The sad thing about The Firm‘s records being so perfectly suited to their format is that it made them so easily forgettable. By the time Star Trekkin’ came along, no-one remembered anymore that they’d already knocked the “novelty song about a TV show/even sillier quickie version on the flip” formula out of the park five years earlier. And with the demise of the 7″, neither record is ever going to be much commercial use ever again.
But “Arthur Daley (e’s Alright)” is still a great parody of ver cockernee knees-up pop pastiche (a decade too early for Parklife!) as well as an affectionate tribute to the glory years of George Cole and the full-sized Dennis Waterman on Minder. The B-side here was simply a “posh version” of the A, with the exact same lyrics enunciated in a faux-RP accent not much goofier than the geezer tones on the other side.
The Firm – Arthur Daley (e’s Alright)
The Firm – Arthur Daley (He’s Alright)
Buy:
Yer ‘avin’ a larf, ain’cha? But look, if you’re really keen, feel free to buy me a copy of the Umbrella box sets for Series 3 or 4 of Minder. I’ll put up an extract of one of the Australian-exclusive George Cole commentary tracks as thanks!
Just to mention… you didn’t actually say who the “Fake Indie Label(tm)” in question were… Maybe worth putting it in :)
Now that’s weird! My comment appeared on the wrong post. Let’s see if this one works.
I don’t need Chr!s Murphy ego-googling his way here! and mainly, I figure it’s irrelevant to any readers who weren’t in Australia in the early ’90s, since they’ve been eaten now…
I would love to find a copy of this track. Googling for it brought me here. Pure childhood nostalgia. A friend had the 7″ at one time, maybe he still has it.
I cannot find the lyrics online anywhere, probably because it’s so forgettable. But it’s going round in my head.
Checking out the bar in the Winchester club
No VAT on the sovs these days and Brian’s still looking for a sub
Arthur’s on to a nice little earner
Terry gets a slap…
Alright my son hang about leave it out
No bother as it happens it’s your shout
Straight up ? on …
The geezer with the bunny and the trilby hat
Reckons he’s legit but it ain’t all that
Arthur Daley little dodgy maybe
But underneath… ‘e’s alright
That’s all I remember.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-nW8ORnwzYI