"Gypsy Roadhog" is the lead single

Single (music)

In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...

 from the 1977 album Whatever Happened to Slade by rock band Slade

Slade

Slade are an English rock band from Wolverhampton, who rose to prominence during the glam rock era of the early 1970s. With 17 consecutive Top 20 hits and six number ones, the British Hit Singles & Albums names them as the most successful British group of the 1970s based on sales of singles...

. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder

Noddy Holder

Neville John "Noddy" Holder MBE is an English musician and actor. He was the lead vocalist and guitarist with the rock band Slade....

 and bassist Jim Lea

Jim Lea

Jim Lea , is an English musician, most notable for playing bass guitar, keyboards, violin, guitar, and singing backing vocals in Slade.-Career:...

. The single was released in 1977 and peaked at #48 in the UK, spending only 2 weeks on the chart, the lowest number of weeks on the chart for Slade in the 70s.

The single peaked at #638 for 1977 on rateyourmusic.

Background

The single was the first Slade single released on Barn Records. Since 1970 to 1976, the band had been on the Polydor Records label.

The track is notable for a performance on the children's Blue Peter

Blue Peter

Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...

 show. The producers didn't realise the track's reference to drugs. Complaints rose after their performance which led to the record being banned by the BBC.

The b-side "Forest Full of Needles" was originally exclusive to the single, eventually being released on CD via the 2007 compilation "B-Sides" and the remaster of Whatever Happened to Slade.

Subsequent to its original release, "Gypsy Roadhog" has appeared on "The Very Best of Slade

The Very Best Of Slade

-Chart performance:-Personnel:*Noddy Holder - lead vocals, rhythm guitar*Dave Hill - lead guitar*Jim Lea - bass guitar*Don Powell - drums...

" and "The Slade Box". It was also used as a bonus track on the CD single of Slade's last single release, 1991's "Universe

Universe (Slade song)

"Universe" is a single from rock band Slade which appeared on the compilation album Wall of Hits. Like the previous single "Radio Wall of Sound", it was written solely by bassist Jim Lea. The B-side for the single was written by guitarist Dave Hill with Wizzard's ex-keyboardist Bill Hunt. The...

".

Critical reception

Upon release, Record Mirror magazine gave the single three out of five stars, symbolising readers to "give it a spin". The magazine also reviewed the single, "As subtle as an iron leg, the Wolverhampton Wanderers return to the fold and just as if there had been no musical progression in the last two years. They could be in the same league as Status Quo if they tidied up their sound. Cedric's ears quivered with excitement, a sensation hitherto reserved for William Wordsworth."

Another magazine wrote "This makes all the right sounds and even has a toe tapping beat, but it isn't a patch on the rude, offensive, and entirely wonderful noise these boys made some four or more years ago. It's careful use of American place names and general blandness could give them that desperately needed American hit, but as far as these isles are concerned, it's just the latest step in their continuing irrelevance."

Chart performance

Chart (1977)	Peak position	Total weeks
UK Singles Chart	48	2

Personnel

• Noddy Holder: Lead vocals and guitar
• Jim Lea: Bass guitar and backing vocals
• Dave Hill: Lead guitar and backing vocals
• Don Powell: Drums