"The Bangin' Man" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1974 as a non-album single. It was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler. It reached No. 3 in the UK, remaining in the charts for seven weeks.[2] The song was certified UK Silver by BPI for sales over 250,000 that same year.[3][4]
| "The Bangin' Man" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Slade | ||||
| B-side | "She Did It to Me" | |||
| Released | 28 June 1974[1] | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 4:10 | |||
| Label | Polydor | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Noddy Holder, Jim Lea | |||
| Producer(s) | Chas Chandler | |||
| Slade singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Audio sample | ||||
Background
editAfter the release of "Everyday" as a single in March 1974, the band soon returned to the studio to record a follow-up. Returning to a more rock-based sound, "The Bangin' Man" was released in June 1974.[5] It reached No. 3 in the UK, giving the band their twelfth UK hit.[6] "The Bangin' Man" was written while the band were touring Australia.[7] The song's lyrics refer to Slade's tour manager Graham "Swinn" Swinnerton,[8] who had the job of waking each band member up in their hotel rooms, ready to head on to the next destination of their tour.[9]
Release
edit"The Bangin' Man" was released on 7" vinyl by Polydor Records in the UK, Ireland, across Europe, Scandinavia, Yugoslavia, America, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.[10][11] The B-side, "She Did It to Me", was exclusive to the single and would later appear on the band's 2007 compilation B-Sides. Although the song was a non-album single elsewhere, "The Bangin' Man" was included on the United States Warner Bros. Records release of Slade in Flame in 1975.
Promotion
editNo music video was filmed to promote the single. The band performed the song on the UK ITV show Supersonic and the German TV show Disco. The band also performed the song on the Dutch AVRO TV show TopPop.[5] The song was not performed on the UK music show Top of the Pops due to a BBC strike.[12][13]
Critical reception
editUpon release, Record Mirror described the song as a "dramatically direct commercial song" with "plenty of space for guitar work".[14] Sounds commented: "Slade are getting very good at getting the details right these days. All the playing is excellent; strong direct drumming, forceful bass and some lead guitar that would knock spots off some of our guitar heroes, and Noddy is singing better than he has ever before."[4][15] In a retrospective review of Slade in Flame, Geoff Ginsberg of AllMusic said the song was "definitely one of Slade's best, and worth seeking out on a greatest-hits CD."[16]
Track listing
edit- 7" Single
- "The Bangin' Man" - 4:10
- "She Did it to Me" - 3:16
Personnel
edit- Slade
- Noddy Holder - lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Dave Hill - lead guitar, backing vocals
- Jim Lea - bass, backing vocals
- Don Powell - drums
- Additional personnel
- Chas Chandler - producer
Charts
edit| Chart (1974) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[17] | 48 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[18] | 18 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[19] | 28 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[20] | 3 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[21] | 22 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[22] | 18 |
| Norway (VG-lista)[23] | 4 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[24] | 3 |
| West Germany (GfK)[25] | 7 |
References
edit- ^ "Slade - The Bangin' Man / She Did It To Me - Polydor - UK - 2058 492". 45cat. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
- ^ "SLADE | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
- ^ "1974 - Slade Fan Club www.sladefanclub.com". Sladefanclub.com. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
- ^ a b Slade Fan Club Newsletter August - September 1974
- ^ a b "1974 Press Cuttings". Slade Scrapbook. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
- ^ "slade | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
- ^ "CD Album - Slade - Greatest Hits - Feel The Noize - Polydor - UK". 45worlds.com. 9 February 2015. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
- ^ Ian Edmundson. "SLADE @ www.slayed.co.uk". Crazeeworld.plus.com. Archived from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
- ^ "Tributes as man who oversaw the rise of Slade dies after cancer battle". 4 December 2015.
- ^ "ALL Discography @ www.collectadisc.co.uk". Collectadisc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
- ^ "Slade - The Bangin' Man at Discogs". Discogs.com. 1974. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
- ^ "1986 - Slade Fan Club www.sladefanclub.com". Sladefanclub.com. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
- ^ Slade International Fan Club newsletter June - July - August 1986
- ^ Record Mirror magazine 22 June 1974
- ^ "320026_orig.jpg (570x800 pixels)". Archive.is. 17 July 2012. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
- ^ Geoff Ginsberg. "Slade in Flame - Slade | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 277. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Slade – The Bangin' Man" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ "Slade – The Bangin' Man" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Bangin' Man". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Slade" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ "Slade – The Bangin' Man" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ "Slade – The Bangin' Man". VG-lista. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ "Slade: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Slade – The Bangin' Man" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
