The Stranglers - Duchess

[johnrfc1972]

british music is the best in the world always will be.

[percy888ferry]

hat a great song. Just don't be a Rodney, God forbid!

[mcspam2006]

The Manic Street Preachers ripped this off whole sale for If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next

[davechels1]

@mcspam2006 wha?? how??

[themec]

What is this song about?

[guthywoodry]

@themec

I think it's an observation by the writer/s about a life-gone-wrong.

-People, traumatised by life's vicissitudes, can lose touch with Time & reality.

Time, around such folks, appears to 'Stand Still'.

This song is sad & ironic.

[dannybrown8787]

greenfields is the best ever keyboard player I doubt even the greatest piano/keyboard players even the animals never got that good

[rudydynxx]

hard to believe sir cliff richard and others tried to have this video banned. they said it made a mockery of the church.looks so innocent now,did then too.long live the stranglers.

[19thJune2005]

@rudydynxx

Didn't the BBC actually ban the video?? I thought I read that up on the Years of Gold website a few years back.

[CottferLAD22]

Keyboard work !!!

[floydian0151]

They have still got it .Saw them twice this year . Hugh`s replacement is just as good . J.J. still rocks . Dave and Jet are at the top of their game . Catch them soon .

[45rpmSINGLES]

@floydian0151 " Hugh`s replacement is just as good " . No comment.

[leonaofficial]

@floydian0151 - Hugh`s replacement just as good as Hugh - i`ve never laughed so much !

[BigishJim1]

@leonaofficial if youve never laghed so much you need to get outs more

[leonaofficial]

@BigishJim1 After Hugh left , the New Stranglers Mk2 trudge on playing gigs and singing post hugh songs which no-one wants to hear and original line up songs which everyone wants to hear .

[RaoulGuapo]

reposted to radio vaduz on fb, community sourced radio

[gordy18101973]

awsome tune and vid

[gary7russell]

whats so odd about this song revaustin? better tha n the shit thats being dished out today!

[hanging1v]

class act class song

[hanging1v]

timeless classic and my favourite stranglers songs? one of many' lol best band ever s1v

[halothewynd1]

"And the rodneys are queuing up - god forbid"

Over here in the UK, they've now formed a coalition government in order to make the country safe for public schoolboys! Play the song again and hear the angels weep!

[themec]

@halothewynd1 excellent comment!

[dontleademsomuch]

@halothewynd1 the alternative?

[macdonb1888]

can anyone please let me know what this songs lyrics are about

thanks...

[ady10001]

@macdonb1888

Its obviously about an audition for Only Fools and Horses following the death of Nicholas Lindhurst.

[bailsta2173]

he aint dead !!!!!!!!!!

[j4wn]

"And the Rodney's are queueing up"

[ady10001]

I know this sounds shallow, but seeing the video brings the song to life. The Stranglers put a lot of effort into their videos and it does make them seem more accesible than if you just listen to an album.

[shuchr]

brilliant

[TheLourdes2009]

I like the song. Which church was this filmed in?

[captaincrap1995]

lol I'm making a lego version of this at the moment

[ryan971000]

In response to the garbage we listen to these days - don't feel sorry for us all I know plenty of people who listen to all the old stuff thats quite young. I was mostly raised on 60's music and Vera Lynn (and that's quite old)! I have all the music of the Stranglers and absolutely love Kate Bush!

[dcd1248]

this is my favorite song by them,why? Because its awesome, thats why

[Bunty1962]

Bought this one many years ago, forgot all about it until now when browsing, fantastic and even remember all the words, how the brain works I'll never know.

[belovedklowny]

A good tune but kinda weak in comparison to some of the rest of the Raven album.

[rickzters]

Sounds like a cross between the Animals and the Clash. Excellent stuff.

[ady10001]

I like the Stranglers videos, they mess about like a bunch of mates like Madness for example.

[Jofishy66]

This song still does it for me....it simply rocks and makes me laugh

[DABEARS1088]

back in the day i called in sick to work to see this band. to this day i"m glad i did.

