Dirty Water

== History ==

== History ==

According to Standells keyboardist Larry Tamblyn, at least some of the song (the reference to lovers and thieves) was inspired by a mugging of Cobb in Boston.<ref name="Boston Magazine">{{cite news|author=Chris Sweeney|date=15 May 2016|url=https://www.bostonmagazine.com/arts-entertainment/2016/05/15/50-years-dirty-water-the-standells/|title=50 Years of 'Dirty Water' by the Standells|work=Boston Magazine|access-date=10 February 2020}}</ref> In addition to the river, other local interest items in the song include the [[Boston University]] women's [[curfew]]—"Frustrated women ... have to be in by 12 o'clock"—and a passing mention of the [[Boston Strangler]]—"have you heard about the Strangler? (I'm the man I'm the man)."

According to Standells keyboardist Larry Tamblyn, at least some of the song (notably the reference to "lovers, muggers, and thieves") was inspired by a mugging of Cobb in Boston.<ref name="Boston Magazine">{{cite news|author=Chris Sweeney|date=15 May 2016|url=https://www.bostonmagazine.com/arts-entertainment/2016/05/15/50-years-dirty-water-the-standells/|title=50 Years of 'Dirty Water' by the Standells|work=Boston Magazine|access-date=10 February 2020}}</ref> In addition to the [[Charles River]], other local interest items in the song include the [[Boston University]] women's [[curfew]]—"Frustrated women ... have to be in by 12 o'clock"—and a passing mention of the [[Boston Strangler]]—"have you heard about the Strangler? (I'm the man I'm the man)."

The well-known guitar riff that opens the song was recorded with a [[Fender Telecaster]] through a [[Vox AC30]] amplifier by Standells guitarist Tony Valentino.{{cn|date=July 2025}} Though the song is credited solely to Cobb, band members Dodd, Valentino, and Tamblyn have claimed substantial material-of-fact song composition copyright contributions to it as well as contributing to its arrangement.{{Citation needed|date=February 2020}}

==Reception ==

==Reception ==

"Dirty Water" was first issued in late 1965 on the Tower label, a subsidiary of [[Capitol Records]]. It first became a hit in the state of [[Florida]], breaking out on [[WORL (AM)|WLOF]] in [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]] in January 1966.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}} The song debuted on the ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'' charts on April 30, 1966, and peaked at No. 8. It reached No. 11 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' singles charts on June 11. It was the band's first major hit single; their earlier charting record, "The Boy Next Door", had only reached No. 102 on ''Billboard''{{'}}s [[Bubbling Under Hot 100|Bubbling Under]] chart in February 1966.

"Dirty Water" was first issued in late 1965 on the Tower label, a subsidiary of [[Capitol Records]]. It first became a hit in the state of [[Florida]], breaking out on [[WORL (AM)|WLOF]] in [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]] in January 1966.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}

The song debuted on the ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'' charts on April 30, 1966, and peaked at No. 8. It reached No. 11 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' singles charts on June 11. It was the band's first major hit single; their earlier charting record, "The Boy Next Door", had only reached No. 102 on ''Billboard''{{'}}s [[Bubbling Under Hot 100|Bubbling Under]] chart in February 1966.

The well-known guitar riff that opens the song was recorded with a [[Fender Musical Instruments Corporation|Fender]] Telecaster through a [[Vox AC30]] amplifier by Standells guitarist Tony Valentino.{{cn|date=July 2025}} Though the song is credited solely to Cobb, band members Dodd, Valentino, and Tamblyn have claimed substantial material-of-fact song composition copyright contributions to it as well as contributing to its arrangement.{{Citation needed|date=February 2020}}

"Dirty Water" was included in the influential compilation album ''[[Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968]]'', and is listed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rockhall.com/exhibits/one-hit-wonders-songs-that-shaped-rock-and-roll/|title=Experience The Music: One Hit Wonders and The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll|publisher=Rockhall.com|access-date=18 December 2014}}</ref>

"Dirty Water" was included in the influential compilation album ''[[Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968]]'', and is listed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rockhall.com/exhibits/one-hit-wonders-songs-that-shaped-rock-and-roll/|title=Experience The Music: One Hit Wonders and The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll|publisher=Rockhall.com|access-date=18 December 2014}}</ref>