Walking through Bradford October 1980 just bought Circus Games,saw Richard Jobson!,saw them the same night at Bradford Uni,Richard was AWESOME!!,a truly original fashion pioneer!,one of the few white men to dance without Lager or Acid!,A GENIUS
Bought this when it came out. I was about 12. Poster sleeve. Still have it. Still play it. Still f-ing amazing. Poor kids nowadays. Not much comes close does it?
The rare instance of a GREAT pop song with a chorus in 13/12 time. This and the Stranglers "Golden Brown" are the only ones I can think of right now. Anyone tells you the punk/new wave bands couldn't do funny time sigs.....they're wrong !!!
Ahhh fantastic...I remember avidly watching the single's chart progress from week to week, I was such a big fan...the intro up to the opening drum crash still sends a shiver up my spine to this day! Thanks for posting... (Just received my copy of The Absolute Game on CD today...)
if you add up all the skids, followed by big country songs, I doubt you'd find a better run of top class 'singles' apart from maybe the beatles and stones. every song is brilliant.
A truly great band.....they kinda bridged the gap between Punk and Post Punk BUT had a sound of their own.....they could be arty..they could do harder stuff too as with this song with amazing guitar riffs (a la Adamson's great guitar)....the 'obituray' of the band written the late great J.Peel on the back of their compilation album after they ended says it all..that perhaps what they had been looking for along.....originality.... had been staring them always in the face...kills modern muzak!
These are the lyrics, but...Mission is a gambler The Wager, the one card to play Priest has the burden [sounds like he actually sings "THIS burden"] He thinks, the right thing, to say Amid all the honour He sees, the wrong one, to share Since child is an angel The duty, the one card prepare Jury is a gambler The wager, the one card, to play Judge has the burden [again, sounds like "this"] He tells, the wrong one, to pay Amid all the honour He puts, the wrong one, to trial Since child is an angel No jury, but one card, so vile Come and play circus games (repeat) Mother is a gambler The wager, the one card, to play Birth has the burden ["this" burden?] She says no children today Midst all dishonour She sees a heavenly noose Since child is an angel The mother, one child, set loose Come and play circus games (repeat)
Does anyone know what instrument is making that low old timey droning sound.? First appearance in the song in earnest is at 2:26. Is that just a modulated bass or some kind of a tuba or low horn?
Sharkface, I've been trying for years to get Joy on CD. I have three vinyl copies. I've spoken with reps from Captain Oi! and apparently they don't think they'd recoup the investment of buying the rights from Virgin. I've even spoken with Russell Webb, the bass player, but so far no CD.
@JimZ885 Nah - they were right in there with the lot of them. Also a big part of the New Romantic movement as well. Massive in North of England & I guess Scotland.
Tom Kellichan, played on the earliest line-up singles, gigs and first album, “Scared to Dance”. Later in the 80s, would see him work on the Bill Nelson track, “Decline & Fall”. Mike Baillie, seen here was the third, and now current, drummer after Rusty Egan had departed to work with Visage and other Club projects. Their 4th album, “Joy”;which foresaw the dissolution of the band, featured none of the aforementioned and Stuart had all but moved on apart from a fleeting inclusion on the later single, “Iona”.
For once the audience are moving every song on top of the top with the skids their just standing there like their watching the time for the last tube /bus home
What a class band...they were a really pioneering band....they really never fitted in any particular genre...they were NEVER New Wave....never really punk....probably Post-Punk.. a band who could change their sound drastically from album to album..hard to label....like their contemporaries Magazine
It is completely obvious, even to my yank arse, that the spectacular Johnny Rotten AND Joy Div. stole ALL from R.J. and the Skids crew. You can tell. It's too obvious these poor dumb Highlander brilliant N.E.D.s got duped and taken by the Britts and Germans punkers, alike. The Scotts kicked it all off, and we know we did!
Would have been a so much better band if they hadn’t had such a clown 🤡 as a front man.If Stu Adamson had sung and fronted The Skids they’d have been a far bigger band with a far bigger legacy
One of the great under-rated bands of their time.
+Dicky Griffiths YES!!!
Dicky Griffiths absolutely
Absolutely xxx
Definitely
You mean "of all time" maybe.
Richard Jobson, the singer and songwriter , was 18 here!
Genius.
He looks about 30
Born in 1960 so he's 19 or 20
Start of this track bangs!
I always wanted to be able to dance like Richard Jobson, Pure dead brilliant man!
The absolute game,this moment,this time,stunning.
Skids... Loved this record. Life seemed a lot easier back then in the early 80's. Great time music wise...
