View source for Dirty Water

{{Short description|1965 single by The Standells}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox song
| name       = Dirty Water
| cover      = Dirty Water (audio recording).jpg
| alt        =
| border     = yes
| caption    = Label on the 1965 US single
| type       = single
| artist     = [[the Standells]]
| album      = [[Dirty Water (album)|Dirty Water]]
| B-side     = Rari
| released   = {{Start date|1965|11}}{{sfn|Burgess|Nowlin|Cobb|2007|p=191}}
| recorded   = {{Start date|1965|03|05}}<ref name="liner notes">{{Cite AV media notes |last=Irwin |first=Bob |title=Dirty Water |title-link=Dirty Water (album) |others=[[The Standells]] |date=1994 |type=Liner notes |publisher=[[Sundazed Music|Sundazed]] |id=SC 6019}}</ref>
| studio     = Universal, Hollywood<ref name="liner notes" />
| genre      = {{hlist|[[Garage rock]]<ref>{{AllMusic|class=song|id=mt0003778810|label=Song Review by Richie Unterberger|first=Richie|last=Unterberger|access-date=February 3, 2016}}</ref><ref name= "RS 2004">{{cite book |chapter= Nuggets|last= Seward|first= Scott|title=[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide|The New Rolling Stone Album Guide]] |year=2004 |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |edition=4th |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages = 918–919}}</ref>|[[proto-punk]]<ref>{{cite book|author=Danial Levitin|title=The World in Six Songs: How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R2KVAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT41|date=1 March 2014|publisher=Aurum Press|isbn=978-1-78131-112-7|page=41}}</ref><ref name="Bradley 2014">{{cite book|title= The Alternative Jukebox|first=Larry|last=Bradley|date= November 4, 2014|chapter= The 1960s: The Standells - "Dirty Water|page= 19|publisher=[[Cassell (publisher)|Cassell]]|isbn=978-1-84403-789-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w_phoAEACAAJ}}</ref>}}
| length     = {{Duration|m=2|s=48}}
| label      = {{hlist|[[Tower Records (record label)|Tower]]}}
| writer     = [[Ed Cobb]]
| producer   = Ed Cobb
| prev_title = Don't Say Goodbye
| prev_year  = 1965
| next_title = Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White
| next_year  = 1966
}}

"'''Dirty Water'''" is a song by the American [[Rock music|rock]] band [[The Standells]], written by their producer [[Ed Cobb]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Pollock |first=Bruce |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GxYiAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA77 |title=Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock and Roll Era |date=18 March 2014 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-135-46296-3 |page=77}}</ref> Recorded and released in 1965, the song is a mock [[paean]] to the city of [[Boston|Boston, Massachusetts]], and its then-famously polluted [[Boston Harbor]] and [[Charles River]].

== History ==
According to Standells keyboardist Larry Tamblyn, at least some of the song (notably the reference to "lovers, muggers, and thieves") was inspired by a mugging of producer [[Ed Cobb]] in Boston.<ref name="Boston Magazine">{{cite news |author=Sweeney |first=Chris |date=15 May 2016 |title=50 Years of 'Dirty Water' by the Standells |url=https://www.bostonmagazine.com/arts-entertainment/2016/05/15/50-years-dirty-water-the-standells/ |access-date=10 February 2020 |work=Boston Magazine}}</ref> In addition to the [[Charles River]], other local interest items in the song include the [[Boston University]] women's [[curfew]]—"Frustrated women ... have to be in by 12 o'clock"—and a passing mention of the [[Boston Strangler]]—"have you heard about the Strangler? (I'm the man I'm the man)."

