Today’s classic song of the day is a pretty much totally forgotten late-70s power pop tune. It’s “Back of My Hand” by The Jags, and don’t be embarrassed if you’ve never heard it. Described by some as “one of the best records that Elvis Costello didn’t write,” the track very much sounds like an Elvis record from that time period—and it’s very bit as good as described.
“Back of My Hand” was not written by Elvis Costello, but rather by Jags vocalist Nick Watkinson and guitarist John Alder. It’s short and catchy with that new wavish, punkish, pub rockish, power popish kind of sound popularized by Mr. Costello on his first few albums. It was released in September of 1979 and went to #17 on the UK charts. Unfortunately, it only hit #84 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and, since it predated MTV by a year or so, it got no supporting video play. That’s a shame, because it’s as good as anything else coming from England at that time. You could pogo all night to this one.
The Jags were formed just a year earlier, in 1978. They hailed from North Yorkshire and made their bones playing pubs and college gigs around the London area. The band caught the attention of Island Records, which signed them and promptly released a four-track EP that included “Back of My Hand.”
The band only released two albums, 1980’s Evening Standard and 1981’s No Tie Like a Present. That was pretty much all for the Jags, as they broke up in 1982 and the individual members quickly faded into obscurity. “Back of My Hand” lives on, however, a near-perfect example of what power pop is supposed to sound like. It certainly sounds like 1979 to me.
On the subject of music videos, here’s a lip synched performance of “Back of My Hand” by the Jags on Britain’s Top of the Pops television program. It’s really good.
