"Hanging Around" | |
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Song by the Stranglers | |
from the album Rattus Norvegicus | |
Released | 15 April 1977 |
Recorded | 1977 |
Studio | T.W. Studios, Fulham |
Genre | |
Length | 4:25 |
Label | United Artists |
Songwriter(s) | |
Producer(s) | Martin Rushent |
"Hanging Around" is a song by English rock band the Stranglers, released on their 1977 debut album Rattus Norvegicus. The song was written by the band's guitarist, Hugh Cornwell, and is notable for its driving bassline and its lyrics about urban alienation.
The song grew out of a bass line by Jean-Jacques Burnel to which Hugh Cornwell added lyrics. The lyrics were inspired by people who used to 'hang around' the London clubs, particularly the Nashville, where the band used to perform. The first verse focuses on "a woman in red who was always there getting drunk and passing out, which [according to Cornwell] used to make us laugh". The second verse makes reference to Earl's Court Road near the Nashville where drug hustlers hung about. The third verse refers to "a friend of ours called Garry Coward-Williams, who was always smiling, and a friend of his we called Duncan Doughnuts, who was 20 going on 40. I could never believe how old he looked. His whole manner and appearance was of a middle-aged man". For the fourth verse, Cornwell had run out of ideas, so Burnel provided the lyrics for it, which refer to the Coleherne, a gay pub that he used to frequent. [1] [2]
The chorus mentions Jesus Christ, about which Cornwell has said:
"The title of the song reminded me of a joke I'd heard, which I thought was funny. What a great way to spend Easter, hanging around on a cross. It's very flippant. I find that references to God and Christ are very emotive. For a long period of time I loved hanging around churches. There's something fascinating about the power of religious belief. I'm not necessarily a very religious person, but I'm fascinated by the regalia and everything connected with it. I love using references to religion in the creative process because it's so emotive and controversial. You get people who strongly believe and equally strident non-believers". [1]
There was a possibility that "Hanging Around" could have been released as the band's third single. However, their second album, No More Heroes , was released five months after Rattus Norvegicus in September 1977 and "it wouldn't have made marketing sense to release a single from one album, when a new album was coming out immediately afterwards". [1] Instead, "Something Better Change" was released in July 1977 as their third single and first from No More Heroes.
"Hanging Around" | ||||
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Single by Hazel O'Connor | ||||
from the album Cover Plus | ||||
Released | September 1981 | |||
Recorded | 1981 | |||
Studio | Good Earth Studios, London | |||
Genre | New wave | |||
Length |
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Label | Albion | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Tony Visconti | |||
Hazel O'Connor singles chronology | ||||
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In September 1981, British singer Hazel O'Connor released a cover of the song as a single from her second studio album Cover Plus . It peaked at number 45 on the UK Singles Chart. [3]
Reviewing for Smash Hits , Ian Birch wrote "Hazel always treats her songs like showbiz productions. You might almost see the stage set here (city streets and distant neon). The orchestra bound into a fat rhythm. There's some sweaty sax for atmosphere and some synthesiser for modernity. Hazel performs a show-stopper while a male chorus sellotape on back-up vocals". [4] When reviewing Cover Plus for Record Mirror , Simon Tebbutt described "Hanging Around" as "a curiously watered down version with little of the raunch of the original". [5]
7" (UK)
7" (Europe & Australia)
Chart (1981) | Peak position |
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Ireland (IRMA) [6] | 28 |
UK Singles (OCC) [3] | 45 |
UK Indie (MRIB) [7] | 10 |
In 2023, Swedish rock band Ghost released a cover of the song on their EP Phantomime. [8]
The Stranglers are an English rock band who emerged via the punk rock scene. Scoring 23 UK top 40 singles and 19 UK top 40 albums to date in a career spanning five decades, the Stranglers are one of the longest-surviving bands to have originated in the UK punk scene.
