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Rating: Late '70s. England. A turbulent time in the old Albion, punk was exploding with its thunderous subversive charge, and bands like the Sex Pistols and the Clash were setting London ablaze with their music and destructive concerts.
Right at the end of the '70s, 1976 to be precise, in Ladbroke Grove, a district in the western suburbs of London, the project of the Slits took shape: Viv Albertine on guitar, Ari Upp Forster on vocals, Tessa Pollitt on bass, Palmolive on drums.
The Slits are simply the first all-girl punk band, and what a group of girls they were (just look at the cover to believe it!)... the cheerful riot girls, not exactly conservatory graduates, shall we say, but they knew how to combine their not-so-great musical skills with an extraordinary grit, energy, and passion. The Slits had a short life, as they disbanded in 1981, yet their "influence-experience" in music echoes to this day.
Cut is their first album and it is without a doubt their best. It was released by Island, a historic label for Jamaican music, and produced by reggae producer Dennis Bovell, who had previously worked with the Pop Group. It's no coincidence that Caribbean sound influences are strong: dub, rocksteady, reggae atmospheres, but also funk blend with the girls' punk and naively nihilistic approach.
All the enthusiasm and overwhelming force of punk, combined with fierce and pressing bass lines and guitar riffs.
Their music is driven by an incredible expressive urgency and a delightfully genuine and indifferent approach, almost ingenuous: their melodies sometimes resemble lullabies, sometimes little marches, while Ari Upp's yelps sound like those of a child whose lollipop has been stolen (right, Bjork?!).
All the songs are imbued with a sense of lightheartedness and a great sense of humor, yet not shying away at all from themes of protest and denunciation against rampant consumerism, the music business, and English conformity.
The album opens with the hypnotic "Instant Hit", continues with the compulsive "So Tough", dedicated to Sid Vicious and Johnny Rotten, and then the venomous "Spend, Spend, Spend" and "Shoplifting".
The album finally makes room for a ska version cover of Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" that wonderfully closes this gem, a raw and rudimentary jewel, which however continues to shine in the post-punk universe.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Instant Hit (02:43)
He is a boy
He's very thin
Until tomorrow
Took heroin
Don't like himself very much
'Cause he has set to set to self-destruct
He is
Set to self-destruct
He is
Too good to be true
Enjoy it
Destroy it
He is
Too good to be true
He is
Set to self-destruct (set to self-destruct)
Enjoy it
Destroy it
I could
Hate you anytime
I could
Give you anything
Enjoy it
Destroy it
I forgive you anything
But I could
Hate you anytime
Enjoy it
Destroy it
He is
Set to self-destruct
02 So Tough (02:41)
He had fun experience
Nothing he does ever makes sense
He is only curious
Don't take it serious
So tough
You can't take anymore now you're getting weak
So tough
Don't start playing hide and seek
So hard
Why do you think he got like that?
So hard
Don't think about it much 'cause it's just rut
You had fun experience
Nothing he does ever makes sense
He is only curious
Don't take it serious
So strong
They say you're acting like a star
So strong
They say not everything's wonderbar
Too long
You want money, girls urgently
Too long
Too much, too soon you wait and see
Too much
You hang around her 'cause she's a good mate
Too much
Milkshakes and cherry cheesecake
Too fast
They want to stop you having kicks
Slow down
Don't fuck things up by getting sick... again
You had fun experience
Nothing he does ever makes sense
He is only curious
Don't take it serious
So tough
You can't take anymore now you're getting weak
So tough
Don't start playing hide and seek
So hard
Why do you think he got like that?
So hard
Don't think about it much 'cause it's just a rut
You had fun experience
Nothing he does ever makes sense
He is only curious
Don't take it serious
04 Shoplifting (01:39)
Put the cheddar in the pocket
Put the rest under the jacket
Talk to the cashier, he won't suspect
And if he does...
Do a runner!
Ten quid for the lot
We pay fuck all
Babylonian won't lose much
And we'll have dinner tonight
Do a runner!
Camera's trying to watch us
Mirrors and TV
But they're not gonna catch us
'Cause we're gonna gonna gonna run run run
Do a runner!
Run!
Ten quid for the lot
We pay fuck all
Babylonian won't lose much
And we'll have dinner tonight
Do a runner!
Run!
(I've pissed in my knickers)
05 FM (03:35)
FM
(Palmolive)
I live in a town with a hundred lights around,
my head is like a radio set,
I'm waiting to hear what program comes next.
Frequent Mutilation transmits over the air,
serving for the purpose
of those who want you to fear.
They say is all right, but suspicion creeps in
my nightmares don't project my dreams
I can't but wonder what's feeding my screen.
Frequent Mutilation transmits over the air,
serving for the purpose
of those who want you to fear.
Thousand nights of confusion wedge in my mind
breaking down another illusion,
today's transmission will give me the solution.
Frequent Mutilation transmits over the air,
serving for the purpose
of those who want you to fear.
08 Love und Romance (02:27)
Babylon love us...oh Babylon love us
Oh oh oh sweet love und romance
Ain't it something?
Man, let's dance!
Want you with me all the time
You promised angel that you're mine
(She wants you, she wants you)
I own you!
See you later, alligator (you're mine)
(She wants you, she wants you)
In awhile crocodile
I'm so HAPPY!
You're so NICE!
Kiss kiss kiss!
Fun fun LIFE!
I'm so glad that you belong to me
Oh my darling, who wants to be free?
Together we can reach the stars
Oh yeah, baby, we'll go far
(She wants you, she wants you)
Spread your wings and let me come inside
(She wants you, she wants you)
In awhile crocodile
I'm so HAPPY!
You're so NICE!
Kiss kiss kiss!
Fun fun LIFE!
Oh oh oh sweet love und romance
I'm so glad we met by chance
Call you everyday on the telephone
Break your neck if you ain't home
We can get married and have a house in the country
Love's a feeling... and so is stealing
Do ya hear me?
I hear ya!
I'm so HAPPY!
You're so NICE!
Kiss kiss kiss!
Fun fun LIFE!
Fun fun fun I'm having fun
Hee hee hee!
It's such a love
Hee hee hee!
Now we're one
Life's a gas all the time
You're so lovely, you're so fine!
(She wants you, she wants you)
Are you ready for this?
Are you ready for this?
Gimmee a great big kiss
I'm so HAPPY!
You're so NICE!
Kiss kiss kiss!
Fun fun LIFE!
09 Typical Girls (03:57)
Don't create
Don't rebel
Have intuition
Can't decide
Typical girls get upset to quickly
Typical girls can't control themselves
Typical girls are so confusing
Typical girls - you can always tell
Typical girls don't think too clearly
Typical girls are unpredictable (predictable)
Typical girls try to be
Typical girls very well
Typical girls are looking for something
Typical girls fall under spells
Typical girls buy magazines
Typical girls feel like hell
Typical girls worry about spots, fat, and natural smells
Sniky fake smells
Typical girls try to be
Typical girls very well
Don't create
Don't rebel
Have intution
Don't drive well
Typical girls try to be
Typical girls very well
Can't decide what clothes to wear
Typical girls are sensitive
Typical girls are emotional
Typical girls are cruel and bewitching
She's a femme fatale
Typical girls stand by their man
Typical girls are really swell
Typical girls learn how to act shocked
Typical girls don't rebel
Who invented the typical girl?
Who's bringing out the new improved model?
And there's another marketing ploy
Typical girl gets the typical boy
The typical boy gets the typical girl
The typical girl gets the typical boy
Are emotional
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