[DABEARS1088]

one of the best song"s of my youth. fantastic song

[hanging1v]

classic' this song stands out' timeless' i also think no more heroes is a good bounce' pogo i meant? lol the raven lp was also a classic' good album indeed' its between that and ratius for best alnum' but i think ratius wins' down in the sewer' best stranglers song' especially live ' but hey all the stranglers songs have a place in my heart' class band indeed' hanging1v

[greenonion1000]

Standing still, standing still....just like Cornwell's career nowadays

[spurs3511]

Ah man this reminds me of my youth. What a song. Aint heard it for years. Classic.

[antianduncool1]

FOR SALE ON EBAY NOW. Stranglers John Ellis 1973 Custom Fender Strat Guitar Used by John Ellis on Stranglers, Vibrators, Peter Gabriel, Peter Hammill & JJ Burnel Recordings & Live [inc. the Freddie Laker Video 1979] 10 day auction ends 18th April 2010 Starting bid £1,750 buy-it-now £2,000. Comes with a C.O.A. Signed by the previous owner, a personal friend of John Ellis. Thanks for looking :)

[mightywhite41]

best british band ever

[CombatRocks]

They should have written one about Harry's real father!!

[alcobaseta]

The girl wearing the pink suit and high hat 1:01 looks like the little punk girl in Strange Little Girl. Wonder if she is a rellie.

[eezy1972]

Mr Cornwell, what a star!

[doctorlen1]

Brilliant song*Brilliant band*Brilliant vid

The BBC banned it - what a bunch of twits - there is no God

[RHutton2710]

Aye. Jimi Hendrix died a long time ago.

But at least God walked the earth for a while.

[Audioadventures]

And the Rodneys are queuing up - god forbid...

[CosmoKrameryyz]

I cant believe how good this song is!!.Best keyboards ever in a song.And JJ's driving bass is just another lesson in how to complement a song with so much melody!.I truely feel sorry for kids today who are being reared on garbage like Scouting for Girls and Lilly Allen and her ridiculous mockney accent!!

[xjboy550]

Spot on bud !!!!

[robson1144]

well said

[eezy1972]

@CosmoKrameryyz I hear you!

[perthgloryboy]

@CosmoKrameryyz Lilly Allen is a retard.....and the MOCKNEY accent is a disgrace. Love this song

[cosmicrider287]

@CosmoKrameryyz what a true comment.

[dopeurwhatuuse]

@cosmicrider287 great tune thanks

[Angusismyhero]

@CosmoKrameryyz Luckily some kids like me have cool Dads :)

[dontleademsomuch]

@CosmoKrameryyz Fuckin' A!

[oblongfan1]

@CosmoKrameryyz you think thats bad. here americans dont even know who the fuck the stranglers are. kids listening to shit like justin beiber, taylor swift, lady gaga, i could go on....

[hanging1v]

for my old mate geo gal' a strangler in heaven

[timbothy2008]

This was covered by a group called My Life Story back in 1997.

[vegbloke]

I've fallen for a Dutch lady and have introduced her to this song and other stranglers tunes.

I play this to her at the piano and we sing along.

I'm getting smashing sex.

[ANTIDALLARD]

Wait till she finds out it has nothing to do with holland

[1hallstone]

anyone going to leeds in march ? cant wait

[roberthvalera]

and the rodneys are qing up god forbid!!!!!

[greatdude600]

Fucking love the Stranglers...got tickets to see them in March, can't wait!!!

[rutlandplace]

@greatdude600 Where In march/

[greatdude600]

O2 Academy, Birmingham, England.

[ulujain]

Has there ever been a keyboard player like Dave Greenfield?

[johnanthonyp]

The amazing thing about Greenfield is he taught himself keyboards. He was a guitarist originally. Like Rod Argent, an absolute natural.

[oblongfan1]

@ulujain no and there never will be!

[musicds]

Music is truly the soundtrack of our lives...

[ewanmckee]

i grew up with this and this is just pure class end of

[nickthechorleyboy]

Blasphemous (correct spelling) what a load of shit they are singing and playing music in a church. That happens most Sundays. Its the church itself who couldn't handle the fact that music moves on all the time. And they found it hard to exept self expression, and also the punk movement antisocial which again is total bollock in the most. early punk like the stranglers the ramones were the real punk scene then it all went a bit off

[onenildown]

Well done for spelling Blasphemous - but surely you meant "Accept" and "Bollock" should be plural.

