Ian Dury’s ‘Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll’: A Misunderstood Classic

In a surprising twist of musical history, Ian Dury’s iconic song “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll,” often perceived as a celebrated anthem, did not achieve significant commercial success upon its release in 1977. Contrary to popular belief, the track failed to chart within the UK Top 75, despite its enduring legacy and cultural impact.

Chaz Jankel, who co-wrote the song and played guitar on it, noted that while “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll” performed well on independent charts, it was largely shunned by mainstream outlets. “One of the problems was that, because of the title, the BBC refused to play it on air,” Jankel explained. Though BBC DJ Annie Nightingale played it in the evenings, daytime airplay was nearly nonexistent, limiting its reach. Additionally, Dury’s record label, Stiff Records, quickly withdrew the single, resulting in only 19,000 copies sold. Jankel remarked, “That was the company’s policy at the time – to go for fast sales on every single and then to delete it.”

Dury had long contemplated the song’s title before enlisting Jankel’s help to create a fitting composition. Jankel initially hesitated, placing the title at the bottom of his list of priorities. It was not until Dury hummed a riff during a visit to his flat in South London that Jankel began to take it seriously. “Once I had the start, the rest was easy,” he recounted.

The musical inspiration for the riff came from Ornette Coleman‘s 1960 album, “Change Of The Century.” The track “Ramblin'” featured a bass line that Dury later admitted to borrowing. Jankel discovered this connection when he heard the album playing while visiting Dury, leading to a moment of realisation about the riff’s origin. Interestingly, the musician Charlie Haden, who played bass on the original track, had also acknowledged drawing inspiration from a French Creole song, indicating a lineage of musical influence.

As the years went by, “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll” transcended its limited chart performance, becoming an anthem during live performances. Jankel recalled that during a 1977 tour with artists like Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello, the song emerged as a crowd favorite, often serving as the encore. “We understood this seemed to have taken on a life of its own,” Jankel said. “It was a good song for crowds to chant along to.”

Despite its lack of presence on Dury’s debut album, “New Boots And Panties!”, the song’s legacy grew, particularly when the French version of the album, which included it, outsold the UK release. Dury’s decision not to include the track stemmed from his belief that consumers should not have to pay for a song they had already purchased as a single. His unconventional approach extended to refusing to print lyrics on his records, arguing that the words did not constitute poetry.

The partnership between Dury and Jankel produced one of their most notable works, with Jankel reflecting on their creative synergy. “We had that symbiotic understanding,” he said, underscoring the duo’s remarkable collaboration. Dury often claimed their partnership was on par with that of Lennon & McCartney, enhancing Jankel’s confidence and creativity.

Regrettably, Jankel now wishes they had trademarked the phrase “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll.” He speculated on the potential financial value of such a trademark today. Despite the song’s high profile, few artists have attempted to cover it, likely due to the cumbersome title. While the hip hop group Mantronix sampled the track in 1990, and the UK group Honky followed suit in 1996, Jankel pointed out that the title often gets misquoted. The recent film about Dury initially planned to title it “Sex, Drugs & Rock & Roll,” until producers were informed of the missing component.

Today, “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll” remains a significant part of Dury’s legacy, illustrating the complexities of musical perception and the power of live performance in transforming a song’s impact.