Poison Girls formed in Brighton in 1976, before moving to Burleigh House in Essex, near to Dial House, the home of fellow anarchist band Crass, with whom they worked closely for a number of years, playing over 100 gigs with the band. In 1979 they contributed to the revival of the peace movement by playing a number of benefit gigs with Crass and paying for the production of the first CND badges since CND's heyday. Again in 1979, and again with Crass, they proved influential to the establishment of the short lived Wapping Autonomy Centre by contributing the track "Persons Unknown" to a split single with Crass (who contributed "Bloody Revolutions") and raising over £10,000. Their song "Bully Boys", an attack on violent machismo led to the band being attacked by members of the National Front.
In 1980, they toured the Netherlands and Germany with Crass. Their concert in March 1980, in Voorschoten, the Netherlands, was with Crass, Annie Anxiety, Seaman Stockton, and Dutch bands Cheap'n'Nasty, Perfect Grandmothers, God's Hangover, Neo Neurotics.
In 1981, they toured the Netherlands again, eg, Rotterdam and The Hague, with Annie Anxiety. In the The Hague Paard van Troje venue, Cheap'n'Nasty were support band; with Captain Sensible of The Damned on drums, as Cheap'n'Nasty could not find their boy drummer Maarten and their girl drummer Ria was ill.
The band also set up the label X-N-Trix alongside a publishing arm for the Impossible Dream magazine and recording studios for other artists.
Though their last studio recording to date was in 1985, a number of Poison Girls compilations have since been released, and their songs frequently appear on punk anthologies.
Poison Girls were involved with the production of Aids — The Musical, through a company called The Lenya Hobnoobs Theatre Company. They did another show called Mother Russia was a Lesbian in 1992, and reunited for a show at the London Astoria II in 1995, celebrating the 60th birthday of Vi Subversa. Currently, Richard Famous works as a painter and decorator and Vi Subversa lived in Brighton. The pair have performed as That Famous Subversa, a cabaret act they did together before the Poison Girls.
Water Wing Records, from Portland, Oregon, USA, released vinyl editions of 'HEX' and 'Chappaquiddick Bridge' in late 2014, the first time these records have been repressed since 1985. To complement this release, there are plans for an edition of the 1980 silk screened lyric book 'Words Written In Trust' to be reproduced.
Band members
Vi Subversa - vocals/guitar
Richard Famous - guitar/vocals
Lance d’Boyle - drums/backing vocals (1976–84)
Bella Donna - bass (1976–77)
Pete Fender - bass (1978, 1984)
Scott Barker - bass (1978)
Bernhardt Rebours - bass/synth/piano/backing vocals (1979–81)
Nil - tapes.(1979–1981 Electric violin and Bass (1980–1995)
Chris Grace - bass (1982–83)
Mark Dunn - bass (1983–84)
Cynth Ethics (Sian Daniels) - synth/vocals (1983–85)
Martin Heath - bass (1984)
Max Vol - bass (1984–87)
Agent Orange - drums (1984–87)
Andy - bass (1989-89)
In the early days of the band some reports quote Vi as using the names Vi Squad or Vi Perversa.
In the summer of 1979, the editor of Dutch Pin fanzine met Poison Girls in the Small Wonder record shop in London. He asked Vi: What's your name? Vi: I will write it down for you ... Richard Famous: Oh no, you are not changing it again! She wrote 'Vi Subversa', while she was on the sleeve of the Poison Girls and Fatal Microbes EP which had just come out as 'Vi Squad'.
Stonehenge
Poison Girls Lyrics
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They robbed us all as everybody knows
But some things can't be controlled
Don't mess with the standing stones
Stonehenge is alive and strong
It's ain't no ancient ruin
Don't mess with the standing stones
Out of your concrete cities, out of your concrete minds
Out of your control, a festival unwinds
But some things can't be controlled
Don't mess with the standing stones
In summer nineteen eighty-five
We came to keep Stonehenge alive
Stick and stones can break our homes
But they don't know what they're doing
Where do you go in the summertime
When the air is sweet and the sun is high
Where's the holiday you can take
If you're on the dole not on the make
And we all know and they all know
We never messed with the standing stones
Stonehenge is free and won't be owned
It's no dying ruin
English Heritage go to hell
You don't know what you're doing
This time they went too far
What fools the landed gentry are
Stuff your razor wire down your throat
And wash it down with a five pound note
Stonehenge wont be controlled
Don't mess with the standing stones
The police smash the police break
The police made a big mistake
The power is ours for us to take
And we know what we're doing
The lyrics of Poison Girls' "Stonehenge" take on the topic of land ownership and control through the perspective of the prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England. The song critiques the landlords who have erected fences around Stonehenge, robbing the people of their connection to the ancient site. Despite the recognizable power imbalance, the song empowers the common people to resist and protect Stonehenge, stating that "some things can't be controlled" and urging listeners to "not mess with the standing stones."
