Shot by Both Sides

"Shot by Both Sides" is a song written by Howard Devoto and Pete Shelley, and performed by the English post-punk band Magazine. It was released in January 1978 as the band's first single, reaching No. 41 on the UK Singles Chart and appearing, a few months later, on their debut album Real Life. The song has been cited as a seminal work of the post-punk genre,[1][2] as well as a pop punk[3] and new wave.[4][5]

"Shot by Both Sides"
Single by Magazine
from the album Real Life
B-side"My Mind Ain't So Open"
Released20 January 1978
Genre
Length4:04
LabelVirgin
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)Howard Devoto
Producer(s)
  • Mick Glossop
  • Magazine
Magazine singles chronology
"Shot by Both Sides"
(1978)		 "Touch and Go"
(1978)
Official Audio
"Shot By Both Sides" (Remastered) on YouTube

By the time of the single's recording, Magazine consisted of only four members, as original keyboardist Bob Dickinson had left the band the previous year.

The cover artwork was designed by Malcolm Garrett, based on the 1886 work La Chimere regarda avec effroi toutes choses by Symbolist artist Odilon Redon (1840–1916).[6]

Song

The name of the song came from a political argument between Devoto and his girlfriend, in which his girlfriend said to him; "Oh, you'll end up shot by both sides".[7]

The song originated in a riff that Pete Shelley came up with when Devoto was helping him with "some tentative Buzzcocks songs. He played the chord sequence and I was really impressed, said so, and he just gave them to me there and then."[8]

An identical guitar riff was used in the song "Lipstick" by Devoto's former band Buzzcocks, released as a B-side in November 1978.[9]

Reception

The song was ranked at No. 9 among the top "Tracks of the Year" for 1978 by NME.[10]

Personnel

References
  1. Lester, Paul (March 1, 2002). "Part time punks". The Guardian – via www.theguardian.com.
  2. "20 More Great Post-Punk Tracks". Mojo. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  3. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Magazine | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  4. Sullivan, Jim (August 25, 2018). "10 More Songs That Defined New Wave Music". Best Classic Bands.
  5. Ross, Graeme (June 7, 2018). "Playlist: 10 best new wave singles of 1978". The Independent.
  6. "Odilon Redon and Magazine". March 5, 2012.
  7. Reynolds, S: Rip It Up and Start Again: Post Punk 1978–1984, p. 21. Faber & Faber Ltd, 2005
  8. Kent, Nick (April 28, 1979). "Howard Devoto: The Compleat Fatalist". NME.
  9. The Rough Guide to Rock, edited by Peter Buckley
  10. "Albums and Tracks of the Year". NME. 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
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