The Employers Blacklist

Album: Suburban Rebels (1983)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Employers Black List" is a group composition. In a 1981 interview with New Mania wherein it was alluded to as "National Insurance Blacklist," it was explained as being about "a blacklist for extreme trade unionists and rebels that cause a lot of greif for the government. They take the National Insurance number and when they go for another job, it cuts their chances down."

    The misspelling of grief is augmented by a reference to Quint Smith, presumably bass player Martin Smith. This list did actually exist, although its operation was shrouded in secrecy for reasons that need no explaining here. Started by the Economic League in the wake of the First World War, it did not attract serious attention from the mainstream media until after this song was released, but not because of it! As with many databases of this nature, much of the information it garnered was inaccurate, which led to the "wrong" people being blacklisted.
  • "Employers Black List" was the B-side of "Harry May." Unlike the A-side, it was recorded at Rockstar Recording Studio in London. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"They're Playing My Song

When Dave recorded the first version of the song with his group the Blasters, producer Nick Lowe gave him some life-changing advice.

Incongruent Opening Acts

Incongruent Opening ActsSong Writing

Here's what happens when an opening act is really out of place with the headliner, like when Beastie Boys opened for Madonna.

Tanita Tikaram

Tanita TikaramSongwriter Interviews

When she released her first album in 1988, Tanita became a UK singing sensation at age 19. She talks about her darkly sensual voice and quirky songwriting style.

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.

Metallica

MetallicaFact or Fiction

Beef with Bon Jovi? An unfortunate Spandex period? See if you can spot the true stories in this Metallica version of Fact or Fiction.

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in Songs

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in SongsSong Writing

Elvis, Little Richard and Cheryl Cole have all sung about Teddy Bears, but there is also a terrifying Teddy song from 1932 and a touching trucker Teddy tune from 1976.