What draws me to this band is the bass. It’s so raw in some of their songs that it sounds like it was plugged into an Ampeg amp and turned to 11. Before I heard them, this is close to the sound I got live, so it sounded totally natural to me. The Stranglers were labeled a punk band, but it’s clear they were musically superior to their peers and managed to retain that rawness. So a shout out to bass player J.J. Burnel.
This song was released in 1977 as the title song to their 1977 album. The Stranglers doubled down on their refusal to play by punk’s rulebook. While many of their peers were playing with speed and volume, the Stranglers were more into structure and order. It was written during a period of constant touring and confrontation, and with this band, that is totally believable. They already had a “difficult” reputation. Rather than celebrating rebellion, this song questioned the idea of hero worship altogether.
The track is driven by Jean-Jacques Burnel’s bass line, which carries the song as much as the vocals. Hugh Cornwell’s guitar work is sharp, while Jet Black keeps the rhythm steady and controlled. The playing sounds like a band that knows exactly what it wants to say. Producer Martin Rushent encouraged clarity and separation, helping the bass dominate without muddying the sound. Cornwell’s vocal was delivered straight, like he was observing something in real time. The list of names in the song came together naturally, chosen for how they fit the theme rather than for provocation alone. Basically, a rejection of dependency on figures to lead the way.
Lyrically, Cornwell runs through a list of historical and cultural figures, not to praise them, but to question why society keeps needing replacements for fallen idols. The chorus is blunt and repeated without any form of apology. This is a band more interested in thought than a the punk posture. Now, years later, the song still holds up because its message never tied itself to a moment. Heroes come and go.
The album No More Heroes peaked at #2 on the UK Album Charts in 1977. The song peaked at #8 on the UK Charts. This song was written by Hugh Cornwell, Jean-Jacques Burnel, and Jet Black.
No More Heroes
Whatever happened to Leon Trotsky?He got an ice pickThat made his ears burn
Whatever happened to dear old Lenny?The great Elmyra, and Sancho Panza?Whatever happened to the heroes?Whatever happened to the heroes?
Whatever happened to all the heroes?All the Shakespearoes?They watched their Rome burnWhatever happened to the heroes?Whatever happened to the heroes?
No more heroes any moreNo more heroes any more
Whatever happened to all the heroes?All the Shakespearoes?They watched their Rome burnWhatever happened to the heroes?Whatever happened to the heroes?
No more heroes any moreNo more heroes any more
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