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
Testify
The Damned Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eat or be eaten by the cream of the crop
A smell of burning way down in your soul
When you taught to steal you're never alone
And you fall to the ground
Upon your knees - testify
Bruised and beaten, broken bones
Running so hard you can never go home
Gripped by a breeze of cold blue steel
When you fall to the ground
Upon your knees - testify
Sail into a sea of hell
Oh, you do it so very well
This life you lead will never leave you alone
Testify - testify
Down on your knees and testify
Straight from the middle right up to the top
Eat or be eaten by the cream of the crop
A smell of burning way down in your soul
When you taught to steal you're never alone
When you fall to the ground
Upon your knees - testify
Fall to the ground
Upon your knees - testify
Fall to the ground
Upon your knees - testify
The Damned's song "Testify" describes a life of struggle and hardship, where one must compete with others to reach the top, whilst facing the consequences of their actions. The lyrics paint a picture of a society where only the strongest survive, and where those who are taught to steal and cheat are destined to fall. The lines "A smell of burning way down in your soul" and "Gripped by a breeze of cold blue steel" signify the pain and fear that come with this way of life.
The chorus, with its repeated phrase "upon your knees - testify", is a call to rise up against this system and speak out against the injustices that one faces. The image of falling to the ground on one's knees emphasizes the idea of surrendering oneself to a higher power and seeking redemption. The song ultimately advocates for the need to take responsibility for one's actions and to stand up for what is right, no matter how difficult the journey may be.
Line by Line Meaning
Straight from the middle right up to the top
Starting from humble origins and working your way up to the top of society
Eat or be eaten by the cream of the crop
Competition is fierce among the elite and only the strongest will survive
A smell of burning way down in your soul
A feeling of guilt and remorse deep within oneself
When you taught to steal you're never alone
Once you've learned to cheat and deceive, you'll never be truly at ease with yourself
And you fall to the ground Upon your knees - testify
When things go wrong and you hit rock bottom, all you can do is pray for salvation
Bruised and beaten, broken bones Running so hard you can never go home
The physical and emotional toll of struggling to succeed in a cutthroat environment
You live your life on a torture wheel Gripped by a breeze of cold blue steel
Life in the top echelon of society can be a grueling and unforgiving experience
Sail into a sea of hell Oh, you do it so very well
Diving headfirst into danger and temptation is a sign of inner strength and courage
This life you lead will never leave you alone Testify - testify
The consequences of your actions will haunt you for the rest of your life
Down on your knees and testify
Acknowledging your mistakes and begging for forgiveness is the only way to find peace
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ALAN LEE SHAW, CHRISTOPHER JOHN MILLAR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Not Kidding
on Shakin’ All Over
English artist
Pierre Clary
on Feel the Pain
DROP SOME BLUES = take some 3french blues3 pills -popular amphetamine and barbiturate drug since the '60's, see movie Quadrophenia