The JCB Song

Album: Half These Songs Are About You (2005)
Charted: 1
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • JCB is a company that makes construction equipment. In the December 16, 2005 Daily Mail, guitarist and singer Luke Concannon said: "The single is based on a true story. My family run a construction firm, building roads. As a youngster, I'd often sit in the (JCB) diggers with my dad. We'd have a great laugh, singing songs and holding up the traffic as we drove down country roads. It's a song about memories, essentially. It's about me feeling proud of my dad, but also about the emotions of a 5-year-old boy who is having a tough time with bullies at school. Sitting in my dad's digger was a release from that."
  • Nizlopi is the duo of Luke Concannon and bassist John Parker. They formed in 2001, taking their name from a Hungarian schoolgirl, Nina Nizlopi, who they both fancied during their teenage years in their hometown of Leamington Spa near Birmingham in England.
  • Luke Concannon on BBC3's 100 Most Annoying Songs: "It's a song from that really strong vivid memory of being young and being with my Dad in a digger and holding up the traffic spaceship and imagining it turning into a spaceship and destroying all the bullies and teachers." >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England, for all above
  • A teenage Ed Sheeran was Nizlopi's guitar technician in the late 2000s. "I followed them to every gig," he told The Mail on Sunday. "After a while they were like, 'OK, do you want a job?' So, rather than following them about, I was in a van with them. That experience – seeing how they performed, how they interacted with their fans and how professional they were backstage – was the foundation for what's happening to me now. It's all about hard work, graft and being nice to people. That's the best way to do it."

Comments: 6

  • Amanda Bibby from WokingParty appearance
  • Lloyd from Birmingham Hits me right in the feels this one does
  • Louise from Newcastle, United KingdomOooh, this is so irritating! The video was cute, however.
  • Michaela from Shropshire, Englandthis song is really cute, with the lilo boy in the video aswell :) awwww!
  • Sander from Wirdum, NetherlandsIt's a really cute song! Especially the clip, so sweet =D
  • Claire from ManchesterAwww i love this song it's soo cute =) And whoever does the vocals on it has a really nice voice.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Corey Hart

Corey HartSongwriter Interviews

The Canadian superstar talks about his sudden rise to fame, and tells the stories behind his hits "Sunglasses At Night," "Boy In The Box" and "Never Surrender."

In The Cards

In The CardsSong Writing

Songwriters have used cards and card games to make sense of heartache, togetherness, and even Gonorrhea.

Grunge Bands Quiz

Grunge Bands QuizMusic Quiz

If the name Citizen Dick means anything to you, there's a chance you'll get some of these right.

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)Songwriter Interviews

Mike Rutherford talks about the "Silent Running" storyline and "Land Of Confusion" in the age of Trump.

Rock Revenge Songs

Rock Revenge SongsMusic Quiz

John Lennon, Paul Simon and Lynyrd Skynyrd are some of the artists who have written revenge songs. Do you know who they wrote them about?