The Pirates, when they established themselves in 1962-64 and again from 1976 onwards as a separate, power trio entity from Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, were pioneers of the technique of playing guitar solos with a thick chordal rhythm-guitar-like style, which was later popularised by Wilko Johnson of Dr. Feelgood in the 1970s.
The song is co-written by Wilko Johnson, formerly of influential pub-rock band Dr. Feelgood, who had joined the band as a replacement for Ian Dury's former co-writer Chas Jankel, who had left to pursue a solo career, and features string arrangements by Ivor Raymonde (who also composed the string arrangements for Fucking Ada, the song's B-side on its 12" release).
A live version of the song can be found on Dury's Warts 'N' Audience album, it is preceded by a short introduction by Dury in the form of him singing another song and Dury shouting 'Oi oi! to the crowd. It features a totally different verse replacing the second set of 'black/white' lyrics and Wilko Johnson on guitar.
Lyndon B. Johnson | Samuel Johnson | Johnson & Johnson | Dwayne Johnson | Boris Johnson | Johnson | Andrew Johnson | Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center | Magic Johnson | Robert Johnson | James Weldon Johnson | Jack Johnson | Kevin Johnson | Jimmie Johnson | Don Johnson | Randy Johnson | Betsey Johnson | Lionel Johnson | Holly Johnson | Van Johnson | Molly Johnson | Amy Johnson | Glen Johnson | Gary Johnson | Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson | David Johnson | Robert Johnson (musician) | Rida Johnson Young | Philip Johnson | Nunnally Johnson |