1971 Slade: Coz I Luv You

The scourge of seventies English teachers everywhere (and now spellcheckers too it seems), Slade started out life as Ambrose Slade, a skinhead band with an aggressive skinhead following. 'Coz I Luv You' found them balancing on a cusp of sorts, though this particular cusp was a strange one for them to be straddling. Though not yet the glam act of fame (check out that sleeve picture!), 'Coz I Luv You' is recognisably Slade and it evidences enough of the key traits of the glam genre to make it seem familiar, in particular the hobnail boot stomp and kick in the face chorus.

Ah yes, the chorus - Noddy Holder had yet to become the favourite Uncle figure with a twinkle in his eye and his delivery on 'Coz I Luv You' is perhaps a little too intense for comfort. His repetition of the title sounds less like sweet nothings and more like the bug eyed rant of the deranged addressing a tearful girl cowering in chains in his cellar. Instead of true reciprocal love, the best he can do is to promise "Only time can tell if we get on well", and his "DON'T you CHANGE the things you DO" sounds more like a demand than a lover's heartfelt plea; you half expect him to break into "it rubs the lotion into its body". All the while the band beat out an ominous funeral march of doom only broken by Jim Lea's electric violin, scribbling a shriek sounding not unlike the 'Psycho' theme as played by a genuine psycho.

'Coz I Luv You' is Slade with menaces, Slade without the fun. It's catchy tune will appeal to the kids and the air of danger will appeal to their older siblings (and the faithful amongst the skinheads), but there's no escaping the fact that it's too tightly wound to be truly enjoyable.