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

Song.com
The Damned Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I get up and save the world
And though it may be a game
I know it may sound absurd
But I dig the challenge

Gotta hit the sites
Because I'm always surfin', always surfin'
Surfin' for my life

Chatting with a new made chum
Doesn't know I look a bum
She thinks that I'm 6 foot 3
Look like Jason Priestly

Gotta hit the sites
Because I'm always surfin', always surfin'
Surfin' for my life
Surfin' - Looking for a new dimention
Surfin' - Something for my attention
Surfin' - Fire my imagination, Russian porn or new playstation

I get up and save the world
And though it may be a game
I know it may sound absurd
But I dig the challenge

Gotta hit the sites

Because I'm always surfin', always surfin'
Surfin' for my life

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Damned's "Song.com" capture the feeling of living in the digital age, where much of our lives take place online. The singer talks about how he "gets up and saves the world," suggesting that he is a hero in the virtual realm. He acknowledges that this may sound absurd, but he enjoys the challenge of navigating the online world and finding new experiences.

The song's title, "Song.com," suggests that the singer is using a website to find inspiration for his music. He talks about chatting with a new friend online, who is unaware that he doesn't look like a Jason Priestly-type but rather a bum. The singer is looking for new dimensions and something to capture his attention, whether that be Russian porn or a new Playstation.

Ultimately, the song is about the thrill of exploring the virtual world and the endless possibilities that it presents. The singer may be physically sitting at a computer, but in his mind, he is surfing for his life and living out his dreams.

Line by Line Meaning

I get up and save the world
I wake up and face the day with an attitude of making a positive change in the world.

And though it may be a game
Although it might seem like this is just a game or a trivial task.

I know it may sound absurd
I acknowledge that others may find my mission ridiculous or hard to believe.

But I dig the challenge
I enjoy this challenge and I'm up for it.

Gotta hit the sites
I have to go online and visit different websites.

Because I'm always surfin', always surfin'
I spend a lot of time surfing the internet.

Surfin' for my life
I feel like my life revolves around surfing the internet.

Chatting with a new made chum
I'm talking to a new friend I made online.

Doesn't know I look a bum
This person doesn't know that I look like a disheveled person.

She thinks that I'm 6 foot 3
This person thinks I'm tall.

Look like Jason Priestly
This person thinks I look like Jason Priestly, a Canadian actor.

Surfin' - Looking for a new dimension
I'm searching for something new and exciting online.

Surfin' - Something for my attention
I'm looking for something to keep me interested and engaged while online.

Surfin' - Fire my imagination, Russian porn or new playstation
I'm looking for something that can either stimulate my imagination or offer me a choice between something controversial like Russian porn or something more light-hearted like a new PlayStation game.

Contributed by Eva T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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