[sainteck]

Remember this ! pure class in its day

[hanging1v]

duch of duke street

[alecahauf]

This video was band as it was seen as Blasphomis (not sure of spelling) so what the fuck if it was. the only thing wrong with this song is that it is too short

[nory1234]

up ottu

[Sabatinitennis]

A talented band and a naughty band too ........ witness when they rented a load of good-looking strippers, who all did a full-frontal strip in front of a HUGE outdoor audience ... I've got the video!

[brittisnow]

hell yeah I've seen that video. They got arrested after the show I believe.

[CrankCase08]

And I was there! Even the cops kept looking.

[seanthesheep666]

they were and still are one of the best bands in my eyes. I look forward to their new album next year. I agree with Bitsandbobsthisandthat. Maybe Hugh shoulds of kissed and made up

[roxiestar74]

They are one of my all-time favorite bands and that is because they were such good musicians, better than most of the other punks, yet when it came to attitude, they were the punkest of them all, and they knew how to cause a stir. They also could be serious, but could be funny too, as shown by this this video, they knew how to laugh at themselves and not enough bands do.

[BitsBobsThisAndThat]

these were great days. it's a pity they couldn't sort their differences out, in later years. Thanks for posting *****

[robertwienerrocks]

I'd like to read the comments to one video on youtube where someone doesn't go on about "old" something, or "those where the days", or "good old"............ It's boring......And some of us aren't ready to feel like reminiscing old farts yet.......

[BitsBobsThisAndThat]

I'd like to think that I can leave a comment about a record without coming across an argumentative and ignorant person like yourself. But we can't have it all ways can we. What a sad individual you are. LMAO

[seanthesheep666]

Agree mate Hugh should of kissed and madfe up m

[BitsBobsThisAndThat]

many Thanks. :-)

[barac8]

"Hugh makes a lovely choir boy, & this toon is one of my favs - from 79 - needs a man god forbid!"

[hanging1v]

duchess of duke street geo gall? we miss you loads xxx whitehill carry oot squad 19-79

[vintagezigg]

Duchess and Surrender are two different songs . Don't stress over that bullshit , just enjoy the music

[talissin]

They were the future for their time. In a way, they still.

[russianpaul77]

I think Cheap Trick ripped off the verse melody in "Surrender" !!! anyone else notice this? i use the same melody in one of my own songs so I guess i'm not one to talk...

[havocson]

yeah i notice that too. after i looked it up though.

[russianpaul77]

and I hate to say it, but I just looked it up and if anyone ripped anyone off it was the Stranglers cuz this song came out like a year or 2 after Surrender...

[almklit]

I 've had a listen and I think the similarity in the open bars are purely co-incidental it is to me a completely different song unlike Wake-up which is a rip off of No More Heroes.

[ihateboybands50]

pure lsd trip!! excellent....

[delfia406]

Oh..what a fun!! As we (my wife, friend and me) arrived at a gig, we often found them standing outside, chatting with the fans. And Dave..always with his shoulderbag and lady-cigarettes :-) and JJ teaching the benefits of an united Europe..Oh I adore them. And JJ once said to me: Peter, we are growing old together. Yep !!!!!!! I will never forget that and always be there..

[skelper99]

saw them 6 times...GREAT BAND!

[Skulldini]

"Inside the walls of the citadel, yellow chariots race. Peasants and their peasants smell, hungry enough to touch your face"

.......Whats the name of that song again and is there a video for that one? I think it was this same groupe here?

[BinkyJoJo]

Yes, it is the Stranglers, indeed. "All Roads Lead to Rome" from the "Feline" album. It was a very, very minor "hit" for them and a video was made.

Cheers.

[Skulldini]

Thanks.

[delfia406]

All roads lead to Rome. Splendid, brillant song. I've seen the Stranglers 30 times starting in '79 to 2007 :-)

[musicds]

Music is truly the soundtrack of our lives...

[Strangleriana72]

Great song

This video are so ironic!

