John Cooper Clarke was a fixture on British TV music shows and the Punk and New Wave live music circuit in the late 70’s.
He brought poetry to an audience that would not normally have been receptive to listening to poetry, in those heady days of revolt and revolution in music culture, fashion and politics.
Poetry had been seen as part of the establishment - but over time the satirical elements and absurdity of life could be presented in a different way - not just via music.
I remember seeing John Cooper Clarke- in his trademark shades- over 40 years ago in about 1982 at a college gig- I think it was Keele University- and was mesmerized by the efficient use of language to bang the point home-as he pushed back on societal conventions and norms.
This was around the time of Thatcherism, the end of heavy industry like steel and coal and the crushing of the union movement in the UK.
There was anger and discontent being felt and this permeated the music at the time.
Check out:
“I Don’t Want To Be Nice”
“What you see is what you get
You only live twice
A friend in need is a friend in debt
I don’t want to be nice”
He inspired countless musicians presenting their music and ideas in song form - but with a focus on bringing brevity and satire with clever word choice to the lyrics that would make people actually listen.
Ian Dury and the Blockheads lyrics from the same era, comes to mind as well - and will be the subject of a future feature.
Check out “Majorca” - a popular tourist destination in the Mediterranean for partying.
“Majorca”
“I got drunk with another fella
Who’d just brought up a previous paella
He wanted a fight but said they were yella’
…in Majorca”
To quote his bio:
“John Cooper Clarke shot to prominence in the 1970s as the original ‘people’s poet’.
His unique poetry and delivery style was recorded and put to music by legendary producer
Martin Hannett and a band of Mancunian stars, including Buzzcocks Peter Shelley and The
Durutti Column’s Vini Reilly, masquerading as The Invisible Girls.
“John Cooper Clarke’s early live shows were renowned occasions. He headlined gigs with support from many
soon to be superstars, including Joy Division, New Order and Duran Duran. He himself featured
as special guest on many shows by the Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks and The Clash, as well as
carving his own unique niche as a stand up poet.”
In 2013 he was awarded an honorary doctorate of arts by Salford University in the UK - honored for his literary significance in a career spanning 50 years.
To all of us coming up in the late 70’s navigating Punk and New Wave and forming bands and writing our own songs- he was an enormous influence -and still is, by influencing more recent bands like Arctic Monkeys.
More info here: