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.
Hellhole
Charged G.B.H Lyrics
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He had no vices all he had was himself
Spent his days walking around
Thinking of things to do with his time
It's like a dream when I wake and scream
I'm lost and alone and living in a hellhole
Decided things weren't going too well
Just a man with a sense of justice
Would his days of misery never end
It's like a dream when I wake and scream
I'm lost and alone and living in a hellhole
Bought a gun disciplined himself
Shoot those those bastards right between the eyes
Crime figures fell like dead leaves
The city breathed a sigh of relief
It's like a dream when I wake and scream
I'm lost and alone and living in a hellhole
Bought a gun disciplined himself
Shoot those those bastards right between the eyes
Crime figures fell like dead leaves
The city breathed a sigh of relief
It's not easy when you're making a stand
When it seems that all the world is mad
It's easy to fall by the wayside
But if you act like a sheep you'll get eaten by the wolf
Now the streets are safe for children to play
Couples can go walking in the park
The poor man is happy now
An unknown hero and nobody knows his name
It's like a dream when I wake and scream
I'm lost and alone and living in a hellhole, a hellhole
In a hellhole
The song "Hellhole" by Charged G.B.H speaks of a poor man who has no dreams or vices, someone who spends his days walking around and thinking about how to spend his time. Feeling lost and alone, he looks at himself and looks at the world, and he decides that things aren't going too well. Despite his sense of justice, his days of misery never seem to end, and he begins to feel like he's living in a hellhole.
He buys a gun and disciplines himself, shooting those bastards right between the eyes. As a result, crime figures fall like dead leaves, and the city breathes a sigh of relief. Though it's not easy to make a stand when it seems that all the world is mad, it's easy to fall by the wayside. However, if one acts like a sheep, they'll surely get eaten by the wolf.
Now the streets are safe for children to play, and couples can go walking in the park. The poor man is happy now, an unknown hero, and nobody knows his name. The lyrics of "Hellhole" resonates with people who feel like they are trapped in a never-ending cycle of poverty, violence, and despair. It highlights the struggles of those who have nothing to lose and turn to violent means to make a change.
Line by Line Meaning
The poor man he had no dreams
This man was not ambitious to be rich or famous.
He had no vices all he had was himself
He lived a clean life and never sought release in drugs, alcohol or other such things.
Spent his days walking around
His days were boring and uneventful.
Thinking of things to do with his time
He had too much time on his hands and didn't know what to do with it.
It's like a dream when I wake and scream
The situation is so bad that it feels like a nightmare.
I'm lost and alone and living in a hellhole
The place where he lives is miserable and unbearable.
Looked at himself then looked at the world
He evaluated his situation and the world around him.
Decided things weren't going too well
He realized that his life was not going as planned.
Just a man with a sense of justice
He had a strong moral compass and wanted things to be fair.
Would his days of misery never end
He felt stuck in a miserable life.
Bought a gun disciplined himself
He took matters into his own hands and prepared for action.
Shoot those those bastards right between the eyes
He was willing to kill in order to achieve justice.
Crime figures fell like dead leaves
His actions had a significant impact on reducing crime.
The city breathed a sigh of relief
The people felt safer now that crime was down.
It's not easy when you're making a stand
Taking a stance for what is right is difficult.
When it seems that all the world is mad
It is hard to stand up against the majority when they are doing wrong.
It's easy to fall by the wayside
It is easier to give up and not fight anymore.
But if you act like a sheep you'll get eaten by the wolf
If you don't stand up for yourself, people will take advantage of you.
Now the streets are safe for children to play
The community is now safer.
Couples can go walking in the park
People can now enjoy activities without fear of crime.
The poor man is happy now
The man's actions brought about a positive change in his life.
An unknown hero and nobody knows his name
His heroic actions went unrecognized by society.
In a hellhole
The place where he lives is still miserable and unbearable.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDREW PAUL WILLIAMS, COLIN DEREK ABRAHALL, COLIN ROBERT BLYTH, ROSS ANDREW LOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind