Do the Strand

Last updated
"Do the Strand"
Do the Strand cover.jpg
Single by Roxy Music
from the album For Your Pleasure
B-side "Editions of You"
ReleasedJuly 1973
RecordedFebruary 1973
Studio AIR Studios, London
Genre
Length4:04 (album)
3:19 (single)
Label Island
Songwriter(s) Bryan Ferry
Producer(s) Chris Thomas, John Anthony, Roxy Music
Roxy Music singles chronology
"Pyjamarama"
(1973)
"Do the Strand"
(1973)
"Street Life"
(1973)
Official audio
"Do the Strand" on YouTube

"Do the Strand" is the first song from English rock band Roxy Music's second album, For Your Pleasure . In contrast to the songs from Roxy Music's eponymous debut album, this song starts suddenly without any instrumental fanfare.

Contents

Like the rest of the album, the song was recorded at AIR Studios, Oxford Street, London.

Lyric

Do the Strand was written by Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry. Ferry said of the song's origins, "I had long been a fan of Cole Porter and other songwriters from his era. Do the Strand was an attempt to emulate that style of writing, with a lot of cultural references that I found interesting." [3]

In the mode of early-1960s 'dance craze' songs such as The Twist, the song tries to convince the listener to dance the Strand, which takes its name from a film noir advertisement for Strand cigarettes. The lyric includes, as is typical for early Roxy Music, references to notable art, including The Sphinx, the Mona Lisa , Lolita and Picasso's Guernica . Bryan Ferry described his idea for The Strand as "the 'dance of life' – thus bringing to mind earlier dance phenomena, such as the avant-garde passion and exuberance of both The Ballets Russes and the controversial Jazz Age dance craze the Charleston." [4]

The song gives no instructions on how the Strand should be danced. Simon Puxley, writing in 1973, suggested the dance was "indefinable" and best thought of as "where it's at, whatever turns you on. The buzz, the action, the centre, the quintessence, the energy." [5]

Single

"Do the Strand" was released as a single in 1973 in some countries but not in the UK. That same year, however, the band performed the song on the UK television music show The Old Grey Whistle Test . [6] It was released as a single in the UK in 1978 to promote Roxy Music's Greatest Hits album, but it failed to chart. Despite this, the song remains one of the most popular amongst the band's fans, especially at live concerts.

Covers

The German synthpop band Alphaville recorded a cover version of "Do the Strand" for their 2003 album CrazyShow .

The American pop band Scissor Sisters recorded another cover version for the War Child charity's 2009 charity album War Child Presents Heroes .

Musicians

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roxy Music</span> English art rock band

Roxy Music are an English rock band formed in 1970 by lead vocalist and principal songwriter Bryan Ferry and bassist Graham Simpson. By the time the band recorded their first album in 1972, Ferry and Simpson were joined by saxophonist and oboist Andy Mackay, guitarist Phil Manzanera, drummer Paul Thompson and synthesizer player Brian Eno. Other members over the years include keyboardist and violinist Eddie Jobson and bassist John Gustafson. The band split in 1976, reformed in 1978 and split again in 1983. In 2001, Ferry, Mackay, Manzanera and Thompson reunited for a concert tour and have toured together intermittently ever since, most recently in 2022 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their first album. Ferry has also frequently enlisted band members as backing musicians during his solo career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryan Ferry</span> English singer and songwriter (born 1945)

Bryan Ferry is an English singer and songwriter who achieved fame as the frontman of the band Roxy Music and as a solo artist. His distinctive voice has been described as an "elegant, seductive croon". He also established a distinctive image and sartorial style: according to The Independent, Ferry and his contemporary David Bowie influenced a generation with both their music and their appearances. Peter York described Ferry as "an art object" who "should hang in the Tate".

John Porter is an English musician and record producer.

<i>Country Life</i> (Roxy Music album) 1974 studio album by Roxy Music

Country Life is the fourth studio album by English art rock band Roxy Music, released on 15 November 1974 by Island Records. It was released by Atco Records in the United States. The album is considered by many critics to be among the band's most sophisticated and consistent.

<i>Flesh and Blood</i> (Roxy Music album) 1980 studio album by Roxy Music

Flesh and Blood is the seventh studio album by English rock band Roxy Music, released on 23 May 1980 by E.G. Records. It was an immediate commercial success peaking at No. 1 in the UK for one week in June and then returned to the summit in August for another three weeks, in total spending 60 weeks on the albums chart in the United Kingdom. The album also peaked at No. 35 in the United States and No. 10 in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Manzanera</span> English guitarist (born 1951)

Phillip Geoffrey Targett-Adams, known professionally as Phil Manzanera, is an English musician, songwriter and record producer. He is the lead guitarist with Roxy Music, and was the lead guitarist with 801 and Quiet Sun. In 2006, Manzanera co-produced David Gilmour's album On an Island, and played in Gilmour's band for tours in Europe and North America. He wrote and presented a series of 14 one-hour radio programmes for station Planet Rock entitled The A-Z of Great Guitarists.

<i>For Your Pleasure</i> 1973 studio album by Roxy Music

For Your Pleasure is the second studio album by the English rock band Roxy Music, released on 23 March 1973 by Island Records. It was their last to feature synthesiser and sound specialist Brian Eno.

<i>Roxy Music</i> (album) 1972 studio album by Roxy Music

Roxy Music is the debut studio album by English rock band Roxy Music, released on 16 June 1972 by Island Records.

