Do the Strand

1973 single by Roxy Music

"Do the Strand"

Single by Roxy Music
from the album  For Your Pleasure
B-side| "Editions of You"
Released| July 1973
Recorded| February 1973
Studio| AIR Studios, London
Genre|

* Glam rock[1]
* dance-rock[2]
* avant-pop[3]

Length| 4:04 (album)
3:19 (single)
Label| Island
Songwriter(s)| Bryan Ferry
Producer(s)| Chris Thomas, John Anthony, Roxy Music
Roxy Music singles chronology
| "Pyjamarama"
(1973)  | "Do the Strand"
(1973)  | "Street Life"
(1973)

|
|

Official audio
"Do the Strand" on YouTube

"Do the Strand" is the first song from English rock band Roxy Music's second album, For Your Pleasure. In contrast to the songs from Roxy Music's eponymous debut album, this song starts suddenly without any instrumental fanfare. Like the rest of the album, the song was recorded at AIR Studios in London, and issued on the Island Records label.

## Composition

[edit]

"Do the Strand" was written by Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry. Ferry said of the song's origins: "I had long been a fan of Cole Porter and other songwriters from his era. 'Do the Strand' was an attempt to emulate that style of writing, with a lot of cultural references that I found interesting."[4]

In the mode of early-1960s 'dance craze' songs such as "The Twist", the song tries to convince the listener to dance the Strand, which takes its name from a film noir advertisement for Strand cigarettes. The lyric includes, as is typical for early Roxy Music, references to notable art, including The Sphinx, the Mona Lisa, Lolita and Picasso's Guernica. Bryan Ferry described his idea for "The Strand" as "the 'dance of life' — thus bringing to mind earlier dance phenomena, such as the avant-garde passion and exuberance of both the Ballets Russes and the controversial Jazz Age dance craze the Charleston."[5]

The song gives no instructions on how the Strand should be danced. Simon Puxley, writing in 1973 for the Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music Archive, suggested the dance was "indefinable" and best thought of as "where it's at, whatever turns you on. The buzz, the action, the centre, the quintessence, the energy."[6]

## Release

[edit]

"Do the Strand" was released as a single in 1973 in some countries but not in the UK. That same year, however, the band performed the song on the BBC music show The Old Grey Whistle Test.[7] It was released as a single in the UK in 1978 to promote Roxy Music's Greatest Hits album, but it failed to chart. Despite this, the song remains one of the most popular amongst the band's fans, especially at live concerts.

The UK single cover features a photograph of Mackay, Ferry, Eno, Thompson and Manzanera, all posed with guitars.

## Legacy and cover versions

[edit]

In 1972, an early incarnation of the Sex Pistols featuring Wally Nightingale called themselves The Strand, after Roxy Music's song "Do the Strand".[8][9]

The German synthpop band Alphaville recorded a cover version of "Do the Strand" for their 2003 album CrazyShow.[10] The American pop band Scissor Sisters recorded a cover version for the War Child charity's 2009 charity album War Child Presents Heroes.[11]

## Musicians

[edit]

* Andy Mackay – oboe and saxophone
* Bryan Ferry – voice and keyboards
* Brian Eno – synthesizer and tapes
* Paul Thompson – drums
* Phil Manzanera – guitar
* John Porter – bass

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Fontenot, Robert. "What is Glam Rock?". LiveAbout. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
2. ^ Marsh, Dave (1989). The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. Plume. p. 339\. ISBN 0-452-26305-0.
3. ^ Harrington, Jim (2005). "Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. London: Cassell Illustrated. p. 296.
4. ^ "Roxy Music - Songs - on VivaRoxyMusic.com". www.vivaroxymusic.com. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
5. ^ Ferry, Bryan. "History: Beginnings". Archived from the original on 28 April 2016.
6. ^ Puxley, Simon (1973). "Do the Strand Explained". Archived from the original on 14 October 2007.
7. ^ The Old Grey Whistle Test (DVD). Warner Home Video. 2003.
8. ^ Jones & Cook interviews, The Filth and The Fury, Julien Temple, Film Four (DVD), 2000
9. ^ Savage, Jon (18 January 2002). England's Dreaming, Revised Edition: Anarchy, Sex Pistols, Punk Rock, and Beyond. St. Martin's Griffin. p. 77\. ISBN 0312288220.
10. ^ Roberts, Janey (27 June 2021). "Top 10 Alphaville Songs".
11. ^ "War Child Presents Heroes". EW.com.

### Further reading

[edit]

* https://www.classicrockhistory.com/top-10-roxy-music-songs/
* https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/roxy-music-songs-best-hits-list-8504579/

* v
* t
* e

Roxy Music

* Bryan Ferry
* Andy Mackay
* Paul Thompson
* Phil Manzanera

* Graham Simpson
* Brian Eno
* David O'List
* Eddie Jobson

Studio albums|

* Roxy Music
* For Your Pleasure
* Stranded
* Country Life
* Siren
* Manifesto
* Flesh + Blood
* Avalon

Live albums|

* Viva!
* The High Road
* Heart Still Beating
* Concert Classics
* Concerto
* Live

Compilation albums|

* Greatest Hits
* The Atlantic Years 1973–1980
* Street Life: 20 Great Hits
* The Ultimate Collection
* More than This: The Best of Bryan Ferry + Roxy Music
* The Thrill of It All
* The Best of Roxy Music

Singles|

* "Virginia Plain"
* "Pyjamarama"
* "Do the Strand"
* "Street Life"
* "All I Want Is You"
* "The Thrill of It All"
* "Love Is the Drug"
* "Both Ends Burning"
* "Trash"
* "Dance Away"
* "Angel Eyes"
* "Over You"
* "Oh Yeah"
* "Same Old Scene"
* "In the Midnight Hour"
* "Jealous Guy"
* "More Than This"
* "Avalon"

Other songs|

* "Re-Make/Re-Model"
* "Ladytron"
* "If There Is Something"
* "2HB"
* "Bitters End"
* "In Every Dream Home a Heartache"
* "Like a Hurricane"

Related articles|

* Discography
* List of Roxy Music members
* John Porter
* John Gustafson
* Sal Maida
* John Wetton
* Rick Wills
* Alan Spenner
* Gary Tibbs
* Paul Carrack
* Andy Newmark
* Neil Hubbard

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work

|

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