For Your Pleasure

A song-by-song analysis of the lyrics and music of Roxy Music and the solo work of Bryan Ferry, Brian Eno, Andy Mackay and Phil Manzanera in the 1970s

About

“For Your Pleasure” (roxymusicsongs.com) is a song-by-song analysis of the songs of Roxy Music and the solo work of Bryan Ferry, Brian Eno, Andy Mackay, and Phil Manzanera as heard on the original UK released studio albums of the 70s.

For Your Pleasure” is written by Kevin Murray, Kelowna, Canada.
Contact: roxymusicsongs@gmail.com

Books read and enjoyed are “Roxy Music: Both Ends Burning” by Jonathan Rigby; “Re-Make/Re-Model: Becoming Roxy Music” by Michael Bracewell; “The Thrill of it All: The Story of Bryan Ferry & Roxy Music” by David Buckley; “Roxy Music by Johnny Rogan; “Unknown Pleasures: A Cultural Biography of Roxy Musicby Paul Stump. On Some Faraway Beach: The Life and Times of Brian Eno by David Sheppard. There are others not read but probably worth checking out. There are others read but not listed here. Detailed credits are provided for each entry.

The idea and template of “For Your Pleasure” is based on Chris O’Leary’s  “Pushing Ahead of the Dame“. Simply some of the best critical writing on David Bowie out there. (And I’ve read ’em all).

18 thoughts on “About

  1. For a guy like me who puts ROXY 1 at tippytops of fave-ever album list
    … a hearty ‘Hello dere!’
    pronounced ‘dare’ if you not know the routine
    thanks for the juicy reads to be had

    Mellotron adds to the perfection, doubters!
    Thanks! for the BBC ‘If There Is …’
    worthy version to be sure

    One of my better Roxy covers circa 199? is
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDZ02TCU454
    replete w/ movie sound effects.

  2. What does 3 and 9 mean?

    • Price of a British movie ticket in the 1950s. Ferry laments the passing of a simpler time: “You might remember/How it used to be/Three and nine could show you/Any fantasy/Parti-coloured pictures/Now and then 3D/ No cheap nostalgia/Conjured up by me.”

    • “3 and 9” is the British Sterling currency before deimalisation and refers to 3 shillings and 9 pence in old money (12 old pence = 1 shilling, 20 shillings in a pound). That is the price of a cinema ticket. Refer to the lyrics:
      “You might remember, how it used to be
      3 and 9 could show you, any fantasy
      Parti-coloured pictures, now and then 3D…”

  3. Evoking the England of the early 1960s –
    before the introduction of decimal coinage, the metric system, and the Pill.

  4. Kevin,
    Your analysis and writings are beyond compare.
    They give an insight and extrapolation that is just so pleasurable to read.
    When, oh when, will you be publishing them in book format ?
    Warmest of Regards ,
    David

  5. Thanks a lot. I was reading about the song The Bogus man. Very well written.

  6. The Manchester Guardian online is asking for questions for a Bryan Ferry interview, to be published at the end of the month. I’ve left my question, the deadline may be coming up soon.

  7. My Joseph Losey-inspired avatar is asking Bryan Ferry if Roxy Music were possible in any other country than post-war Britain, with the influx of American and European culture.

  8. The Guardian published the interview today, and although my question wasn’t answered, Ferry recalled life in Newcastle, and the dual inspirations of Richard Hamilton and Otis Redding.

  9. What happened to the blog. Can’t find latest posts and no updates lately. Shame, so interesting and one of my favs.

    • Thanks for checking in. Re-publishing posts to match the 50 year Roxy Music celebrations. (1972/2022). Just completed the first album. ‘Virginia Plain’, released August 1972 will be published this week, August 2022. Enjoy!

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