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.
When Will It End
GBH Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your brain's screaming from the depths of hell,
Loud and ringing like a clarion call,
And the clanging of the mission bell.
There's fighting on the left, fighting on the right,
There'll be no more fighting,
When we're all blown out of sight.
There's faith, there's hope, and there's charity,
It begins at home that's what you never see.
There's rich there's poor, and there's tragedy,
When will it end when will it end?
Education's what you need not a brand new gun,
.. Ready, load, aim, fire.
The devil of serenity thinks it's fun,
Gotcha building your own funeral pyre.
You're told to march, told how to feel,
Hot knives, cold cold steel.
Your cruel black eyes,
Make my skin crawl.
And I trust you,
As far as I could throw you.
You're like a square peg fitting in a round hole,
Live today, you belong in the past.
Beating on your chest with your blind faith,
Total a headless chicken, it's a real blast.
Not the only ones to ever see a disaster,
Shrouds covered in the dust of alabastor
The song "When Will It End" by GBH is a powerful critique of society's many injustices and delusions. The lyricist reflects on the chaotic state of the world, especially the violence inflicted by humans on each other. The opening line of the song, "Psychosis of the mind will be the death of us all," is a statement about the dangerous state of society. The lyrics try to capture the feelings of despair and anger that arise from witnessing such chaos, with the line "Your brain's screaming from the depths of hell, Loud and ringing like a clarion call, And the clanging of the mission bell."
The lyrics then move to the theme of war and conflict, highlighting the futility of such actions. The reference to fighting on both sides and the imagined destruction of all are clear critiques of war. The chorus, "There's faith, there's hope, and there's charity, It begins at home that's what you never see. There's rich there's poor, and there's tragedy, When will it end when will it end?" echoes the sentiment of lyrics about the state of the world. The message is that true change starts with individuals being accountable, examining their own biases and delusions and then taking action. The song also highlights the importance of education over violence, with the lyric "Education's what you need, not a brand new gun."
The song ends with imagery of death and destruction. The line "Gotcha building your own funeral pyre" is a metaphor that suggests that individuals and society at large are their own worst enemy. The lyric about someone with "cruel black eyes" is possibly a reference to a politician, leader, or even someone who is abusing their power. Despite the bleakness of the lyrics, there is also a call for individuals to take action to change the world for the better.
Line by Line Meaning
Psychosis of the mind will be the death of us all,
The deterioration of mental health will cause the destruction of mankind.
Your brain's screaming from the depths of hell,
Your mind is tormented by negative thoughts and emotions.
Loud and ringing like a clarion call,
The intensity of the inner turmoil is overwhelming one's senses.
And the clanging of the mission bell.
The sound of the church bell is a reminder of the looming end of days.
There's fighting on the left, fighting on the right,
There is conflict and chaos in every direction.
There'll be no more fighting,
The end of the world will bring an end to all strife.
When we're all blown out of sight.
The apocalypse will wipe out all of humanity.
There's faith, there's hope, and there's charity,
There are positive virtues such as faith, hope, and charity that can help us survive.
It begins at home that's what you never see.
The solution to the world's problems starts with each individual and their actions.
There's rich there's poor, and there's tragedy,
There is a stark contrast between the wealthy and the destitute, and tragedy can befall anyone.
When will it end when will it end?
The singer is questioning when this state of turmoil and pain will come to an end.
Education's what you need not a brand new gun,
The key to bettering the world is through education rather than violence.
.. Ready, load, aim, fire.
This is a sarcastic description of how some people think violence can solve problems.
The devil of serenity thinks it's fun,
Sometimes, being overly calm in a chaotic situation can be dangerous and harmful.
Gotcha building your own funeral pyre.
Your self-destructive actions are leading you towards your own demise.
You're told to march, told how to feel,
Individual freedom and expression are being suppressed by those in power.
Hot knives, cold cold steel.
The pain of oppression and violence is intense and unrelenting.
Your cruel black eyes,
The person being addressed is cold-hearted and unsympathetic.
Make my skin crawl.
The person being addressed makes the singer feel uneasy and uncomfortable.
And I trust you,
The singer is being sarcastic and does not actually trust the person they are addressing.
As far as I could throw you.
The singer does not trust the person they are addressing at all.
You're like a square peg fitting in a round hole,
The person being addressed does not fit in with their surroundings or society at large.
Live today, you belong in the past.
The person being addressed is outdated and needs to adapt to the changing times.
Beating on your chest with your blind faith,
The person being addressed is overly confident in their beliefs without questioning them.
Total a headless chicken, it's a real blast.
The person being addressed is acting recklessly and without direction.
Not the only ones to ever see a disaster,
Other people in history have also experienced destruction and tragic events.
Shrouds covered in the dust of alabaster
The remnants of lives lost in the apocalypse are covered in the ash of their destruction.
Contributed by Colin L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
sinho sinhoree
Geniales!!!!