Myzsterious Mizster Jones
"Myzsterious Mizster Jones" | ||||
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Single by Slade | ||||
from the album Rogues Gallery | ||||
B-side | "Mama Nature Is a Rocker" | |||
Released | 11 March 1985[1] | |||
Length | 3:37 | |||
Label | RCA | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | John Punter | |||
Slade singles chronology | ||||
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Audio sample | ||||
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"Myzsterious Mizster Jones" is a song by English rock band Slade, released in 1985 as the third single from their twelfth studio album, Rogues Gallery. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and was produced by John Punter. "Myzsterious Mizster Jones" reached number 50 in the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 100 for five weeks.[2]
Background
In a 1985 interview with the Australian TV show Sounds, Holder spoke of the song's titular character, "It's about a friend of mine from Wolverhampton who used to be a Hells Angel, but I changed his name to protect the innocent 'cause I don't think he'd like a song about him. It's not knocking him, you know, but it's a song about him."[3] Lea revealed in a 1986 fan club interview that he came up with the song's melody while in conservation with his brother in a pub.[4]
Music video
The song's music video was directed by Phillip Davey and produced by Hugh Symonds.[5] It depicts the band as gangsters in a warehouse which is being used for the production of prohibition whiskey, with the titular character being the supervisor of the operation.[6] In their 22 April 1985 issue, Eurotipsheet listed the video under the "well aired" category for the most aired videos throughout Europe during the previous week.[7]
Critical reception
Upon its release, Marshall O'Leary of Smash Hits remarked, "I've never been a great lover of Slade's "orl-ta-geth-ah nah" heavy metal style, however I found myself humming along to it. Not as good as 'My Oh My' but one of their classiest singles yet."[8] Jerry Smith of Music Week considered it to be a "typical riotous rocker with a catchy Noddy Holder vocal delivered over a wall of guitars and a thundering beat". He added that it has a "rather American style production but is likely to do well".[9] Barry McIlheney, writing for Melody Maker, described the song as "an awful lot better than their recent spate of pub closing-time anthems" and added that "Sir Nod Holder still has the finest set of lungs this side of Princess Margaret".[10]
The Fife Free Press praised it as "great stuff" and added, "Noddy and the lads should have a fair sized hit on their hands with this thundering piece of good time rock."[11] Paul Simper of Number One wrote, "Could be some ghostbusting going on here. 'Mister Jones' is a dead ringer for Kim Wilde's 'Cambodia' with more than a touch of Leo Sayer's 'Moonlighting' thrown in. Maybe that's why the song's alright. Maybe that's why it doesn't sound like Slade. Maybe it's time they gave Ray Parker Junior a call..."[12]
Kerrang! considered it to be "far from a klassik Slade stomper", but felt it was "a nice enough break from their recent scarf-wavers".[13] Peter Kinghorn of the Evening Chronicle described the song as "rampant if not quite as good as their usual".[14] John Marsden of the Derby Evening Telegraph was critical, writing, "Slade seem to have been producing singles like their new one for a lifetime. Lea and Holder occasionally turn out a song which is a cut above the average – this is not it."[15]
Formats
7-inch single (UK, Europe and Australasia)[16][17]
- "Myzsterious Mizster Jones" – 3:37
- "Mama Nature is a Rocker" – 2:52
12-inch single (UK, Europe and Australasia)[18][19]
- "Myzsterious Mizster Jones" (Extended Version) – 4:47
- "Mama Nature is a Rocker" – 2:52
- "My Oh My" (Piano & Vocal Version) – 3:11
Personnel
Slade
- Noddy Holder – lead vocals
- Jim Lea – bass, synthesiser, backing vocals
- Dave Hill – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Don Powell – drums
Production
- John Punter – production ("Myzsterious Mizster Jones")
- Jim Lea – production ("Mama Nature Is a Rocker" and "My Oh My (Piano & Vocal)")
Other
- Green Ink – design
- Alan Ballard – photography
Charts
Chart (1985) | Peak position |
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UK Singles Chart[2] | 50 |
UK Heavy Metal Singles (Spotlight Research)[20] | 6 |
References
- ^ "New Singles". Music Week. 9 March 1985. p. 18. ISSN 0265-1548.
- ^ a b "Slade; full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ^ Noddy Holder, Donnie Sutherland (1985). Interview (TV). Sounds.
- ^ Trevor Slaughter, ed. (September–December 1986). "Jim Lea Interview 18.9.86". Slade International Fan Club. Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via sladefanclub.com.
- ^ "TV & Video: Videonews". Eurotipsheet. Vol. 2, no. 13. 1 April 1985. p. 18. OCLC 29800226.
- ^ Slaughter, Trevor (September–December 1986). "Slade on Video - Part Two". Slade International Fan Club. Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via sladefanclub.com.
- ^ "TV & Video: Euroclips". Eurotipsheet. Vol. 2, no. 16. 22 April 1985. p. 15. OCLC 29800226.
- ^ O'Leary, Marshall (14 March 1985). "Singles". Smash Hits. Vol. 7, no. 6. p. 19.
- ^ Smith, Jerry (23 March 1985). "Singles". Music Week. p. 20. ISSN 0265-1548.
