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.
The Seed of Madness
GBH Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The teasing torture when anger is spurred
When the bats in your belfry won't let you sleep
Incessant insomnia, or does it go more deep?
Yet it's in all of us catch me if I fall
The seed of madness, the seed of madness
It's in your body - a genetic cruelty
Seed of madness, seed of madness
Happiness don't come on a plate
Hold your head up high and breathe in hope
Else you'll find yourself dangling on the end of a rope
In the midnight hour when your body screams
Make sure those voices are in your dreams
With a knife in her back and blood on your hands
Your twisted mind just can't comprehend
In GBH's song The Seed of Madness, the lyrics delve into the theme of mental illness and how it affects one's thoughts and actions. The opening lines set the scene of a person feeling overwhelmed and unable to control their thoughts and emotions - the head exploding, vision being blurred and teasing torture all describe the physical and mental unrest that often comes with mental illness. The constant noise of the bats in the belfry preventing one from sleeping highlights the constant chaos that can be experienced in the mind when dealing with mental illness.
The chorus then addresses the fact that mental illness is not just a personal problem, but rather something that can be present in anyone - "It's in all of us; catch me if I fall, the seed of madness, the seed of madness, it's in your body - a genetic cruelty." This highlights the fact that mental illness is not a choice or a result of personal weakness, but rather something that can be passed down genetically or developed through environmental factors.
The second verse goes on to describe the way that mental illness affects one's perception of the world and emotions, pushing them to the edge between love and hate. The lyrics suggest that no matter how hard one tries to find happiness, it is not a guaranteed outcome. Instead, the listener is urged to hold their head up high and breathe in hope, otherwise they may find themselves on the end of a rope. This line is particularly poignant, as it highlights the fact that mental illness can often lead to suicidal ideation.
The final lines of the song describe a particularly gruesome scenario, with a knife in someone's back and blood on their hands. This highlights the severity of some mental illnesses and the fact that those who suffer from them can have thoughts or urges that they do not understand or cannot control.
Line by Line Meaning
When your head's exploding and your vision blurred
When you feel overwhelmed and disoriented
The teasing torture when anger is spurred
The emotional pain and anguish caused by anger
When the bats in your belfry won't let you sleep
When you are unable to fall asleep due to racing thoughts
Incessant insomnia, or does it go more deep?
When insomnia is more than just a lack of sleep and is caused by deeper issues
Yet it's in all of us; catch me if I fall
Everyone is susceptible to mental illness or instability, and it's important to have support when in need
The seed of madness, the seed of madness
The potential for madness or mental instability exists in everyone
It's in your body - a genetic cruelty
Mental illness can be genetic and therefore inherited, which is a cruel fate
Seed of madness, seed of madness
Reiterating the idea that anyone can be affected by mental illness or instability
Into the abyss between love and hate
Navigating the complex emotions between love and hate can lead to mental instability
Happiness don't come on a plate
Happiness is not something that can be easily given or achieved without effort
Hold your head up high and breathe in hope
Finding hope and positivity can help combat any potential mental health issues
Else you'll find yourself dangling on the end of a rope
Without hope, someone can feel helpless and see no other way out of their problems
In the midnight hour when your body screams
When someone is overwhelmed with stress and anxiety
Make sure those voices are in your dreams
To avoid hearing harmful or negative thoughts, we should try to silence or control our thoughts before sleeping
With a knife in her back and blood on your hands
A violent and disturbing image, reinforcing the idea that mental instability can lead to dangerous actions
Your twisted mind just can't comprehend
Someone with mental instability may be unable to fully understand their own thoughts or actions
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDREW PAUL WILLIAMS, COLIN DEREK ABRAHALL, COLIN ROBERT BLYTH, ROSS ANDREW LOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
guitarjamie
Thanks for posting this. One of my favorites by these icons of punk rock.
metalhardcoreglobal
LOVE!! THIS.
Maxi Haidor
Como mola esto (Y)