary on the late Ian Duty and listened to this album. He's a bit of a geezer with a strong personality and a humorous storyteller; this all comes across on the album. He didn't have the greatest voice but on the material herein it works really well. There's a mixture of styles; funk, pub rock, disco and even a dash of vaudeville camaraderie. A fun and likeable album if you're in the right mood
This is a story tellers’ album, lyrically this album is spectacular every song has rich and descriptive lyrics, with smooth rhythms and rhyming not relying on lyrical repetition or repetitive hooks even though it is present. While this is not the most musically adventurous album its still very fun but in a safe, tried and true way of course this is an out of time review of an album from an age long before my time so it could well have been very forward back then. That said, I found it to be a bit fatiguing with all the lyrics to pay attention to I couldn't really find a moment to just turn off and feel the music so by the end of the album I was happy to give my ears a break. Overall happy to have listened to this album I'd recommend that every one listen to it at least once.
Witty, smart, engaging and charismatic, Drury sing/talks his Essex tales backed by a pretty damn funky band - that bass on My Old Man is disgusting! Really solid album.
It was fine. Some old time UK rock and roll - Reminds me a lot of Mac Demarco. But he focused on some sax and other instruments rather than some synthpop like Demarco. 3.5 stars
Interesting album. I really like the varied instrumentation, and a lot of the songs are very catchy, but some songs just downwright annoying, and the album name is trash. Closer t0 a 3.3
AGGRESSIVELY HORNY. Like, seriously. This guy is so horny. But it has this really fun, classic feel to it, and his British accent is really thick, which kind of adds to the fun.
Better than Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, but not something I much listen to any more.
I actually liked this more than I expected to. A lot of NSFW content but I never got the appeal of Ian Dury growing up. This is far more melodic than I expected.
ok so this album is kinda bad but in a good way, the songs aren’t that great but still funny, his voice is a bit annoying but it’s sorta catchy and overall it all works together … but i most likely wouldn’t listen to the whole album again, sorry
Funky, catchy, and downright bizarre. Really enjoyed the jazz/funk/reggae fusion of the music and thought the weird lyrics were funny for the most part. Reminds me of Warren Zevon and Frank Zappa. Highlights: -Wake up and Make Love With Me -Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll -
What a weird mashup of an album! Fave track - "Clevor Trever", maybe - or "Wake Up and Make Love with Me" I think this is a pay-attention-to-the-lyrics album, so probably need to relisten with more focus!
6/10. A strong British accent does make bad sex jokes about 20% funnier, which brings this up from a 5/10. I think it might have been more enjoyable if I'd been able to focus on it a bit more, because I could tell there were some jokes that I missed, but I don't think that would bring the rating significantly higher.
Vocals were pretty bad, music was sometimes interesting. I’m not gonna listen again but it was entertaining 6/10
Malgré la recherche desesperée de bad buzz de Ian Dury, faisant regulièrement allusion au sexe et aux femmes de manières generale, cet album restera eternellement aux oubliettes. Et pour cause, la qualité de ce dernier est hautement discutable, je mets neamoins 3 car je n'ai pas été dérangé non plus outre mesure
This guy must get so much old lady poon. Good for him. Also Clevor Trever is the first rap song don't @me
Punk/disco rock from England with pretty cool vocals and deep basslines. Definitely can tell it came out of the 70's - this album lets the good times roll!
“Will you be... I hope you’ll be... I hope you’ll be showing your pussy tonight baby! Cause I’m gonna be wanking my fucking cock to you naked.”
An eclectic mix of musical styles from Disco to Punk Rock. The album seemed pleasing, but since this was a first listen for me, it didn't grab me right away. Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll is a song that I've heard before and recognized it right away. I had no idea previously, who sang it or when it was from. Stand Out Songs: Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll
Pretty good. Some cool punk and new wave vibes going here. Some strange songs. I enjoyed it but wasn't overly excited.
In what turned out to be an enormous error, I had a big, big wank on the morning of an IVF appointment, where I had to go into a little room and provide a sample. So, by the time the moment arrived, no matter how hard I went at it, I couldn't get anything out. In the end I just got some flour and milk and mixed it together with some spit and legged it out of there. My wife was not happy.
arseholes bastards fucking cunts and pricks. my kind of lyrics. started a bit slow and a bit too knees up mother brown, but the second half picked up speed and was pretty bloody good. all of it was better than the album i accidentally started to listen to where robbie cunting williams was doing a cover version.
A unique album to me. Worth a listen to for the lyrics, and I quite like the style of his voice. Some nice instrumental parts for example on "If I was with a woman".
Stompin' band at the height of their powers, and a charismatic front man. Sometimes the lyrics are little overly clever (Dury never saw an easy rhyme he didn't like; Billericay Dickie is an example there), and the line between sexy and sexist is often crossed, and has dated especially poorly. Still, Dury is trying to shock and provoke a sense of fun. It's hard to be too outraged when you're dancing, after all. Dodgy sexual politics aside, this is a fun listen. Would buy.
