"Lazy Sunday" is a song by the English band Small Faces, which reached number two on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

in 1968. It was written by the Small Faces songwriting duo Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane, and appeared on the band's 1968 concept album ''

Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake ''Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake'' is the third studio album, and only concept album by the English rock band Small Faces. Released on 24 May 1968, the LP peaked at number one on the UK Album Charts on 29 June, where it remained for a total of six w ...

''. Against the band's wishes, it preceded the album as a single release.

Song information

"Lazy Sunday" has a traditional

cockney Cockney is an accent and dialect of English, mainly spoken in London and its environs, particularly by working-class and lower middle-class Londoners. The term "Cockney" has traditionally been used to describe a person from the East End, or ...

East End of London

music-hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as variety. Perceptions of a distinction in ...

sound. The song was inspired by Marriott's feuds with his neighbours and is also noticeable for its distinct vocal changes. Marriott sings large parts of the song in a greatly exaggerated cockney accent, partly due to an argument he had with the Hollies, who said that Marriott had never sung in his own accent. In the final bridge and the last two choruses, he reverts to his usual transatlantic (singing) accent. John Lydon cited the Small Faces as one of his few influences as vocalist for the

Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...

, and evidence of Marriott's influence can be found in this song. According to Small Faces keyboardist Ian McLagan, Lane's "rooty dooty di" vocal lines were in imitation of a member of the Who's road crew; the two bands had recently toured Australia together. At 51 seconds, the vocal backing quotes the " Colonel Bogey March" by

F. J. Ricketts Frederick Joseph Ricketts (21 February 1881 – 15 May 1945) was an English composer of marches for band. Under the pen name Kenneth J. Alford, he composed marches which are considered to be great examples of the art. He was a Bandmaster in th ...

and, at 1 minute 45 seconds, " (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" by

the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...

. At the end of the song the tune dissolves into birdsong and church bells. "Lazy Sunday" appears as track six on the album ''

'', and is the last track on Side A of the vinyl release. Despite its success, the single was released against the band's wishes and contributed to Marriott's departure. The song was used in the 2009 British comedy film '' The Boat That Rocked''.

Music video

The low-budget promotional video for "Lazy Sunday" was filmed at Kenney Jones's parents' home on Havering Street in

Stepney Stepney is a district in the East End of London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The district is no longer officially defined, and is usually used to refer to a relatively small area. However, for much of its history the place name appl ...

, east London.

Covers and inspiration

* The song was later covered by the Toy Dolls as on their 1995 album ''

Orcastrated ''Orcastrated'' is a studio album by the English Punk rock band Toy Dolls, recorded in 1995. The band name is rendered as Toy Dollz on this album. The album features several cover versions of classical music. When fanzine '' Flipside'' comment ...

''. * The London-based indie rock/garage revival band The Libertines covered the song in 2003 as part of the soundtrack to British film ''

Blackball Blackball, black-ball, black ball, blackballed, or blackballing may refer to: * Blackballing, a rejection in a traditional form of secret ballot Film * ''Blackball'' (film), a 2003 film starring Paul Kaye * '' Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes Stor ...

''. It is also available as part of the ''Blackball'' OST album. *

Leeds Leeds () is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the thi ...

-based indie rock band

Kaiser Chiefs Kaiser Chiefs are an English indie rock band from Leeds who formed in 2000 as Parva, releasing one studio album, ''22'', in 2003, before renaming and establishing themselves in their current name that same year. Since their formation the band h ...

covered the song on French radio in 2008. * Hard rock band Thunder covered the song live, which was included on the 2009 remastered edition of their 1992 album Laughing on Judgement Day * Jack Wild recorded a version of this song for his first studio album ''The Jack Wild Album''.

References

Sources

External links