Brenda's Iron Sledge Releases Gigs Lyrics

Details

Author
Robyn Hitchcock
According to our records, Robyn has played this song 187 times, most recently at The Bowery Ballroom on December 28, 2024. He first performed it at Hope & Anchor on January 23, 1981, 43 years and 11 months earlier.
Title Artist Label Type Year
Black Snake Diamond Role Robyn Hitchcock Armageddon Records Album 1981
Brenda's Iron Sledge Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians Midnight Music EP 1985
Gotta Let This Hen Out! Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians Midnight Music Album 1985
The Man Who Invented Himself Robyn Hitchcock United Records Compilation 1986
A Soft Boy No More Robyn Hitchcock Blue Lake Records Bootleg 1988
Brenda Of The Lightbulb Eyes Robyn Hitchcock A&M Records Video 1989
The Kershaw Sessions Robyn Hitchcock and The Egyptians Strange Roots Album 1994
I Wanna Go Backwards Robyn Hitchcock Yep Roc Records Album 2007
Selections From the I Wanna Go Backwards Box Set Robyn Hitchcock Yep Roc Records Promo 2007
Luminous Groove Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians Yep Roc Records Album 2008
Venue Billed As City State Country Date
Hope & Anchor The Soft Boys London England UK 01/23/1981
Hope & Anchor The Soft Boys London England UK 01/30/1981
Golden Lion (last Soft Boys gig) The Soft Boys London England UK 02/08/1981
Hope & Anchor Robyn Hitchcock and the New Apes London England UK 04/04/1981
The Venue Robyn Hitchcock Orchestra London England UK 03/24/1982
Hope & Anchor "Robyn Hitchcock & Chums" (First Egyptians gig) London England UK 09/29/1984
Dingwalls Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians London England UK 11/17/1984
The Bell Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians London England UK 12/17/1984
Dingwalls Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians London England UK 03/15/1985
Institute of Contemporary Arts Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians London England UK 03/23/1985
Old Grey Whistle Test Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians London England UK 04/16/1985
Marquee Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians London England UK 04/27/1985
Clarendon Hotel Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians London England UK 05/17/1985
Institute of Contemporary Arts Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians London England UK 05/23/1985
Irving Plaza Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians New York New York US 06/21/1985
Cabaret Metro Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Chicago Illinois US 06/22/1985
Club Lingerie Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Los Angeles California US 06/28/1985
Maxwell's Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Hoboken New Jersey US 08/01/1985
Irving Plaza Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians New York New York US 08/02/1985
Jonathan Swift's Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Cambridge Massachusetts US 08/03/1985
Mountford Hall Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Liverpool England UK 10/25/1985
UMIST Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Manchester England UK 10/26/1985
Marquee Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians London England UK 10/29/1985
9:30 Club Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Washington DC US 11/09/1985
9:30 Club Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Washington DC US 11/09/1985
Blind Pig Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Ann Arbor Michigan US 11/13/1985
7th St. Entry Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Minneapolis Minnesota US 11/16/1985
7th St. Entry Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Minneapolis Minnesota US 11/17/1985
Mabel's Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Champaign Illinois US 11/19/1985
Patio Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Indianapolis Indiana US 11/20/1985
688 Club Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Atlanta Georgia US 11/22/1985
UCSD Gym Steps Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians San Diego California US 03/13/1986
I-Beam Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians San Francisco California US 03/17/1986
Berkeley Square Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Berkeley California US 03/19/1986
Starry Night Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Portland Oregon US 03/21/1986
Moore Theatre Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Seattle Washington US 03/22/1986
First Avenue Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Minneapolis Minnesota US 03/26/1986
Blind Pig Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Ann Arbor Michigan US 03/27/1986
9:30 Club Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Washington DC US 03/28/1986
Irving Plaza Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians New York New York US 03/29/1986
Maxwell's Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Hoboken New Jersey US 03/30/1986
Zentrum Zoo Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Tubingen Germany 04/13/1986
Metropol Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Aachen Germany 04/15/1986
Rose Club Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Cologne Germany 04/16/1986
Fabrik Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Hamburg Germany 04/20/1986
Town and Country Club Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians London England UK 06/10/1986
Glastonbury Festival Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Pilton England UK 06/21/1986
