Home | Songs By Year | Songs from 1967
Randy Scouse Git
Buy Randy Scouse Git now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the song. And once you've experienced the song, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
"'Randy Scouse Git'" is a song written by Micky Dolenz in 1967 and recorded by the Monkees. It was the first song written by Dolenz to be commercially released, and it became a number 2 hit in the UK where it was retitled "'Alternate Title'" after the record company (RCA) complained that the original title was actually somewhat "rude to British audience". Dolenz took the song's title from a phrase he had heard spoken on an episode of the British television series 'Till Death Us Do Part', which he had watched while in England. The song also appeared on 'The Monkees' TV series, on their album 'Headquarters,' and on several "Greatest Hits" albums. Peter Tork said that it was one of his favorite Monkees tracks.
Background
In February 1967, Micky Dolenz and Michael Nesmith were in London and the Beatles threw a party for the Monkees in London. According to Dolenz, the song was written about this party held at the Speakeasy nightclub. There are references in the song to the Beatles ("the four kings of EMI") and to other party attendees such as Cass Elliot of the Mamas & the Papas ("the girl in yellow dress")'Life After 50', February, 2015 and Dolenz's future wife, 'Top of the Pops' "disc girl" Samantha Juste ("She's a wonderful lady"), ("the being known as Wonder Girl").'Uncut', July 2011 The verses and chorus do not relate to each other, with the verses whimsically describing the party and the chorus consisting of Dolenz screaming remarks at an unseen, long-haired youth.
The title of song, "Randy Scouse Git", translates to American English as "horny, Liverpudlian jerk", according to Dolenz. The phrase was taken from the 1960s British sitcom 'Till Death Us Do Part', in which it was regularly used by the loud-mouthed main character Alf Garnett, played by Cockney actor Warren Mitchell, to insult his Liverpudlian ("Scouse") son-in-law, played by Tony Booth. The show was later adapted into the American sitcom 'All in the Family', in which the writers replaced the phrase in American scripts with the epithet "Meathead". RCA Records in England told the band that they would not release the song unless it was given an "alternate title". By his own account, Dolenz said "OK, 'Alternate Title' it is".[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=20CfjILnQ9cC&pg=PA86&dq=%22alternate+title%22+scouse+git&hl=en&sa=X&ei=4pPxVJyXJsWE7gar8IDoDw&ved=0CEUQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=%22alternate%20title%22%20scouse%20git&f=false Paul Du Noyer, 'Liverpool Wondrous Place: From the Cavern to the Capital of Culture', Random House, 2012, p. 86]
The song is played by all four Monkees with Dolenz on vocals, drums and timpani, Davy Jones on backing vocals, Mike Nesmith on guitar, Peter Tork on piano and organ, and producer Chip Douglas (The Turtles) on bass guitar.
Dolenz reprises lyrics from the song in "Love's What I Want", a bonus track to the 2016 Monkees album 'Good Times!' ("Why don't you be like me? Why don't you stop and see? Why don't you hate who I hate kill who I kill to be free?").
Personnel
The Monkees:
* Micky Dolenz: lead vocal, drums, timpani
* Peter Tork: organ, piano, backing vocals
* Michael Nesmith: electric guitar, backing vocals
* Davy Jones: backing vocals, percussion
with:
* Chip Douglas: bass
Charts
Cover versions
*Carter USM covered the song as a B-side to the 1990 Anytime Anyplace Anywhere single.
*Bad Manners covered the song on their 1997 album 'Heavy Petting.'
*Dolenz re-recorded the song on his 2012 album, 'Remember'.
*The Orwells released a version to their fan mailing list on December 25, 2016.
References
Category:1967 singles
Category:1967 songs
Category:Obscenity controversies in music
Category:Self-censorship
Category:The Monkees songs
Category:Till Death Us Do Part
Category:Songs written by Micky Dolenz
Category:Songs about the Beatles
Category:Songs about Liverpool
Buy Randy Scouse Git now from Amazon
<-- Return to songs from 1967