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
Psychomania
The Damned Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She is the substance of my dreams
A spectre in the wind
Take my dare, take me there
On the trail of the jewel trail
If you've got a notion
Shining chrome shiny leather
Penetrate the night forever
Psychomania, Psychomania
The pleasure of the beast
Cursing through our veins
Burn the night burn the day
A burning light on our a mounlight flight
Everything blurs in the shadow
Straight and true shot like an arrow
Tales of love tales of terror
Ghost-riders go hell for leather
Psychomania, drives me crazier
Psychomania
Psychomania
Everything blurs in the shadow
Straight and true shot like an arrow
Tales of love tales of terror
Ghost-riders go hell for leather
Streak the night with our burning flight
Crimson eyes that blur in the twilight
Psychomania, drives me crazier
Psychomania, drives me crazier
Everything blurs in the shadow
Straight and true shot like an arrow
Like a spectre in the wind
She is the substance of my dreams
Psychomania, drives me crazier
The Damned's song "Psychomania" is a dark, intense and mysterious song, full of references to night, shadows and blurred images. The lyrics seem to be about a dangerous, erotic, and possibly supernatural woman who is the substance of the singer's dreams - an elusive spectre that he is daring to follow. The lyrics suggest a sense of danger, fear, and adrenaline, with references to bullets, shining chrome, and shiny leather, which could be interpreted as fetishistic and violent images.
The chorus repeats the word "Psychomania" several times, creating an eerie and hypnotic effect, as if the singer is being possessed by a powerful force. The second verse develops the idea of a beastly pleasure coursing through the veins of the singer, who is burning the night and day with a fiery passion. The use of strong metaphors and images, such as ghost-riders going hell for leather or crimson eyes blurring in the twilight, reinforce the sense of danger and intensity of the song.
Overall, "Psychomania" can be understood as a song about the thrill of living dangerously, of pursuing an elusive desired that could lead to either pleasure or destruction, a theme that is common in rock music, but The Damned's take on it has a darker and more mysterious edge.
Line by Line Meaning
Psychomania, Psychomania
The singer is expressing their feeling of madness or craziness
She is the substance of my dreams
The singer is referring to someone who is the main subject of their fantasies or dreams
A spectre in the wind
The person the singer is referring to is like a ghost or a mysterious figure
Take my dare, take me there
The singer is daring their lover to take them to a wild and adventurous place
On the trail of the jewel trail
The singer and their lover are on a journey to seek something valuable and precious
If you've got a notion
The singer is asking their lover if they have an idea or a desire
Like a bullet set in motion
The idea or desire the lover has is powerful and unstoppable
Shining chrome shiny leather
The singer is describing a motorcycle or a similar vehicle that is attractive and well-made
Penetrate the night forever
The singer and their lover are riding the motorcycle or vehicle into the night, possibly never to return
The pleasure of the beast
The singer is referring to the excitement and thrill of riding the powerful vehicle
Cursing through our veins
The excitement and thrill of the ride is like a drug flowing through their blood
Burn the night burn the day
The singer is expressing their desire to keep riding the vehicle non-stop, both day and night
A burning light on our a mounlight flight
The singer describes the bright light from the motorcycle's headlight as they ride at night
Everything blurs in the shadow
The surroundings become unclear and hazy at high speeds
Straight and true shot like an arrow
The ride is fast and precise, like an arrow hitting its target
Tales of love tales of terror
The singer is experiencing both extreme emotions of love and fear while on the ride
Ghost-riders go hell for leather
The singer is referencing a famous motorcycle movie where the riders go all out and take risks without fear
Psychomania, drives me crazier
The singer repeats the chorus, emphasizing their madness and addiction to the thrill of the ride.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRYN MERRICK, CHRISTOPHER JOHN MILLAR, DAVID VANIAN, ROMAN JUG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Themostancient
Rat Scabies is an amazing drummer and this is a solid album
Place So Far Away - Glenn Page's Sister Channel
I don't care what anyone says, I love this album.
Tony Uribe
Such a good band,i can't turn it any louder!!
GhouledKS
@PlaceSoFarAway It's definitely one of the most underrated Damned albums! I agree!
Paul Maguire
if you can rock out street of dreams surely this can get the same treatment in an upcoming show
Tom Packer
I love this and I think its about psychomania the film which Vanian must love.
mr funball
So f-cking good I almost got off the couch and started dancing, almost 🐙
Katori Chaz?
one day i put strawberries in my cd player in my car....that was last year. can't stop playing gun fury riot forces
sportscarsmovies
At 2'30 - 2'50 "river deep , mountain high" ??? Anyway , this Damned song is fantastic .
Katori Chaz?
streak the night with our burning fires
crimson eyes that blur in the twilight