I read somewhere years ago that it's about Jimmy Page, it would certainly fit.
The 'bully boys' being Zeppelin's violent heavies and hand in hand meaning the devil [Page's occult practices] also the mention of hell.
Costello's manager Jake Riviera was also manager of Dave Edmunds, who was signed to Zeppelin's record label Swan Song.
@FishnChips "I was really anti the posturing of rock 'n' roll, the crotch-thrusting element of it, I tried to write the opposite of that. I am really grossly offended by Led Zeppelin, not only because they're total charlatans and thieves, but because it actually embarrasses me. I grew up being bludgeoned with Deep Purple and all that heavymetal shit." http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Musician,_March_1986
@FishnChips "I was really anti the posturing of rock 'n' roll, the crotch-thrusting element of it, I tried to write the opposite of that. I am really grossly offended by Led Zeppelin, not only because they're total charlatans and thieves, but because it actually embarrasses me. I grew up being bludgeoned with Deep Purple and all that heavymetal shit." http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Musician,_March_1986
I read somewhere years ago that it's about Jimmy Page, it would certainly fit. The 'bully boys' being Zeppelin's violent heavies and hand in hand meaning the devil [Page's occult practices] also the mention of hell. Costello's manager Jake Riviera was also manager of Dave Edmunds, who was signed to Zeppelin's record label Swan Song.
@FishnChips "backward masked" lyrics song intro is also a bit of a clue
@FishnChips "backward masked" lyrics song intro is also a bit of a clue
@FishnChips "backward masked" lyrics song intro is also a bit of a clue
@FishnChips "backward masked" lyrics song intro is also a bit of a clue
@FishnChips "I was really anti the posturing of rock 'n' roll, the crotch-thrusting element of it, I tried to write the opposite of that. I am really grossly offended by Led Zeppelin, not only because they're total charlatans and thieves, but because it actually embarrasses me. I grew up being bludgeoned with Deep Purple and all that heavymetal shit." http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Musician,_March_1986
@FishnChips "I was really anti the posturing of rock 'n' roll, the crotch-thrusting element of it, I tried to write the opposite of that. I am really grossly offended by Led Zeppelin, not only because they're total charlatans and thieves, but because it actually embarrasses me. I grew up being bludgeoned with Deep Purple and all that heavymetal shit." http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Musician,_March_1986