Bit of fun innit - something a little different. Some infectious grooves and I find the accent quite endearing.
Y'all know I love comedy music especially when the music is very enjoyable too. Some of the basslines and grooves are awesome and really compliment the funny lyrics
I like the cheekiness of the lyrics and delivery style. Not blown away but interested to hear more.
Durchwachsen. Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll hat natürlich Hymnen-Charakter, war aber das einzige, das ich kannte. Die anderen Songs sind mir größtenteils zu punkig; Wake Up and Make Love with Me, Clevor Trever und If I Was with a Woman fand ich zusätzlich zum erstgenannten allerdings recht pfiffig und außergewöhnlich.
When I was about 9, I had a mix tape that had Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick on it - I had no idea who was singing it, or why, but I found it mesmerising.
Thanks 1001 albums, I never would have listened to this and my son never would have been introduced to the f-bomb c-bomb combo without you.
The more I hear it, the more I like it. Standouts: Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, Clevor Trevor, Wake Up and Make Love With Me, My Old Man Others: Sweet Gene Vincent, Plaistow Patricia 3.5 / 5
Rockabilly is back or never left Very good compositions but I really hate the guy's voice
J'imagine ça a du être une immense influence pour la scène punk émergente des années 70s, le chanteur fait un peu penser à Damon Albarn, mais pas full mon genre
Bardzo ciekawa progresja albumu, zaczynając od wolnijeszych ballad, a kończąc na rockowym, prawie punkowym brzmieniu. Co do warstwy lirycznej niestety nie wciąnęła mnie za bardzo.
Mildly entertaining. Like the vocalist's voice and overall style of the album. Nonetheless, there wasn't anything outstanding. Tounge-in-cheek lyrics.
While the album is a fun romp that does not overstay it's welcome, the vocals are a bit too indistinct. The musical variety on the track helpsa lot, but the style of delivery really feels like it holds the album back. Highlight: Clevor Trever, Blockheads
cool example that good songwriting is all you need for a nice album, Ian Durry sounds like an average bloke but the songs are still great
I am partial to parts of this (Billericay Dickie, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll), but I think mostly out of some kind of twisted nostalgia. The rest of the album isn't bad, but I'm not going to go out of my way to listen to it. Bonus points for the lyric "I come awake with a gift for womankind" though.
The opener is such a slick banger. A nice intersection between disco and punk. After that track, however, he slowly descended into Elvis Costello lite. The riffs and the overall atmosphere might be interesting, but it's pretty bland especially when compared to the opener. Near the end, he made a turn and became full pledged punk. Compare the explosive noise of the genre to the chill vibes of the opener. This album is quite a rollercoaster ride.
I'm a little perplexed by this one. There's much to like here with it's grooving energy and variety, but there isn't anything too notable here, and the weirder bits added to the music don't gel well for me. Favorites: "Wake Up And Make Love With Me", "Sweet Gene Vincent", "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll"
Quirky, bawdy and irreverent, but also oddly charming at times. Deliberately noisy but whimsical as well, drawing on a wild variety of musical influences, from jazz and music hall to rockabilly. Ian Dury is an acquired taste, but this album grows on you if you give it a chance. Fave Songs: Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, Blockheads, Clevor Trever, Plaistow Patricia, Blackmail Man, My Old Man, Billericay Dickie
"Wake Up and Make Love With Me" as an opener is 1. an amazing title, and 2. amazingly cool. Lyrics are funny as shit and I can't recall the last time I heard something like this as an opener that made me laugh so hard. It's a really interesting album and sound. I love how the second song starts as a slower ballad-type track and then about a minute and a half in it gets a big feel change with the drumset and rock and roll piano. It kind of sets the idea that you-never-know-what's-next for the rest of the album. It's sleazy and sexy in the best possible way.
There’s a great mix of songs and styles on this album. And the songwriting has humor and wit. Ian Dury seems to enjoy embodying despicable (even misogynistic) male characters - a surprising but frequently funny choice. I like when singers sing in their natural accent (like The Clash) and it’s very fun to hear Ian Dury sing almost conversationally in such a thick accent. Though sometimes the album can almost be a bit too British for me (“Billericay Dickie,” for example).
At times high energy punky, at others funky groovy. Despite his extremely British voice, I found myself a bit charmed by the quirky grooviness of it.
This isn't a three star review. It's a blended four star / two star review. The two stars come from the weird sex songs. I'll admit to being slightly prudish about this kind of stuff but they stand out to me as an unpleasant listen. On the other hand I enjoyed the rockers and especially the "slice of life" numbers that sound like a barely-literate Billy Bragg or working class Kinks.