- ^ McIlheney, Barry (16 March 1985). "Singles". Melody Maker.
- ^ "Off the record: Singles". Fife Free Press. 22 March 1985. p. 11. Retrieved 10 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Simper, Paul (16 March 1985). "Singles". Number One. No. 91. p. 36.
- ^ Peroxide, Pandora (4 April 1985). "Short Kutz". Kerrang!. No. 91. p. 17. ISSN 0262-6624.
- ^ Kinghorn, Peter (14 March 1985). "Sounds: Singles". Evening Chronicle. p. 13. Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Marsden, John (23 March 1985). "Records: Singles". Derby Evening Telegraph. p. 18. Retrieved 30 August 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Myzsterious Mizster Jones (UK and European 7-inch single sleeve notes). Slade. RCA. 1985. PB 40027.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Myzsterious Mizster Jones (Australasian 7-inch single sleeve notes). Slade. RCA. 1985. 104411.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Myzsterious Mizster Jones (UK and European 12-inch single sleeve notes). Slade. RCA. 1985. PT 40028.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Myzsterious Mizster Jones (Australasian 12-inch single sleeve notes). Slade. RCA. 1985. TDS 272.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Singles". Kerrang!. No. 92. 18 April 1985. p. 47. ISSN 0262-6624.
- v
- t
- e
- Dave Hill
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- Noddy Holder
- Jim Lea
- John Berry
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- Trevor Holliday
- Dave Glover
- Mal McNulty
- Beginnings (Ambrose Slade, 1969)
- Play It Loud (1970)
- Slayed? (1972)
- Old New Borrowed and Blue (1974)
- Slade in Flame (1974)
- Nobody's Fools (1976)
- Whatever Happened to Slade (1977)
- Return to Base (1979)
- We'll Bring the House Down (1981)
- Till Deaf Do Us Part (1981)
- The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome (1983)
- Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply (1984)
- Rogues Gallery (1985)
- Crackers (1985)
- You Boyz Make Big Noize (1987)
- Slade Alive! (1972)
- Slade Alive, Vol. 2 (1978)
- Slade on Stage (1982)
- Coz I Luv You (1972)
- Sladest (1973)
- Slade Smashes! (1980)
- Slades Greats (1984)
- The Slade Collection 81–87 (1991)
- Wall of Hits (1991)
- The Slade Collection Vol. 2, 79–87 (1993)
- The Genesis of Slade (1996)
- Feel the Noize – Greatest Hits (1997)
- Get Yer Boots On: The Best of Slade (2004)
- The Very Best of Slade (2005)
- Slade Alive! – The Live Anthology (2006)
- B-Sides (2007)
- Rockers (2007)
- In for a Penny: Raves & Faves (2007)
- Live at the BBC (2009)
- Merry Xmas Everybody: Party Hits (2009)
- Cum On Feel the Hitz: The Best of Slade (2020)
- The Slade Box (2006)
- When Slade Rocked the World (2015)
- Six of the Best
- Alive at Reading
- Xmas Ear Bender
- "You Better Run" (The N' Betweens)
- "Wild Winds Are Blowing"
- "Shape of Things to Come"
- "Know Who You Are"
- "Get Down and Get with It"
- "Coz I Luv You"
- "Look Wot You Dun"
- "Take Me Bak 'Ome"
- "Mama Weer All Crazee Now"
- "Gudbuy T'Jane"
- "Cum On Feel the Noize"
- "Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me"
- "My Friend Stan"
- "Merry Xmas Everybody"
- "Everyday"
- "When the Lights Are Out"
- "The Bangin' Man"
- "Far Far Away"
- "How Does It Feel"
- "Thanks for the Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam)"
- "In for a Penny"
- "Let's Call It Quits"
- "Nobody's Fool"
- "Gypsy Roadhog"
- "Burning in the Heat of Love"
- "My Baby Left Me - That's All Right"
- "Give Us a Goal"
- "Rock 'n' Roll Bolero"
- "Ginny, Ginny"
- "Sign of the Times"
- "Okey Cokey"
- "We'll Bring the House Down"
- "Wheels Ain't Coming Down"
- "Knuckle Sandwich Nancy"
- "Lock Up Your Daughters"
- "Ruby Red"
- "Rock and Roll Preacher (Hallelujah I'm on Fire)"
- "(And Now the Waltz) C'est La Vie"
- "My Oh My"
- "Run Runaway"
- "Slam the Hammer Down"
- "All Join Hands"
- "7 Year Bitch"
- "Myzsterious Mizster Jones"
- "Little Sheila"
- "Do You Believe in Miracles"
- "Still the Same"
- "That's What Friends Are For"
- "You Boyz Make Big Noize"
- "Ooh La La in L.A."
- "We Won't Give In"
- "Let's Dance '88"
- "Radio Wall of Sound"
- "Universe"
- Slade in Flame
- Wall of Hits
- Discography
- List of songs recorded by Slade
- The Dummies
- A Day in the Life of the Dummies
- "Shooting Me Down"
- Keep On Rockin' (Slade II album)
- Therapy (James Whild Lea album)