They are notable for being the first of the British punk bands to release a single, put out an album, and tour the United States. Their debut album, Damned Damned Damned, was released six months before The Sex Pistols' debut, Never Mind The Bollocks.
The Damned have dissolved and reformed many times, with singer Dave Vanian remaining the sole constant. They have incorporated many styles in their music, most notably garage rock, psychedelic music, the British theatrical rock of Screaming Lord Sutch and The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, and New Romantic.
In addition to serving as inspiration for many of the young bands who created hardcore punk in the US, The Damned are also generally regarded as one of the founders of goth music.
Original members Dave Vanian (David Lett), Captain Sensible (Raymond Burns), and Rat Scabies (Chris Millar) were all members of the semi-legendary Masters of the Backside which included future Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde.
Original guitarist Brian James (Brian Robertson) was a member of the early punk band London SS, a unit that never played live, but whose members later found fame in bands including The Clash and Generation X. Rat Scabies was also tried as the drummer for London SS, but was rejected.
Maintaining the goth connection, between 1996 and 2004 the bass guitarist of the Damned was one-time the Sisters of Mercy / the Sisterhood / Gun Club member Patricia Morrison. Morrison married Dave Vanian in 1996 but left the band after the birth of their daughter Emily. She originally joined the band after bassist Paul Grey was injured during a concert.
Discography:
Damned, Damned, Damned – February 25, 1977 (# 36)
Music For Pleasure – November 18, 1977
Machine Gun Etiquette – November 2, 1979 (# 31)
The Black Album – October 20, 1980 (# 29)
Strawberries – October 1, 1982 (# 15)
Phantasmagoria – July 15, 1985 (# 11)
Anything – December 5, 1986 (# 40)
Not of This Earth – November 11, 1995 (Retitled I'm Alright Jack & The Beanstalk in the UK, Germany and Sweden)
Grave Disorder – August 21, 2001
So, Who's Paranoid? – October 28, 2008
Evil Spirits – April 13, 2018
Darkadelic - April 28, 2023
Neat Neat Neat
The Damned Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Be a doll, be a baby doll
It can't be fun, not anyway
It can't be found no way at all
A distant man can't sympathise
He can't uphold his distant laws
Due to form on that today
I got a feeling then I hear this call
I said neat neat neat
She can't afford no cannon
Neat neat neat
She can't afford no gun at all
Neat neat neat
She can't afford no cannon
Neat neat neat
She ain't got no name to call
Neat neat neat
No crime if there ain't no law
No cops left to mess you around
No more dreams of mystery chords
No more sight to bring you down
I got a crazy got a thought in my mind
My mind's on when she falls asleep
Feelin' fine in her restless time
Then these words upon me creep
I said neat neat neat
She can't afford no cannon
Neat neat neat
She can't afford no gun at all
Neat neat neat
She can't afford no cannon
Neat neat neat
She ain't got no name to call
Neat neat neat
I be a man, kinda mystery man
Be a doll, like a baby doll
It can't be fun, not anyway
It can't be found no way at all
A distant man can't sympathise
He can't uphold his distant laws
Due to form on that today
I got a feeling then I hear this call
I said neat neat neat
She can't afford no cannon
Neat neat neat
She can't afford no gun at all
Neat neat neat
She can't afford no cannon
Neat neat neat
She ain't got no name to call
Neat neat neat
She can't afford no cannon
Neat neat neat
She ain't got no name to call
Neat neat neat
She can't afford no cannon
Neat neat neat
She ain't got no name to call
Neat neat neat
The Damned's song "Neat Neat Neat" seems to be about a man who is distant and detached, possibly mysterious to those around him. The lyrics suggest that he is somewhat cold and unfeeling, unable to sympathize with those around him or connect with them emotionally. Despite this, he seems to be grappling with his own thoughts and emotions, which may be troubling him in some way. He mentions a "crazy thought" that comes to him, and seems to find solace in the company of a woman who falls asleep.
The repeated refrain of "neat neat neat" seems to be a kind of mantra for the singer, helping him to focus on his thoughts and feelings. The phrase "she can't afford no cannon" may be a metaphor for a powerful weapon or tool that the woman in the song does not have access to, perhaps indicating that she is powerless or oppressed in some way. The line "no crime if there ain't no law" suggests a sense of lawlessness or chaos, where the singer imagines a world without rules or consequences.
Overall, the song paints a picture of a man who is struggling to connect with others, but who is also grappling with his own inner demons. The repetition of the phrase "neat neat neat" gives the song a hypnotic quality, and the stark, minimalist instrumentation adds to the sense of tension and unease.
Line by Line Meaning
I be a man, kinda mystery man
I am a man, but with an air of mystery surrounding me
Be a doll, be a baby doll
Act like a doll or a baby doll
It can't be fun, not anyway
Whatever 'it' is, it's not enjoyable
It can't be found no way at all
Whatever 'it' is, it cannot be located or obtained
A distant man can't sympathise
A person who is emotionally distant cannot show empathy
He can't uphold his distant laws
Being emotionally distant makes it difficult to follow one's own set of rules
Due to form on that today
Because of the way things are today
I got a feeling then I hear this call
I have a feeling, and then I hear a voice calling me
I said neat neat neat
I exclaimed 'neat neat neat'
She can't afford no cannon
She cannot afford a weapon such as a cannon
She can't afford no gun at all
She cannot afford any type of firearm
She ain't got no name to call
She does not have a name to be called by
No crime if there ain't no law
There can be no crime if there are no laws
No cops left to mess you around
There are no police officers to bother you
No more dreams of mystery chords
No more mysterious or puzzling aspirations
No more sight to bring you down
Nothing to observe and make you feel low
I got a crazy got a thought in my mind
I have a crazy thought in my mind
My mind's on when she falls asleep
I am thinking about her when she falls asleep
Feelin' fine in her restless time
I feel good during her times of agitation
Then these words upon me creep
Then these words come to me unexpectedly
She can't afford no cannon
She cannot afford any kind of weapon like a cannon
She can't afford no gun at all
She cannot afford any form of firearm
She ain't got no name to call
She does not have a name to be called by
I be a man, kinda mystery man
I am a man, but with an air of mystery surrounding me
Be a doll, like a baby doll
Act like a doll or a baby doll
It can't be fun, not anyway
Whatever 'it' is, it's not enjoyable
It can't be found no way at all
Whatever 'it' is, it cannot be located or obtained
A distant man can't sympathise
A person who is emotionally distant cannot show empathy
He can't uphold his distant laws
Being emotionally distant makes it difficult to follow one's own set of rules
Due to form on that today
Because of the way things are today
I got a feeling then I hear this call
I have a feeling, and then I hear a voice calling me
She can't afford no cannon
She cannot afford any type of weapon like a cannon
She can't afford no gun at all
She cannot afford any type of firearm
She ain't got no name to call
She does not have a name to be called by
She can't afford no cannon
She cannot afford a type of weapon such as a cannon
She ain't got no name to call
She does not have a name to be called by
She can't afford no cannon
She cannot afford any form of weapon like a cannon
She ain't got no name to call
She does not have a name to be called by
Neat neat neat
It's all good, all neat and tidy
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRIAN JAMES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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DROP SOME BLUES = take some 3french blues3 pills -popular amphetamine and barbiturate drug since the '60's, see movie Quadrophenia