CND Festival Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Pilton England UK 06/22/1986
[unknown venue] (Brighton, England UK) Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Brighton England UK 10/03/1986
The Ritz Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians New York New York US 11/01/1986
Paradise Rock Club Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Boston Massachusetts US 11/02/1986
Cabaret Metro Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Chicago Illinois US 11/07/1986
Nectarine Ballroom Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Ann Arbor Michigan US 11/10/1986
9:30 Club Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Washington DC US 11/13/1986
Haverford College, Founders Hall Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Haverford Pennsylvania US 11/15/1986
I-Beam Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians San Francisco California US 11/17/1986
One Step Beyond Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Santa Clara California US 11/18/1986
Berkeley Square Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Berkeley California US 11/19/1986
First Avenue Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Minneapolis Minnesota US 11/23/1986
Maxwell's Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Hoboken New Jersey US 11/26/1986
Tartan Bar Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Leeds England UK 01/24/1987
Town and Country Club Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians London England UK 01/25/1987
Tenda Partenope Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Naples Italy 02/09/1987
Stereodrome Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Bologna Italy 02/11/1987
Vinile Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Rosà Italy 02/15/1987
Glastonbury Festival Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Pilton England UK 06/19/1987
Yaki Da Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Gothenburg Sweden 10/27/1989
Kulturbolaget Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians Malmo Sweden 10/28/1989
Bottom Line Robyn Hitchcock New York New York US 10/31/2003
The CLUNY Robyn Hitchcock Newcastle upon Tyne England UK 10/04/2004
Cat's Cradle Robyn Hitchcock Carrboro North Carolina US 11/01/2004
Beachland Ballroom Robyn Hitchcock Cleveland Ohio US 11/08/2004
World Café Live Robyn Hitchcock Philadelphia Pennsylvania US 11/15/2004
Fleece and Firkin Robyn Hitchcock Bristol England UK 12/02/2004
Komedia Robyn Hitchcock and the Final Groove Brighton England UK 12/06/2004
The Garage Robyn Hitchcock London England UK 12/07/2004
Great American Music Hall Robyn Hitchcock San Francisco California US 03/03/2005
Belcourt Theatre Robyn Hitchcock Nashville Tennessee US 03/20/2005
Lions Lair Robyn Hitchcock Denver Colorado US 04/05/2005
Belcourt Theatre Robyn Hitchcock Nashville Tennessee US 03/18/2007
Smith's Olde Bar Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Atlanta Georgia US 03/20/2007
40 Watt Club Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Athens Georgia US 03/21/2007
Cat's Cradle Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Carrboro North Carolina US 03/23/2007
World Café Live Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Philadelphia Pennsylvania US 03/26/2007
Iron Horse Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Northampton Massachusetts US 03/29/2007
TT the Bear's Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Cambridge Massachusetts US 03/30/2007
Doug Fir Lounge Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Portland Oregon US 04/07/2007
Spaceland Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Los Angeles California US 04/12/2007
Club Congress Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Tucson Arizona US 04/14/2007
Wychwood Festival Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Cheltenham England UK 06/01/2007
Handelsbeurs Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Gent Belgium 06/09/2007
Tivoli de Helling Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Utrecht Netherlands 06/11/2007
Debaser Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Stockholm Sweden 06/13/2007
Norwegian Wood Festival Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Oslo Norway 06/16/2007
Doug Fir Lounge Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Portland Oregon US 12/01/2007
Soho Arts Theatre Robyn Hitchcock London England UK 05/18/2008
Green Dragon Hotel Robyn Hitchcock Hereford England UK 12/21/2008
Johnny Brenda's Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Philadelphia Pennsylvania US 04/10/2009
Irving Plaza Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 New York New York US 04/11/2009
Logan Square Auditorium Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Chicago Illinois US 04/18/2009
The Varsity Theater Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Minneapolis Minnesota US 04/19/2009
Rams Head on Stage Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Annapolis Maryland US 06/07/2009
The Bell House Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 New York New York US 06/11/2009
Zilker Park Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Austin Texas US 10/02/2009
Spaceland Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Los Angeles California US 10/06/2009
Crocodile Café Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Seattle Washington US 10/10/2009
Hotel California Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Todos Santos Baja California Mexico 01/11/2012
