Originally known simply as GBH (inspired by then-bassist Sean McCarthy's trial for grievous bodily harm), their name was changed to Charged GBH in order to differentiate themselves from another band of the same name. Founding members were Colin 'Col' Abrahall (vocals), Colin 'Jock' Blyth (guitar), Sean McCarthy (bass) and Andrew Williams (drums).
Charged GBH embarked on several English and mainland US tours during the early 1980s, including several gigs at the 100 Club. 1982 saw GBH's first LP, City Baby Attacked By Rats. Lyrically, the album dealt with criticism of British and European culture, violence, morbidity (especially in reference to the song "Passenger On The Menu", which describes in graphic detail the experiences of the passengers on the Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571), atheism, nihilism and general absurdity. Musically, the album was loud and fast, with few songs exceeding three minutes. In 1983 the band changed their name to GBH.
Unlike many early punk bands who evolved towards a more post-punk sound, GBH have stayed fairly faithful to their original UK82 sound in subsequent releases. However, the band have experimented to some degree with a more metal-inflected sound, notably with their 1992 release Church of the Truly Warped, although they have since returned to a more purist punk sound. The band is still active and touring and maintain a strong following both in England and the rest of Europe, as well as in America and Japan.
Dead On Arrival
Charged G.B.H. Lyrics
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No-one could understand.
Each night he'd go out shooting skag,
Met a pusher who sold him a bag.
That's why he was
Dead on arrival
Tried to run but didn't get far.
Sent to prison, no turning back,
Saw his arm, weaned him off smack.
Out on parole tried to keep calm,
Finally died with a needle in his arm.
Yes out on parole, tried to keep calm,
Finally died with a needle in his arm.
In Charged G.B.H's song Dead On Arrival, the lyrics describe the story of a drug addict who eventually meets his demise due to his addiction. The opening line "Tracks in his arm made him a man, no-one could understand" paints the picture of a young man using heroin as a rite of passage. The following line "Each night he'd go out shooting skag, met a pusher who sold him a bag" illustrates how easy it is for someone to find and become addicted to heroin, and how it starts to consume his life.
The chorus "That's why he was dead on arrival" implies that his addiction eventually leads to his demise. The second verse then details how the man's drug addiction leads him to commit illegal acts, such as stealing a car due to being in need of money, and his failed attempt to escape the consequences. This leads the man to be sent to prison, where he is able to finally overcome his addiction with the help of others who helped him wean off the drugs.
However, the final verse shows the man struggling to readjust to life outside of prison on parole. Despite his efforts to remain sober, he eventually succumbs to his addiction and dies with a needle in his arm. Overall, the lyrics of Dead On Arrival illustrate the dangers of drug addiction and the cycle of addiction and relapse that can often occur.
Line by Line Meaning
Tracks in his arm made him a man,
His drug addiction became his identity and he found a sense of purpose in it, although nobody else could understand his perspective.
No-one could understand.
Despite attempts to explain his experiences, he felt isolated and alone in his addiction.
Each night he'd go out shooting skag,
He regularly sought out and injected heroin.
Met a pusher who sold him a bag.
He encountered a drug dealer who supplied him with a dose of heroin.
That's why he was
His addiction ultimately led to his demise.
Dead on arrival
He arrived at the hospital already deceased.
Ran out of money so he stole a car,
His addiction became so financially burdensome that he resorted to criminal activity to fund it.
Tried to run but didn't get far.
He attempted to flee from the authorities, but was unsuccessful in doing so.
Sent to prison, no turning back,
He was arrested and sentenced to jail time, where he could not continue his drug use.
Saw his arm, weaned him off smack.
His physical symptoms of drug withdrawal were so severe that medical intervention was necessary to help him overcome his addiction.
Out on parole tried to keep calm,
After being released from prison, he attempted to maintain a sense of control over his addiction.
Finally died with a needle in his arm.
Despite his efforts to break free from his addiction, he ultimately succumbed to it and died while injecting heroin.
Yes out on parole, tried to keep calm,
This line is repeated to emphasize his ongoing struggle with addiction and his attempts to cope with it.
Finally died with a needle in his arm.
This line is repeated to drive home the tragic outcome of his addiction.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDREW PAUL WILLIAMS, COLIN DEREK ABRAHALL, COLIN ROBERT BLYTH, ROSS ANDREW LOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Anarres
"No-one could understand".....