<i>Bête Noire</i> (album) 1987 studio album by Bryan Ferry

Bête Noire is the seventh solo studio album by English singer Bryan Ferry, released on 2 November 1987 by Virgin Records in the United Kingdom and by Reprise Records in the United States. It was a commercial and critical success, peaking at No. 9 in the UK and was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

<i>Stranded</i> (album) 1973 studio album by Roxy Music

Stranded is the third album by English rock band Roxy Music, released in 1973 by Island Records. Stranded was the first Roxy Music album on which Bryan Ferry was not the sole songwriter, with multi-instrumentalist Andy Mackay and guitarist Phil Manzanera also making songwriting contributions. It is also their first album with keyboardist/violinist Eddie Jobson and bassist John Gustafson, who replaced Brian Eno and John Porter, respectively, after their departures following the release of their previous album For Your Pleasure.

<i>Lets Stick Together</i> 1976 album by Bryan Ferry

Let's Stick Together is a 1976 album by Bryan Ferry. His third solo release, it was his first following the disbanding of Roxy Music earlier in the year. Unlike Ferry's two previous solo releases, Let’s Stick Together was not a dedicated album project, instead predominately made up of singles, B-sides, and an EP. Three tracks were exclusive to the LP, all remakes of Roxy Music tracks: "Casanova", "2HB", and "Chance Meeting". It had a generally favourable critical reception, but only just made the UK Top 20.

<i>These Foolish Things</i> (album) 1973 studio album by Bryan Ferry

These Foolish Things is the debut solo studio album by Bryan Ferry, who at the time was still Roxy Music's lead vocalist. The album was released in October 1973 on Island Records in the United Kingdom and Atlantic Records in the United States. It is considered to be a departure from Roxy Music's sound, because it consists entirely of cover versions, mainly of standard songs. These Foolish Things was a commercial and critical success, peaking at number five on the UK Albums Chart. It received a gold certification from the British Phonographic Industry in May 1974.

<i>Boys and Girls</i> (album) 1985 studio album by Bryan Ferry

Boys and Girls is the sixth solo studio album by English singer and songwriter Bryan Ferry, released on 3 June 1985 by E.G. Records. The album was Ferry's first solo album in seven years and the first since he had disbanded his band Roxy Music in 1983. The album was Ferry's first and only number one solo album in the UK. It was certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and contains two UK top 40 hit singles. It is also Ferry's most successful solo album in the US, having been certified Gold for sales in excess of half a million copies there.

"In Every Dream Home a Heartache" is a song written by Bryan Ferry, originally appearing on his band Roxy Music's second studio album, For Your Pleasure (1973).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Street Life (Roxy Music song)</span> 1973 single by Roxy Music

"Street Life" is the opening track of English rock band Roxy Music's third album Stranded. Written by lead singer Bryan Ferry, the song is an ode to modern life that features sound effects of street noise alongside dissonant synth noises courtesy of newly recruited member Eddie Jobson. Producer Chris Thomas provides bass on the song.

<i>Another Time, Another Place</i> (Bryan Ferry album) 1974 studio album by Bryan Ferry

Another Time, Another Place was Bryan Ferry's second studio album as a solo artist. The album reached #4 in the UK charts in 1974.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (Roxy Music album) 1977 greatest hits album by Roxy Music

Greatest Hits is a compilation album by the English band Roxy Music. It was released in 1977, when the band were on hiatus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Both Ends Burning</span> 1975 single by Roxy Music

"Both Ends Burning" is a single by English rock band Roxy Music taken from their 1975 album Siren. Written by Bryan Ferry, the song features lyrics inspired by the pressure felt by the band to complete the Siren album as well as keep up their touring obligations. Ferry's struggles in writing the lyrics for the song meant that the band largely had to complete the instrumental track without his vocal line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dance Away</span> 1979 single by Roxy Music

"Dance Away" is a song by the English rock band Roxy Music. Released in April 1979, it was the second single to be taken from their album Manifesto, and became one of the band's most famous songs, reaching number 2 in the UK and spending a total of 14 weeks on the charts, the longest chart residency of a Roxy Music single. Although it did not make number 1, it became the ninth biggest selling single in the UK in 1979. It did make it to number 1 on the Irish Singles Chart and held that position for one week.

<i>The Jazz Age</i> (The Bryan Ferry Orchestra album) 2012 studio album by The Bryan Ferry Orchestra

The Jazz Age is the fourteenth studio album by English singer Bryan Ferry released in 2012. It was co-produced by Ferry and Rhett Davies, with arrangements by Colin Good. The album is a re-recording of some of Ferry's compositions played in the jazz style of the 1920s by The Bryan Ferry Orchestra. The 13 songs have been chosen from 11 albums, from his very first release Roxy Music (1972) to his then most recent solo record, Olympia (2010). It was Ferry's lowest charting album of his career, peaking at #50 on the UK Albums Chart.

References

  1. Fontenot, Robert. "What is Glam Rock?". LiveAbout. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  2. Harrington, Jim (2005). "Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . London: Cassell Illustrated. p. 296.
  3. "Roxy Music - Songs - on VivaRoxyMusic.com". www.vivaroxymusic.com. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  4. Ferry, Bryan. "History: Beginnings". Archived from the original on 28 April 2016.
  5. Puxley, Simon (1973). "Do the Strand Explained". Archived from the original on 14 October 2007.
  6. The Old Grey Whistle Test (DVD). Warner Home Video. 2003.