Badges Posters Stickers T-Shirts

Album: Private Investigations single (1982)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is a very rare Dire Straits song. It doesn't appear on any of their licensed albums. It hit #2 in the UK as the B-side to "Private Investigations" which appears on the album Love Over Gold.
  • The lyrics describe fellow '80s rockers AC/DC as "Hot and sweaty, loud and greasy."
  • In the US, this was released as a B-side to both "Private Investigations" and "Industrial Disease." It didn't chart with either of them.

Comments: 4

  • Vassilis from Athens, GreeceIt has been released on CD as an extra track of the "You and your friend" CD single.
  • Gregg from Greenville, ScThis is the only Dire Straits song that has never appeared on CD. "Twisting By The Pool", "Two Young Lovers", and "If I Had You" were released on CD Video, in 1987, with the live version of "Two Young Lovers" from "Alchemy". None of the other three songs from the EP have ever appeared on standard audio CD in their original form.
  • Paul from Marysville, WaThis song also features original Straits' Pick Withers. He left the band after completing his work on Love Over Gold.

    In the biography of Dire Straits, which was written with band cooperation and came out after the "Twisting by the Pool" EP, the author called "Badges Posters Stickers T-Shirts" a "wry commentary on merchandising." Man, he really missed the point-- the song is obviously the backstage ramblings of a fan looking for handouts from the band.
  • Richard from Savannah, GaThis song also appears on the EP, "Twisting by the Pool".
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Chris Fehn of Slipknot

Chris Fehn of SlipknotSongwriter Interviews

A drummer for one of the most successful metal bands of the last decade, Chris talks about what it's like writing and performing with Slipknot. Metal-neck is a factor.

Todd Rundgren

Todd RundgrenSongwriter Interviews

Todd Rundgren explains why he avoids "Hello It's Me," and what it was like producing Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell album.

Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG's, Blues Brothers)

Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG's, Blues Brothers)Songwriter Interviews

Steve Cropper on the making of "In the Midnight Hour," the chicken-wire scene in The Blues Brothers, and his 2021 album, Fire It Up.

Corey Hart

Corey HartSongwriter Interviews

The Canadian superstar talks about his sudden rise to fame, and tells the stories behind his hits "Sunglasses At Night," "Boy In The Box" and "Never Surrender."

Have Mercy! It's Wolfman Jack

Have Mercy! It's Wolfman JackSong Writing

The story of the legendary lupine DJ through the songs he inspired.

Producer Ron Nevison

Producer Ron NevisonSong Writing

Ron Nevison explains in very clear terms the Quadrophenia concept and how Heart staged their resurgence after being dropped by their record company.