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Ian Dury and The Blockheads : Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick

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On November 23, 1978 Ian Dury and the Blockheads released "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick", a catchy single that would make the unlikely journey all the way up to the top of the U.K. charts in January of 1979. It would also top the Village Voice's Pazz and Jop Critics Poll for best singles of '79. 

Dury originally wrote the lyrics in 1976, leaving the interpretation of a rhythm stick open to interpretation. The music came out of a jam session based loosely on the ending of "Wake Up and Make Love To Me". How did this tune become such a huge hit ? One of the contributors to Rate Your Music has this to say:

The answer, of course in a word, is timing. Deep in the depths of winter, unemployment and Thatcher rising and within a year of the "Winter of Discontent", perhaps we needed some off-beat entertainment to cheer us up.