Sling Your Hook (Chas's Message To Cancer)

Album: Rockney (1977)
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Songfacts®:

  • How many ways are there to tell someone goodbye and good riddance? There are a few in this song.

    Co-written as usual by the lads themselves, "Sling Your Hook" was first released in 1977 but was re-mastered for the 2005 compilation album The Very Best Of Chas & Dave, wherein it runs to 2 minutes 16 seconds.
  • "Sling your hook" is a British saying that translates to American English as "get lost." It's a kiss-off song, in no uncertain terms.
  • In 2018, this was re-released on A Little Bit Of Us with an extra verse and running to around 2 minutes 30 seconds. As might be inferred from the additional subtitle ("Chas's Message To Cancer"), this extra verse had a grim inspiration. The same month in an interview with the London freesheet Metro, Chas Hodges, then a youthful 74, told an unnamed staff writer, "It suited my situation with the cancer. I've had treatment for cancer of the esophagus, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I have check-ups every three months. I feel strong, I can play the piano, do gigs and my voice feels stronger than it did years ago." >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for all above

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