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Cover of Argybargy by Squeeze
Cover: Argybargy

Song · Squeeze

“Pulling Mussels (From The Shell)” by Squeeze

From the album Argybargy (1980)

“Pulling Mussels (From The Shell)” by Squeeze appears on 44 radio countdowns from 13 stations between 1980 and 2025. It was first released in 1980 on the album Argybargy. Its best result is #42 on the WLIR Top 200 Songs of the 1980s. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #102 alternative song of 1980 and #668 alternative song of all time.

44countdowns
13stations
#42best position
0#1 finishes
0top 10 finishes
1980–2025years charted

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Pulling Mussels (From The Shell)

Video from YouTube (Squeeze - Topic). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube

"Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)" is the sunburnt jewel of Squeeze's 1980 album Argybargy, with Chris Difford's lyric drawn from his own days at a holiday camp and Glenn Tilbrook's tune bouncing along like a kid on a seaside pier. Difford's words are all wry detail, and Tilbrook sings them with a grin you can practically hear.

The chorus owes something to The Tubes, whom Squeeze had toured with in 1979: Tilbrook said their grandiose streak crept in and gave the end of the chorus its odd turnaround. Then comes the fun part, Tilbrook's stubborn guitar solo, stuck on one note for half its length, handing over to a rollicking piano solo from Jools Holland. The band produced it with John Wood, and it has become one of their best-loved songs.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

Classic Rock

All Rock Formats

Year-end countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1980 102 KROQ Los Angeles, CA KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1980 106

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
– 42 WLIR / WDRE WLIR Top 200 Songs of the 1980s 200
1988 260 Live 105 Live 105 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1988) 501
1988 160 WLIR / WDRE WLIR Top 200 Songs of All-Time (1988) 200
1989 55 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1989) 500
1990 285 Live 105 Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1990) 299
1991 206 Live 105 Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1991) 302
1991 171 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1991) 500
1991 479 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (1991 Edition) 1002
1991 223 WNEW-FM WNEW Firecracker 500 (1991) 500
1992 385 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1992) 500
1996 359 Q101 Q101 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (1996) 500
1996 182 WNEW-FM WNEW Firecracker 500 (1996) 500
1997 905 102.3 WBAB WBAB Top 1,023 Rock and Roll Songs of All Time (1997) 1023
1999 90 WLIR / WDRE WLIR Top 300 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 300
1999 717 CD101 CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 2000
1999 373 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999) 1002
2000 225 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2000) 500
2000 718 CD101 CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) 2001
2001 227 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2001) 498
2001 718 CD101 CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 2002
2002 263 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2002) 500
2002 718 CD101 CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) 2003
2002 883 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) 2002
2003 718 CD101 CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 2004
2003 544 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003) 2044
2004 718 CD101 CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 2005
2005 411 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2005) 500
2005 718 CD101 CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 1994
2006 398 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2006) 499
2007 1778 CD101 CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007) 2008
2008 1742 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2009 1769 CD101 CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009) 2010
2010 1812 CD101 CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010) 2011
2011 1887 CD101 CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011) 2011
2013 1940 CD101 CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013) 2012
2014 1957 CD101 CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014) 2013
2021 393 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '80s 909
2021 696 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2021) 1043
2022 620 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2022) 1043
2023 195 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 850 Songs of the 1980s 850
2023 595 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2023) 1043
2024 770 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2024) 1043
2025 832 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2025) 1043

Also listed as: Pulling Mussels (From a Shell); Pulling Mussels from the Shell; Pulling Mussels From The Shell; Pulling Mussels from a Shell; Pulling Mussels From the Shell; Pulling Mussels (from a Shell).

Charting alongside it in 1980

Best songs of 1980 →
  1. 1And the Cradle Will RockVan Halen
  2. 2Another One Bites the DustQueen
  3. 3Whip ItDevo
  4. 4Don't Stand So Close to MeThe Police
  5. 5Once in a LifetimeTalking Heads
  6. 6You Shook Me All Night LongAC/DC

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