‘Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick’ is a song by Ian Dury and the Blockheads, first released as a single on Stiff Records in the UK on 23 November 1978 and credited to "Ian & the Blockheads". Written by Dury and the Blockheads' multi-instrumentalist Chaz Jankel, it is the group's most successful single, reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart in January 1979 as well as reaching the top three in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, and it was also a top 20 hit in several European countries.
‘Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick’ was named the 12th best single of 1978 by the writers of British music magazine NME, and best single of 1979 in the annual 'Pazz & Jop' poll organised by music critic Robert Christgau in The Village Voice. It was also named the 3rd best post-punk 7" ever made by Fact magazine. By September 2017, it had sold over 1.29 million copies in the UK, making it the 114th biggest selling single of all time in the UK.
Co-writer Chaz Jankel has repeated a story both in Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll: The Life of Ian Dury and Ian Dury & The Blockheads: Song by Song that the song was written in Rolvenden, Kent during a jamming session between him and Dury. Jankel relates that the music was inspired by a funky piano part near the end of ‘Wake Up and Make Love with Me’, the opening track on Dury's 1977 debut album New Boots and Panties!! Dury mentioned a number of origins for his lyrics, including claiming that he had written them up to three years earlier and it had just taken him all that time to realise their quality. Blockheads’ guitarist John Turnbull gives a different account, claiming the lyrics were written while on tour in America six months prior to the song's recording and that he was still adjusting in-studio.
On radio ‘Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick’ was a popular song from its release, but in the UK the single was initially kept from the number one position in the charts for two weeks by The Village People's smash hit ‘Y.M.C.A.’, which was number one for three consecutive weeks. On the 27 January 1979, however, Turnbull, Watt-Roy and drummer Charley Charles were waiting outside the Gaumont State Cinema, Kilburn, London, listening to a car radio when it was announced that ‘Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick’ was the new number one.
The song has been used for numerous purposes since its release including various adverts (including one in 2006 for financial company Capital One) and in numerous films and television programmes (including the Doctor Who episode "Tooth and Claw" and the 1979 film adaption of Porridge) It has had its lyrics changed often, including in one instance to 'hit me with your oven chip'. This, combined with its continued popularity and original chart success has ensured that today the song is easy to find on ‘best of’ compilation albums.
Label – Stiff
Songwriters – Ian Dury, Chaz Jankel
Producer – Laurie Latham
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]In the deserts of Sudan
And the gardens of Japan
From Milan to Yucatán
Every womans, every man
[Chorus]
Hit me with your rhythm stick
Hit me! Hit me!
Je t'adore, ich liebe dich
Hit me! hit me! hit me!
Hit me with your rhythm stick
Hit me slowly, hit me quick
Hit me! Hit me! Hit me!
[Verse 2]
In the wilds of Borneo
And the vineyards of Bordeaux
Eskimo, Arapaho
Move their body to and fro
[Chorus]
Hit me with your rhythm stick
Hit me! Hit me!
Das ist gut! C'est fantastique!
Hit me! hit me! hit me!
Hit me with your rhythm stick
It's nice to be a lunatic
Hit me! Hit me! Hit me!
Hit me! Hit me! Hit!
[Verse 3]
In the dock of Tiger Bay
On the road to Mandalay
From Bombay to Santa Fe
Over hills and far away
[Chorus]
Hit me with your rhythm stick
Hit me! Hit me!
C'est si bon, mm? Ist es nicht?
Hit me! hit me! hit me!
Hit me with your rhythm stick
Two fat persons, click, click, click
Hit me! Hit me! Hit me!
Hit me! Hit me! Hit me!
Hit me!
Hit me!
Hit me! Ow!