I love them

[decker37]

Top tune that. Bought that little beauty back in August '79 whilst on a holiday camp in Wales...aah memories, thirty years? I'm trying not to think about it.

[WayfarerGirl]

2.18-2.20

James McAvoy ?

[nmm2122]

Such a cool song! I always remembered the bass line.Oh Yeh and the lyrics to a nineteen yr. old this was England's greatest!

[Sarah8674]

And they all want to win the cup, legends from a "Gloden Brown" era.

[hanging1v]

geo g

[creamstripe]

And the Rodneys are cueing up, God forbid

Love the lyrics collectively

[hal94]

such a good song ! its weird but so catchy !

[GriefTourist]

i lost this single in a bet over whether pursey would join the pistols

[RevAustin]

You almost won it.

[coshthedriver78]

still love this song.

awesome track.

[OscilloscopeRhythms]

great song

[djlionheart1962]

Great song. The video was banned by the BBC upon its release in 1979. I wonder why...

[rtypedave]

When i first saw this video I was only a kid. Still love it after all these years!

[SPERANZA65]

reminds me of my last months at school...15 and full of shit.... EXCELLENT STRANGLERS........ coming off the dancefloor and getting snogged by the fittest girl at the disco....class!

[hanging1v]

geo gall sadly missed  09

[stevespillage]

This record always reminds me of an ex-girlfriend............I wish that had lasted 2:26 minutes..............rather than 2 fucking years!!!

[ReignBeauJo]

The Stranglers!!!

[ohthegaz]

hilarious!!!....ahhh you just gotta love them....thanks for the post.

[industrialnyleon]

when we are the young

[hanging1v]

jet also owned ice cream vans too?

[leeraconteur]

What a great song. This tune became the first catchy hit for The Stranglers, had the pop establishment reassess their ultra-masculine lyrics (done in cheek and over the top as parody), and ushered in the era of Hugh Cornwall penning a great pop single every year for several years running.

Duchess/Who Wants the World/Golden Brown/Strange Little Girl/Euro Female/Skin Deep/Always the Sun

Jet was a successful off licence businessman who joined Hughs' band in 1973. Jet is 70.

[hanging1v]

i can only see by your eyes? if once there was laughter now theres compromise? harry and me we live in a dream' s1v rule

[Jetmoses]

Awesome! These guys were great! Don't bring Harry! I don't want him around!

[touma59]

résolument français,les stranglers sont avant tout français.

[simetru]

hahahahhhha!ILS ne sont pas francais!!!!ils sont tout simplement "english"!!!vive la france ,mais ca c est d'anglais!gros bisous "from romania"

[hanging1v]

god forbid

[imnothear]

holy fucking shit!!

[droog69]

Love the use of the 60's newsreel footage showing the young debutantes and their Hooray Henrys (or should that be Rodneys?)

[rockgod21693]

Brilliant!!!!

Yo guys if you click on to my page you will see that i have a video of the stranglers live at shepherds bush from only a week ago!!! also its really good quality!!!!

[perthgloryboy]

First band i ever saw live, at the Top Rank Club in Brighton, 30 years ago. Awesome, I was only 14 and it was an over 18s gig. Got well and truly tanked up that night, and most nights since!!!!

[whatabouturrightleg]

perthgloryboy...i saw them 5 times 3 at the top rank same time as you they banned steel toecap boots and glass beer glasses cos of fights etc..awsome live.only second to the clash saw them at the brighton centre..no trains after midnight to get home.

[VainAppointed]

lol...nice 1

[hanging1v]

duch of duke street we miss you?

[stminver]

banned by the bbc,how the world has changed.

THE most underated band ever.

[stevethegiraffe]

I think I'm gonna cry... Was made redundant yesterday and there's a ticket to go see The Stranglers tonight in Folkestone about a metre from where I am sitting but I've got to make my money last and I've got no one to go with so will be missing out on what I'm sure will be a blinding performance!!!

[deadbydayinblack]

man I do hope you did go

...you might go to the gig alone..but are soon embraced by the fAnsInBlACk

no one ever goes to a strangs gig and feels alone.

[54spiritedwill54]

the song is greaat!