The well-known guitar riff that opens the song was recorded with a [[Fender Telecaster]] through a [[Vox AC30]] amplifier by Standells guitarist Tony Valentino.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/the-standells-tony-valentino |title=How an Italian immigrant shaped the sound of US punk to come in the 1960s |first=Andrew |last=Daly |website=[[Guitar World]] |via=[[Yahoo Entertainment]] |date=November 20, 2023 |accessdate=July 9, 2025}}</ref> Although Cobb received sole songwriting credit, Tamblyn has stated that the band "completely restructured it ... and made it into what it was", and "we didn’t get any credits for writing nor arranging."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.boston.com/culture/music/2014/05/05/qa-the-standells-larry-tamblyn-dishes-on-success-of-dirty-water/ |title=Q&A: The Standells' Larry Tamblyn Dishes on Success of 'Dirty Water' |first=Danny |last=McDonald |website=[[Boston.com]] |date=May 5, 2014 |accessdate=July 9, 2025}}</ref>

==Reception ==
"Dirty Water" was first issued in late 1965 on the Tower label, a subsidiary of [[Capitol Records]]. It first became a hit in the state of [[Florida]], breaking out on [[WORL (AM)|WLOF]] in [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]] in January 1966.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.masslive.com/entertainment/2014/04/the_standells_bring_dirty_wate.html |title=The Standells to bring 'Dirty Water' and other hits to Iron Horse in Northampton |first=George |last=Lenker |website=MassLive.com |date=April 28, 2014 |accessdate=July 9, 2025}}</ref>

The song debuted on the ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'' charts on April 30, 1966, and peaked at No. 8. It reached No. 11 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] chart on June 11.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Greene |first=Andy |date=2013-04-16 |title=Flashback: 'Dirty Water' Live in 1966 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/flashback-standells-perform-boston-anthem-dirty-water-on-mike-douglas-75357/ |access-date=2025-10-24 |website=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref> It was the band's first major hit single; their earlier charting record, "The Boy Next Door", had only reached No. 102 on ''Billboard''{{'}}s [[Bubbling Under Hot 100|Bubbling Under]] chart in February 1966.

"Dirty Water" was included in the influential [[compilation album]] ''[[Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968]]'' and is listed in the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]]'s "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll".<ref>{{cite web |title=Experience The Music: One Hit Wonders and The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll |url=http://rockhall.com/exhibits/one-hit-wonders-songs-that-shaped-rock-and-roll/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150307081742/http://rockhall.com/exhibits/one-hit-wonders-songs-that-shaped-rock-and-roll/ |archive-date=March 7, 2015 |access-date=18 December 2014 |publisher=[[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]]}}</ref>

''[[Dirty Water (album)|Dirty Water]]'' was also the title of the Standells' most successful [[LP record|LP]], their only nationally charting album. This LP charted on both ''Billboard'' and ''Cash Box'' magazines' charts, peaking at No. 52 and No. 39, respectively, during the summer of 1966.

==Use by sports teams==
The song is traditionally played by [[Boston]] sports teams following home victories. The [[National Hockey League]]'s [[Boston Bruins]] began playing it in 1995,<ref>{{cite web |last=Vaccaro |first=Adam |date=April 13, 2015 |title=I'm Gonna Tell You a Big Fat Story, Baby |url=https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2015/04/13/im-gonna-tell-you-a-big-fat-story-baby |access-date=10 February 2020 |publisher=Boston.com}}</ref> and [[Major League Baseball]]'s [[Boston Red Sox]] followed suit after home victories beginning in the 1997 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonspastime.com/dirtywater.html|title=Red Sox Fans Love Their Dirty Water|publisher=bostonspastime.com |date=August 16, 2005 |access-date=10 February 2020}}</ref>

The Standells performed the song live at [[Fenway Park]] prior to Game 2 of the [[2004 World Series]].<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63eEjNjcSvs |title=Standells LIVE at 2004 World Series |date=2015-02-15 |last=The Standells |author-link=The Standells |via=YouTube}}</ref> The song is also included in the [[Fever Pitch (2005 film)#Soundtrack|soundtrack]] for the 2005 film ''[[Fever Pitch (2005 film)|Fever Pitch]]'', which focuses on the [[2004 Boston Red Sox season|2004 Red Sox season]].

