On Your Radio

I’ve got a song called ‘On Your Radio.’ I wrote it a while back, but I kept it off the [Look Sharp] album because I didn’t want people thinking I had copied Elvis’ ‘Radio Radio.’ It’s addressed to all the teachers, all the bullies, all the people who wouldn’t listen before. It says, ‘You’re gonna hear me on your radio.’ And this time they won’t be able to turn it off.

— interview in Rolling Stone (US), 17 May 1979

‘On Your Radio’ is not a revenge song – it’s a triumph song. It’s supposed to be inspiring saying, ‘Hey, you there in the back of the class with the big ears. You can do whatever you want if you just try hard enough.’ It’s not vindictive; it’s much more a song about hope.

— interview in Musician (US), Feb. 1983

It’s Different For Girls

It’s a little protest against sexual stereotypes. In the relationship I describe in the song, the woman is behaving like the man is supposed to. The man’s getting really sensitive. The woman just wants to get him into bed. It’s supposed to make you think how strange these stereotypes are in the first place. You’re always hearing people saying, ‘It’s different for girls’ or ‘Oh men, they’re all the same!’ I find that offensive. I got the idea for it ages ago – probably on one of the many occasions I’ve heard women bitching about what bastards men are. I always feel like rushing up and saying, ‘Oh, I’m not like that so why throw this at me?!’

— interview in Smash Hits (UK), 7 Feb. 1980

‘It's Different For Girls’ is a song where the typical roles are reversed. [...] A lot of my songs have things like that in them, and I’ve noticed that we have a lot more female attendance at our gigs than most rock ’n’ roll bands do. That has something to do with not insulting their intelligence.

— interview in Musician (US), Feb. 1983

Friday

I’m lucky, I got out, [he says of his working-class background]. I have a talent. I have music. Everyone has to find their own way of rising above all the everyday shit that grinds you down. Like the song ‘Friday’; it is possible to say you don’t have to become a zombie. You can make an effort. I had to work hard too.

— interview in International Musician (UK), March 1980