The Communards formed in 1985 after singer Jimmy Somerville left his earlie… Read Full Bio ↴The Communards formed in 1985 after singer Jimmy Somerville left his earlier band Bronski Beat to team up with classically-trained musician Richard Coles. Though mainly a pianist, Coles played a number of instruments and had been seen previously performing the clarinet solos on the Bronski Beat hit "It Ain't Necessarily So". They were joined by bass player Dave Renwick who had also played with Bronski Beat. Somerville was well-known for his falsetto singing style, and that he was openly gay during a period of increasing socio-political debate and conflict in the UK regarding homosexuality.

The band had their first UK Top 30 hit in 1985 with the piano-based #30 single "You Are My World". The following year they had their biggest hit with an energetic cover version of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes' soul classic "Don't Leave Me This Way" (in a version inspired by Thelma Houston's cover) which spent four weeks at number one and became the UK's biggest selling single of 1986. It also made the US Top 40. It featured Sarah Jane Morris as co-vocalist, taking advantage of the contrast between Morris' deep and rounded contralto and Somerville's soaring falsetto. Morris performed both backing and co-lead vocals on many of the Communards' other recordings, and appeared in group photos as an unofficial third member.

Later that year The Communards had another UK Top 10 hit with the single "So Cold the Night," which reached number 8. In 1987, they released an album titled Red, which was partly produced by Stephen Hague. Red featured a cover version of the Jackson 5's hit "Never Can Say Goodbye" (in a version inspired by Gloria Gaynor's cover), which the Communards took to Number 4. Their last released single was "There's More to Love Than Boy Meets Girl" in 1988, which reached Number 20 and was, consequently, their final Top 20 hit.

They split in 1988 and Somerville began a solo career. Coles followed his Christian leanings and, after periods as a journalist for the Times Literary Supplement and Catholic Herald, he was ordained in the Church of England, spending time as the curate of St Botolph's (The Stump) in Boston, Lincolnshire. He is now the assistant priest at St Paul's Knightsbridge and Chaplain to the Royal College of Music and is a frequent contributor to BBC Radio 4.

Breadline Britain
The Communards Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

This is Breadline Britain
This free and promised
Land
Where the rich don't give a damn
Poeple
Getting hungry and people getting poor
People getting
Destitute and more

This is Breadline Britain
Oh
You've got to understand
Where evil's in
Command
Where money buys onli pipedreams
And a
Worker's life is damned
Democracy and freedom are

A
Far off foreign land.
Where the sick don't
Stand a chance
Where fascism leads a new dance
Where
They'd privatise your mother
If given half a
Chance
This is Breadline Britain
You've got to make
A stand
Breadline, breadline, breadline
Britain
Breadline breadline, breadline Britain

This free
And promised land

Overall Meaning

The Communards' song "Breadline Britain" portrays a bleak picture of the current state of society in the UK. The song serves as an anthem for the working-class, the marginalized, and the oppressed, who are struggling to make ends meet in a society that is ruled by money and power. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of poverty, hunger, and desperation, as people are forced to live in a country where the rich don't care about the poor.

The first verse of the song highlights the struggles of people who are living below the poverty line. The line "people getting destitute and more" highlights the harsh reality that poverty is getting worse day by day. The chorus is a call to action, urging people to take a stand and fight against the system that has failed them. The second verse is a commentary on the political climate of the times, where fascism is on the rise, and people's freedoms are being taken away. The final lines of the song "Breadline, breadline, breadline Britain, breadline, breadline, breadline Britain, this free and promised land" is a powerful statement on the contradiction of the UK being a wealthy country but with so much poverty.

Overall, "Breadline Britain" is a stark reminder that we live in a society where the rich get richer, while the poor struggle to survive. The song is an appeal to the conscience of those in power to recognize the plight of the less fortunate and take action to improve their lives.

Line by Line Meaning

This is Breadline Britain
The UK is in dire economic straits, with many people facing poverty and destitution.

This free and promised Land
Despite its reputation as a land of opportunity and prosperity, many people in the UK find themselves struggling to survive.

Where the rich don't give a damn
The wealthy in the UK are not doing enough to address the problems faced by those at the bottom of society.

People getting hungry and people getting poor
The economic situation in the UK is causing widespread hunger and poverty among its citizens.

People getting Destitute and more
Many people in the UK are not only poor, but are also without basic necessities like food and shelter.

Oh You've got to understand
It is important for people to recognize the severity of the problems the UK is facing.

Where evil's in Command
People in power are not doing enough to address the crises facing the country.

Where money buys onli pipedreams
Many people in the UK are unable to achieve their dreams due to a lack of financial resources.

And a Worker's life is damned
Many workers in the UK are struggling to make ends meet and to provide for their families.

Democracy and freedom are a Far off foreign land.
The ideals of democracy and freedom seem meaningless to many people in the UK who are struggling to survive.

Where the sick don't Stand a chance
Many sick people in the UK are not receiving adequate medical care, and are therefore at risk of worsening health conditions.

Where fascism leads a new dance
There is a threat of far-right extremism and other undemocratic ideologies taking over the country.

Where They'd privatise your mother If given half a Chance
The government and other powerful interests in the UK are willing to privatize even the most personal and essential services, such as healthcare.

You've got to make A stand
It is important for individuals to take action to address the problems facing the UK, rather than waiting for someone else to fix them.

Breadline, breadline, breadline Britain
The country is facing widespread poverty and hunger.

Breadline breadline, breadline Britain
The situation is so severe that it is worth repeating.

This free And promised land
The irony of the UK being both a wealthy and a struggling nation.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JAMES SOMERVILLE, RICHARD COLES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS