1982 saw GBH's first LP, City Baby Attacked By Rats. The album was marked lyrically with harsh criticism of British and European culture, typical of UK punk. It was also full of 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, social anarchism, and generalised absurdity. However not political, the album's lyrics do seem remarkably socially aware. This kind of content would later follow up in later GBH releases. Musically, the album was loud, and fast, with most songs staying under three minutes, typical of the hardcore punk genre. This is also a trademark of future GBH releases.
In 1983 the band changed their name to simply GBH, arguably just because the word "Charged" in front of their name had dropped from the lingo of many of their fans. (The name change was announced at a gig in the now defunct 'Golden Eagle' public house, where GBH were playing along with ex-Hawkwind sax player Nik Turner's 'Inner City Unit').
GBH are known to be pioneers of the UK82 second wave of British punk rock in the 1980s, along with fellow pioneers Discharge, Broken Bones, The Exploited, The Varukers. and The Skeptix.
The band has, for the most part, kept true to its original punk rock roots since its formation, unlike many other former punk bands, especially hardcore bands, who later formed the Post-Punk genre of the mid to late 80s. However the band has experimented with, alongside many other hardcore punk bands, notably The Exploited, a bit of what is known as metal crossover. Metal Crossover is when punk bands use riffs of heavy metal in their music, usually just as a break in the monotony of the traditional two and three chord, punk rock sound. Some punk rock purists argue that when punk bands do this they break from the original punk sound, and therefore become simply metal bands. The band, though, maintains that they are, in fact, still a punk rock band. However, the band has done this quite a lot, especially experimenting with it heavily in their 1992 release Church of the Truly Warped. This sound carried over even into their latest LPs. However, they have been falling back more on their original punk rock sound roots recently.
The band is still active and touring, even among many circulating rumours about a break up. The band maintains a strong cult following both in England and the rest of Europe, as well as in America and Japan, where some say that punk is still in its elementary to mid-stages.
Company of Wolves
GBH Lyrics
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so when they're old they don't have to fear.
Scratch their back, they'll stab yours,
it's obvious boy, it's crystal clear.
We ain't got much all we got is,
the company of wolves.
They'll approach you, try to coax you,
make you sell your soul.
the company of wolves.
Get out of their den, start again,
they ain't nothing but fools.
We get tangled in the web of hate,
from our piggy bank's straight back to the fat guy.
Turn the tables, throw a rock and roll him,
tell him reach for the sky.
We got nothin' on our table,
nothing on our plate just dirt on the floor.
We listen hard for an answer,
but only hear the wolf at the door.
The lyrics of "Company of Wolves" by GBH are a call for action against the corrupt elites of society. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song, as the band sings about the need to work hard and raise money for future generations. The fear of not being able to provide for one's family is a constant threat, and the lyrics suggest that the only way to avoid this is to band together with like-minded individuals.
However, the band warns against blindly trusting others, as the "company of wolves" will try to manipulate and exploit you for personal gain. The lyrics suggest that these predators are everywhere, and that they will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. The implication is that the listener must be vigilant and not let their guard down, as the pursuit of money and power corrupts even the most well-intentioned individuals.
Overall, the lyrics of "Company of Wolves" are a warning against the dangers of unchecked greed and the importance of staying true to oneself. The song urges listeners to resist the temptation of easy money and to prioritize the well-being of their families over personal gain, as the pursuit of wealth can lead to one's downfall.
Line by Line Meaning
We gotta' raise some money for our children,
We need to earn more money to secure our children's financial future.
so when they're old they don't have to fear.
So they can live comfortably without any worries or insecurities in their old age.
Scratch their back, they'll stab yours,
If you help someone, there's a chance they may take advantage of you in the future.
it's obvious boy, it's crystal clear.
It's a well-known fact and easily understood.
We ain't got much all we got is,
We don't have many possessions or resources.
the company of wolves.
All we have is the companionship of those who may take advantage of us.
They'll approach you, try to coax you,
They will try to lure you into their trap.
make you sell your soul.
They will convince you to do something immoral or unethical in exchange for something else.
The company of wolves,
The people that are around us and whom we associate with.
the company of wolves.
Those who are willing to take advantage of us for their own personal gain.
Get out of their den, start again,
Leave their influence and start fresh elsewhere.
they ain't nothing but fools.
They are ignorant and foolish for thinking they can deceive and manipulate us.
We get tangled in the web of hate,
We get caught up in negative emotions and actions.
from our piggy bank's straight back to the fat guy.
From our possessions and wealth to the person who is taking advantage of us.
Turn the tables, throw a rock and roll him,
Take action and fight back against the person who is taking advantage of us.
tell him reach for the sky.
Encourage them to aim high and set better intentions for themselves.
We got nothin' on our table,
We have no possessions or resources available to us.
nothing on our plate just dirt on the floor.
We have nothing left and are left with nothing but the bare minimum.
We listen hard for an answer,
We search for a solution and guidance.
but only hear the wolf at the door.
But all we can see is the negative influences that are trying to deceive and manipulate us.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GBH, Abrahall
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind