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.
Passenger on the Menu
Charged G.B.H Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They had no food, no alternative.
Lost in the snow weak in the mind.
Starving and cold ate their own kind.
Had no choice, lost and alone.
Eat the flesh, spit out the bone.
They needed protein and a will to win.
Cannibalism the only way ..
The logical answer to live another day.
A code of conduct they must go by.
No sign of help coming from the sky.
How much longer can they survive ..
With only human flesh to keep them alive ?
The song "Passenger on the Menu" by Charged G.B.H. is about a group of people who are stranded in the snow with no food or means of survival. They resort to cannibalism in order to stay alive as they have no other choice. The opening line "they shocked the world cause they wanted to live" shows that the group's actions are desperate but necessary for survival. The following line "they had no food, no alternative" emphasizes that the group is stranded and isolated with no other options.
The group is described as "lost in the snow, weak in the mind" which shows that their mental and emotional state is deteriorating due to the harsh conditions they are facing. The line "starving and cold, ate their own kind" gives insight into the group's decision to resort to cannibalism. The lyric "had no choice, lost and alone. Eat the flesh, spit out the bone" further emphasizes that the group is doing what they must to survive even if it is morally and socially unacceptable.
The chorus reinforces the idea that the group's decision to practice cannibalism is not based on choice but necessity. "Malnutrition was setting in. They needed protein and a will to win. Cannibalism the only way. The logical answer to live another day." Despite the immoral nature of cannibalism, it is the only option for survival that the group has.
Line by Line Meaning
They shocked the world cause they wanted to live.
Their act of cannibalism caused a stir, but it was driven by their will to survive.
They had no food, no alternative.
Without any other options, they turned to cannibalism to avoid starving.
Lost in the snow weak in the mind.
Their physical and emotional state was suffering due to being stranded in the snow.
Starving and cold ate their own kind.
In a desperate attempt to stay alive, they resorted to consuming human flesh.
Had no choice, lost and alone.
They were faced with no other options and were stranded with no help in sight.
Eat the flesh, spit out the bone.
They had to resort to consuming their own kind, but tried to avoid consuming inedible parts of the body.
Malnutrition was setting in.
Their lack of proper nutrition was taking a toll on their health.
They needed protein and a will to win.
In order to survive, they required sustenance and a strong motivation to keep fighting.
Cannibalism the only way ..
With no other options, cannibalism was the only available means to sustain themselves.
The logical answer to live another day.
Despite societal taboo, eating their own kind was the only rational solution to surviving another day.
A code of conduct they must go by.
Even in dire circumstances, they had to adhere to certain moral standards for their own sake.
No sign of help coming from the sky.
They were stranded with no rescue in sight, having to rely on their own survival instincts.
How much longer can they survive ..
The situation was becoming untenable, and they were unsure of how much longer they could hold out.
With only human flesh to keep them alive ?
They were reliant on consuming human flesh as the sole means of sustenance to keep them alive.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDREW PAUL WILLIAMS, COLIN DEREK ABRAHALL, COLIN ROBERT BLYTH, ROSS ANDREW LOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@musicisbrilliant
These guys are actually SO BRILLIANT!!! And "Alive" is a great movie. Thanks for the upload!!
@nickred652
Cool to hear mr James Hetfield cred this song (for their song 'Spit Out The bone')!
@mgoggin65
Back in '86 my after work partyers used to demand I play 'Spit out the bone' on my record player.
@dietmarrosner3676
Ich liebe diese Band seit 40 Jahren!
@fenian21
Passengers on the menu, a plate served cold
@804safety
love this song...cheers from nova scotia,canada
@alanknotts1844
I love that wee guitar riff right at the very end,very clever😎
@thomaspauli8102
Einer der ersten punksongs die ich bei meinem damaligen klassenkameraden. Björn (urlaub im Rollstuhl) hörte. Das war der urknall
@bretbarnett6024
The future sound track to civil unrest and maybe civil war.
@XxPunxunite
uploader is a Bleach and a GBH fan. very nice!