Home » Forum » Lyrics Library »
Oil City Blue

Oil City Blue

Lyric #3123 by bassMonkey

Tags: Blues, Tribute
Lyrics use permission note:
The free lyrics offered here may be used in the scope of private use.
If you would like to make use of the lyrics in a commercial context, please request permission from the author.
For details, read the Lyric license
posted on #1
bassMonkey Supporter
Posts: 383
Joined: 2 déc. 2020
Bustin' outta Canvey Island,
Like a loco' down the tracks,
It's the sound of Wilko Johnson,
Booming from those Marshall Stacks,
That's how we like it,
This is what we came to see,
It's as sweaty as it's dirty,
Oil City R and B.

Plays the lead part on the down strum,
Plays the rythmn on the up,
He could kill you just by looking,
If you dared to interrupt,
Here comes a solo,
Wilko going for stroll,
Steppin' out just like he means it,
Psycho robot rock 'n' roll.

He got the island in his blood,
And he got music in his bones,
He got a six-stringed machine gun,
And a part in Game of Thones,
He's looking daggers,
Down the camera straight at you,
In a feat of silent menace,
That only he knows how to do.

If it's mixed by Dr Feelgood,
It's the medicine you'd chose,
Puts the meat in your potatoes,
Puts the rhythm in your blues,
Until that day came,
We all had to say goodbye,
So farewell then Wilko Johnson,
You made us happy my, oh, my.
+7
posted on #2
bassMonkey Supporter
Posts: 383
Joined: 2 déc. 2020
[Notes]
In tribute to the great Wilko Johnson who died last week.

A genuine English original with his choppy, finger picked style and unusual stage presence who will be much missed by his many fans.

Our hearts go out to his family.

[img]https://cdn.recordcollectormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/98.jpg[/img]

For those unfamiliar, he was founder, guitarist and songwriter for Dr Feelgood who came storming out
of Canvey Island (a town on a reclaimed island in the Thames Estuary not far from London) along with
a number of other acts within what became known as the "Pub Rock" movement in the 1970's.

Canvey has a long history with the oil industry and is sometimes called "Oil City". Check out Julien
Temple's wonderful documentary "Oil City Confidential" if you are keen to learn more...

"Pub Rock" was so-named simply because most of the acts played pubs. It was small-scale,
stripped-down and an antidote to the rest of the seventies music scene in the UK. It's often
credited with being something that laid the pathway for Punk with it's similar ethos
- and there were notable crossovers including the late, great Ian Dury.

Wilko (and Feelgood) played blues, sometimes called the "Second R&B Wave" being
inspired by the same American music that had fuelled acts like the Stones and the
Pretty Things in the sixties. Today, R&B means something totally different of course.

Wilko left Dr Feelgood in the late 70's and enjoyed many years as a solo artist and
playing with old cohorts (including Ian Dury). He came to a new audience when he was cast
as [i]Ser Ilyn Payn[/i] in Game of Thrones - legend has it that his agent told him
he had an audition and Wilko wasn't keen to go as he was no actor. The agent apparently told
him "No acting involved, you just have to look daggers at people and scare the sh*t out of
them".

"Yeah..." Said Wilko apparently, "I could certainly do THAT".

Diagnosed with late stage pancreatic cancer in 2013 and given months to live, he embarked on a
farewell tour. However, he was given radical surgery a year later, became cancer free and lived
another nine glorious years. I was privileged to see him a number of times in that period,
doing what he loved and treating each new day like a gift.
+5
Daddario EXL170
Daddario EXL170
Electric Bass String Set
22,90 €
iThis widget links to Thomann, our affiliate partner. We may receive a commission when you purchase a product there. Visit Shop
posted on #3
Shi Supporter
Posts: 357
Joined: 3 févr. 2013
very interesting to read bassMonkey and very cool lyrics and nice tribute too
+2
posted on #4
bassMonkey Supporter
Posts: 383
Joined: 2 déc. 2020
Thanks Shi, nice of you to say so :)
posted on #5
Zoot
Membre
Posts: 55
Joined: 2 mai 2020
Nice tribute to one for the greats privileged to have seen him with the Feelgoods in the Seventies and with Norm Watt Roy of the Blockheads on one of his tours following the cancer diagnosis. What a performer such stage presence. I love the story of the interviewer asking Wilko what pedals he used to get his sound to which he replies " Pedals? I am a guitarist not a F****ing cyclist! He will be missed
+1
wikiloops online jamsessions are brought to you with friendly support by:
user profile image
I am happy that I can fly with you in waves of music
Steve0526 from Hungary

wikiloops.com utilise des Cookies pour vous apporter la meilleure expérience de navigation.
En apprendre plus sur notre charte des données privées.