Nice Legs Shame About Her Face by The Monks

Album: Bad Habits (1979)

Charted: 19

License This Song

Songfacts®:

The Monks were Richard Hudson and John Ford who formed Hudson-Ford after leaving The Strawbs in 1973. The duo scored two UK Top 20 hits, "Pick Up The Pieces" and "Burn Baby Burn" in 1973-74.
This song was a demo, not intended for release, which the duo recorded under the name The Mugs, as it was different to their usual material. However, French label Carrere misread their name, hence The Monks. Ford, who was working on a new project at the time told Mojo magazine April 2009 that the song's success came as a surprise. He explained: "We forgot all about Nice Legs… It was a bit of a problem when it was a hit."
Ford explained the story behind the song's title to Mojo: "It was my first wife's saying. I'd drive around and be wearing dark glasses, and she would say that if she thought I was eyeing up a woman."
The Monks' follow-up single "I Ain't Getting Any" flopped, but UK B-side "Drugs In My Pocket" was a big hit in Canada. Ford commented to Mojo: "I don't know why. I have two platinum discs from Canada. We went over there and they were screaming at us like The Beatles."

Comments: 1

Elwyn from Sydney, Australiait was covered by an Australian band, Dave and the Derros, which got as high as #32 in the charts. the Monks version didn't get released in Australia.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Bad RomanceLady Gaga

Lady Gaga is a big fan of horror movies; listen for the names of these three Alfred Hitchcock films in the lyrics to "Bad Romance": Psycho, Vertigo, Rear Window.

Thinking About YouCalvin Harris

"Thinking About You" was the ninth track from Calvin Harris' 18 Months album to enter the UK singles Top 10. No other artist has obtained so many hits from one LP - Michael Jackson was the previous record holder with seven Top 10 tunes from both his Bad and Dangerous sets.

Don't Worry Be HappyBobby McFerrin

The song "Don't Worry Be Happy" doesn't use any instruments - it's all Bobby McFerrin using various parts of his body to make the sounds.

Edge Of SeventeenStevie Nicks

The death of John Lennon was an influence on the Stevie Nicks hit "Edge Of Seventeen." He's the one with the "words of a poet and voice from a choir."

Where It's AtBeck

Beck's "Where It's At" is a nod to the early years of hip-hop when DJs would use two turntables to loop drum breaks, and a microphone to hype the crowd ("two turntables and a microphone...").

The G.O.A.T.LL Cool J

With his song "The G.O.A.T.," as in Greatest Of All Time, LL Cool J popularized that saying in hip-hop. He credits the boxer Muhammad Ali, who called himself "The Greatest," as inspiration.