The Exploited are a Scottish punk band from the second wave of UK punk, for… Read Full Bio ↴The Exploited are a Scottish punk band from the second wave of UK punk, formed in 1979.

They started out as an Oi! band, before transforming into a faster street punk and hardcore punk band, only with a heavy political influence. From about 1987 on (around the time of Death Before Dishonour) they changed into a crossover thrash band. Formed in Edinburgh by ex-soldier Wattie Buchan, they signed to Secret Records in March 1981 and released their debut EP Army Life. The album Punks Not Dead followed in the same year. Despite many lineup changes, the band continued into the 2000s and has developed a worldwide following. The band are currently writing material for a new album.

The band formed in 1979 in Edinburgh. One of the first lineups consisted of Big John Duncan on guitar, (Reeba) Alan Martin on drums, Gary McCormack on bass and Terry Buchan on vocals.

I Hate You
Exploited Lyrics

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Went to a party and caught you fucking my mate Went to a party caught you in bed with my mate
I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU I, I, I HATE YOU
You told me that you loved me And I believed your lies But you gave my friend his first dose Then I knew it was a pack of lies I didn't think you could hurt me But I was such a fool My mates said you would never change But now I know you whore When I opened the bedroom door I couldn't believe my eyes You were giving head to my best friend You filthy whore

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to the Exploited's song I Hate You narrates a distressing situation where the singer catches his lover cheating on him with his friend. The lyrics carry a strong emotional charge, as the singer moves from expressing his love and belief in his lover's words to a position of extreme hate and disgust. The betrayal by the person he trusts the most, both his lover and his friend, leaves him feeling hurt, angry and foolish for believing her lies. The pain caused by this betrayal is expressed through the lines "You told me that you loved me, and I believed your lies, But you gave my friend his first dose, Then I knew it was a pack of lies."

The use of strong language, such as "I HATE YOU" and "filthy whore," underlines the emotional hurt and anger that the singer is experiencing. The repetition of the phrase "I hate you" emphasizes the intensity of the singer's hate towards his lover. The lyrics also express the idea that the singer's friends warned him about his lover's promiscuity, but he failed to take their advice. The imagery created by the line, "When I opened the bedroom door, I couldn't believe my eyes," vividly projects the situation being narrated, adding to the emotional punch of the song.

Line by Line Meaning

Went to a party and caught you fucking my mate
I attended a party and found you in bed with my friend, having sexual intercourse

You told me that you loved me
You expressed your love for me, verbally

And I believed your lies
I trusted your false statements, and believed them to be true

But you gave my friend his first dose
You introduced my friend to drugs, and contributed to their addiction

Then I knew it was a pack of lies
After discovering your involvement in my friend's drug use, I realized that your previous claims were not true

I didn't think you could hurt me
I did not expect you to cause me emotional pain

But I was such a fool
I blamed myself for trusting you, despite your deceitful behavior

My mates said you would never change
My friends warned me that you would not alter your immoral ways

But now I know you whore
I now see you for the promiscuous and disloyal person that you are

When I opened the bedroom door
Upon entering the room, where you and my friend were engaging in sexual activity

I couldn't believe my eyes
I was in shock and disbelief upon seeing the betrayal taking place