Originally known simply as GBH (inspired by then-bassist Sean McCarthy’s trial for grievous bodily harm), their name was changed to Charged G.B.H 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 G.B.H embarked on several English and mainland US tours during the early 1980s, including several gigs at the 100 Club. 1982 saw G.B.H’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 G.B.H.
Unlike many early punk bands who evolved towards a more post-punk sound, G.B.H 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.
Catch
Charged G.B.H Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who are you, what do you do ?
You promised us the world then took it away.
Slogging 'round the country for a tenner a day, we got got wise, to your idle lies.
The missing rung, we all knew.
We survived Catch 23.
Now we're prepared and that's the key.
Organization, a word you've never heard.
The cheques you wrote which never cleared.
Your big ideas, our biggest fears.
Your representatives of your name.
And you'll be forgotten as quickly as you came.
Now your gone, we'll carry on.
The lyrics of Charged G.B.H's song Catch 23 talk about the band's struggle against an organization that promised them the world but ended up taking it away. The song begins by mentioning how the organization beat them down, but they came back stronger and on the attack. The lyrics suggest that the band was promised a lot of things but never got what was promised, and they started seeing through the empty promises. The phrase 'Catch 23' refers to the idiom that implies a frustrating situation with no easy way out.
The lyrics mention how the band was slogging round the country for a tenner a day and how they got wise to the organization's idle lies. The lyrics also refer to a missing rung that everyone knew about, which could be interpreted as a crucial opportunity or support that the organization didn't provide. The band survived Catch 23, and now they're prepared and ready to face any adversities. The song concludes that the organization's big ideas were the band's biggest fears, and after the organization's representatives are gone, the band will carry on.
Overall, the lyrics of Catch 23 suggest that the band was let down by an organization that promised them a lot of things but didn't fulfill them. The band fought back and survived, and now they're ready to face any challenge that comes their way.
Line by Line Meaning
You beat us down but we came back, revenge is sweet and we're on the attack.
You may have defeated us in the past, but we've come back stronger and more determined to seek revenge and retaliate.
Who are you, what do you do ?
We want to know who you are and what your motives and objectives are.
You promised us the world then took it away.
You raised our expectations by making big promises, but failed to fulfill them, leaving us disappointed and disillusioned.
Slogging 'round the country for a tenner a day, we got got wise, to your idle lies.
We were working hard and traveling all over the country for a meager pay, but eventually, we realized that you were deceiving us with your false claims.
The missing rung, we all knew.
We all understood that there was something missing, something that wasn't quite right, and it was up to us to figure it out.
We survived Catch 23.
Despite the obstacles and challenges thrown our way, we managed to come out on top and emerge victorious from Catch 23.
Now we're prepared and that's the key.
We've learned our lesson and are now equipped and ready to face any future challenges head-on with a clear strategy and plan of action.
So we'll survive Catch 23.
We are confident in our abilities and are determined to succeed in whatever challenges come our way, including Catch 23.
Organization, a word you've never heard.
You are lacking in organization and structure, and have no idea what it takes to run a successful operation.
The cheques you wrote which never cleared.
You wrote checks that bounced, indicating that you were not financially sound or responsible.
Your big ideas, our biggest fears.
Your ambitious plans and proposals frighten us because we do not trust your ability to deliver on them.
Your representatives of your name.
The people who represent your brand and company are not doing a good job, and are only serving to tarnish your reputation further.
And you'll be forgotten as quickly as you came.
You will not leave a lasting impression or legacy, and will soon be forgotten by those you've wronged.
Now your gone, we'll carry on.
Now that you're out of the picture, we will continue on with our lives and endeavors, without you holding us back any longer.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDREW PAUL WILLIAMS, COLIN DEREK ABRAHALL, COLIN ROBERT BLYTH, ROSS ANDREW LOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jonasmellberg3559
Saw gbh in 98 it was great!!!
@PrinceAntares
Epic!! :-)
@babyirene3188
completely totally nuts.
@arthurgames1092
Fielatehoje