Orange Juice – Rip It Up

• 0
  General Comment:Very similar both musically and lyrically to Boredom by the Buzzcocks, but most obviously in the verse when he references the song directly. Here is the chorus from the Buzzcocks:
  
  "You know me - I'm acting dumb
  you know the scene - very humdrum
  boredom - boredom"
  
  I think that's quite self explanatory. I also think they did a rather good job with it; quite often when bands make references to their influences in song it doesn't come off too well but it worked here. The way Edwyn Collins sings it in comparison to Howard Devoto(?) from Buzzcocks adds quite a degree of ambiguity.

  Flag RausRausFilaFilaon December 22, 2008   Link

  • 1 Reply Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
    0

    Personally, I prefer this song to the Buzzcock's Boredom (which is also a great song in its own right).
    
    I don't think that you can compare the two songs stylisticaly, which are very different despite the intentional similarity in the lyrics of the second half of the third verse 3 and the little bit of the guitar after that verse.
    
    This simolarity to me is very tounge in check and I think forms little of the backbone of Rip it Up. To use this knowing wink to a song that Edwyn Collins obviously liked and over compare it to Rip it Up does Orange Juice's song little justice. which I think is a classic.

    Flag dirtyveston October 04, 2011  
• 0
  General Comment:The bass line is lifted straight from Chic - Edwyn said so

  Flag KellKellon September 12, 2008   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:Well, it's been over a year since anyone's written anything on this song - and given it's not the least bit dated, I'll add that it's one of the most beautifully written, charted songs of the 80's. It's a fantastic example of reverence (revering the Buzzcocks) which the hipster/indie scene should take heed of. Mere covers are no match for the likes of this song, or in the same vein, The Fall's I am Damo Suzuki.

  Flag agent_cooperon March 29, 2008   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:i was just about to write about the book 'rip it up and start again' i wondered where the title came from
  if you like this music - please read the book - its excellent

  Flag bloc_party15on July 15, 2006   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:its even got "Boredom"'s simple little solo on it. You can hear them playing it in the background after he says "And my favourite song's entitled 'boredom'".
  
  a very nice book named after this song about Post-Punk was released, its a really good book.

  Flag Staticburn89on June 03, 2006   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:Yeah, I always took this song as a response to "Boredom" from start to finish. "Boredom" is all about getting nowhere in life, and this song basically says so what if you're a has-been...just "rip it up and start again".

  Flag miesvanderroboton April 07, 2006   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:actually, large reference because of all the lyrical similarities to 'Boredom', but there you go.

  Flag ghostmusicon April 04, 2006   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:love this song. it's pretty self-explanatory, but I love the small buzzcocks reference ('boredom' was a buzzcocks song, and they were fans.)

  Flag ghostmusicon April 04, 2006   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:Great song. Edwin precedes Morrissey in his crooning..

  Flag CharmingManon February 20, 2006   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!