Lock Up Your Daughters (1981)
Lock Up Your Daughters is Slade's second single from their tenth studio album Till Deaf Do Us Part. Released by RCA on 4 September 1981, it reached No. 29 in the UK and remained in the charts for eight weeks. The song was written by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea, and produced by Slade.
Background
Following their revival after their performance at the 1980 Reading Festival, Slade regained success in the UK with their 1981 album We'll Bring the House Down and the Top 10 hit single of the same name. In May 1981, the lead single "Knuckle Sandwich Nancy", from the upcoming album Till Deaf Do Us Part, was released but failed to chart. In September, the band followed it up with "Lock Up Your Daughters" which was the band's first single to be released directly under their new label RCA. The single reached No. 29 in the UK, although the band were disappointed it did not match the success of "We'll Bring the House Down" earlier in the year. It was believed that sales suffered as the band's two appearances on Top of the Pops clashed with the showing of the blockbuster films Earthquake and Jaws on ITV.
"Lock Up Your Daughters" continued the band's efforts to produce a more heavy metal-influenced sound as their performance at the Reading Festival attracted followers of the New wave of British heavy metal. In addition to the song's chart success, it also became a popular addition to the band's live concerts. Speaking of the song in a 1982 interview with Kerrang!, Dave Hill said: "I thought that the playing on "Lock Up Your Daughters" was good and I can tell that the song had appeal to the metal fans. On the whole our musical direction probably lies somewhere between those two songs ["We'll Bring the House Down"]."
On 24 April 2012, Hill appeared the Professional Music Technology store in Birmingham where "An evening with Dave Hill" was presented, featuring the guitarist speaking about his career through a live interview/chat session. During the event, Hill was asked by a fan, Jonathan Ritchie, whether he ever contributed to Slade tracks without getting a writing credit. Hill revealed that he had written the guitar solo in "Lock Up Your Daughters".
Release
"Lock Up Your Daughters" was released on 7" vinyl by RCA Records in the UK, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Australia. It was the first Slade single to be released by RCA, although the label had handled distribution of the band's last few singles which had been released on the independent label Cheapskate. The B-side, "Sign of the Times", originally appeared on the band's 1979 album Return to Base and was also released as a failed single from it.
Promotion
In the UK, the band performed the song on the music show Top of the Pops, for broadcast on 24 September 1981. The band's performance was repeated on the 8 October edition of the show too. The band also performed the song on the Dutch AVRO TV show TopPop.
Music video
A music video was filmed to promote the single, although it received little airing at the time. The video was filmed on 7 September 1981 at Portland Studios in London. In the video, Holder wore a black T-shirt with the artwork of the band's We'll Bring the House Down album.
Critical reception
Contemporary reviews
Retrospective reviews
Chart performance
Dutch Top 40 Chart: #17
Dutch Single Top 100: #19
UK Singles Chart: #29
Formats
7" single
Personnel
Slade
Cover versions
Background
Following their revival after their performance at the 1980 Reading Festival, Slade regained success in the UK with their 1981 album We'll Bring the House Down and the Top 10 hit single of the same name. In May 1981, the lead single "Knuckle Sandwich Nancy", from the upcoming album Till Deaf Do Us Part, was released but failed to chart. In September, the band followed it up with "Lock Up Your Daughters" which was the band's first single to be released directly under their new label RCA. The single reached No. 29 in the UK, although the band were disappointed it did not match the success of "We'll Bring the House Down" earlier in the year. It was believed that sales suffered as the band's two appearances on Top of the Pops clashed with the showing of the blockbuster films Earthquake and Jaws on ITV.
"Lock Up Your Daughters" continued the band's efforts to produce a more heavy metal-influenced sound as their performance at the Reading Festival attracted followers of the New wave of British heavy metal. In addition to the song's chart success, it also became a popular addition to the band's live concerts. Speaking of the song in a 1982 interview with Kerrang!, Dave Hill said: "I thought that the playing on "Lock Up Your Daughters" was good and I can tell that the song had appeal to the metal fans. On the whole our musical direction probably lies somewhere between those two songs ["We'll Bring the House Down"]."