Well that was odd. Album started quite jauntily, cockney story-telling almost in the vogue of Chas and Dave, then developing into something a little more darker and unhinged.
Funny album and quitte enjoyable. Not something I would listen to regularly. But for one time it was fun. Favourite song: - Billericay Dicky
No awareness of this person other than that my brother once put Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll on one of the many mix tapes he gave me. I enjoyed this pretty well, though I suspect I’m losing a fair bit of the wit in translation, both of accent and slang.
66/100: Never heard of this guy before, but found this album lyrically pretty funny. It almost feels like Lil Dicky’s mind dropped into a rock star’s body. With that being said, the music itself isn’t all that great. The only song that I actually enjoyed listening to was “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll.” Will likely not revisit this album intentionally, but I’m glad I got a chance to discover this artist.
Not really for me, but much better than I expected. Only knew the hits before, which aren't on this record. 2.7
The first song is OK, but the rest of the album just fails to catch my attention. Sorry, next.
I can get down with the music on this album, but the lyrics (and to an extent the vocal performance) knock it way down for me. If somebody else was singing about just about anything else over the music on this album, it would be an easy 4, maybe even a 5 if the singing and lyrical content was really stellar, but I’m disappointed in you Ian....
Dreadful vocal performance. I mean, it’s just completely uninspired. Every song that starts out interesting is utterly destroyed the second his voice comes in. 3
Saved Prior: None Off Rip: I'm Partial to Your Abracadabra, My Old Man Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: Maybe the most british album I have ever heard. If I was an english bloke in the late 70's who felt jilted by the system this would BUMP. Unfortunately, I am not any of those things. Some pretty crash bars all over this thing, and I want to believe he's playing a character but sheesh. I'm glad this exists for people who enjoy it.
An interesting album, but not quite sure to make of it. A little too abrasive at times for my liking
Fun at times, but annoying at more times. I read that a lot of the acclaim for the album comes from the lyrics, but I really just don't see it.
I could not help feeling the whole time like I was listening to the soundtrack to 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show.' (Frankly -- no pun intended re the character, Frank -- I prefer 'Rocky Horror' to this; it's more fun.)
instantly thought about Bruce Hornsby and the Range, which put me a mood to listen to this album. He's certainly not shy about his approach to the lyrics. Overall to many different genres and jumping around...
I did not know any of the songs and there is probably a good reason for that because they aren't good.
I come awake with a gift for womankind You're still asleep but the gift don't seem to mind Rise on this occasion, halfway up your back Sliding down your body, touching your behind You look so self-possessed I won't disturb your rest It's lovely when you're sleeping But wide awake is best Wake up and make love with me, wake up and make love
Super simple and boring. Not sure if this guy was singing, sounded like he was just kinda talking. Couldn't listen to all of it, bored the hell out of me. The beats were maybe decent for the time (not really but trying to be nice). There is a lyric on the most popular song where he says this is my tailor, hes called Simon, he is sure it will fit, lol.
If I was sitting in a pub listening to this live while downing a few pints, I would like it! However, sitting here cold sober and listening to it, not so much. A couple songs even annoyed me. 2
Something about this rubbed me the wrong way. It’s not horrible but nothing produced here needs to exist, which maybe is the tragedy.
'Sweet genie Vincent' non malvagia. Un sound accattivante, ma in generale un ascolto che mi da poco.
Pretty all over the place with this album. First couple songs I thought were awful but it grew on me a little bit as it went on.
I'll give'm this. They knew the sound they were aiming for and they nailed it. Not sure I'm very into it though.
This guy wants to have sex with your ear holes. Vocals get pretty pitchy. The lyrics sound like they're supposed to be funny but I can barely understand him, and when I can, I don't get the references. Music is good and tight but pretty straight forward. Not bad. Not great.
First dud of the week. The artist and title was enough to tip me off that we were in for some quirky British tunes. Very tongue-in-cheek humorous, which is fine in doses, I just didn't find much of the music interesting. I suppose if I were British I'd call Ian Dury a cheeky bastard 'avin' a wank or takin' the piss. I will compliment and say it sounded quite ahead of it's time, seems like '80s or even '90s era music. But still not much for me, sorry bruv. Favorite tracks: Clevor Trever, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll. Album art: Also ahead of its time, this would've made me guess '80s or '90s. It's a black and white photo and nothing too elaborate but still manages to feel lively with that text. 2.5/5
Best Song: Plaistow Patricia. Pure cacophonous filth. Worst Song: Wake Up And Make Love With Me. This sounds like if Lenny from Of Mice and Men tried to write a song to woo Curley's wife. Overall: I hope one day the creator of this list encounters a globe so they can fully appreciate the size of the world they ignore in favour of including the work another bloke who just happened to grow up in the same backyard.
Niby miało być śmieszne, ale jakoś mnie nie bawi, melodie nudne, głos mierny, szkoda się rozpisywać