The Third Ear Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 Tel Aviv-Jaffa Israel 03/23/2012
Village Underground - Robyn Retrospective Robyn Hitchcock London England UK 02/28/2013
Berklee College of Music Robyn Hitchcock Boston Massachusetts US 11/13/2014
Rough Trade Brooklyn Robyn Hitchcock & Yo La Tengo New York New York US 02/28/2017
The Bowery Ballroom Robyn Hitchcock & Yo La Tengo New York New York US 03/01/2017
Musicians Corner, Centennial Park Robyn Hitchcock Nashville Tennessee US 08/26/2017
KLOS Robyn Hitchcock Los Angeles California US 09/27/2017
The Fillmore Robyn Hitchcock & Yo La Tengo San Francisco California US 09/29/2017
Regent Theatre Robyn Hitchcock & Yo La Tengo Los Angeles California US 10/01/2017
Grace Emily Hotel Robyn Hitchcock Adelaide South Australia Australia 12/06/2017
Hạ Long Bay Robyn Hitchcock Hạ Long Vietnam 12/02/2018
The Tote Robyn Hitchcock Electrospective Melbourne Victoria Australia 03/01/2019
Daniels Hall @ Swallow Hill Music Robyn Hitchcock Denver Colorado US 03/30/2019
The Boileroom Robyn Hitchcock Guildford England UK 07/21/2019
Twyford Parish Hall Robyn Hitchcock Twyford England UK 07/25/2019
The Bristol Folk House Robyn Hitchcock Bristol England UK 07/26/2019
Union Chapel Robyn Hitchcock London England UK 10/29/2019
Mercy Lounge Robyn Hitchcock & The Nashville Fabs Nashville Tennessee US 12/06/2019
Brewery Arts Center Robyn Hitchcock Kendal England UK 01/25/2020
Robyn & Emma's house Robyn Hitchcock & Emma Swift Nashville Tennessee US 04/29/2020
Robyn & Emma's house Robyn Hitchcock & Emma Swift Nashville Tennessee US 06/12/2020
Robyn & Emma's house Robyn Hitchcock & Emma Swift Nashville Tennessee US 09/02/2020
Robyn and Emma's house Robyn Hitchcock & Emma Swift London England UK 11/04/2020
Robyn and Emma's house Robyn Hitchcock & Emma Swift London England UK 11/06/2020
Robyn and Emma's house Robyn Hitchcock & Emma Swift London England UK 12/25/2020
Robyn and Emma's house Robyn Hitchcock & Emma Swift London England UK 04/07/2021
Robyn and Emma's house Robyn Hitchcock London England UK 09/01/2021
Phoenix Robyn Hitchcock Exeter England UK 09/09/2021
The Horn Robyn Hitchcock St Albans England UK 09/14/2021
Ramsgate Music Hall Robyn Hitchcock Ramsgate England UK 09/15/2021
Rondo Theatre Robyn Hitchcock Bath England UK 09/17/2021
The Trades Club Robyn Hitchcock Hebden Bridge England UK 09/21/2021
The Bodega Robyn Hitchcock Nottingham England UK 09/23/2021
Foxlowe Arts Center Robyn Hitchcock Leek England UK 09/24/2021
More Music Robyn Hitchcock Morecombe England UK 09/25/2021
The Crescent Robyn Hitchcock York England UK 09/28/2021
St Mary's Creative Space Robyn Hitchcock Chester England UK 09/30/2021
Robyn and Emma's house Robyn Hitchcock London England UK 12/01/2021
Private House Robyn Hitchcock Sydney New South Wales Australia 03/03/2022
Henry Tudor House Robyn Hitchcock Shrewsbury England UK 05/05/2022
Clwb Ifor Bach Robyn Hitchcock Cardiff Wales UK 05/06/2022
Gloucester Guildhall Robyn Hitchcock Gloucester England UK 05/07/2022
Storey's Field Centre Robyn Hitchcock Cambridge England UK 05/12/2022
The Cornish Bank Robyn Hitchcock Falmouth England UK 09/13/2022
The Barrel House Ballroom Robyn Hitchcock Totnes England UK 09/14/2022
Redgrave Theatre Robyn Hitchcock Bristol England UK 09/15/2022
Corn Exchange Robyn Hitchcock Hertford England UK 09/20/2022
South Street Arts Center Robyn Hitchcock Reading England UK 09/21/2022
The Lighthouse Robyn Hitchcock Deal England UK 09/22/2022
Norwich Puppet Theatre Robyn Hitchcock Norwich England UK 09/23/2022
The Basement Robyn Hitchcock Nashville Tennessee US 11/16/2022
Robyn and Emma's house Robyn Hitchcock London England UK 12/14/2022
Komedia Robyn Hitchcock Brighton England UK 02/22/2023
Mono - Kings Court Robyn Hitchcock Glasgow Scotland UK 03/01/2023
Kuumbwa Jazz Center Robyn Hitchcock Santa Cruz California US 03/22/2023
Zebulon Robyn Hitchcock Los Angeles California US 03/25/2023
The Bowery Ballroom Robyn Hitchcock New York New York US 04/01/2023
City Winery Robyn Hitchcock Boston Massachusetts US 04/02/2023
SALA X Robyn Hitchcock & Los del Huevos Band Seville Spain 04/11/2023
Independance Club Robyn Hitchcock & Los del Huevos Band Madrid Spain 04/12/2023
Bastero Auditorio Robyn Hitchcock & Los del Huevos Band Andoain Spain 04/14/2023
Loco Club Robyn Hitchcock & Los del Huevos Band Valencia Spain 04/16/2023
Esquires Robyn Hitchcock Bedford England UK 09/01/2023
Rondo Theatre Robyn Hitchcock Bath England UK 09/07/2023
The Portland Arms Robyn Hitchcock Cambridge England UK 09/14/2023
St. Stephen's Church Robyn Hitchcock Ipswich England UK 09/16/2023
Braziers Park Robyn Hitchcock Wallingford England UK 09/17/2023
Daniels Hall @ Swallow Hill Music Robyn Hitchcock Denver Colorado US 01/26/2024
The Tote Robyn Hitchcock Melbourne Victoria Australia 03/08/2024
The Merri Creek Tavern Robyn Hitchcock Melbourne Victoria Australia 03/10/2024
Escot Park Robyn Hitchcock Ottery St. Mary England UK 08/16/2024
The Subscription Rooms Morris Windsor 70th Birthday Celebration Stroud England UK 08/24/2024
Komedia Bath Robyn Hitchcock Bath England UK 09/05/2024
The Portland Arms Robyn Hitchcock Cambridge England UK 09/06/2024
The Portland Arms Robyn Hitchcock Cambridge England UK 09/07/2024
The Jericho Tavern Robyn Hitchcock Oxford England UK 09/10/2024
EartH Robyn Hitchcock London England UK 09/14/2024
Fremont Abbey Arts Center Robyn Hitchcock Seattle Washington US 10/12/2024
Robyn & Emma's house Robyn Hitchcock & Emma Swift Nashville Tennessee US 12/04/2024
The Bowery Ballroom Robyn Hitchcock, Morris Windsor, Kimberley Rew and Lee Cave-Berry New York New York US 12/28/2024

