Sham 69
History
Sham 69 emerged in Hersham, South London, in 1976, when Jimmy Pursey and a group of local friends set out to create a raw, working‑class punk band that spoke directly to ordinary young people. Their name came from faded graffiti reading “Walton and Hersham ’69,” a reference to the local football club’s league win. Unlike many of their art‑school contemporaries, Sham 69 came straight from the streets, blending punk energy with football‑chant choruses and a populist message that resonated deeply with skinheads and working‑class youth. Their early single “I Don’t Wanna,” produced by John Cale, became an indie hit and led to a deal with Polydor Records, launching them into the national spotlight.
Between 1977 and 1979, Sham 69 became one of Britain’s most recognizable punk bands. Singles like “Borstal Breakout,” “Angels With Dirty Faces,” “If the Kids Are United,” “Hurry Up Harry,” and “Hersham Boys” climbed the UK charts, supported by high‑energy performances on Top of the Pops and an appearance in the film D.O.A. Their albums Tell Us the Truth and That’s Life captured their signature mix of direct lyrics, chant‑driven hooks, and Pursey’s charismatic stage presence. Their concerts, however, became increasingly marred by violence, often involving rival skinhead factions or far‑right agitators. A notorious 1978 show at Middlesex Polytechnic was broken up when National Front supporters stormed the stage. Despite Pursey’s repeated calls for unity, the band became associated with crowd violence, and by late 1979, disillusioned and frustrated, Pursey dissolved the group.
After the breakup, Pursey briefly collaborated with former Sex Pistols Steve Jones and Paul Cook in a short‑lived project called The Sham Pistols. Sham 69 re‑formed in early 1980, released the compilation The First, the Best and the Last, and toured Europe, but the cultural landscape had shifted. Punk was giving way to new wave, and the band’s impact diminished, leading to another breakup at the end of 1980.
A new chapter began in 1987 when Pursey revived Sham 69 with original guitarist Dave Parsons and a new rhythm section. Their sound evolved slightly, with more elaborate arrangements, but the band’s spirit remained intact. Over the following decades, Sham 69 continued to appear in the public eye in unexpected ways: “If the Kids Are United” was used in a McDonald’s commercial—prompting Pursey, now a vegetarian, to publicly condemn the company—and the band performed a politically altered version of the song on BBC’s Newsnight after it was played during Prime Minister Tony Blair’s entrance at the Labour Party Conference. In 2006, they returned to the UK charts when “Hurry Up England,” a reworked version of “Hurry Up Harry,” became an official World Cup anthem and reached number 10.
Internal tensions resurfaced in 2006, leading to a bitter split between Pursey and Parsons. Two versions of Sham 69 emerged: Parsons’ lineup, featuring Tim V on vocals, toured internationally and released the album Hollywood Hero, while Pursey formed a new project, Day 21, and stepped away from the Sham 69 name. The Parsons-led version continued to record, including football‑themed tracks like “Millwall Boys” and “Hurry Up Harry Redknapp.”
Across decades of breakups, reformations, and shifting lineups, Sham 69’s legacy has remained remarkably durable. Their blend of street‑level punk, working‑class themes, and anthemic choruses helped shape the Oi! and street‑punk movements, and songs like “If the Kids Are United” continue to stand as enduring symbols of unity, defiance, and the raw spirit of British punk.
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Discography
Official Productions
Albums
1978 Tell Us the Truth
That’s Life
1979 The Adventures of the Hersham Boys
1980 The Game
1988 Volunteer
1991 Information Libre
1995 Soapy Water and Mister Marmalade
1997 The A Files
2001 Direct Action: Day 21
2007 Hollywood Hero (U.S.)
Western Culture (UK / Europe)
2010 Who Killed Joe Public
Singles
October 1977 I Don’t Wanna Red London / Ulster Step Forward SF 4
January 1978 Borstal Breakout Hey Little Rich Boy Polydor 2058 966
April 1978 Angels With Dirty Faces Cockney Kids are Innocent Polydor 2059 023
July 1978 If the Kids Are United Sunday Morning Nightmare Polydor 2059 05
October 1978 Hurry Up Harry No Entry Polydor POSP 7
March 1979 Questions and Answers Gotta Survive (live) / With a Little Help from My Friends Polydor POSP 27
July 1979 Hersham Boys I Don’t Wanna (live) / Tell Us The Truth (live) Polydor POSP 64
October 1979 You’re a Better Man Than I Give a Dog a Bone Polydor POSP 82
March 1980 Tell The Children Jack Polydor POSP 136
June 1980 Unite and Win I’m a Man Polydor 2059 259
July 1987 Rip and Tear The Great American Slowdown Legacy LGY 69
February 1988 Outside the Warehouse Outside the Warehouse (version) Legacy LGY 71
March 1993 Uptown Borstal Breakout C.M.P.
October 1993 Action Time & Vision Bosnia / Hey Little Rich Boy / Reggae Giro C.M.P. CMCCD 002
1995 Girlfriend N/K Red Cat
1996 Swampy N/K Cleopatra
2006 Hurry Up England N/K Parlophone
Compilations
The First, the Best and the Last (1980)
Kings & Queens (1993)
Lords of Oi! (1997)
The Punk Singles Collection: 1977-1980 (1998)
Laced Up Boots and Corduroys (2000)
Teenage Kicks (4 April 2005)
The Original Punk Album (2007)
Punk 77/2007 30th Anniversary (2007)
If The Kids Are United – The Very Best of Sham 69 (2004)
The Complete Collection: 3-disc’ (2004)
Live
Live and Loud!! (1987)
The Complete Sham 69 Live (1989)
Live at the Roxy Club (1990)
Live in Italy (1996)
Live at CBGB’s (1998)