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Ten Years in an Open Necked Shirt
'Yes, it was be there or be square as, clad in the slum chic of the hipster, he issued the slang anthems of the zip age in the desperate esperanto of the bop. John Cooper Clarke: the name behind the hairstyle, the words walk in the grooves hacking through the hi-fi paradise of true luxury.' Punk. Poet. Pioneer. The Bard of Salford's seminal collection is as scabrous, wry & vivid now as it was when first published over 25 years ago. 'The godfather of British performance poetry' Daily Telegraph.
112 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
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941 people want to read
About the author
John Cooper Clarke
16 books220 followersJohn Cooper Clarke (born 25 January 1949) is an English performance poet who first became famous during the punk rock era of the late 1970s when he became known as a "punk poet". He released several albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and continues to perform regularly.
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December 10, 2017
the boys are on the wagon
the girls are on the shelf
their common problem
is that they're not someone else
John Cooper Clarke is an English-a Northern English-performance poet, notably popular during the punk years of the late 70s and early 80s. Primarily, he focuses on performance of poetry with musical backing (having achieved a UK Top 40 single) and his poetry has rarely been seen written down, except by his own eyes when he reads them out on 8 out of 10 Cats does Countdown.
Poetry is the ultimate of subjective arts. Poets write down what they mean, and readers read what they think it means. Whether or not the poet intended that or not is none of their business. Poetry is also the most hit-and-miss of the arts: even the same poet can produce the ultimate dross whilst also achieving a level of profoundness hitherto unimagined.
you put the cunt in scunthorpe
you put the pain in spain
happy days are done for
and you're the one i blame
Reflecting the performance nature of his poetry, John Cooper Clarke's poems here are lacking in punctuation and therefore roll off the tongue beautifully. The majority are full of rhymes-which in my very silly opinion all poetry must achieve-and are often vulgar if not full of swearing. It is interesting to note that, scientifically, the more intelligent you are the more likely you are to swear using a wider range of swear words.
This is the only written collection of his poems, which is a shame because he's an important figure-though he'd kill me for saying that-poetically and culturally. Despite the hit-and-miss nature of poetry-and this collection is no exception-this is part of that fight back from many modern-day poets, wherein they are retaking poetry back from the languid romantics who wrote everything down ("recollected in tranquility" as Wordsworth so eloquently put it) and instead are throwing it out to the people en masse. Poetry is meant to be spoken-that's the great oral tradition, and it shouldn't matter what the subject matter is as long as it's being read aloud.
Most of these went straight over my head in all honesty. First published in the early 90s with them being written earlier: their references were cold to me. Unlikely to decrease or increase my enjoyment if they are, that horrible, detestable word, "relatable", it is saying something and that's all that matters. Sometimes it's not saying something you agree with, which is also fine. More often than not it is good old Northern sarcasm.
Though the one thing I can never forgive John for is his detest of the countryside.
Not featured in this collection (a damnéd shame I say), here is a limerick-one of John's favourite styles of poetry:
Two ugly sisters from Fordham
Took a walk one day out of boredom
On the way back
A sex maniac
Jumped out of a bush and ignored 'em.
the girls are on the shelf
their common problem
is that they're not someone else
John Cooper Clarke is an English-a Northern English-performance poet, notably popular during the punk years of the late 70s and early 80s. Primarily, he focuses on performance of poetry with musical backing (having achieved a UK Top 40 single) and his poetry has rarely been seen written down, except by his own eyes when he reads them out on 8 out of 10 Cats does Countdown.
Poetry is the ultimate of subjective arts. Poets write down what they mean, and readers read what they think it means. Whether or not the poet intended that or not is none of their business. Poetry is also the most hit-and-miss of the arts: even the same poet can produce the ultimate dross whilst also achieving a level of profoundness hitherto unimagined.
you put the cunt in scunthorpe
you put the pain in spain
happy days are done for
and you're the one i blame
Reflecting the performance nature of his poetry, John Cooper Clarke's poems here are lacking in punctuation and therefore roll off the tongue beautifully. The majority are full of rhymes-which in my very silly opinion all poetry must achieve-and are often vulgar if not full of swearing. It is interesting to note that, scientifically, the more intelligent you are the more likely you are to swear using a wider range of swear words.
