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
I Fall
The Damned Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A smaller room than I need
A candy store, a sexy whore
Yes, I bleed
A sifting sand and an electric hand
Yes, I'm fine
Got a souped-up truck or a goblin suck
Yes I'm blind
And I fall
Well, I fall
Well, I fall
Yeah I fall
My mind's a raging blame
A crying shame and I'm sad
A city of sin, a bottle of gin
So doggone bad
A cool reaction for the big attraction
That's fine
A pissed-off god, oh mother of god
Yeah, I'm blind
And I fall
Well, I fall
Well, I fall
Yeah I fall
I'm a falling angel
Falling down
Be a falling angel
Won't you come on around?
Don't be scared to follow
It's no crime
You're a falling angel
Before your time
And I fall
Well, I fall
Well, I fall
Yeah I fall
The Damned's song "I Fall" is a depiction of the human vulnerability and self-destructive nature. The song begins with the lyrics "I gotta full moon, a smaller room than I need, a candy store, a sexy whore, yes, I bleed" indicating that the singer is in a state of imbalance or chaos. He further mentions "a sifting sand and an electric hand, yes, I'm fine" alluding to the idea that the conflicting emotions within him are leading him to a state of insanity.
The lyrics "My mind's a raging blame, a crying shame and I'm sad, a city of sin, a bottle of gin, so doggone bad" present the singer's acknowledgement of the mistakes that have led him to this state of sadness and loneliness. He is aware of the world's darkness and the temptations that lured him away from the light leading him to become the "falling angel". The chorus, "Well, I fall, yeah I fall" repeats to emphasize the repeated nature of the fall, alluding to the idea that the singer's decisions may have consequences that lead him to a cycle of falling.
The repeated "falling down" refrain can be interpreted in different ways, either indicating the singer's acceptance of his wrongdoings or his willingness to accept the consequences of his actions. The last lines "Before your time" could mean that the singer is acknowledging that he may be falling faster than he anticipated, resulting in his downfall before he could achieve what he wished to.
Interesting facts about the song "I Fall" include that it was the first single released by The Damned in 1976, their debut album didn't come out until 1977. The song was later included in their album "The Black Album". The song was written by The Damned's lead singer Dave Vanian and bassist Captain Sensible. The song's lyrics are said to be inspired by a friend of the band, who was struggling with drug addiction. The song has been covered by several artists including Siouxsie and the Banshees and Devo. It was also featured in the 1980 film "Times Square".
The chords for the song "I Fall" are A, D, E, D.
Line by Line Meaning
I gotta full moon
I am feeling restless and uneasy
A smaller room than I need
I am dissatisfied with my current situation and I feel trapped
A candy store, a sexy whore
I am indulging in pleasure-seeking behavior to distract myself from my problems
Yes, I bleed
I am hurting emotionally and I am vulnerable
A sifting sand and an electric hand
I am experiencing instability and anxiety
Yes, I'm fine
I am putting on a façade of stability and calmness despite my internal struggles
Got a souped-up truck or a goblin suck
I am seeking excitement and thrill wherever I can find it
Yes I'm blind
I am unaware of the consequences of my actions and I am not thinking clearly
And I fall
I am succumbing to my weaknesses and failing to overcome my hardships
My mind's a raging blame
I am constantly blaming myself for my problems and mistakes
A crying shame and I'm sad
I am overwhelmed with sadness and regret
A city of sin, a bottle of gin
I am surrounded by temptation and I am struggling to resist it
So doggone bad
My situation is incredibly negative and difficult
A cool reaction for the big attraction
I am trying to stay composed despite being drawn towards risky or dangerous situations
That's fine
I am convincing myself that everything is okay, even when it is not
A pissed-off god, oh mother of god
I am angry at a higher power and I am struggling to make peace with my spiritual beliefs
Yeah, I'm blind
I am ignorant of the bigger picture and I am not considering the long-term consequences of my actions
I'm a falling angel
I am a metaphorical or symbolic representation of someone who is experiencing a downfall or descent in their life
Falling down
I am losing control and being overcome by my troubles
Be a falling angel
I am inviting others to join me in my struggles, possibly to make myself feel less alone
Won't you come on around?
I am requesting comfort or companionship from others
Don't be scared to follow
I am encouraging others to embrace their own struggles and join me on this path
It's no crime
I am reassuring others that there is nothing wrong with feeling lost or struggling
Before your time
I am suggesting that others are experiencing a similar downfall before they are truly ready to face it
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRIAN JAMES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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DROP SOME BLUES = take some 3french blues3 pills -popular amphetamine and barbiturate drug since the '60's, see movie Quadrophenia