Walking through Bradford October 1980 just bought Circus Games,saw Richard Jobson!,saw them the same night at Bradford Uni,Richard was AWESOME!!,a truly original fashion pioneer!,one of the few white men to dance without Lager or Acid!,A GENIUS
love it when jobson starts to lose it here!! what a fabulous band - and adamson's guitar - goosebump central!
always great & also sad to see Stu in his prime.....RIP mate
Still da shit in 2022
Another fantastic one from this wonderful band!
So underrated and that's such a shame! x
Ahhhh, takes me back... Awesome sound, atmosphere, energy. Had long forgotten the Skids; now re-decovered - and it's just mind blowing, their music!
Brilliant back when great Britain produced great bands!
OMG!!!! this is one of my fave tunes ever!!!! I used to get so fired up listening to this!!!! thanx
Richard Jobson, one of the greatest unintelligeable vocalists of all times :)
Jojoseahorse + Michael Stipe
He was actually 18!!
Hardly "washed up". He continued with a successful career in modelling, films and television. He was recently awarded an honorary doctorate!
I was grateful for the lyrics in my album copies. :o)
@@seattlebeard Me, I read Smash Hits :)
Full of originality and passion, this song still sounds relevant nearly 30 years later. Their best moment I think.
awesome intro one of the best but underated bands ever - tight and solid guitar
the first single i bought, still love it...
one of my absolute favourites
Jobbers always makes me smile. Top guy!
one of the most underated bands ever.
Great song from a very under rated album, stuart was different class on guitar both with the skids and big country, sadly missed.
still have the LP that this came from, and still play it
adamson made the skids!
Bought this when it came out. I was about 12. Poster sleeve. Still have it. Still play it. Still f-ing amazing. Poor kids nowadays. Not much comes close does it?
The rare instance of a GREAT pop song with a chorus in 13/12 time.
This and the Stranglers "Golden Brown" are the only ones I can think of right now.
Anyone tells you the punk/new wave bands couldn't do funny time sigs.....they're wrong !!!
Tremendous tune bought it when it first came out. Tremendous guitaring.
Ahhh fantastic...I remember avidly watching the single's chart progress from week to week, I was such a big fan...the intro up to the opening drum crash still sends a shiver up my spine to this day! Thanks for posting...
(Just received my copy of The Absolute Game on CD today...)
Never seen this since i was a kid! Joby looks like max headroom! Absolute quality!!
just how many punk/ new wave front men were stylish. Big respect Skids...love this
I love this tune and Skids as a band. Marvellous!
if you add up all the skids, followed by big country songs, I doubt you'd find a better run of top class 'singles' apart from maybe the beatles and stones. every song is brilliant.
The Stones? Really?
And yet today, barely anyone young even knows who Skids are.
@@ealing456 im 61 , young to remember
@@john111257 Currently in my twenties, and only really discovered them in the last few years. So glad I have!
I’m 61 and did a Skids/Big Country set to listen to in my car, so you are right.
Think Jobbo must have been at the mushrooms with all the grinning and looning going on there. :)
He looks like a drunk estate agent here
Aye they always had a good riff did the Skids!
Incredible. The Skids made the classic The Absolute Game at the time they were 21? 22? Amazing!
Such a great band!
This lead by Stuart (RIP) is awesome!
You just got to love the guitar solo on this song , fucking magic !
great track,still have the 45 and the poster cover it came with
That whole record was very good.
Jobbo is so Mr cool in this!!....& the late great Stuart Adamson on guitar.
just so marvellous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
great band
A truly great band.....they kinda bridged the gap between Punk and Post Punk BUT had a sound of their own.....they could be arty..they could do harder stuff too as with this song with amazing guitar riffs (a la Adamson's great guitar)....the 'obituray' of the band written the late great J.Peel on the back of their compilation album after they ended says it all..that perhaps what they had been looking for along.....originality.... had been staring them always in the face...kills modern muzak!
underrated band
R.I.P., Stuart - this would have been his 53rd birthday.
Great to hear from you Al. Hoping to get all My Skids stuff uploaded soon
Nice one Paul.
All the best: Al.
These are the lyrics, but...Mission is a gambler
The Wager, the one card to play
Priest has the burden [sounds like he actually sings "THIS burden"]
He thinks, the right thing, to say
Amid all the honour
He sees, the wrong one, to share
Since child is an angel
The duty, the one card prepare
Jury is a gambler
The wager, the one card, to play
Judge has the burden [again, sounds like "this"]
He tells, the wrong one, to pay
Amid all the honour
He puts, the wrong one, to trial
Since child is an angel
No jury, but one card, so vile
Come and play circus games (repeat)
Mother is a gambler
The wager, the one card, to play
Birth has the burden ["this" burden?]
