GREEN JELLŸ — I'm the Leader of the Gang (review)

GREEN JELLŸ — I'm the Leader of the Gang album cover

Single · 1993 · Alternative Metal

2/5 · 2015-10-28
Vim Fuego

You’ve gotta feel a bit sorry for Green Jelly.

In 1993, when the comedy metal band released this collaboration with Hulk Hogan, it all seemed like a good idea.

“I'm the Leader of the Gang” was originally released by Gary Glitter in 1973, and became Glitter's first number one single in the UK, spending four weeks at the top of the chart in July 1973. A definitive glam rock anthem, it introduced the world to the simple but fun “Glitter stomp”.

Hulk Hogan was the world’s most famous professional wrestler through the 1980s, helping to revive the sports/entertainment’s sagging fortunes through his outstanding showmanship and incredible physique. Hogan had also turned his hand to acting, and decided to add “musician” to his repertoire. He sang a duet with Dolly Parton, and released a rap rock album with the Wrestling Boot Band, which featured his wife and fellow wrestler Jimmy Hart.

And so to this single. The old glam rock stomper was given a bit of a make-over by Green Jelly, a band not adverse to performing the odd cover or repurposing other artists riffs. Hulk Hogan is no singer. He shouts and groans his way through the moronic but catchy lyrics, and the real musicians give him every assistance. And it works well enough. Sure, it’s nothing more than a novelty tune, but it was never trying to be anything deep and meaningful. It’s just good cartoonish, shout-along fun. It also briefly bothered the charts, hitting the UK Top 40. It is backed with one of Hogan’s own songs, “Hulkomaniac” (actually a mis-labelled version of "Hulkster in Heaven"), and a throwaway Green Jelly track “Thing-A-Ma-Bob”.

So far, so innocent, in 1993.

Fast forward to 2015, and the innocence has been smashed.

Gary Glitter (real name Paul Gadd) is now reviled the world over following several convictions for various sex crimes against children which earned him a lengthy prison sentence. Despite selling millions of records in the 1970s, it is now almost impossible to find a fan anywhere. In 2015, Hulk Hogan (real name Terry Bollea) was fired by World Wrestling Entertainment after a leaked sex tape was found to include racist and homophobic comments by Hogan.

There’s not much Green Jelly can do about this entire situation. This single is out there, and their name is on it. There is no way the band could have ever imagined this fun little novelty song would be later tarnished by paedophilia, racism and homophobia, and no one has ever suggested Green Jelly condones any of this. If you ever chance upon it, try to separate the later revelations from the original intent of this release, and try to imagine it in a more innocent time.

more than 2 years ago
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Vim Fuego wrote:

more than 2 years ago

This came out around the same time as Cereal Killer, but wasn't on the album, because it was a Hulk Hogan single I suppose. It wouldn't have seemed out of place at all.