The original members were Richard Fielding and Andrew Wright, and were soon joined by Tom Ellard. This later changed to Garry Bradbury, Paul Deering, and Tom Ellard; Ellard has been the only one to remain throughout the group's career, with changing lineups throughout its two and a half decades of existence, later working mainly with Stephen Jones. Robert Racic was an integral part of the band during the late eighties/early nineties.
Severed Heads performed a final concert in Sydney in January 2010. Tom Ellard uploaded a farewell video of Sevs in Space to Youtube, which may be considered as a requiem of sorts.
In early 2008, Ellard added the following text to the bottom of the official site's front page, "Severed Heads do not have a MySpace page. It is a fake. The band is dead,". (www.sevcom.com).
Phantasised Persecutory Breast
Severed Heads Lyrics
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I got 33 days and 33 ways to make waves
I am a High Court judge / says you got 33 seconds
We have a piece of paper / 33 pages to turn
I am a superintendent / says you got 33 seconds
We will go direct to jail / 33 years to serve
"True story about a looney met in a welfare centre."
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The lyrics to Severed Heads' song "Phantasised Persecutory Breast" are cryptic and fragmented, yet they hint at a dark and troubled narrative. The first line references a photograph that reveals that someone has ruined a perfect day. This sets the tone for the rest of the song, which is filled with references to specific timeframes and authority figures. The line "I am a High Court judge / says you got 33 seconds" suggests that someone is facing judgement or punishment, with only a limited amount of time to make their case. This is echoed in later lines, where a superintendent warns that there are only 33 seconds before going to jail, and a piece of paper with 33 pages to read.
Overall, the lyrics to "Phantasised Persecutory Breast" seem to paint a picture of someone who is being persecuted or punished by a variety of different societal forces. The reference to a "looney met in a welfare centre" at the end of the song suggests that this may be a story about someone who is struggling with mental health issues or social isolation. The cryptic nature of the lyrics, however, leaves much open to interpretation.
Line by Line Meaning
I got a photograph says / you ruined a perfect day
I have photographic evidence that blames you for spoiling an otherwise perfect day.
I got 33 days and 33 ways to make waves
I have plenty of time and ways to cause chaos and disruption.
I am a High Court judge / says you got 33 seconds
I hold significant authority and declare that you only have 33 seconds to defend yourself.
We have a piece of paper / 33 pages to turn
We possess a document that spans 33 pages, and we need to carefully examine each one.
I am a superintendent / says you got 33 seconds
I hold a senior position and give you a mere 33 seconds to explain yourself.
We will go direct to jail / 33 years to serve
We will be imprisoned immediately, and our sentence will last for 33 years.
"True story about a looney met in a welfare centre."
This is a true tale about a mentally unstable individual met at a welfare center.
Contributed by Elizabeth F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.