The Damned is a punk rock band started in 1976 in London, UK. Despite being… Read Full Bio ↴The Damned is a punk rock band started in 1976 in London, UK. Despite being one of the definitive early punk bands they were also one of the most ambitious; with their later albums moving away from gothic rock to psychedelic rock.

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

Shakin’ All Over
The Damned Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When you move in right up close to me
That's when I get the shakes all over me
Quivers down my back bone
I've got the shakes down the kneebone
Yeah havin' the tremors in the thighbone
Shakin' all over

Just the way you say goodnight to me

Brings that feeling on inside of me
Quivers down my back bone
I've got the quivers down the thighbone
Yeah the tremors in my back bone
Shakin' all over

Quivers down my back bone
Yeah I have the shakes in the kneebone
I've got the tremors in the back bone
Shakin' all over

Well, you make me shake and I like it, baby

Well, you make me shake and I like it, baby
Well, you make me shake and I like it, baby

Overall Meaning

The Damned’s song Shakin’ All Over is a classic rock song that expresses the physical and emotional reactions of the singer when he is close to his lover. The lyrics describe a feeling of shakiness and trembling that the lover causes in the singer’s entire body, from his back bone down to his kneebone and thighbone. The singer connects the feelings to the way his partner says goodnight, indicating the power of their romantic bond on his emotions. The repetition of the phrase “shakin all over” is used to reinforce the intensity of the emotion that the singer is experiencing. The chorus, “Well, you make me shake and I like it, baby,” acknowledges that the feeling of shakiness is something that the singer enjoys and might even be addicted to.

The combination of the lyrics, the repetition of the chorus, and the pounding guitar riffs of the song make for a visceral listening experience that captures the raw energy of rock and roll. Shakin’ All Over was originally written and performed by the Canadian artist Johnny Kidd and the Pirates in 1960. Cover versions of the song have been performed by many artists over the years, including The Guess Who, Bryan Ferry, and Iggy Pop. The Damned’s version was released in 1980 and became a hit for the band in the UK. The song reinvigorated interest in the classic rock song and cemented The Damned’s reputation as a pioneering punk-rock band.

Line by Line Meaning

When you move in right up close to me
When you get physically close to me

That's when I get the shakes all over me
That's when I start trembling all over

Quivers down my back bone
My spine starts shivering

I've got the shakes down the kneebone
My knees start trembling

Yeah havin' the tremors in the thighbone
My thighs start shaking

Shakin' all over
I'm trembling all over

Just the way you say goodnight to me
The way you bid me goodnight

Brings that feeling on inside of me
Elicits that sensation inside me

I've got the quivers down the thighbone
My thighs start shivering

Yeah the tremors in my back bone
My spine starts trembling

Quivers down my back bone
My spine starts shivering