Every now and then, I stumble across a song that makes me wonder how I missed it for so many years. This awesome song by Ducks Deluxe was one of those. It has everything I like about pub rock. Enough energy to make it sound like the band is playing ten feet away. The first time I heard it, I knew it wouldn’t be the last.
Ducks Deluxe formed in England in the early 1970s and became one of the pioneers of the pub rock movement. While progressive rock bands were hot and glam rock was dominating the charts, Ducks Deluxe took a different path. They played straightforward rock and roll mixed with country, rhythm and blues, and a little rockabilly. The band never became a household name, but they helped build the foundation for a scene that would later produce artists like Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Graham Parker, and many others. Several members even went on to successful careers after the group broke up, proving just how much talent was packed into one band. Some band members joined Graham Parker’s band, The Rumour.
This song captures everything that made Ducks Deluxe special. The rhythm never lets up, the guitars have plenty of bite, and the whole band sounds like they’re having a great time. There isn’t a lot of studio polish here, and that’s part of the charm. Pub rock was about songs and musicianship, not gimmicks. Listening to it now, it’s easy to imagine hearing it in a crowded London pub with people packed shoulder to shoulder, enjoying every minute of it. This song was released in 1974 on their self-titled debut album.
What I like most about this is its honesty. It doesn’t try to be bigger than it needs to be. It’s simply a great rock and roll song played with confidence and heart. That’s something I’ve been discovering more and more as I dig into the pub rock scene. They left behind some outstanding music. Ducks Deluxe is another reminder that sometimes the best songs are the ones you have to find for yourself.
Fireball
Contemplate the subtle grace of Ditmar
As he drives his race car
Through turn six at Riverside in a power slide
He used to play the cello in a jazz band
Oh, so mellow and so low
The guys would close their eyes and say go man go
Well, there ain’t now sunshine when she’s gone
And there ain’t no peace when she’s at home
If it had been a boxing match they’d say
He tried to save the bout with a Sunday punch
And a knockout in the last round
He braked too late in the back straight
Hit the wall they all say that car was a fireball
Before it hit the ground
And there ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone
And there ain’t no peace when she’s at home
Contemplate the subtle grace of Ditmar
As he drives his race car
Through turn six a Riverside in a power slide
He braked too late in the back straight
Hit the wall they all say that car was a fireball
Before it hit the ground
And there ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone
And there ain’t no peace when she’s at home