This is the only written collection of his poems, which is a shame because he's an important figure-though he'd kill me for saying that-poetically and culturally. Despite the hit-and-miss nature of poetry-and this collection is no exception-this is part of that fight back from many modern-day poets, wherein they are retaking poetry back from the languid romantics who wrote everything down ("recollected in tranquility" as Wordsworth so eloquently put it) and instead are throwing it out to the people en masse. Poetry is meant to be spoken-that's the great oral tradition, and it shouldn't matter what the subject matter is as long as it's being read aloud.
Most of these went straight over my head in all honesty. First published in the early 90s with them being written earlier: their references were cold to me. Unlikely to decrease or increase my enjoyment if they are, that horrible, detestable word, "relatable", it is saying something and that's all that matters. Sometimes it's not saying something you agree with, which is also fine. More often than not it is good old Northern sarcasm.
Though the one thing I can never forgive John for is his detest of the countryside.
Not featured in this collection (a damnéd shame I say), here is a limerick-one of John's favourite styles of poetry:
Two ugly sisters from Fordham
Took a walk one day out of boredom
On the way back
A sex maniac
Jumped out of a bush and ignored 'em.
January 2, 2017
This is the first book I've read by JCC and I guess you gotta see him perform to really get the feel of his poems, to me on this first reading they all feel a bit simple, I was expecting something more cheeky/punk.
The intro is brilliant, a little bit about JCC's life and about how he was brought up (Could have been written by Dali). A lot of poets watch people and write what they see, JCC does this, but what he sees is not what anybody else would see, I hope that is his intention and he isn't writing like this just to make things rhyme nicely. A couple of stand out poems (mainly cos they were rude ) were "A love story is reverse" reminded me of that Pogues Christmas song and by far the best was "Evidently chicken Town" where the word f***ing is used 82 times.
The poems are accompanied by some top notch illustrations by Steve Maguire, some real surreal pictures and plenty of boobs for me to enjoy.
The intro is brilliant, a little bit about JCC's life and about how he was brought up (Could have been written by Dali). A lot of poets watch people and write what they see, JCC does this, but what he sees is not what anybody else would see, I hope that is his intention and he isn't writing like this just to make things rhyme nicely. A couple of stand out poems (mainly cos they were rude ) were "A love story is reverse" reminded me of that Pogues Christmas song and by far the best was "Evidently chicken Town" where the word f***ing is used 82 times.
The poems are accompanied by some top notch illustrations by Steve Maguire, some real surreal pictures and plenty of boobs for me to enjoy.
November 12, 2016
I'm not really a huge poetry fan, but over the years I've listened to John Cooper Clarke on the radio and on TV.
I've always enjoyed his lyricism, his ability to have a pop at the status quo whilst rhyming words that don't necessarily rhyme and of course his amazing hair :o).
This is a sort of humorous autobiography slash collection of his most repeated and recognisable poems and in that respect it works as a great starting point for anyone interested in poetry with bite.
JCC has garnered a unique perspective from a lifetime spent observing the grittier more down to earth non-romanticised world.
He tells it like it is with wit and (more often than not) a dead pan delivery that belies the seriousness of the subject.
I've always enjoyed his lyricism, his ability to have a pop at the status quo whilst rhyming words that don't necessarily rhyme and of course his amazing hair :o).
This is a sort of humorous autobiography slash collection of his most repeated and recognisable poems and in that respect it works as a great starting point for anyone interested in poetry with bite.
JCC has garnered a unique perspective from a lifetime spent observing the grittier more down to earth non-romanticised world.
He tells it like it is with wit and (more often than not) a dead pan delivery that belies the seriousness of the subject.
