The Winker's Song (Misprint)

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"The Wanker's Song (Misprint)"
Winker's Song.jpg
Song by Ivor Biggun and the Red Nosed Burglars
from the album The Wanker's Album (Misprint)
Published1978
Released2 September 1978 (1978-09-02)
Genre Comedy, novelty
Label Beggars Banquet Records
Songwriter(s) Doc Cox

"The Winker's Song (Misprint)", also known as "The Wanker's Song" and "I'm a Wanker", [1] [2] [3] is a 1978 British comedy single. It was written and performed by Doc Cox, under the pseudonym of "Ivor Biggun and the Red Nosed Burglars" [4] and produced by Beggars Banquet Records. [5] The song was released on 2 September 1978. [6] It reached number 22 on the UK Singles Chart despite not being aired on the radio owing to obscenities pertaining to masturbation within the song. [7]

Contents

History

Founded in 1974, Beggars Banquet Records was known for the left field acts signed to it, with Doc Cox being signed to them in 1978. [8] "The Winker's Song" was released in 1978; the original title was "The Wanker's Song", but it was edited to "The Winker's Song" because of fears that shops would not stock it. [4] The song did not receive airplay on national radio stations owing to the content referring to masturbation and was banned from being broadcast by the BBC for being sexually explicit. [9] [10] [11] However, "The Winker's Song" received attention after Johnny Rotten as a guest editor of New Musical Express endorsed it as a "definite buy". [12]

The song started in the UK Singles Chart at number 68 and remained in the charts for 12 weeks. [6] It reached its highest position of 22 on 1 October 1978, [13] bringing Beggars Banquet Records their first UK Top 40 hit. [5] It was later released on Cox's first album, which was named after the song, The Winker's Album (Misprint). [14]

The song has continued to be played into modern times; it has been used to clear the dance floor in Ibiza and Brighton. [15] [16] [17]

Analysis

"The Winker's Song" has been compared to the style of George Formby, [18] owing to its use of ukuleles. [11]

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References

  1. ↑ Long, Tony (2016). Lethal Force. Random House. p. 52. ISBN   978-1785034749.
  2. ↑ Raven, Daniel (2010). Made In Brighton: From the grand to the gutter: Modern Britain as seen from beside the sea. Random House. p. 20. ISBN   978-0753535851.
  3. ↑ "The 15 Best Songs That Are Totally About Masturbation". Cracked.com. 2007-05-07. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  4. 1 2 Edge Music (2015-05-07). "Alphabetical Archive – Ivor Biggun: 'The Winker's Song' (1978)". Edge.ca. Retrieved 2017-02-03.[ permanent dead link ]
  5. 1 2 Hoffman, Frank (2004). Encyclopedia of Recorded Sound. Routledge. p. 177. ISBN   1135949506.
  6. 1 2 "The Winker's Song (misprint)- full Official Chart History". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  7. ↑ "National Orgasm Day 2016: Male masturbation metaphors ranked". Metro. 2016-07-31. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  8. ↑ Thompson, Dave (2002). The Music Lover's Guide to Record Collecting. Backbeat Books. ISBN   1617132020.
  9. ↑ The encyclopedia of popular music: Indexes, Volume 10. Colin Larkin. Oxford University Press, 2006
  10. ↑ ".Banned Recordings". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. 1997-09-13. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  11. 1 2 "The Winker's Song (Misprint) by Ivor Biggun". Songfacts.com. 1978-09-02. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  12. ↑ "Press Archives". New Musical Express. 1978-07-22. Retrieved 2017-02-03– via Fodderstompf.
  13. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 75". Official Charts Company. 1978-10-01. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  14. ↑ "Vinyl Album – Ivor Biggun – The Winker's Album (Misprint) – Beggars Banquet – UK". 45worlds.com. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  15. ↑ "Fruity Lyrics". Stiff Weapon, Purveyors of the Finest Phonographic Filth from Ivor Biggun. Stiff Weapon. 2011-06-03. Retrieved 2017-04-01.
  16. ↑ "Blackpool Rebellion 5-8 August 2010". TV Smith. Retrieved 2017-04-01.
  17. ↑ Raven, Daniel (2010). Made In Brighton: From the grand to the gutter: Modern Britain as seen from beside the sea. Random House. p. 20. ISBN   978-0753535851.
  18. ↑ Johnson, Howard (2002). X-Rated: The 200 Rudest Records Ever!. Carlton Books Ltd. p. 28. ISBN   1842227491.
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