Dead End Job
| "Dead End Job" | |
|---|---|
 a safety master tape from the 1977-08-10 session  the cover for the Can't Stand Losing You 7" single | |
| Recorded by The Police | |
| Released: | 1978-08-14 |
| Recorded: | 1977-08-10 (unreleased)
1978-01-17 (7" version) |
| Length: | 2:54 (1977 version)
3:30 (1978 version) |
| Album(s): | Message In A Box: The Complete Recordings |
| Label(s): | A&M |
| Writer(s): | Sting, Stewart Copeland |
| Producer(s): | The Police |
| Studio(s): | Pathway Studios (1977) |
| Released as single? | B-SIDE |
"Dead End Job" is a song written by Sting and Stewart Copeland and recorded by The Police in 1977 (unreleased) and again in 1978.
Contents
About the song
Stewart Copeland recorded the original Sleaze Casino demo on 1976-01-26, with just guitar and bass. He used some drums he recorded with Tony Reeves on 1976-02-26 to do a second demo version.
This is one of the very first songs Sting so-wrote for The Police. Stewart Copeland already had the music, Sting did the lyrics. It was already performed live before Andy Summers joined the band.
The Police recorded this song on 1977-08-10 when Henry Padovani was still a member - with John Cale as producer. The 1977 version doesn't feature any newspaper reading. Stewart's drums are a bit irritating, he uses a lot of toms and his hi-hat (foot pedal probably) plays 1-2-3-4 continuously... Andy Summers solo is a "normal" rock'n'roll solo compared to the experimental stuff on the 1978 version.
The part with "The queue gets longer every day" has different lyrics.
The version that was eventually released as the b-side of Can't Stand Losing You was a re-recording from 1978-01-17. There's an alternate mix for the 1978 version which starts with more newspaper noises before the count-in. The channels seem to be flipped, Andy Summers reading the newspaper is on the right, the bass is on the left.
According to Nigel Gray Sting chose the version that was eventually released.
Personnel
1977:
- Sting - bass and vocals
- Stewart Copeland - drums
- Andy Summers - guitar
- Henry Padovani - guitar
1978:
- Sting - bass and vocals
- Stewart Copeland - drums
- Andy Summers - guitar and vocals
Release History
Albums
Dead End Job appears on the following album releases:
| Cover art | Album title | Release date | Release country |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Message In A Box: The Complete Recordings | 1993-MM-DD | UK |
 
|
Every Move You Make: The Studio Recordings / Flexible Strategies | 2018-11-16 | UK |
Singles
CD Singles
| Cover art | Catalog no. | Songs | Release date | Release country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Catalog no. | "Song"(s) | YYYY-MM-DD | Country |
7" Singles
| Cover art | Catalog no. | A-side song/B-side song | Release date | Release country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
AMS 7381 | "Can't Stand Losing You"/"Dead End Job" | 1978-08-14 | UK |
Video
"SONG TITLE" appears on the following video and dvd releases:
| Cover art | Video title | Release date | Release country |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Video or dvd title | YYYY-MM-DD | Country |
Awards, nominations, and certifications
Awards
This section needs more information.
| Year | Winner | Award | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| YYYY | WINNER (album, song, producer, etc.) | AWARD (Grammy, People's Choice, etc.) | CATEGORY |
Nominations
This section needs more information.
| Year | Nominee | Award | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| YYYY | NOMINEE (album, song, producer, etc.) | AWARD (Grammy, People's Choice, etc.) | CATEGORY |
Certifications
This section needs more information.
| Country | Certifier | Classification | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| COUNTRY | CERTIFIER (RIAA, IFPI...) | CLASSIFICATION (Album, singles, foreign artist...) | CERTIFICATION (Gold, Platinum, Diamond...) |
Lyrics
Lyrics are property and copyright of their owners, and provided here for educational purposes only.
- 1978 version:
I don't want no dead end job I don't wanna be no number I don't want no dead end job I don't wanna be no number The queue gets longer every day I just ain't got time to stay I ain't gonna run away All I want to do is play Don't wanna be no teacher Don't wanna be no slave Don't wanna work no assembly line Like my uncle Dave The queue gets longer every day I just ain't got time to stay I ain't gonna run away All I wanna do is play I don't want no dead end job I don't want no dead end job I don't want no dead end job I don't want no dead end job I don't want no dead end job I don't wanna be no number I don't want no dead end job I don't wanna be no number The queue gets longer everyday All I wanna do is play I just ain't got time to stay But I ain't gonna run away Don't wanna be no millionaire Don't wanna own no mint I don't wanna be no tax exile And I don't mind being skint
- 1977 version:
I don't want no dead end job I don't wanna be no number I don't want no dead end job I don't wanna be no number World is turning every day Dole queue longer every way Don't wanna be no teacher Don't wanna be no slave Don't wanna be no assembly line Like my uncle Dave World is turning every day Dole queue longer every way I don't want no dead end job I don't want no dead end job I don't want no dead end job I don't - no I don't want no dead end job I don't wanna be no number I don't want no dead end job I don't wanna be no number World is turning every day Dole queue longer every way Don't wanna be no millionaire I don't wanna own no mint I don't wanna be no tax exile And I don't mind being skint World is turning every day Dole queue longer every way I don't want no dead end job I don't want no dead end job I don't want no dead end job I don't ----- oh (guitar solo) I don't want no dead end job I don't want no dead end job I don't want no dead end job I don't ... I don't want no dead end job I don't wanna be no number I don't want no dead end job I don't wanna be no number World is turning every day Dole queue longer every way Don't wanna be no millionaire I don't wanna own no mint I don't wanna be no tax exile And I don't mind being skint World is turning every day Dole queue longer every way I don't want no dead end job I don't want no dead end job I don't want no dead end job I don't want no dead end job etc...
Quotations and trivia
This section needs more information.
Alternate and cover versions
- 1977 version with Henry Padovani - produced by John Cale
- slightly different 1978 mix
See also
- 1976-01-26 - Sleaze Casino demo
- 1976-02-26 - Sleaze Casino drums for 2nd demo
External links
This section needs more information.
References
sources: Craig Betts, Stewart Copeland's Police Diaries