August 5, 2025
A largely entertaining collection of poems from JCC. I say 'largely' because inevitably, there are quite a few poems (and prose) that really didn't work for me. Greatest hits like Evidently Chicken Town (once played over the end credits of an episode of The Sopranos) and Beezley Street are here, along with many more that read like song lyrics and are loaded with rhythm and verve.
September 27, 2013
It's great, but it's SPOKEN word. I love his stuff, but the delivery is also a major factor in it.
January 23, 2023
Each poem is just as fun and as hilarious as the next. One of my favourites is 'you never see a nipple in the daily express'.
January 22, 2020
Love JCC, still think he's a legend, but his poems work way better when they're read by him - and when you do read his poems read them in his voice they're better that way!
"Into the mirror stand and stare
Like a figure nobody there
Time to spare time to kill
This is the day the world stood still"
"Into the mirror stand and stare
Like a figure nobody there
Time to spare time to kill
This is the day the world stood still"
October 2, 2015
NSFW, or indeed for kids, though they might get the most out of the Bard of Salford. Watch along with Youtube for best results - I particularly enjoyed the one-upmanship of insults in "Love Story Told In Reverse".
August 9, 2016
When I was 15, I was pretty certain that poetry just wasn't for me. I could see why others liked it, but nothing I'd read so far really seemed to be speaking to me. And then, hidden away on a punk mix-tape (I was at least 15 years out to have actually been there), I stumbled across
Kung Fu International.
Poetry was no longer just the province of long-dead men in cravats contemplating the nature of love, but of men in drain-pipes, contemplating the nature of getting your head kicked in in a phone box. Something told me that this dude was more punk than anyone else snarling away on my tape, but little did I know then that Kung Fu International wasn't even his best.
Ten Years In an Open Necked Shirt is a brilliant collection of John Cooper Clarke, which includes my favourite ( Evidently Chickentown ) as well as more of his other best and most-known works, plus a few others.
Full of acerbic wit, this is full of lines I'd like to memorise so that I can pull them out the next time I'm called upon for a witty comeback (or so I can spew A Love Story In Reverse at them, if they've really annoyed me.
The only reason this is getting a 4 rather than a 5 is solely down to not hearing them spoken in Clarke's nasal, Salford twang (although my imagination did its best to supply it).
**Also posted at Randomly Reading and Ranting**
Poetry was no longer just the province of long-dead men in cravats contemplating the nature of love, but of men in drain-pipes, contemplating the nature of getting your head kicked in in a phone box. Something told me that this dude was more punk than anyone else snarling away on my tape, but little did I know then that Kung Fu International wasn't even his best.
Ten Years In an Open Necked Shirt is a brilliant collection of John Cooper Clarke, which includes my favourite ( Evidently Chickentown ) as well as more of his other best and most-known works, plus a few others.
Full of acerbic wit, this is full of lines I'd like to memorise so that I can pull them out the next time I'm called upon for a witty comeback (or so I can spew A Love Story In Reverse at them, if they've really annoyed me.
The only reason this is getting a 4 rather than a 5 is solely down to not hearing them spoken in Clarke's nasal, Salford twang (although my imagination did its best to supply it).
**Also posted at Randomly Reading and Ranting**
April 23, 2019
Evidently chicken town is a big fucking mood
February 17, 2017
Love you, John Cooper Clarke
July 26, 2010
John Cooper Clarke is one of the greatest performance poets alive to today.
One time junkie, superb raconteur, brilliantly funny and a great guy.
Had the pleasure of working with him and spending evenings talking, and sharing tales of rock and roll excesses.
A genius.
This is I think out-of-print, but if you ca get hold of a copy, it has some of his greatest poems...
Better still - go see him perform them live. He does do occasional shows, and it's a treat.
One time junkie, superb raconteur, brilliantly funny and a great guy.
Had the pleasure of working with him and spending evenings talking, and sharing tales of rock and roll excesses.
A genius.
This is I think out-of-print, but if you ca get hold of a copy, it has some of his greatest poems...
Better still - go see him perform them live. He does do occasional shows, and it's a treat.
