Gang of Gin

Info

Gang of Gin (previously Victory Gin) is a Babyshambles track, that was recorded during the sessions for their second single, Killamangiro, as Doherty was no longer permitted to play with The Libertines. The lyrics of Gang of Gin tell how "Carl and McGee both promised me / It would not happen this way" and of "McGee doing all he can to ruin my band." The track was intended to be included as a B Side to Killamangiro; however, Alan McGee threatened that if Doherty released the track he would take legal action, and so it was never officially released. Nevertheless, shortly after it was recorded, Gang of Gin was leaked onto the internet via the now closed www.thelibertines.co.nr, so it could still be downloaded by fans. Even though Doherty was not allowed to release the song, Babyshambles still regularly played it live at gigs, and a live version was included on the release of Up the Shambles in November 2007.

Gang of Gin was also played on Radio 1, with DJ Zane Lowe saying, "Peter Doherty and his band Babyshambles have recorded and written a new song, which has been leaked online, right? By rights, we really shouldn't be playing it, and I definitely can't release my sources, but I believe we'd be doing you all a disservice if we didn't make this the hottest record in the world, today!”

When Andrew Kendall uploaded the content of Doherty's "My Music" folder onto his website, in April 2006, it contained both an earlier version of Gang of Gin titled Victory Gin, and a rip of the Radio 1 broadcast of the song.

Appearing on

#1 (Up the) Albion Radio (Killamangiro B-side)	Peter Doherty	Fan mixtape	2014-02-01
Killamangiro	Babyshambles	Single	2004-11-29

Concerts

Ancienne Belgique, Brussels	Babyshambles	Brussels Belgium	2014-01-16
Live in St.Petersburg	Babyshambles	Club A2	2013-11-10
Glasgow Barrowlands	Babyshambles	Glasgow, Scotland	2013-09-04
Ricos Music Club	Peter Doherty	Greenock, Scotland	2010-04-04
Carling Live 24	Babyshambles	University Of London Union	2005-04-30
Live in Dublin	Babyshambles	Dublin, Ireland	2004-12-12
The Scala 1st Night	Babyshambles	Pentonville Rd, London	2004-10-06
Glasgow, Garage	Babyshambles	Glasgow, Scotland	2004-10-03
Norwich, 2004 (1)	Babyshambles	Norwich	2004-09-26
Up The Shambles (DVD)	Babyshambles	The Ritz Manchester, UK	2004-09-23
Live in Leeds	Babyshambles	Leeds, UK	2004-09-22
Preston Mill	Babyshambles	Preston, UK	2004-07-06

Lyrics

I get around to singing about
That gang of gin I'm in
Then you'll know most certainly
The kind of game I'm in
You sound around to swinging about
The gang of gin I'm rolling in, oh
Then you'll know
The kind of state I'm in

Who will buy my beautiful roses?
Who will buy my beautiful songs?
Who will buy my beautiful roses?
Who will buy my beautiful songs?

Oh in a nutshell
Yeah in a nutshell, oh
In a nutshell
In a nutshell

I get around to singing about
That gang of gin I'm in
Then you'll know
The kind of game I'm in
She was getting pally with a scally in the alley
Giving head for gear
She calls a spade a spade
Got slit from ear to ear

Who will buy my beautiful roses?
Who will buy my beautiful songs?
Who will buy my beautiful roses?
Who will buy my beautiful songs?

Well I showed no decorum
Spilled my heart out on the forum
Looked like a snapshot
Of the most tragic day

I'll tell you my story
The treachery it bores me
Carl and McGee both promised me
It would not happen this way
Carl is kept sedated
The frontman elevated
And McGee doing all he can to ruin my band
And keep me out the way

In this industry of fools
Musclemen and ghouls
If you're not a puppet or a muppet
Then you might as well call it a day-ayay

The truth here gets distorted
The wall scrapings get snorted
I'm welcome back if I give up crack
But you gave me my first pipe anyway

Can't show no decorum
Posts left on the forum
Was like a snapshot
Of the most tragic day