Starting in April 2019, [[Liverpool F.C.]], a club in the [[Premier League|English Premier League]], began playing "Dirty Water" after home matches. The club is owned by [[Fenway Sports Group]], which also owns the Red Sox.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pizzuti Henry |first=Linda |author-link=Linda Pizzuti Henry |date=2014-04-13 |title=Thanks for playing "Dirty Water" by the Standells after the win today! Fun touch! pic.twitter.com/Uhedda0fPa |url=https://twitter.com/linda_pizzuti/status/455356043024138240 |access-date=2019-04-26 |website=Twitter}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-03-31 |title=Explained: Why you hear the same song after every Anfield win |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/features/391692-explained-why-you-hear-the-same-song-after-every-anfield-win |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=Liverpool FC}}</ref>

==Personnel==
*[[Dick Dodd]] – drums, lead vocal
*Gary Lane – backing vocal, bass guitar
*Larry Tamblyn – backing vocal, [[Vox Continental]] organ
*Tony Valentino – backing vocal, electric guitar, harmonica

==Chart history==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (1966)
!Peak<br />position
|-
|U.S. [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |title=Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012 |publisher=Record Research |year=2013 |page=797}}</ref>
|align="center"|11
|-
|Canada [[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]<ref>{{cite web |title=RPM Top 100 Singles - July 18, 1966 |url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.5708.pdf |publisher=[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]}}</ref>
|align="center"|11
|}

==Covers and samples==
{{unreferenced section|date=September 2020}}
*[[United Kingdom|British]] [[garage rock]] revivalists [[The Inmates]] covered "Dirty Water" in 1979 (and replaced Boston and the Charles with [[London]] and the [[River Thames]]), a version which was a moderate hit and reached #51 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart in January 1980.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1980-01-19/|title=Billboard Hot 100: Week of January 19, 1980|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard.com]]|accessdate=April 23, 2022}}</ref> This song was promoted with customized promo versions recorded for many towns distributed to radio stations. For example, the promo copy played on [[Jackson, Mississippi]]'s WZZQ said "[[Pearl River (Mississippi–Louisiana)|Pearl River]]" and "Jackson you're my home".
*The song is sampled at the beginning of "These Are the Days", the first track on [[the Ducky Boys]]' 1998 album ''[[Dark Days (The Ducky Boys album)|Dark Days]]''.
*Boston punk band [[Dropkick Murphys]] often include the song in live sets, such as the one documented on 2002's ''[[Live on St. Patrick's Day From Boston, MA]]'' and at the 2007 and 2018 Boston Red Sox baseball World Series victory rolling parades. A version recorded with [[the Mighty Mighty Bosstones]]' [[Dicky Barrett]] was released on [[Fenway Recordings]]' 2002 compilation ''In Our Lifetime, Vol. 3: The Revenge of Boston''.
*Icelandic indie band [[Singapore Sling (band)|Singapore Sling]] covered it in its 2002 debut album ''[[The Curse of Singapore Sling]]'', released in North America and Europe the following year.
*Former Red Sox pitcher [[Bronson Arroyo]]'s 2005 cover album, ''[[Covering the Bases]]'', includes a version of the song.
*The [[Buffalo Sabres]] NHL team plays a cover version of this song before the beginning of the third period. This version substitutes River Charles with [[Niagara River]], and Boston is replaced with Buffalo.
*[["Weird Al" Yankovic]] covered the song during his March 4, 2018 evening show at The Wilbur Theater in Boston.
*[[Pearl Jam]] covered the song during their September 4, 2018 show at Fenway Park in Boston.
*[[Bruce Springsteen]] and the [[E Street Band]] have covered the song on multiple occasions while playing in Boston, most recently during their March 20, 2023, show at [[TD Garden]].

==See also==
* [[List of one-hit wonders in the United States#1960s|List of 1960s one-hit wonders in the United States]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
{{Refbegin}}
*{{cite book |last1=Burgess |first1=Charles D. |last2=Nowlin |first2=Bill |last3=Cobb |first3=Ed |title=Love That Dirty Water: The Standells and the Improbable Red Sox Victory Anthem |date=2007 |publisher=Rounder Books |location=Cambridge, Massachusetts |isbn=978-1-57940-146-7 |url=https://archive.org/details/lovethatdirtywat00burg/ |url-access=registration |via=the [[Internet Archive]]}}
{{Refend}}

{{Boston Red Sox}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Songs about Boston]]
[[Category:The Standells songs]]
[[Category:1966 singles]]
[[Category:Songs written by Ed Cobb]]
[[Category:Boston Red Sox]]
[[Category:1966 songs]]
[[Category:Capitol Records singles]]