November 30, 2014
I found this book in a pile of remainders. Oh joy.
I have always liked JCC's poetry but usually I have listened to him on CD rather than read his work - now I have my own copy.
Anyone who can rhyme ransacked and dhansaked gets my vote of approval.
Note to the faint hearted - its a bit sweary
My fave is "twat" - "You’ve got this slippery quality/it makes me think of phlegm/and a dual personality/I hate both of them"
http://www.cyberspike.com/clarke/twat...
I have always liked JCC's poetry but usually I have listened to him on CD rather than read his work - now I have my own copy.
Anyone who can rhyme ransacked and dhansaked gets my vote of approval.
Note to the faint hearted - its a bit sweary
My fave is "twat" - "You’ve got this slippery quality/it makes me think of phlegm/and a dual personality/I hate both of them"
http://www.cyberspike.com/clarke/twat...
May 29, 2013
Punk poetry, patchy, polemic, probably preferable performed.
February 19, 2021
John Cooper Clarke is a poetic force of nature. I've always been in awe of his fast-paced, Salford-inflected performance style but only glanced at a couple of his written verses before now. I picked up Ten Years in an Open Necked Shirt, his seminal collection, to rectify that.
As expected a lot of these poems are pure punk, raging against the system but there is also some very appealing absurdity and addictive turns of phrase within these pages. I found myself drawn more towards famed titles like 'I Married A Monster From Outer Space' and 'I Wanna Be Yours', their straightforward momentum proving more gripping than brutally descriptive narrative poems.
One thing I learned while reading Ten Years in an Open Necked Shirt, is that I prefer poetry to be a short, sharp attack rather than a ponderous dance. In fact the rhythm of some of Clarke's work would weirdly fit being sung to a bouncy Johnny Cash guitar tune. Perhaps the absurdity has got to me at last.
Regardless I am very glad to have finally read some work by John Cooper Clarke. He is a wordsmith with his finger on the working class pulse, mixing the grotty nightclub scene with clever lyricism. As for the illustrations of Steve Maguire, they are excellent and perfect accompaniment for the verse. Not always something to show the kids, mind.
I recommend Ten Years in an Open Necked Shirt to literary punks and those who want to see how hard as nails poetry can be.
Notable Poems
• the day my pad went MAD – the chaotic description and springy rhythm made this a blast.
• i wanna be yours – the first poem I heard Clarke perform remains as stirring on the page.
• nothing – a verse that speaks volumes about absence in a down-to-earth, snappy voice.
As expected a lot of these poems are pure punk, raging against the system but there is also some very appealing absurdity and addictive turns of phrase within these pages. I found myself drawn more towards famed titles like 'I Married A Monster From Outer Space' and 'I Wanna Be Yours', their straightforward momentum proving more gripping than brutally descriptive narrative poems.
One thing I learned while reading Ten Years in an Open Necked Shirt, is that I prefer poetry to be a short, sharp attack rather than a ponderous dance. In fact the rhythm of some of Clarke's work would weirdly fit being sung to a bouncy Johnny Cash guitar tune. Perhaps the absurdity has got to me at last.
Regardless I am very glad to have finally read some work by John Cooper Clarke. He is a wordsmith with his finger on the working class pulse, mixing the grotty nightclub scene with clever lyricism. As for the illustrations of Steve Maguire, they are excellent and perfect accompaniment for the verse. Not always something to show the kids, mind.
I recommend Ten Years in an Open Necked Shirt to literary punks and those who want to see how hard as nails poetry can be.
Notable Poems
• the day my pad went MAD – the chaotic description and springy rhythm made this a blast.
• i wanna be yours – the first poem I heard Clarke perform remains as stirring on the page.
• nothing – a verse that speaks volumes about absence in a down-to-earth, snappy voice.
January 26, 2021
There is something about the rhythms of John Cooper Clarke poems that I really like.
Of course I have him perform a poem or two on television over the years, so I am familiar with his style of reciting them, which helps to find that rhythm in myself as I am reading them.
