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.
Four Men
Charged G.B.H Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A blind eye sees more than pain, expressions on heads look so feign.
Four men died today, someone's gotta pay.
Why did four men die today ?
The culprits can't be found, they're hiding underground.
Why did four men die today ?
Legions of damned citizens try, while all around the rotting die.
Concerned committees study and gen, the final word from Number Ten.
The worried gasp a sigh and frown as all the walls come crashing down.
The end of a decade closes in, the oppressed fight back and still can't win.
Doomsday lurks, an ugly figure, who'll be first to pull the trigger.
The Charged G.B.H.'s song "Four Men" is a fast-paced punk rock number that reflects on the societal issues of the oppression of the working class and the powerful people in hiding who are responsible for the four men's deaths. The opening lines of the song, "The end of a decade closes in, the oppressed fight back but still can't win. A blind eye sees more than pain, expressions on heads look so feign" sets the tone for the rest of the song, which is an indictment of the ruling elites for their negligence towards the suffering of the less privileged.
The chorus, "Four men died today, someone's gotta pay. Why did four men die today? The culprits can't be found, they're hiding underground. Why did four men die today?" is an angry outburst demanding accountability, which the singer feels is lacking. The song goes further to say that even the oppressed are tired of feeling helpless and are rallying themselves to fight back against the ruling elite.
The song's final lines, "Doomsday lurks, an ugly figure, who'll be first to pull the trigger," seem to suggest that the future is uncertain and that some form of reckoning is inevitable. The song implies that the working-class society is a ticking time bomb, and it is a matter of time before they explode and demand the accountability that they deserve.
Line by Line Meaning
The end of a decade closes in, the oppressed fight back but still can't win.
Despite the decade coming to an end, the oppressed continue to fight back against their oppressors but are still unable to succeed.
A blind eye sees more than pain, expressions on heads look so feign.
Many people choose to ignore the pain of others, but even without their sight, they can see through the fake expressions on people's faces.
Four men died today, someone's gotta pay.
Four men lost their lives on this day, and justice must be served.
Why did four men die today ?
The tragic loss of four lives raises the question of why this had to happen.
The culprits can't be found, they're hiding underground.
The people responsible for the deaths are evading capture and hiding from authorities.
Hoboes and underdogs strike a new chord, they're sick and tired of acting bored.
The marginalized members of society are banding together to create change and are done with being complacent.
Legions of damned citizens try, while all around the rotting die.
The masses are trying to improve their situation, while others around them continue to suffer and decay.
Concerned committees study and gen, the final word from Number Ten.
Officials are deliberating on the issue, and ultimately the decision will come from the top government official.
The worried gasp a sigh and frown as all the walls come crashing down.
The concerned individuals react in despair as their efforts seem to collapse around them.
Doomsday lurks, an ugly figure, who'll be first to pull the trigger.
The possibility of a disastrous event looms, and the question remains as to who or what will cause it to happen.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDREW PAUL WILLIAMS, COLIN DEREK ABRAHALL, COLIN ROBERT BLYTH, ROSS ANDREW LOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dominon92
The end of a decade closes in
The oppressed fight back but still can't win
A blind eye sees more than pain
Expressions on heads look so feign
[Chorus]
Four men died today, someone's gotta pay
Why did four men die today?
The culprits can't be found, they're hiding underground
Why did four men die today?
Four men
Four men
They die today
Hobos and underdogs strike a new chord
They're sick and tired of acting bored
Legions of damned citizens try
While all around the rotting die
[Chorus]
Concerned committees study and gen
The final word from Number Ten
The worried gasp a sigh and frown
As all the walls come crashing down
[Chorus]
The end of a decade closes in
The oppressed fight back and still can't win
Doomsday lurks, an ugly figure
Who'll be first to pull the trigger
[Chorus]
Larz Gustafsson
Absolutely brilliant. I love the guitars.
Esso Anttila
Best song from they till I die.
blane williams
excellent
J.J. Decay
haha, that is a funny album cover,
804safety
never seen this one before,sounds more like later g.b.h not charged