Lyrics

We head downhill
Our hands fly back
Our fingers freeze
Our hair falls out, our hair falls out
Our fingers freeze
Our hair falls out

The iron piston pumps and spouts
The steaming air as hot as sprouts

Ah, all aboard
Brenda's iron sledge
All aboard
Brenda's iron sledge

The ones on top are comfortable (Yeah)
They're sitting on a human chain, a human chain
They're sitting on a human chain
Their limbs, compressed in icy slush,
Are freezing in a raw meat groove

Ah, all aboard
Brenda's iron sledge
All aboard
Brenda's iron sledge
Please don't call me Reg
It's not my name

The bodies rear the bucking sled
Which hits a tree
And falls asleep, and falls asleep
Which hits a tree
And that is that

The grasshoppers curl up and burst
And Brenda shovels on the wurst

Ah, all aboard
Brenda's iron sledge
All aboard
Brenda's iron sledge
Please don't call me Reg
It's not my name
All aboard
Brenda's iron sledge
All aboard
Brenda's iron sledge
All aboard
Brenda's iron sledge
Please don't call me Reg
It's not my name

<Alternates>
Ladies and Gentlemen! Please do not leave the sledge while it is still in motion!  23.1a  [spoken]
And disintegrates!    26a  [omitting 27 and 28