She says no children today
Midst all dishonour
She sees a heavenly noose
Since child is an angel
The mother, one child, set loose
Come and play circus games (repeat)
Thank you for posting lyrics. Looked for years, now satisfied. :)
Stuart was a great guitarist. He would have been a good fit for any band that rocked. Thin Lizzy? Maybe in another universe.
Does anyone know what instrument is making that low old timey droning sound.? First appearance in the song in earnest is at 2:26. Is that just a modulated bass or some kind of a tuba or low horn?
Stuart RIP xx
Awesome.
great song,still have the poster that came with the 45
Great tune
one best punk bands
Sharkface, I've been trying for years to get Joy on CD. I have three vinyl copies. I've spoken with reps from Captain Oi! and apparently they don't think they'd recoup the investment of buying the rights from Virgin. I've even spoken with Russell Webb, the bass player, but so far no CD.
Jobson's a star. People dress like him now.
What a tune
FANTASTIC STUFF
My Favourite Skids Track
great song but what tune is mr jobson dancing to
The out of time dancing was his thing.
@JimZ885 Nah - they were right in there with the lot of them. Also a big part of the New Romantic movement as well. Massive in North of England & I guess Scotland.
Richard Jobson Cool Dude
He dressed like a estate agent
The lead singer looks one of Del Boy's shifty mate's
From the yuppie winebar
Stuart Adamson=sadly missed.
@nemotheband
an ex drummer from the skids is a truck driver. i forget his name but i spoke to him just last week...
Tom Kellichan, played on the earliest line-up singles, gigs and first album, “Scared to Dance”. Later in the 80s, would see him work on the Bill Nelson track, “Decline & Fall”. Mike Baillie, seen here was the third, and now current, drummer after Rusty Egan had departed to work with Visage and other Club projects. Their 4th album, “Joy”;which foresaw the dissolution of the band, featured none of the aforementioned and Stuart had all but moved on apart from a fleeting inclusion on the later single, “Iona”.
Top banana, aint Jobson a cutie in the tie and blazer.... punk on...
@pholty
I totally agree. They did NOT get the attention they deserved,
what band did richard jobson have after.forgot how good this song was.
He had a band called the Armoury Show in the mid-80s.
thanks rich and stu......and this was at the tail end of your rather longer than 15 mins but what asong
Wasnt he in Eastenders ??
For once the audience are moving every song on top of the top with the skids their just standing there like their watching the time for the last tube /bus home
dont you 'dont helmet me' boy ..i'll helmet you!
that was the days yeh
great band, where are they now
Back on tour 40th Aniversary
At aberdeen lastnite at the lemon tree the place was going mental...wot a night wot a band...
sk m, I literally laughed out loud at that.....possibly Jamie Dimon's oleagnious PA?
This is Isaac Atterbury.In addition, I am on Facebook.( Attention !!!!!!!!!!!! " JIM CROW : THE DEEP SOUTH ").( Isaac Atterbury).( 6-12-18).
Talk about POP Music
Pride of dunfermline
He was on TV alot but not Eastenders.
I think Jobson was only about 19 here.
sadly this was their last album what a shame they were great jobson adamson should never have split up .
Stuart Come On Play Circus Games xxxxxxxx
re-open circus maximus.
Mejor que los smiths
The CD is on general release again,so the ebay price has dropped.
Was a greartsong but Richard Jobson looked more like an American sports presenter than a singer in a band.
I think that was the point.
Yes
😊
What a class band...they were a really pioneering band....they really never fitted in any particular genre...they were NEVER New Wave....never really punk....probably Post-Punk.. a band who could change their sound drastically from album to album..hard to label....like their contemporaries Magazine
Fife Punk
ace
every scot knows a jobson
It is completely obvious, even to my yank arse, that the spectacular Johnny Rotten AND Joy Div. stole ALL from R.J. and the Skids crew. You can tell. It's too obvious these poor dumb Highlander brilliant N.E.D.s got duped and taken by the Britts and Germans punkers, alike. The Scotts kicked it all off, and we know we did!
blinder
Would have been a so much better band if they hadn’t had such a clown 🤡 as a front man.If Stu Adamson had sung and fronted The Skids they’d have been a far bigger band with a far bigger legacy
Adamson and Jobson a great combo, Stuart a great guitar player, but average frontman (Big Country !0
Flash git