IAN DURY & THE BLOCKHEADS - HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK

Publicació: 23 de novembre de 1978

Llistes: Regne Unit: #1 (1 setmana)

"Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick" és un dels senzills més icònics i reeixits d'Ian Dury i els Blockheads. Llançada el 1978, la cançó va escalar ràpidament les llistes, arribant finalment al primer lloc de la UK Singles Chart al gener de 1979. Acreditada a "Ian & the Blockheads", la cançó va ser escrita per Ian Dury i el talentós multiinstrumentista dels grup, Chaz Jankel. El seu ritme contagiós i la memorable lletra la van impulsar a les primeres posicions a Irlanda, Austràlia i Nova Zelanda, a més de garantir llocs entre els 20 primers en altres països europeus.

La cançó "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick" d'Ian Dury s'inspira en diversos aspectes de la seva vida i les seves experiències. Nascut a Harrow el maig de 1942, Dury va contraure poliomielitis als set anys, deixant-lo amb deformitats físiques que el van obligar a fer servir un bastó durant tota la vida.

Dury va col·laborar amb el seu company del grup Chaz Jankel per donar vida a la cançó la tardor de 1978. Més enllà del seu títol i lletra suggerent, "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick" presenta una línia de baix captivadora i un innovador solo de saxo interpretat per Davey Payne, qui va mostrar la seva habilitat tocant dos saxòfons simultàniament. Ian Dury i Chaz Jankel van col·laborar en la cançó a la mansió Toad Hall de Dury a Rolvenden, Kent. Segons la biografia definitiva d'Ian Dury de Will Birch, Jankel va passar hores treballant al teclat al garatge de Toad Hall, elaborant la melodia disco mentre Dury es centrava en la lletra. Dury ja tenia en ment el pastitx líric, que incorporava diversos llocs del món i frases en diferents idiomes.

Dury va mencionar que tenia la frase "Rhythm Stick" apuntada durant uns tres anys abans de portar-la a Jankel. Fins i tot va crear una demo amb una caixa de ritmes abans de passar-la al seu col·laborador. Quan la cançó va estar acabada, Jankel va trucar amb entusiasme a la seva mare, predient que havia escrit el seu "primer número 1". La seva predicció es va fer realitat quan la cançó va encapçalar les llistes del Regne Unit el 27 de gener de 1979, venent gairebé un milió de còpies.

"Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick" va afrontar la dura competència de "Y.M.C.A." dels Village People, que va mantenir-se al primer lloc durant tres setmanes consecutives a les llistes del Regne Unit. Tanmateix, el 27 de gener de 1979, els membres d'Ian Dury i els Blockheads, inclosos Turnbull, Watt-Roy i el bateria Charley Charles, van rebre la emocionant notícia mentre esperaven a fora del Gaumont State Cinema a Kilburn, Londres. Van sentir a la ràdio del cotxe que "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick" havia aconseguit el primer lloc. Mentre tant, Ian Dury mateix estava de vacances a Cannes, i va saber de l'èxit mentre es relaxava a la platja quan el personal de l'hotel li va portar una ampolla de xampany i li va comunicar la notícia.

Mentre Jankel continuava actuant amb els Blockheads, també va establir una carrera en solitari d'èxit. Internacionalment, és conegut per la seva col·laboració amb Kenny Young en "Ai No Corrida (I-No-No-Ko-ree-da)" de Quincy Jones, que Jankel i Young van escriure junts.

El vídeo promocional de "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick" va ser creat per Laurie Lewis, un amic d'Ian Dury del Walthamstow Art School, on havia estat estudiant cinema. El vídeo mostrava la banda interpretant la cançó a l'escenari, en un format de gravació senzill però que mostrava tota l’energia de les seves actuacions en directe.

IAN DURY & THE BLOCKHEADS - HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK 

Released: November 23, 1978

Charted:  UK: #1 (1 week)

"Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick" is one of Ian Dury and the Blockheads' most iconic and successful singles. Released in 1978, the song quickly climbed the charts, eventually reaching the number one spot on the UK Singles Chart in January 1979. Credited to "Ian & the Blockheads", the song was written by Ian Dury and the Blockheads' talented multi-instrumentalist Chaz Jankel. Its infectious rhythm and memorable lyrics propelled it to top-three positions in Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, while also securing top 20 spots in various European countries.

Ian Dury's song "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick" draws inspiration from various facets of his life and experiences. Born in Harrow in May 1942, Dury contracted polio at the age of seven, leaving him with physical deformities that required him to use a walking stick throughout his life. While he wasn't confined to a wheelchair like Michael Flanders of the Flanders & Swann duo, the effects of polio were still evident in his body.

Dury collaborated with his songwriting partner Chaz Jankel to bring the song to life in the autumn of 1978. Beyond its suggestive title and lyrics, "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick" features a captivating bass line and an innovative saxophone solo performed by Davey Payne, who showcased his skill by playing two saxophones simultaneously. Ian Dury and Chaz Jankel collaborated on the song at Dury's expansive Toad Hall residence in Rolvenden, Kent. According to Will Birch's definitive biography on Ian Dury, Jankel spent hours working on the keyboard in the garage of Toad Hall, crafting the disco-like melody while Dury focused on the lyrics. Dury already had the pastiche lyrics in mind, which incorporated various global locations and phrases in different languages. 

Dury mentioned that he had the phrase "Rhythm Stick" written down for about three years before bringing it to Jankel. He even created a demo with a drum machine before passing it along to his collaborator. When the song was completed, Jankel excitedly phoned his mother, predicting that he had just written his "first #1." His prediction came true when the song topped the UK charts on January 27, 1979, selling nearly a million copies.

"Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick" faced tough competition from The Village People's "Y.M.C.A.," which held the number one position for three consecutive weeks in the UK charts. However, on January 27, 1979, the members of Ian Dury and the Blockheads, including Turnbull, Watt-Roy, and drummer Charley Charles, received the exciting news while waiting outside the Gaumont State Cinema in Kilburn, London. They heard on a car radio that "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick" had claimed the top spot. Meanwhile, Ian Dury himself was on holiday in Cannes, and he learned about the achievement while relaxing at the beach when hotel staff brought him a bottle of champagne and shared the news.

While Jankel continued to perform with the Blockheads, he also established a successful solo career. Internationally, he is renowned for his collaboration with Kenny Young on Quincy Jones' "Ai No Corrida (I-No-No-Ko-ree-da)", which Jankel and Young co-wrote.

The promotional video for "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick" was created by Laurie Lewis, a friend of Ian Dury's from Walthamstow Art School, who had been studying film-making. The video featured the band performing on stage, keeping it simple yet showcasing their energetic live performance.