On 24 April 2012, Hill appeared the Professional Music Technology store in Birmingham where "An evening with Dave Hill" was presented, featuring the guitarist speaking about his career through a live interview/chat session. During the event, Hill was asked by a fan, Jonathan Ritchie, whether he ever contributed to Slade tracks without getting a writing credit. Hill revealed that he had written the guitar solo in "Lock Up Your Daughters".
Release
"Lock Up Your Daughters" was released on 7" vinyl by RCA Records in the UK, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Australia. It was the first Slade single to be released by RCA, although the label had handled distribution of the band's last few singles which had been released on the independent label Cheapskate. The B-side, "Sign of the Times", originally appeared on the band's 1979 album Return to Base and was also released as a failed single from it.
Promotion
In the UK, the band performed the song on the music show Top of the Pops, for broadcast on 24 September 1981. The band's performance was repeated on the 8 October edition of the show too. The band also performed the song on the Dutch AVRO TV show TopPop.
Music video
A music video was filmed to promote the single, although it received little airing at the time. The video was filmed on 7 September 1981 at Portland Studios in London. In the video, Holder wore a black T-shirt with the artwork of the band's We'll Bring the House Down album.
Critical reception
Contemporary reviews
- Upon release the single was reviewed on BBC Radio 1's Round Table show. It received a thumbs up from BBC presenter and radio DJ Mike Read, BBC radio presenter Dave Lee Travis and musician Eddy Grant.
- Sunie of Record Mirror wrote: "Slade used to be so distinctive that their current bland, rocky anonymity is a tragedy. They were never my faves - too uncouth - but they did churn out some classic early seventies trashpop. Now they're just another band of HM roisterers, albeit more wizened than most. Awful."
- Mike Gardner of Record Mirror described the song as "raucous".
- Garry Bushell of Sounds wrote: "That's more like it! Back down to earth and enjoying every minute of it, Slade give yet more substance to their resurgence as hard rock heroes with this mighty rabble rousing stomp. With hooligans like these on the loose, mothers would be well advised to follow the advice of Noddy's catchy Bad Company style chorus and keep their little girls off the streets. Another big new hit. Long may they thrive."
- Steve Gett of Kerrang! described the song as a "great single", adding that it "has shown that Slade are still proficient in the studio".
- Simon Mares of Reading Evening Post wrote: "Slade have very successfully updated their sound with "Lock Up Your Daughters" which has strong heavy metal overtones yet remains distinctive - and not because of Noddy Holder's vocals."
- In a review of Till Deaf Do Us Part, Kerrang! described the song as "traditional Slade".
- In their review of Till Deaf Do Us Part, Melody Maker said: "...numbers like "Lock Up Your Daughters" (which inexplicably failed to devastate the singles chart as it should have), "Ruby Red" and "She Brings Out the Devil in Me" – all stompers in the well-loved traditions of Slade."
- In a review of Rogues Gallery, Dick Hogan of The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) commented: "The heaviest tune on the album is "Lock Up Your Daughters". It's about the only song with a hard-driving guitar in the manner of "Cum On Feel the Noize" but it doesn't have the booming drumming. Instead, menacing bass chords are substituted."
Retrospective reviews
- In a 1986 fan club opinion poll, fans voted the "Lock Up Your Daughters" at No. 3 of the band's best three singles of the 1980s.
- In a retrospective review of Till Deaf Do Us Part, Geoff Ginsberg of AllMusic commented: ""Lock Up Your Daughters" is as catchy as it gets and maintains the furious instrumental pace of the record. "Daughters" is a perfect example of how far the band had come. It retains the almost bubblegum sound of the earlier singles, while the heavy production style gives it a bit more of a hard-rocking edge."
- Joe Geesin of Get Ready to Rock! said the song "dropped the boogie" and was a "solid thumping rock song".
- In 2010, Classic Rock listed the song as one of 14 Slade songs that belong on an "Essential Playlist".
Chart performance
Dutch Top 40 Chart: #17
Dutch Single Top 100: #19
UK Singles Chart: #29
Formats
7" single
- "Lock Up Your Daughters" - 3:31
- "Sign of the Times" - 3:58
Personnel
Slade
- Noddy Holder - lead vocals, rhythm guitar, producer
- Dave Hill - lead guitar, backing vocals, producer
- Jim Lea - bass, organ, backing vocals, producer
- Don Powell - drums, producer
Cover versions
- In 1989, English-American rock band Lion recorded a version of the song for their second and final studio album Trouble in Angel City.