The lyrics also explore the idea that Stonehenge isn't just a forgotten relic, but an active entity with a spirit and presence that should be respected. The repeated refrain, "Stonehenge is alive and strong, it's not an ancient ruin," emphasizes the idea that the monument holds cultural and spiritual significance to many people, and that any attempt to control or alter it is seen as a direct threat. The verses contrasting the "concrete cities" and "concrete minds" of modern urban life with the natural beauty of Stonehenge further emphasizes this contrast.
The song culminates in a call to action, urging listeners to resist the forces that would try to control Stonehenge or steal it away. "Stonehenge won't be controlled," the lyrics state, and "the power is ours for us to take." Through the use of powerful, evocative language and imagery, Poison Girls' "Stonehenge" becomes a driving call to defend something that holds great cultural and spiritual significance to many.
Line by Line Meaning
The landlords put the fences up a long time ago
Fences around Stonehenge had been erected long ago by landlords who had robbed the locals.
They robbed us all as everybody knows
The landlords took everything from the locals and it is common knowledge.
But some things can't be controlled
Even though the landlords controlled the land, they couldn't control everything.
Don't mess with the standing stones
One should not tamper with the standing stones in Stonehenge.
Stonehenge is alive and strong
Stonehenge is not just an ancient ruin, it has enduring power.
It's ain't no ancient ruin
Stonehenge is not merely an old building or structure.
You don't know what you're doing
Messing with Stonehenge can have grave consequences; one should avoid doing so.
Out of your concrete cities, out of your concrete minds
Those who live in cities with non-stop routines are incapable of freeing their minds and enjoying life.
Out of your control, a festival unwinds
In contrast, at Stonehenge, amidst the celebration of life, people let go of their need for control.
In summer nineteen eighty-five
The song refers to a specific summer, in 1985.
We came to keep Stonehenge alive
The goal of those visiting Stonehenge was to keep the spirit of the place alive.
Stick and stones can break our homes
The police can cause harm to people and harm their homes, but they cannot destroy Stonehenge's spirit.
But they don't know what they're doing
The police are unaware of the power and value of Stonehenge, and therefore cannot take it away.
Where do you go in the summertime
The song alludes to the idea that people have no place to go during summer vacations.
When the air is sweet and the sun is high
The summertime is best filled with plenty of sunshine and positivity.
Where's the holiday you can take
When one is barely surviving financially, vacation is a luxury they cannot afford.
If you're on the dole not on the make
If one's status is that of joblessness or dependency on welfare, they do not have the privilege of planning a holiday.
And we all know and they all know
It is common knowledge to everyone that no one should meddle with Stonehenge.
We never messed with the standing stones
It is the responsibility of everyone to respect the heritage site and leave the standing stones as they are.
Stonehenge is free and won't be owned
The power of Stonehenge cannot be controlled or owned by anyone, and it is free for all to enjoy.
English Heritage go to hell
The song has a strong stance against the English Heritage organization, which manages Stonehenge.
This time they went too far
The English Heritage group has crossed a line this time.
What fools the landed gentry are
The wealthy group of people who own land are depicted as foolish.
Stuff your razor wire down your throat
The song suggests that the English Heritage should take their razor wire and put it in their throats.
And wash it down with a five pound note
The song sarcastically suggests that the English Heritage should wash the razor wire with five-pound notes.
The police smash the police break
The song comments on how police officers use violence to control the people who visit Stonehenge.
The police made a big mistake
The song suggests that the police have made grave errors by engaging with people at Stonehenge in the way that they did.
The power is ours for us to take
The tune empowers people to reclaim the power of Stonehenge.
And we know what we're doing
The people who visit Stonehenge have a deep understanding of the power of the place and the best way to respect it.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Poison Girls
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Paul M
on Old Tart
Wait for everyone else t
This means act as a waiter to, not wait for