[ANTIDALLARD]

What, makes it their best song, for me, is the keyboard sound throughout.

[calboy64]

the stranglers are great

[BetaFett]

Blur kinda riffs on this track with a song of theirs called 'Jubilee'; it doesn't sound the same per se, but the verses of both songs have a very similar rhythmic structures and third-person lyrical style to them...

Strange also that Damon Albarn's girlfriend at the time, Justine from Elastica, wrote 'Waking up' which downright plagiarized the Stranglers 'No More Heroes'.

Coincidence...?

[kangaroocomedy]

i found this on a web site: the stranglers put a bit more pop in their punk with this smart single. i learnt a new word to insult the upper-classes from this song; infact this song could be said to be having a pop at the toffs by implying that the chinless "rodneys" aren't good enough for our "duch" and she should aim a bit lower.

the stranglers dressed as choirboys for the video to this song which resulted in it being banned for being blasphemous!?!

[youset1983]

MASTERPIECE

[hanging1v]

THAT S1V CHOIR ARE JUST SUPERB,

[dogofthefriend]

First saw this as a kid on TOTP.Loved it then and love it still. They gotta be one of the best bands ever.

[tuesdayjoe]

Ah yes..Roddy and Margaret and the commune..i think she'd just split from'Snowdon'? Don't ya just love the Royals..come the Revolution we can string them from lampposts..fun..fun.

[RupertWaldron]

Seeing them in 2 hours!

[tamarastacy]

where? i'm jealous!

[headschlong]

This was banned by the BBC as is was said to be about Princess Margaret. The Rodneys reference was Roddy Llewellyn, one of her many lovers.

[hanging1v]

GEO BOY 08

[vikesh81]

errr....an exceedingly strange song indeed !!! What a strange group.

[utotem]

This video kills me - it's like "Mum, the Vicar's a Mod!"

[eezy1972]

And the Rodneys are queuing up, God forbid? What is that about, does anyone know?

[kangaroocomedy]

Not sure bud, but I think its "the roadies", (which sounds like "rodneys") are the "hangers on" with the band looking and the ones who end up shagging the local slapper..a slice of innner city/surban life circa 70's...still the same in 2008...class song..

[eezy1972]

I'm pretty sure it's Rodneys. A lot of lyric sites say the same. Appreciate reply.

[kangaroocomedy]

I remember having this conversation when the song came out, yeah all the web sites say "Rodneys" all right...but it never made sense. perhaps it was slang or reference to a type of person...which still escapes me, us...anyone got Hugh's mobile number?

[kangaroocomedy]

i found this on a web site: the stranglers put a bit more pop in their punk with this smart single. i learnt a new word to insult the upper-classes from this song; infact this song could be said to be having a pop at the toffs by implying that the chinless "rodneys" aren't good enough for our "duch" and she should aim a bit lower.

the stranglers dressed as choirboys for the video to this song which resulted in it being banned for being blasphemous!?!

[ANTIDALLARD]

Who's Duch? and what are they getting at?

[kangaroocomedy]

You got me there...this is all supposition, however "Duchess" may have been a term of endearment for one of their own friends or family, a bit like "Princess". The theory is the song is about being protective of the "Duchess" from "Hooray Henrys" or in this case referred to as "Rodneys"" apparently this was a common reference in England. And it could even have been a double reference to Princess Margaret and Roddy L. But then again I may be talking a load of bollocks...im not sure..

[fartmeister01]

Just enjoy the song...never mind all the bollocks...lol

[ANTIDALLARD]

oh . tanx !

[RattusNorvegicus67]

aye so whit ? u fuckin tit he is the original sound of the band u FUCKWHIT get a grip KID away an talk to ure ma n da u little sprog of spunk not punk thats right SPUNK GGGGGEEEEETTTTT.

[doargaji]

the stranglers are law!

[eezy1972]

Strange song but still great. Hugh Cornwell is cool in this vid.

[hanging1v]

DUCHESS IS JUST A CLASSIC;

[carpenoctem66]

You really don't appreciate the songs by The stranglers until you try to play them on the piano/keyboards. They are true geniuses!

[macivor73]

god,i miss them.

[spittingimage4005]

there still going