ANGELIC UPSTARTS are an English punk rock band formed in South Shields in 1… Read Full Bio ↴ANGELIC UPSTARTS are an English punk rock band formed in South Shields in 1977. They are one of most prominent Oi! bands, and espouse a socialist and working class philosophy which later inspired bands such as: Strawman, Red London or Redskins . Angelic Upstarts have been associated with anti-fascist skinhead subculture. More than two decades after its release, their debut single, "The Murder Of Liddle Towers", was included in Mojo magazine’s list of the best punk rock singles of all time. The original line up for the band was Mensi (vocals), Mond (guitar), Steve Forsten (bass) and Decca Wade (drums). The band have reformed and split a few times over the years and some of the ex members include bass players, Ronnie Wooden, Glyn Warren, Tony Feedback, Ronnie Rocker and Max Splodge who also had a stint playing drums. Other drummers have included Sticks (who later joined The Cockney Rejects), Paul Thompson (ex Roxy Music) and Chris White. Decca Wade rejoined the band for a few years before leaving again. Brian Hayes originally joined the band as second guitarist until Mond left leaving Brian as the only guitarist. The line up for the band is as follows
The band are still playing throughout Europe.
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Waiting Hating
Angelic Upstarts Lyrics

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Waiting, Hating
I've been waiting for 5 years
Nothing yet to belay my fears
Sometimes so unreal
But still searching for the truth

A spark of fire filled with desire
Not only hit the youth

But still searching for the truth

I've been waiting I've been hating
But where can we go, it's so unreal
I've been waiting I've been hating
They'll never change

I've been waiting I've been hating
But where can we go, it's so unreal
I've been waiting I've been hating

There was a king there was a queen
And when it added up it's all the same
They can love you with a look
But treason is the breath you took

I've been waiting I've been hating
But where can we go, it's so unreal
I've been waiting I've been hating
They'll never change

I've been waiting I've been hating
But where can we go, it's so unreal
I've been waiting I've been hating

Sit up and smile it's our acceptance
That breeds a lie
I believe in joy and if this is not the answer
There's something I'm still looking for

I've been waiting I've been hating
But where can we go, it's so unreal
I've been waiting I've been hating
They'll never change

I've been waiting I've been hating
But where can we go

I've been waiting I've been hating
They'll never change

Overall Meaning

The Angelic Upstarts’ song “Waiting, Hating” appears to be a lamentation of waiting and watching, yet feeling powerless to enact change. The singer has been waiting for five years and has yet to see any progress or a resolution of his fears. He admits that sometimes, the situation feels unreal, suggesting perhaps that the world around him is so tumultuous or chaotic that it defies comprehension. Nonetheless, he is still searching for the truth, implying that his eyes are open, but he is still waiting for someone or something to take action.

When the youth began to become restless and demand change, the establishment breathed a collective sigh of annoyance, but the singer notes that their passion and desire are not restricted to the youthful population. These feelings of unrest and discontent are universal and apply to the situation that the singer finds himself in. Even though the song’s lyrics seem like a warning about the state of the world, the chorus insists that waiting and hating are not enough. The status quo will never change unless proactive steps are taken.

The final verse offers a more nuanced perspective about the effectiveness of fighting against the current. The singer acknowledges that there are limits to what individuals can change and that society at large often accepts the way things are because it’s easier than admitting they might not know the right answer. However, he still believes in joy as a beacon of hope, and that there is still something out there to be found. The song is not nihilistic, but instead offers a plea to keep searching, keep fighting, and keep pushing towards a better world.

Line by Line Meaning

I've been waiting for 5 years
I've been waiting for a long time, specifically for 5 years

Nothing yet to belay my fears
My fears are still present and have not been eased by anything yet

Sometimes so unreal
Sometimes what's going on seems impossible or too good to be true

But still searching for the truth
Despite everything, I am searching for the truth

A spark of fire filled with desire
A feeling of passion and longing has taken over

Not only hit the youth
Not only is this limited to young people

But still searching for the truth
Despite everything, I am still searching for the truth

I've been waiting I've been hating
I have been waiting a long time and simultaneously feeling angry or resentful

But where can we go, it's so unreal
There seems to be nowhere to turn to because the situation seems impossible

They'll never change
I have lost faith that things will ever be different

There was a king there was a queen
There have been many people in power in the past

And when it added up it's all the same
When it comes down to it, it's all irrelevant

They can love you with a look
Someone can appear to care about you, even though their actions show otherwise

But treason is the breath you took
In reality, they have betrayed you and were never on your side

Sit up and smile it's our acceptance
We are expected to grin and bear it, to accept the situation we are in

That breeds a lie
This false acceptance leads to a lie

I believe in joy and if this is not the answer
I have faith that happiness is possible, but if this situation is not the answer, I will continue searching

There's something I'm still looking for
I am still on the hunt for something to fill the void

Writer(s): Mensforth, Cowie

Contributed by Mateo L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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