The Dickies were one of the first punk rock bands to appear on network television, and the first California punk band to be signed to a major record label.

The Dickies are most popular in the UK, and had a Top 10 single with "Banana Splits (Tra La La Song)" in 1979. Many of their lyrics concern Southern California culture, rife with references and inside jokes. Songs like "Waterslide", "I'm A Cholo", "Manny, Moe, and Jack", and "(I'm Stuck in a Pagoda with) Tricia Toyota" to name a few are proof. They are also known for recording several fast-paced punk covers of classic rock songs, including the Moody Blues' "Nights in White Satin", Black Sabbath's "Paranoid", Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction", and the Human Beinz' "Nobody But Me". They have also covered Pretty Ballerina, a song by The Left Banke, as well as "Hair".

In 1988, the Dickies wrote and performed the theme music for the horror film "Killer Klowns from Outer Space," and they also appeared in the George Burns movie "18 again." After all of these years they are still rocking. Learn from founding member Stan Lee. He pretty much wrote the book on punk rock guitar.