Classic Album From The Vault #1
1980 - Searching For The Young Soul Rebels
The first and greatest Dexy's incarnation - a la wooly hats, donkey jackets and kit bags (containing brass instruments..that's obvious isn't it?) a proper full trombone brass section. References to literary genius and a nod to the Northern Soul staple Wilson Picket, Curtis Mayfield, Otis Redding, Geno Washington as well as the curmudgeonly one....Van the man Morrison.
Lyrics from 'There There My Dear'
Dear Robin,
Hope you don't mind me writing, it's just that there's more than one question I need to ask you. If you're so ant-fashion why not wear flares, instead of dressing down all the same. It's just that looking like that I can express my dissatisfaction.
Dear Robin, let me explain, though you'd never see in a million years. Keep quoting cabaret, Berlin, Burroughs, J. G. Ballard, Duchampe, Beauvoir, Kerouac, Kirkegaard, Michael Rennie. I don't believe you really like Frank Sinatra.
Dear Robin, you're always so happy, how the hell do you get your inspiration? You're like a dumb patriot. If you're supposed to be so angry, why don't you fight and let me benefit from your right? Don't you know the only way to change things is to shoot the men who arrange things.
Dear Robin, I would explain, but you'd never see in a million years. Well you've made your rules but we don't know that game, perhaps I'd listen to your records but your logic's far too lame and I'd only waste three valuable minutes of my life with your insincerity.
You see Robin I'm just searching for the young soul rebels and I can't find them anywhere. Where have you hidden them? Maybe we should welcome the new soul vision.
Fiercely Irish Republican at a time when that wasn't the most popular course to take, before the boho look and Celtic feel of Too Ray Aye, long before Kevin Rowland started wearing dresses and sucumbed to his demons, this album was an absolute breath of fresh air, energetic and a reference point for a trawl through the soul catalogues of the aforementioned legends. And of course created another one in the process.