His subject matter is gritty, his delivery is sharp as a knife, and his language choices and (internal) rhyme schemes just work for me.
I did not love each and every one of the poems, but the vast majority I really enjoyed.
If you enjoy modern poetry, I would definitely recommend this one!
(on a side note - the illustrations are great too!)
Of course I have him perform a poem or two on television over the years, so I am familiar with his style of reciting them, which helps to find that rhythm in myself as I am reading them.
His subject matter is gritty, his delivery is sharp as a knife, and his language choices and (internal) rhyme schemes just work for me.
I did not love each and every one of the poems, but the vast majority I really enjoyed.
If you enjoy modern poetry, I would definitely recommend this one!
(on a side note - the illustrations are great too!)
December 29, 2023
a truly iconic collection i had such fun reading this!!!
favourites were euro communist/gucci socialist, i married a monster from outer space, a love story in reverse, evidently chicken town, kung fu international, the pest, spilt beans, morning, you never see a nipple in the daily express
the boys are on the wagon
the girls are on the shelf
their common problem
is that they’re not someone else
favourites were euro communist/gucci socialist, i married a monster from outer space, a love story in reverse, evidently chicken town, kung fu international, the pest, spilt beans, morning, you never see a nipple in the daily express
the boys are on the wagon
the girls are on the shelf
their common problem
is that they’re not someone else
December 7, 2022
3.5 ⭐️ when i usually think of poetry i think of being bored at school reading something written in the 1800s. this was a good way to dip my toe into some modern works. it was interesting to see modern topics discussed in poetry and the author does a good job of always keeping you hooked and thinking.
January 13, 2022
So funny
December 30, 2022
A superb poetry book! I can’t wait to see him live!
December 25, 2023
chicken town
February 25, 2022
Just not my vibe
August 16, 2024
Nothing could have prepared me for the prophetic illustration on page 37.
May 26, 2020
I should state up front that this review will be somewhat biased. John Cooper Clarke, aka the Bard of Salford, was born and raised in the industrial northwest of England, like me. He's working class, like me. I saw him perform I Married a Monster from Outer Space in the early 80s, and in the early 90s a friend and I tried to get him to play a gig in London (his mum was his manager). You'd be right to say I'm a big fan of John Cooper Clarke and that I was inclined to like Ten Years in an Open Necked Shirt before I read it.
His poems are humorous, visceral, and deal with subjects that reflect the poet's background and experiences in the 1970s. There's not much punctuation in the book, but that reflects how Clarke performs his work. Check him out on YouTube reading Kung Fu International (from this collection) in 1978.
It was a pleasure to read favourites such as Evidently Chicken Town and Love Story in Reverse. There are also some which I'd never come across before. The self-explanatory Readers' Wives made me laugh out loud:
I also smiled at the holiday poem, Majorca:
A couple of other poems stand out but won't be to everyone's taste: Gaberdine Angus is about a flasher, and Conditional Discharge is about STDs. But don't let this put you off. The collection is about real life and real experiences. I doubt many youthful working class poets from Salford would be writing about daffodils.
His poems are humorous, visceral, and deal with subjects that reflect the poet's background and experiences in the 1970s. There's not much punctuation in the book, but that reflects how Clarke performs his work. Check him out on YouTube reading Kung Fu International (from this collection) in 1978.
It was a pleasure to read favourites such as Evidently Chicken Town and Love Story in Reverse. There are also some which I'd never come across before. The self-explanatory Readers' Wives made me laugh out loud:
a fablon top scenario of passion
things stick out of holes in leatherette
they seem to be saying in their fashion
i'm freezing charlie have you finished yet
I also smiled at the holiday poem, Majorca:
I got drunk with another fella
who'd just brought up a previous paella
wanted a fight but said they were yella
in majorca
A couple of other poems stand out but won't be to everyone's taste: Gaberdine Angus is about a flasher, and Conditional Discharge is about STDs. But don't let this put you off. The collection is about real life and real experiences. I doubt many youthful working class poets from Salford would be writing about daffodils.
