Jilted John

  • Jilted John
  • True Love Stories (UK EMI International) 1978 

In between releasing early punk records by Slaughter and the Dogs, the Nosebleeds and Ed Banger, Manchester’s Rabid label found time to have an enormous chart hit with the novelty shtick of Jilted John, written and sung in an acne-riddled voice by Graham Fellows. Gordon the Moron, Julie and other assorted fictitious characters all joined John in this semi-narrative tale of teen angst, set to pop music dopier than anything Herman’s Hermits ever imagined. More ridiculous: the unavoidable catchiness of the whole affair. Embarrassingly likable crap.

[Ira Robbins]