"Peaches" is a single by the Stranglers, from their debut studio album Rattus Norvegicus (1977). Notable for its distinctive bassline, the track peaked at No. 8 in the UK Singles Chart.
No More Heroes is the second studio album by English new wave band the Stranglers. It was released on 23 September 1977, through record label United Artists in most of the world and A&M in the United States, five months after their debut album, Rattus Norvegicus.
The Raven is the fourth studio album by English new wave band the Stranglers, released on 15 September 1979, through record label United Artists.
Rattus Norvegicus is the debut studio album by the Stranglers, released on 15 April 1977.
Black and White is the third studio album by English new wave band the Stranglers. It was released on 12 May 1978, through record label United Artists in most of the world and A&M in America.
Live (X Cert) is the first live album by the Stranglers, released in February 1979 by United Artists. It contains tracks recorded at The Roundhouse in June and November 1977 and at Battersea Park in September 1978.
La folie is the sixth studio album by English new wave band the Stranglers. It was released on 9 November 1981, through the EMI record label Liberty.
Nosferatu is an album by Hugh Cornwell of the Stranglers and Robert Williams, drummer in Captain Beefheart's Magic Band. It was released on 16 November 1979 by United Artists.
Feline is the seventh studio album by the Stranglers and was released on 14 January 1983 on the Epic record label, their first for the label. The first edition came with a free one-sided 7" single "Aural Sculpture Manifesto". Feline drew heavily on two of the dominant musical influences in Europe of the time, by using primarily acoustic guitars and electronic drums as well as Dave Greenfield's synthesizers. The American edition of the album included the British hit single "Golden Brown" as the closing track on side one of the original vinyl.
Greatest Hits 1977–1990 is a compilation album by the Stranglers, released in November 1990 by Epic Records. It contains hit singles selected from their back catalogue from both EMI and Epic Records.
10 is the tenth studio album by English rock band the Stranglers, released in March 1990 by Epic Records. It was the last to feature guitarist/lead singer Hugh Cornwell. 10 peaked at No. 15 and spent four weeks in the UK Albums Chart.
The Stranglers and Friends: Live in Concert is a live album by English rock band the Stranglers, released in 1995 by Receiver Records. In 2002, the album was re-released on the Castle Music label, digitally remastered from the original master tapes with new artwork and sleeve notes.
Aural Sculpture is the eighth studio album by the Stranglers, released in November 1984 by Epic Records. It was also the name given to a one-sided 7-inch single given free with a limited number of copies of their Feline album in 1983. The "Aural Sculpture Manifesto" on the 7" single was played before the Stranglers appeared on stage during concerts during both the 1983 "Feline" tour and the 1985 "Aural Sculpture" tour.
About Time is the twelfth studio album from the Stranglers and the second one from the Black, Burnel, Greenfield, Roberts and Ellis line-up. The album was released in 1995 through the When! label. It was co-produced, engineered and mixed by Alan Winstanley, who had worked with the Stranglers on their first four albums. Nigel Kennedy plays electric violin on "Face", and a string-quartet is used on three of the eleven tracks.
Jean-Jacques Burnel is an English musician, producer and songwriter, best known as the bass guitarist and co-lead vocalist with the English rock band The Stranglers. He is the last founding member to remain in the band.
David Paul Greenfield was an English keyboardist, singer and songwriter who was a member of rock band The Stranglers. He joined the band in 1975, within a year of its formation, and played with them for 45 years until his death.
IV is a compilation album by the Stranglers, released on 24 September 1980 on I.R.S. Records and only available in the US and Canada.
"Sometimes" is a song by The Stranglers, appearing as the first song on their debut album Rattus Norvegicus (1977). The song was written and sung by Hugh Cornwell, and credited to the band as a whole.
"Goodbye Toulouse" is a song by The Stranglers, appearing as the second song on their 1977 debut album Rattus Norvegicus. The lyrics were written by Jean-Jacques Burnel and the music by Hugh Cornwell, although it was credited to the band as a whole.