There are at least four bands and one radio show sharing the name The Aveng… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least four bands and one radio show sharing the name The Avengers:

For Avengers, San Francisco see Avengers the first wave of American Punk. Penelope Houston.

1) The Avengers was an American group from Bakersfield, California. The first incarnation came together in 1964, as a surf six-piece. Where the name came from is unknown, but the hip British TV series 'The Avengers' had started running on the BBC two years earlier. The group soon latched on to the new sound of the British Invasion and bands like The Beatles, but also American acts like Paul Revere & the Raiders and The Music Machine. Between 1965 and 1967 The Avengers released five 45s and played support slots for the likes of The Beach Boys, The Animals, The Seeds and The Music Machine. They didn't have a hit, but their song "Be a Caveman" has become legendary in garage circuits for having the sort of lyric you'd think everyone would write but never really did. Other songs that have turned up on garage compilations are "It's Hard to Hide" and its b-side "Open Your Eyes". The Avengers had unusually short hair, because they were still in school and were afraid to get suspended.

2) The Avengers were based in Wellington, New Zealand and were active from 1966 until 1969. They had a string of top ten hits on the New Zealand charts, with the most successful, "Love, Hate, Revenge", reaching #2 in August 1968. Overseas, however, they had considerably less success and they broke up after their second tour of Australia. During their career, they released two albums, Electric Recording in 1968 and Medallion in 1969, as well as a live album in 1968. In 2001, almost all of their studio material was collected on one compilation that also appeared under the name Electric Recording.

3) The Avangers from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, made 3 singles in 1968-69.

4) (See) Avengers were formed in San Francisco, in the first wave of American Punk. Penelope Houston was the lead singer, primary songwriter, and her persona was a large part of the draw for the act. The other band members were James Wilsey (bass), D. Furious (drums), and Greg Ingraham (guitar). Critic Greil Marcus once said The Avengers were, “…San Francisco’s best punk band - in their moments, they were, you knew, better than any other band playing that night anywhere in the world.”

Avengers gained much publicity when they opened for the Sex Pistols in San Francisco, for their legendary final show at Winterland. The Avengers’ 4-song EP was also produced by Steve Jones (of the Sex Pistols) in 1979 on White Noise Records.

Their discography also contains an earlier 3-song EP (on Dangerhouse Records) from 1977, a full album called “The Avengers” from 1981, a compilation of unreleased tracks and outtakes called “The Avengers Died for Your Sins” in 1999 on Lookout! Records, and a second compilation titled “The American in Me” on DBK Works (2004). Houston and Ingraham have reunited and currently perform as The Avengers with bassist Joel Reader (MXT, Pansy Division) and drummer Luis Illades (Pansy Division) touring the US and Europe.

5) The Avengers was a British cult television show, made mostly in the sixties. As the show went from black and white to colour, the tone became less serious. It is best known for the combination of John Steed (Patrick Macnee) and Emma Peel (Diana Rigg). In South Africa, the series was also turned into a radio show. The radio show was made in 1971. Donald Monat voiced Steed and Diane Appleby was Emma Peel.

Open Your Eyes
The Avengers Lyrics

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At first I thought you were dead
But not I see you're one of the rest
They've drugged you with music and TV sedation
You're one of the blank generation.

[Chorus]
Open your eyes. Open your eyes.
You don't see what's going on.

Open your eyes. Open your eyes.
You watch TV to find out what's right and wrong.
Open your eyes to what you respected.
Open your eyes and you can reject it.

I want to upset you, want to make you think
But you eat all this shit.
Makes your breath stink.
Gonna get a job and join the fucking union.
That way you know nothing's gonna happen.

[Chorus]

Like lemmings, you run toward destruction.
You can't stop the sea of corruption.
Oh, I see you've been blind.
You better make up your mind now.

[Chorus]

Open your eyes. Open your eyes.

Overall Meaning

In the song "Open Your Eyes" by The Avengers, the lyrics describe a society where people have been numbed by music and television which has made them part of the "blank generation". The singer expresses frustration with this state of mind, urging listeners to "open your eyes" and reject what they have been taught to respect. The chorus repeats this call to action, suggesting that people are blind to what is happening around them and that they must wake up to make a change.

The third verse takes a more aggressive approach, suggesting that listeners need to be upset and made to think. The singer accuses them of consuming "shit" that makes their breath stink, and encourages them to join a union to ensure their safety. The final verse describes people as lemmings, blindly running towards destruction, but it ends on a note of hope by acknowledging that people have the power to make up their minds and change their behavior.

Overall, the song is a call to action that encourages listeners to break free from their apathy and make a change in their lives. The lyrics express frustration with society's tendency to fall in line and accept the norm, and instead urge people to think for themselves and take action.

Line by Line Meaning

At first I thought you were dead
At first glance, I believed you were absent or inactive.

But now I see you're one of the rest
However, upon closer examination, I realize that you are a common member of society.

They've drugged you with music and TV sedation
Popular entertainment has been used as a means to make you passive and uncritical.

You're one of the blank generation
You are a member of a group of people who are uninspired and thoughtless in their conformity.

Open your eyes. Open your eyes.
Be alert and aware. Pay attention.

You don't see what's going on
You lack insight and understanding.

You watch TV to find out what's right and wrong
You rely on television as your only source of information on morality and ethics.

Open your eyes to what you respected
Recognize the flaws in what you once held in high esteem.

Open your eyes and you can reject it
By opening your mind and becoming aware, you can resist and refuse to comply.

I want to upset you, want to make you think
I aim to provoke you and prompt you to reflect and analyze.

But you eat all this shit.
You consume and believe the propaganda.

Makes your breath stink.
It pollutes your thoughts and corrupts your worldview.

Gonna get a job and join the fucking union.
I plan to secure a career and affiliations which will ensure my stability and status quo survival.

That way you know nothing's gonna happen.
In doing so, I avoid risk and change.

Like lemmings, you run toward destruction.
Like lemmings, you blindly sprint towards inevitable doom.

You can't stop the sea of corruption.
You are powerless against the tide of soulless decay.

Oh, I see you've been blind.
I have noticed that you have been oblivious.

You better make up your mind now.
You must decide and take action before it's too late.

Open your eyes. Open your eyes.
Wake up, and stay vigilant.

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: MARK TREMONTI, THOMAS SCOTT PHILLIPS, BRIAN MARSHALL, MYLES KENNEDY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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