February 12, 2013
Magnificent! I only recently got into JCC's work (through his three albums from the late 70s and early 80s) but this book seemed to have been out of print for decades.
Reading these poems with the music (most but not all of these poems were used on the albums mentioned above) is a wonderful experiece - they're funny, angry, sad and about a dozen other emotions - sometimes in the same poem. Several were new to me - 'I must not go down to the sea again' is one such - and, like the others I already knew, did not disapoint.
A special mention must go to Steve Maguire's illustrations, which are absolutely superb. Now if only JCC would bring out a collected works, with Maguire illustrating...
Reading these poems with the music (most but not all of these poems were used on the albums mentioned above) is a wonderful experiece - they're funny, angry, sad and about a dozen other emotions - sometimes in the same poem. Several were new to me - 'I must not go down to the sea again' is one such - and, like the others I already knew, did not disapoint.
A special mention must go to Steve Maguire's illustrations, which are absolutely superb. Now if only JCC would bring out a collected works, with Maguire illustrating...
February 3, 2017
Right guys, John Cooper Clarke is incredible.
Ten Years is the only collection of his works that was ever printed, but it stands as a landmark for both punk and poetry in the 1980s. His words, his rhythm and his method of rhyming is simultaneously curious and faultless. The poems are surreal, yet highlight the dissolution and collapse of culture in Britain.
His works are an acquired taste, but I've been in love with him ever since I first heard him read 'Evidently Chickentown'. They are all definitely meant to be spoken and I would recommend finding his performances online, but they are so uncompromising that you can get just as much by reading them on the page.
Ten Years is the only collection of his works that was ever printed, but it stands as a landmark for both punk and poetry in the 1980s. His words, his rhythm and his method of rhyming is simultaneously curious and faultless. The poems are surreal, yet highlight the dissolution and collapse of culture in Britain.
His works are an acquired taste, but I've been in love with him ever since I first heard him read 'Evidently Chickentown'. They are all definitely meant to be spoken and I would recommend finding his performances online, but they are so uncompromising that you can get just as much by reading them on the page.
August 29, 2016
Love John Cooper Clarke's poetry, but I think you've gotta listen to him perform a few of his poems to get used to his style and lack of punctuation before you read him. And to get an idea of his voice in your head so you can read them in it, seeing as he writes poetry to be performed rather than read flat off the page.
Favourite poems from this collection are definitely Evidently Chicken Town, A Love Story in Reverse, and Kung Fu International
Favourite poems from this collection are definitely Evidently Chicken Town, A Love Story in Reverse, and Kung Fu International
April 11, 2013
Overall, a bit of a mixed bag, this book. There are some really great, classic JCC poems here, but there are some others that -- for me -- were just okay.
Fortunately there is enough good stuff to make it a worthwhile purchase (or gift). I'm glad I've got it, and I'll doubtless go back to it time and again for some quick reads.
4 Stars is probably a touch high: more like 3.6 or 3.7 ish.
Fortunately there is enough good stuff to make it a worthwhile purchase (or gift). I'm glad I've got it, and I'll doubtless go back to it time and again for some quick reads.
4 Stars is probably a touch high: more like 3.6 or 3.7 ish.
April 11, 2013
Up there with the greats as an influential and unflinching poet who was (and still is) in touch with the working class and knew the truth about Broken Britain. These poems are laugh-out-loud, some disturbing, some scarily accurate but all are told through JCC's scintillating wit and wry, sharp edge. Great to dip into now and then for a hearty guffaw.
January 1, 2017
The quality of this re-print is a bit shoddy - Steve Maguire's excellent artwork is poorly reproduced on super cheap paper. Still, you can't deny the quality of JCC's work, and some of his very best are gathered in this small volume.
Definitely recommended, then, but try and pick up a 2nd hand copy of the earlier edition if you can!
Definitely recommended, then, but try and pick up a 2nd hand copy of the earlier edition if you can!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews