Later that year, they also opened for The Damned on a short tour round the north of England. November 1981 saw the release of their first single, a cover version of Ralph McTell's 'Streets of London', with the song that was to become the group's anthem, 'So What' on the B side.
In 1982, things were looking good for the band, with the 'So What Tour' in the company of such groups as Chelsea, Chron Gen and the Defects, and the release of their debut album We Are...The League. However, the Obscene Publications Squad seized all copies of their records, which were removed from shops and they were banned from TV and Radio. To top it all, they were thrown out of the Top Of The Pops studio...just because Animal happened to be carrying a 3ft axe around with him! However the year finished on a high, with the 'Hardcore Storms America' tour with the UK Subs.
Anti-Nowhere League LogoGilly (real name Mark Gilham) joined the band in 1983 as an extra guitarist, which according to the bands website,[1], was because Magoo was drinking heavily and was often unable to carry out his commitments as guitarist. The band went to Yugoslavia to record a live album, imaginatively called Live In Yugoslavia, but even this was dogged by problems with the authorities insisting that references that Animal had made about recently deceased president Tito be removed from the master tapes, and any language which they deemed to be offensive be bleeped (including a few "when’s", "it’s" and "ands" according to Animal!).
By 1984, things were not looking too good. PJ quit, unable to cope with the pressures of the drugs and alcohol lifestyle the band were now leading and they were musically inactive. 1985 saw Michael Bettel on the drums, followed in 1986 by JB (Jonathan Birch). During this time they signed for GWR Records, and recorded the Perfect Crime album. However, once again there were problems, when GWR refused to put up the money to finish the album once they heard its rough cut, and it was released unfinished to try to get back some of the money already invested in it. This was the final straw, and in 1987 ANWL disbanded. There was a "Farewell" show in 1989.
Fast forward to 1992, and Animal was working on his car, in the rain. The phone went, and it was JB, with the news that Metallica wanted Animal to guest at Wembley Arena, when they did their cover of 'So What'. Apparently Animals response was "Who the fuck are Metallica?, and anyway I'm working on my car!!" JB phoned back later, and managed to persuade Animal to do the slot. Animal put it thus on ANWL's website. "As I waited on the edge of the stage waiting to go on it suddenly dawned on me I was just about to stand in front of 10,000 punters who didn’t know me from Adam and sing a song that I couldn’t fucking remember………….all that kept running through my head was RUN you silly old fucker!". However, after the show, the bug had bitten again. Mark joined that year on Lead Guitar, and 1993 - 1995 was spent playing gigs in the small venues the band had started out in. In 1996, they signed up with Impact Records and recorded their next album Pig Iron. Beef also joined the band after Mark's departure.
1997 saw another personnel change when Winston left the band to be replaced by Jon Jon, and recording the album Scum.
Danny joined on drums in 1998.
The album Out Of Control was released a year later in 1999 2001 Magoo quit playing live shows.
2002 - now.... Jon Jon, Beef and Danny all left, to be replaced by PJ (original drummer), Jez, and Shady. This lineup of the band is still going as of April 2006.
Streets of London
Anti-Nowhere League Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Memories are fading with the medals that he wears
Did you see the old man ……outside the Seamans mission
He's just another hero from this land that doesn't care
So how can you tell me your lonely
Don't say to me that your sun don't shine…..
And have you seen the old girl….Who walks the streets of London
She ain't got no money ……….and she's all dressed in rags
Have you seen the old girl…who walks the streets of London
She carries her old knickers in two….. polythene bags
So how can you tell me your lonely
Don't say to me that your sun don't shine
Well let me take you by the hand and lead you through your streets of London
I'll show you something………..you'll never understand
Let me take you by the hand and drag you through your streets of London
I'll show you something…….that'll make you really sick
Well let me take you by the hand and lead you through your streets of London
I'll show you something ………we'll never understand
Let me take you by the hand and drag you through your streets of London
I'll show you something ……that'll make you really sick.
The Anti-Nowhere League's song "Streets of London" describes the harsh reality of life for many people who live in the city. The song is sung from the perspective of the observer who has noticed the old man outside the Seamans mission and the old girl who walks the streets of London. The lyrics indicate that they are both struggling to survive and have been forgotten by society. The old man's fading memories and medals highlight the fact that his contributions are no longer valued, while the old girl's poor clothing and carrying of her old knickers in polythene bags signify her poverty and desperation.
The chorus revolves around loneliness and the observer's refusal to accept empty promises of things being better. The suggestion that the sun doesn't shine seems to be a metaphor for a difficult situation that doesn't get better with time. The final verse repeats the chorus but takes a darker turn. The observer offers to show the listener something that they will never understand and that will make them sick, which can be interpreted in different ways. This could be referring to the harsh truth of the reality of the lives of the old man and the old girl, or it could be a commentary on the larger societal issues that result in such situations.
Line by Line Meaning
Well did you see the old man….. outside the Seamans mission
Have you ever noticed the elderly gentleman who always stands outside the Seamans mission? He seems to be a war veteran with several medals pinned to his chest.
Memories are fading with the medals that he wears
Although he seems to have been a hero in his time, his memories have started to fade away with old age, and his medals appear to be the only real proof of his heroic deeds.
Did you see the old man ……outside the Seamans mission
He's just another hero from this land that doesn't care
That old man is just one more hero from this country who is neglected and ignored by society at large. It's sad to see how little we care for our veterans.
So how can you tell me your lonely
Don't say to me that your sun don't shine…..
If you compare your loneliness to the struggles of these old folks, you'll see that your problems are not so significant after all. Don't complain about the sun not shining on your life when others don't even have a roof over their head.
And have you seen the old girl….Who walks the streets of London
She ain't got no money ……….and she's all dressed in rags
Have you ever taken a moment to look at that old lady who roams the streets of London in tattered clothing? She is poor and has no money, and her clothes are not enough to keep her warm at night.
Have you seen the old girl…who walks the streets of London
She carries her old knickers in two….. polythene bags
If you look closely, you'll see that old lady carries her worn-out undergarments in two plastic bags. That is all she has to her name and she cherishes them dearly.
Well let me take you by the hand and lead you through your streets of London
I'll show you something………..you'll never understand
If you let me take you around the city, I'll show you a side of London that you've probably never seen before. You'll never truly understand the struggles of the poor and the destitute, but I can give you a glimpse of their life.
Let me take you by the hand and drag you through your streets of London
I'll show you something…….that'll make you really sick
If you let me guide you through the darker alleys of the city, you'll see things that'll make you sick to your stomach. The poverty and neglect that we witness here are the symptoms of a much larger problem - a society that has lost its soul.
Well let me take you by the hand and lead you through your streets of London
I'll show you something ………we'll never understand
If you come with me on this journey, I'll also show you things that we, as privileged ones, will never truly comprehend. We'll never be able to fathom the desperation and heartache that these folks go through on a daily basis.
Let me take you by the hand and drag you through your streets of London
I'll show you something ……that'll make you really sick.
So come with me, and let me open your eyes to the harsh realities of the world we live in - realities that people often overlook. You might never be able to unsee some of the things that you'll witness, but it is essential that you confront them.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Ralph McTell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind