Lyrics
(Ludd gang, Ludd gang)
Ports, Jap, fella, missed, film, swizz, quartz, lorry, back, tread, damn, Ludd gang
The housing association, the McDonald's seat 1
Have prefixed him on "frustration"
I'll stick with the gang of one
I'll make a stand with the Ludd gang
Carve a hole in the rain for you
Carve a hole in the rain for you
Courage my sweet
Courage my sweet
Courage my sweet
It's the quiet like death
It's the choirette of death
Carve a hole in the rain for you
Carve a hole in the rain for you
I hate the guts of Shakin' Stevens for what he has done
The massacre of "Blue Christmas", on him I'd like to land one on 2
But I'll stick with the gang of one
Carve a hole in the rain for you
Courage my sweet
Courage my sweet
Courage my sweet
It's a quiet like death
It's the choirette of death
Carve a hole in the rain for you
Carve a hole in the rain for you
(The housing association foiled the reign of the rain)
(For this, McDonald is truly grateful)
Cab driver asks why I'm not at home with my feet put up
(Campaigns run amok, brick a window, run amok)
What's, Jap, lorry, back, feather, next, bishops, Ludd gang
Commentary
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LUDD GANG is a rang against tastelessness, including those who slash and aggravate on the ROCK N ROLL GREATS nerves, even if they are dead. It is respectfully dedicated to the Bluecaps. It contains the phrase ‘McDonalds Seat’, which is a contraption noted in scummy burger joints, in which said contraption is half size anybodys’ butt, designed to get you out ASAP.
From the press release for The Fall’s The Man Whose Head Expanded 7″ single (1983). “Ludd Gang” was the B-side. Included in the ‘Blue Book’: Smith, 2008, p.118. Note that the Blue Caps were Gene Vincent’s band.
G.H.: Going on to your more recent stuff, one of the verses in ‘Ludd Gang’ goes on about Shakin’ Stevens. What’s the song about, cheap nostalgia?
BRIXE: It’s anti-Shakin’ Stevens! We hate him!
MARK: Yeah, all that sort of stuff… like, where i live in Manchester, the houses, all that crap. The Luddites were from where I’m from, they used to smash machines and stuff. I don’t know whether it’s nostalgia, I just thought that would be good cos, like, ‘Blue Christmas’ by Elvis Presley was a really beautiful record, and to hear that basterd to it really pissed me off… in fact, the cover to that was also fucked up, cos the cover I did for Ludd Gang was really good, weren’t it?
BRIXE: Oh, err, yeah – sorry, I’ve forgotten the tape recorder can’t see me nod my head!
From the fanzine Grim Humour #4, 1984 (but based on an interview by Andy P., dated to the Electric Ballroom gig on 8 December 1983). Original spelling preserved.
Footnotes
- As the press release for the 1983 single, The Man Whose Head Expanded (“Ludd Gang” being the B-side) explains (see quotation above), a “McDonald’s Seat” is an uncomfortable chair in McDonald’s restaurants, which M.E.S. alleges are deliberately designed to encourage profitably swift turnover of customers. ↩︎
- See the entry for The Fall’s own cover of “Blue Christmas“. ↩︎
Sources / Links
- The Annotated Fall: “Ludd Gang” [Archived]
- Ford, Simon (2003). Hip Priest: the story of Mark E Smith and The Fall. London: Quartet Books.
- Grim Humour (1984). “The Fall”, interview by Andy P. #4, June/July. pp.8-9.
- Mackay, Tommy (2018). 40 Odd Years of The Fall. Place of publication unknown: Greg Moodie.
- Pringle, Steve (2022). You Must Get Them All: The Fall on Record. [paperback edition]. Pontefract: Route Publishing Ltd. [Online store]
- Smith, Mark E. (2008). vII. The Lough Press & AMarquisManipulationProductions. [AKA the Blue Lyrics Book]
- The Track Record: “Ludd Gang”
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