The 10 best songs by The Slits

Punk was about rising despite adversity. Do you think it was hard to be a punk band in the ’70s? Try to be the first all-female punk band. Enter the crevices. The Slits were a band that felt completely comfortable calling out nonsense to the wider world and that which was a lot closer to home. While they may not have had great knowledge of their instruments at first, their exciting live shows made it impossible for people to ignore them, and they quickly became underground punk icons.

They loved the energy of punk music and also enjoyed reggae. Their sound was a mix of both styles, which was unconventional but produced great songs. Here we’ll look at some of The Slit’s best music that still remains in the hearts of punk lovers around the world.

The 10 best songs from Slits:

‘Typical girls’

The Slits have an attitude that resonates a lot in today’s music, but it was strange when they first started making music. When they engaged with feminism, they did not take a black and white approach, but recognized that being a woman resonated in more ways than one. They were adamant about the fact that women are diverse and that they should be celebrated.

‘Typical Girls’ is a great example of The Slits’ ethos. They hated the fact that the standard idea was that women had to be passive and submissive. It resisted that idea. The lyrics challenge the stereotype imposed on women, and ‘Typical Girls’ became one of the band’s most exciting songs.

‘Shoplifting’

Many of the themes you hear in punk music are universal. One theme remains relatively consistent with the general argument against capitalism. The Slits also happily took on capitalism, creating one of the most anti-consumerist songs ever made.

“Shoplifting” is one of the best punk songs out there, and it flies in the face of people’s obsession with buying labels. It’s a fan favorite of the band and when you listen it’s easy to understand why. The song is a complete riot and something that people still listen to today.

‘Nieuwstad’

A lot of punk music was fueled by aggression, while distorted guitars were played with anger. The Splits did this a lot, and it was great to listen to; However, with ‘Newtown’ we got a much more captivating song.

Drunken synth and echoing guitars created an incredibly creepy setting, which was the perfect tone for this song. Again, this is a fan favorite for people who love The Slits, as the somber atmosphere and lyrics drawn from real-world experiences set it apart from many other songs of the era.

‘So cool’

‘So Tough’ has a very different tone than ‘Newtown’ and is one of the band’s most upbeat and catchy songs. Ari Up writes beautiful lyrics for this, which are very fun to sing along to. They are a fun and sarcastic take on how frustrated many people get in their daily lives.

The song is full of energy and although it highlights many difficulties in life, it is pleasant to listen to. The Slits managed to embody the DIY punk scene on the track, as the words are confrontational yet incredibly fun to hear.

‘FM’

Punk doesn’t always have to be negative. Sure, a lot of punk music speaks about injustices in the world, such as anger and rage, but it can also be a celebration. The Slits were well aware of this, because while they often used their music to rage against the machine, they also liked to embrace the fun side of life through their songs.

‘FM’ is one of the best examples of this, as the song is one of their most upbeat and funky songs and also acts as a tribute to music in general. The Slits were well aware of how much music could connect people and decided to take some time to make that connection known. It was a love letter to radio and everything played there.

‘Neighbour’

The Slits were big fans of punk music, and the distortion and raw energy embedded in their songs is a clear reflection of that. However, their taste in music extended further than that. They were big fans of reggae, which can be heard in many of their original songs, but it also meant they did a number of covers.

‘Man Next Door’ is an incredibly soulful cover of the classic reggae song that inspired the band. It’s one of their more compelling songs, and despite being a cover, it feels like an incredibly personal song that they deeply connect with.

‘Earthbeat’

The Slits’ reggae inspiration went beyond just covering some of the genre’s classics. ‘Earthbeat’ is an original song that embodies the soulful, reggae-infused element of the band. Released in 1981, the song has a rhythm section that’s easy to move to as the band seamlessly merges multiple genres.

Genre didn’t mean much to The Slits. They had a very modern attitude to music, meaning they enjoyed playing with multiple genres to achieve their unique sound. ‘Earthbeat’ is a great example of this, as the band was never worried about crossing boundaries and creating something exciting.

‘Love and Romance’

The song ‘Love und Romance’ from 1979 contains even more reggae. The groove of the song is incredibly relaxed and contradicts the mainstream attitude that many people associate with punk bands.

The song has a very romantic feel to it as the lyrics explore multiple romantic themes including the excitement of love and desire; however, it also discusses the complicated nature of romance. This not only complements the sweet nature of the song, but also the relatively somber feel of the song.

‘I heard it through the Grapevine’

This song is yet another cover that the band managed to perform flawlessly. Originally a Marvin Gaye classic, The Slits were able to do the song justice while adding their own reggae twist. It was released in the 70’s and gave the song more of a stripped down and slowed down feel.

The Slits had a lot of versatility, and this song showcases that beautifully. They approached songs with a sense of fearlessness. Yes, that song was a classic, but they didn’t worry about making their own adjustments to put a real spin on the song.

‘Direct hit’

Ending with what is perhaps one of the band’s most iconic songs, ‘Instant Hit’ is the song many people think of when The Slits are mentioned. It sticks to the sound that so many fans enjoyed, because it’s upbeat, catchy and fun.

The attitude embodied on the court varies. It’s both empowering and vulnerable, showing that you don’t have to remain brutally intense to show strength. The texts discuss a common theme that many bands struggle with: mastering the difference between artistic integrity and trying to gain money and fame.

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