Words are the most important thing about punk. If I just wanted to pogo, there's hundreds of bands I could go and see - that's just as bad as disco. What I'm interested in is people who tell the truth. That's what I believe in. Punk Rock Virginia Boston

Paul Morley They attack, taunt, and pummel. They play unengineered rock music, with that extra special English cheekiness / plainness...Pursey's language is abrupt/identifiable/straight street...just words, no silly abstractions. Positive, and like he says, from personal experience/situation. NME 12.11.77 

I Don't Wanna /Ulster /Red London (Step Forward 1977)

Sham 69 seem to be cast in the true punk tradition and ... they've come up with some solid street material. 'I Don't Wanna' and 'Red London' add more voices to the 'no present/no future' protest while the longer flipside 'Ulster' complete with gunfire and explosions, expresses what a lot of people feel about Northern Ireland - 'You're all losers.' Okay its political expression at its the most basic and simplistic level , but at least its a start. Tony Mitchell Sounds 15.10.77

Punk77 says... Classic driving lo fi punk rock and an absolute winner.

Song Of The Street  (Polydor 1977)

Some 2,000 copies given away at gigs and later on another 10,000 given away at gigs.The sng was What Have We got and was the classic call and refrain of the band and the Sham army. Great John Peel version substituting the 'Fuck all' with 'John Peel' amazingly!!

Later on after the band had a couple of hit singles Pursey would change the lyrics from 'What have WE got.' "That's why I sing 'What have YOU got', I can't sing what have I got anymore of I'd be a hypocrite." 

Borstal Breakout / Hey Little Rich Boy (Polydor 1978)

Described by the twat Robin Smith in Record Mirror as 'Boring is such a boring word to use when describing a single bit I can't think of anything else that would fit so well apart from zzzzzz. 7.1.78

Punk77 says...From the manic laugh and reverb drenched door slamming this is classic Sham with an Eddie Cochran propelled  riff the Ramones would have been proud of. Full pelt punkarama with the perfect yob chorus. The first for

Angels With Dirty Faces / The Cockney Kids Are Innocent (Polydor 1978)

'Who's gotta dirty face then?' Jimmy asked as the boys launch into their third straight cracker. Its not rocket science and its not prog rock but its yer true street lyric direct to the gut. Bit of flanged guitars in this though for you sound techies.

Sheila Prophet in Record Mirror (6.5.78) said "Technically its no great shakes. Lyrically, it's not very original. Musically, its at best, basic. But...I LIKE IT!

The B side will be familiar to owners of the first album where it was called 'George Davis Is Innocent.' In the highly charged gigs filled with trouble Pursey would change the lyrics to 'Sham 69 Are Innocent.'

If The Kids Are United/Sunday Morning Nightmare (Polydor 1978)

I personally love the sensitive and poignant 'Sunday Morning Nightmare' cataloguing the aftermath of A Saturday night out complete with mock Bee Gees opening motif and a darts pastiche in there somewhere.

That said 'If The Kids Are United' is Sham 69 encapsulated in 3 mins. The very essence of chords to the gut, catchy riff and direct lyrics that don't leave room for any doubt because the message is so simple.

Slabs of Pistol like guitar propel this shout a long Sham classic and even the tarnishing by the Labour Party and McDonalds can't really harm it.

Hurry Up Harry / No Entry (Polydor 1978)

Punk77 says... They moan if you write catchy basic songs and then they slate you if you write a knockabaout sing a long a cockernee classic. It's not rocket science but it sure is fun.

Years later it would be reworked as Hurry Up England for the 2006 Fifa World Cup getting as high as #10.

To my mind a drop in quality as the song and lyrics start to sound just a touch contrived and the chorus a little predictable. Am I reading too much into it but is that cover echoing the cover of 'Tell Us The Truth'? I know Pursey is holding the mike but like 'TUTT'  it's an almost a pointing finger to the crowd that both gave Sham their meteoric rise and contributed to their downfall. Of course I could just be talking shit!!

And then as if by magic this little beauty appears, Ok we all know Hersham is not exactly within the sound of Bow Bells but its such a joyous racket that I can't help but laugh and feel happy when its on. Even more so because I remember it being the favourite song of my brother aged four who used to love singing it!!!