They are notable for being the first of the British punk bands to release a single, put out an album, and tour the United States. Their debut album, Damned Damned Damned, was released six months before The Sex Pistols' debut, Never Mind The Bollocks.
The Damned have dissolved and reformed many times, with singer Dave Vanian remaining the sole constant. They have incorporated many styles in their music, most notably garage rock, psychedelic music, the British theatrical rock of Screaming Lord Sutch and The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, and New Romantic.
In addition to serving as inspiration for many of the young bands who created hardcore punk in the US, The Damned are also generally regarded as one of the founders of goth music.
Original members Dave Vanian (David Lett), Captain Sensible (Raymond Burns), and Rat Scabies (Chris Millar) were all members of the semi-legendary Masters of the Backside which included future Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde.
Original guitarist Brian James (Brian Robertson) was a member of the early punk band London SS, a unit that never played live, but whose members later found fame in bands including The Clash and Generation X. Rat Scabies was also tried as the drummer for London SS, but was rejected.
Maintaining the goth connection, between 1996 and 2004 the bass guitarist of the Damned was one-time the Sisters of Mercy / the Sisterhood / Gun Club member Patricia Morrison. Morrison married Dave Vanian in 1996 but left the band after the birth of their daughter Emily. She originally joined the band after bassist Paul Grey was injured during a concert.
Discography:
Damned, Damned, Damned – February 25, 1977 (# 36)
Music For Pleasure – November 18, 1977
Machine Gun Etiquette – November 2, 1979 (# 31)
The Black Album – October 20, 1980 (# 29)
Strawberries – October 1, 1982 (# 15)
Phantasmagoria – July 15, 1985 (# 11)
Anything – December 5, 1986 (# 40)
Not of This Earth – November 11, 1995 (Retitled I'm Alright Jack & The Beanstalk in the UK, Germany and Sweden)
Grave Disorder – August 21, 2001
So, Who's Paranoid? – October 28, 2008
Evil Spirits – April 13, 2018
Darkadelic - April 28, 2023
Beauty Of The Beast
The Damned Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Across the walls
Time engulfs me once more
I'm in the place and I'm enthralled
This mists that creep, the hound that howls
The lightning illuminates the towers
Is it only I can see
(Your magic never ceased)
With quickening pulse what lies behind the door
A curious step retreats once more
The creature with a darkened soul
A story of the Damned unfolds
Bela, Boris, Basil, Lon, Lorre, Vincent, now all gone
Looming pallid on the screen
The beauty of the beast
Your magic never ceased
And now though a curtain has been drawn
You go on forever as before...
The lyrics of "Beauty Of The Beast" by The Damned open up with the singer's vivid description of his surroundings as he is lost in time. He seems to be standing in a place where the shadows are flickering across his eyes and the walls around him. It's a place that he finds himself in quite often - a place that he's enthralled with. The fog is creeping up to him and the hound is howling as the lightning illuminates the towers. The singer seems to be the only one in this place who can see the beauty in the beast.
As the song goes on, the singer finds himself standing in front of a door that he's curious to open. But, before he can make any move, he quickly retreats once again. He knows that there is something dark behind the door, a creature with a darkened soul. The song narrates a story of the Damned as they reference the most famous names in horror movies and their fading legacies in the modern world. But still, they continue to loom on the screen as they always have.
The essence of the song lies in how the singer sees the beauty in the beasts around him. He seems to have a perspective which is much different than most others. It is a sense of perception that creates an allure in what would usually be repulsive. It is because of this perspective that the singer can feel the magic of the beast, that is present even when the curtain has been drawn.
Line by Line Meaning
Flickering, the shadows fall across my eyes
The flickering shadows fall directly in my eyes, causing me to blink uncontrollably.
Across the walls
The shadows are being cast across the entirety of the walls, as if they're alive and in motion.
Time engulfs me once more
I'm suddenly aware of the passage of time and how little of it I have left.
I'm in the place and I'm enthralled
I'm currently in a specific location, absolutely enraptured with everything I see around me.
This mist that creep, the hound that howls
The mist seems to be moving slowly and steadily, while a hound's mournful howl fills the air.
The lightning illuminates the towers
A sudden flash of lightning causes the towers to become momentarily illuminated.
Is it only I can see the beauty of the beast?
I'm wondering if I'm the only one who can see how enchanting and attractive this dark and monstrous entity truly is.
(Your magic never ceased)
I can sense that there's something supernatural and truly captivating about this entity that never seems to fade or waver.
With quickening pulse what lies behind the door
My pulse quickens as I contemplate what may be lurking behind the door in front of me.
A curious step retreats once more
I take a step forward, but then retreat hesitantly as my curiosity and apprehension war inside me.
The creature with a darkened soul
The dark, ominous creature I've been encountering seems to have an extremely troubled and tormented spirit.
A story of the Damned unfolds
This experience is unfolding like a chilling tale of despair and destruction, almost like a story of eternal damnation.
Bela, Boris, Basil, Lon, Lorre, Vincent, now all gone
The classic actors who once filled horror movies with intrigue and suspense have left the scene, leaving behind only the memories of their performances.
Looming pallid on the screen
The pale, ghostly images of these actors remain elusive, almost as if they're haunting the movie screen.
And now though a curtain has been drawn
Even though the experience seems to be coming to a close, there's still a lingering sadness that I can't shake off.
You go on forever as before...
Despite appearances, the haunting presence of this ghoulish beast will go on indefinitely, without any concern for the people it may encounter in the future.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@steveduffin4894
Wonderful! The best thing ever! Thank you whoever made this. The Damned & old horror movies. What could be better?
@MrCannockred
Love this song and the album I agree is the best since Strawberries, great video with some amazing clips !!
@vermilliongecko
This is a beautiful song, and a BEAUTIFULLY made video, that sums up perfectly the love of old creepy horror films.
@HayleyKES
I love this song, and I love all the clips of Lon Chaney Sr. Great combination and great video!
@deliusism1
3 years on YouTube,and still one of my very favorite videos ever.This is on one of my playlists,and I still listen to it at least every other week.I'm craving more of this brilliant work.
@Flook68
Nice video effort. Dave probably appreciates it.
@guydulac3902
The lightening illuminates the towers... xxx
@laurentgriffon698
Tout simplement sublime ! Non seulement les images d'accompagnement mais surtout cette chanson incroyablement prenante comme l'est aussi l'album du groupe (Grave Disorder paru en août 2001) dont elle est issue.
@celticwarrior1365
This is first time listening and viewing for me and just makes me feel sorry for the beast. He is surely misunderstood!
@BetseyJohnson12
Love love love this song!