My first time in Brixton April 12th 2025
I know this was in April but I decided to set myself the challenge of deciding my favourite Top 40 Jim lyrics and favourite Top 40 Jim songs. Then, I had to wait for the new albums to land and give them a good listen too and the definitely feature. Some of my very favourite Jim songs are on Automatic and Stick.
Album and lyric rainbowed nails had to happen!
Many friends were there (both on stage and in the crowd) and new ones made before and after gig
My Top 10 (11) Jim Lyrics today
‘It’s the confident swagger
of a teenager with a dagger
and no concept of next.’
My New Walk
‘I thought I was bullet-proof but a bullet proved I was wrong
I walk with the gospel truth of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.’
Johnny Cash
‘Growing up goth in a pastel world
Not all heroes wear capes, but they do.’
Every Day’s A Discotheque
‘If some fucker tries to steal your bike
They’re gonna find out what you’re made of
They’ll know you’re not the fearful type
And that’s what I’m most afraid of.’
Swordfight Outside McDonald’s
‘The streets were completely deserted.
I pretended I was Cillian Murphy.’
The Summer of No Touching
‘Using all my cartoon super powers
I scaled the face of St Stephen’s Tower
And looking down across my manor
Unfurled my stupid protest banner
Tourists watch from the wheel
With their camera phones and Happy Meals
Suspected a PR stunt
And secretly hoped I’d jump.’
Cartoon Dad
‘They switched off their halos
and started working to rule’.
Angelstrike!
‘Every park or patch of green
Looks like a future Crimewatch scene’
Victim
‘All hail the King walking through the park
Looking like he got dressed up in the dark
And looking better than all us muppets with mirrors and light switches’
Every Day’s A Discotheque
‘By the American grafitti
From Elephant and Castle
In Ford Capri Orange,
Volkswagen Yellow and gold.’
A Prince In A Pauper’s Grave
Strung out in red, brown and black
like crows above the railway track’
Shoefiti
Brixton Academy and Mr Spoons DJ set
First time at Brixton Academy. And the venue was buzzing and it was difficult to leave the crowd for the important trip to the toilet before Jim’s set started as we knew we would not then move until the end. Jim did not have a break either. Though the Hoodrats had a quick recharge and Jim went acoustic for a bit.
Was great to see Mr Spoons enjoying himself for his DJ set. Grinning, bouncing, dressing like a dalek. Lots of brilliant tracks shared too. And the stunning news Marc Ollington (Jim’s manager) had promised was the release of two albums by Jim on 22nd August – not a double album, two quite different albums with no filler.
Jim takes to the stage –
40 years on
I was fortunate enough to get a classic gig t-shirt which is already out-of-date because of the death of a Pope. I wear this often and they sold out before the end of the show – so I am glad a I doubled up wearing it over the one I turned up in. So many people ask me to stand still while they read this, more than any other t-shirt I have owned. Great merch Marc O and Jim! I absolutely loved the gig and it was an honour to be there and to celebrate 40 years of Jim Bob!
The songs played and write-ups of the gig were shared by many people back in April, so, instead I have decided to share my favourite 40 Jim songs and favourite 40 lyrics and some of my favourite lines instead. At the time of posting these are my favourites, these will probably change regularly.
Merch in the world
My Top 40 Jim Lyrics
(alphabetical order and I am sure I will find one I have missed tomorrow!)
24 Minutes From Tulse Hill
Angelstrike!
Beach Ready Boys
Befriend The Police
Bernadette Hasn’t Found Anyone Yet
Bloodsport For All
Cartoon Dad
England
Every Day’s A Discotheque
Falling On A Bruise
God, Saint Peter And The Guardian Angel
Hair Metal
If God Was A CCTV Room Operator Called Steve
If It Ain’t Broke
Jo’s Got Papercuts
Johnny Cash
Mrs F**cking McMurphy Teaches Food Technology
My Defeatist Attitude
My New Walk
Pizza Boy
Prince Of Wales
Scream If You Want To Go Slower
Sheriff Fatman
Shopper’s Paradise
Sing, Fat Lady, Sing
Skywest And Crooked
Song By Me
Step Back
Summer of No Touching
Swordfight Outside McDonalds
TED Talks
The Carousel
The Loneliest Elephant In The World
The Only Living Boy in New Cross
This Phoney War
Turn On, Tune In, Switch Off Forever
TRUCE
Victim
Victoria Knits The War
#thoughtsandprayers
More Jim photos. 40!
My Top 40 Jim Songs
(alphabetical order and I am sure I will find one I have missed tomorrow! again!)
A Prince In A Pauper’s Grave
A Time To Kill
Angelstrike!
Another Day In The Office
Beach Ready Boys
Big Boy
Born On The 5th November
Cartoon Dad
Cheap And Cheesy
Do Re Me So Far So Good
Every Day’s A Discotheque
Falling on a Bruise
G.I. Blues
Glam Rock Cops
Johnny Cash
Jo’s Got papercuts
Lean on me I won’t fall over
Mrs F**king McMurphy
Our Forever Home
Re-educating Rita
R.S.P.C.E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G
Rubbish
Sealed With A Glasgow Kiss
Sebastian Goes On A Ride-a-long
Skywest And Crooked
Song By Me
Stuff the Jubilee
Summer Of No Touching
Suppose You Gave A Funeral
Thanks For Reaching Out
The Man Behind The Counter At The Comic Book Store
The Music That Nobody Likes
The Only Living Boy In New Cross
The Only Looney Left In Town
This Is End Times
This Phoney War
Touchy-Feely
Under The Thumb Over The Moon
Victim
While You Were Out
The Hoodrats
Jim’s new albums
I love the two new albums Jim brought out on 22nd August. Stick and Automatic are very different albums and several of the songs from these feature in all of my lists. I recommend giving these a listen on streaming and then buying hard formats. I reckon these are some of Jim’s best lyrics and some great songs, some immediate hits with me, some have grown on me and others are growing. Loving Stick the most but feel like Automatic may leap over it at some point as more the less immediate songs are on that album.
Links for albums
Jim Bob — Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine
Also available here is Jim’s book about his lyrics ‘Where songs come from’. Also, give another of my blogs a read if you want to know about the time I interviewed Jim at Chatham Library in November 2024:
Jim Bob interview 9th November 2024 Medway River Lit – Sarah L Dixon Writer
Ben Murray’s album
Ben’s new album is one of my favourite albums of last year – give this a listen here and then buy it to support:
Chris T-T Album re-release (limited run)
Chris T-T — Indie Tees
To be honest, I have read a lot of Chris’s lyrics but have not listened to the albums. I do plan to buy these next pay day though – Marc O being so good at merch again means I have bought the Jim vinyl and 2 x Carter pint glasses and pre-ordered Jonn Penney’s new book.
And one more thing…
Jonn Penney’s new book Self-ish
http://www.threadsatomicdustbin.com/
My PC gave me a warning on this link but I love the wordplay here and I will flag this issue with Marc Ollington and hopefully you shouldn’t have any issues then.
Sarah L Dixon Writer 
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