THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

816-John Cooper Clarke-Evidently Chickentown.

1980-Has never been released as a single.

Best Bit-At 0.49.It’s a bloody good song.

John Cooper Clarke was born on January 25th, 1949, in Salford, Lancashire, England, he is a performance poet, who first became famous during the Punk era of the late 1970’s.He would tour, often as an opening act for some of the biggest names of the day, including, the Sex Pistols, and New Order.Clarke has cited his English teacher, John Malone, and the works of the poet Sir Henry Newbolt (1862-1938,) as an inspiration. He also attributes English poet Pam Ayres, as inspiring him,after seeing her run of success on the British television talent show ‘Opportunity Knocks.’

‘Evidently Chickentown’ is from Clarke’s forth studio Album ‘Snap, Crackle & Bop’ released in 1980, the lyrics are by Clarke, and the music was written by Martin Hannett (1948-1991,) and Steve Hopkins, together with drummer Paul Burgess, the three were known as ‘The Invisible Girls.”Evidently Chickentown’ uses repeated profanity to get it’s point across about how tough life can be, when played live, Clarke will often substitute the word ‘Bloody’ for the ‘F’ word.

The lyrics (poem,) bears more than a passing resemblance to an earlier work titled ‘The Bloody Orkneys,’ written by the author, and journalist Andrew Blair, under the pseudonym Captain Hamish Blair. Clarke has said he ‘Didn’t consciously copy it, but I must have heard that poem, years ago, it’s terrific.’

‘The bloody pubs are bloody dull, the bloody clubs are bloody full, of bloody girls, and bloody boys, with bloody murder in their eyes.