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
The Eighth Day
The Damned Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Holding up its arms like limbs of steel
Mountains rise like mounds of sand
The boiling sea has swallowed up the land
On the eighth day
On the eighth day
Dancing dead are knocking on my door
To raise the flag to raise the tune
You know they'll be here soon
The eighth day
The eighth day
Hollow homes and gloomy streets
The people next door are looking more like circus freaks
On the eighth day
Echoes of the midnight chime
The clock moves on but what a waste of time
On the eighth day
On the eighth day
Dancing devil knocking on my door
It has to grey that came to more
To raise the flag to raise a tune
You know they'll be here soon
The eighth day
The eighth day
The eighth day
Pure white heat and blood of sands
Two clouds of crimson mists are swirling round and round
On the eighth day
Pools of fear and eyes that shine
The mirrors craked but I know they'll be mine oh mine
On the eighth day
On the eighth day
Dancing devil knocking on my door
It has to grey that came to more
To raise the flag to raise a tune
You know they'll be here soon
The eighth day
The eighth day
The eighth day
The eighth day
The Damned's song The Eighth Day describes an apocalyptic nightmare of a city that has fallen into chaos and disrepair. The lyrics describe the city as being dead asleep while the mountains rise like mounds of sand and the boiling sea has swallowed up the land. The city is also described as having hollow homes and gloomy streets populated by people who look like circus freaks, which adds to the unsettling nature of the song.
The main chorus of the song mentions the eighth day, which seems to signify a day of reckoning or judgment. The dancing dead, who are knocking on the singer's door, are described as being in acid rain and mourning. They come to raise the flag and raise the tune, which implies that they are trying to inspire some sense of hope or patriotism in the face of the city's destruction. However, the song ends on a haunting note with the mention of pure white heat, pools of fear, and eyes that shine, which suggest that the end of the world has come.
Overall, The Eighth Day is a powerful song that captures the fear and uncertainty of living in a world where everything is falling apart. The lyrics conjure up images of a post-apocalyptic wasteland where nothing is certain and anything could happen at any moment. The song's haunting melody and eerie synthesizer effects only add to the sense of dread that permeates the entire track.
Line by Line Meaning
Dead asleep the city dreams
The city appears to be sleeping and dreaming, but in reality it is lifeless and devoid of activity.
Holding up its arms like limbs of steel
The buildings in the city stand rigid and unmoving, as if they are made of metal.
Mountains rise like mounds of sand
The mountains appear to be fragile and unstable, like piles of sand that could crumble at any moment.
The boiling sea has swallowed up the land
The ocean is so tumultuous that it has engulfed everything in its path and left nothing but water behind.
On the eighth day
The artist is emphasizing the significance of the eighth day, which represents a turning point or climactic moment.
Dancing dead are knocking on my door
The singer is being visited by ghosts or other supernatural entities who are celebrating or performing a ritual dance.
In acid rain they came to mourn
The visitors are grieving or lamenting while being bombarded by an acidic rain that is corrosive and painful.
To raise the flag to raise the tune
The visitors will perform a public display that involves raising a flag and playing music to commemorate a significant event or cause.
You know they'll be here soon
The artist is anticipating the arrival of the visitors and is aware that their presence will have a profound impact.
Hollow homes and gloomy streets
The homes and streets in the area are empty and depressing, lacking any sense of vitality or hope.
The people next door are looking more like circus freaks
The singer is observing the strange or bizarre behavior of their neighbors, who seem to be acting like performers in a freak show.
Echoes of the midnight chime
The sounds of a clock striking midnight are reverberating through the surroundings, creating a haunting and eerie atmosphere.
The clock moves on but what a waste of time
The passage of time is continuing, but the singer feels it is pointless and futile given the bleak conditions around them.
Pure white heat and blood of sands
The heat is intense and overwhelming, like a blazing white flame, and the sand is red with the blood of those who have perished.
Two clouds of crimson mists are swirling round and round
Thick clouds of red mist are swirling and churning together in a disorienting, confusing spectacle.
Pools of fear and eyes that shine
There are pockets of intense fear and anxiety scattered throughout the environment, and the eyes of those who are present reflect this fear.
The mirrors craked but I know they'll be mine oh mine
The mirrors present in the environment are damaged or broken, but the artist remains confident that they will end up possessing them.
Dancing devil knocking on my door
The supernatural entities are taking on a more sinister or demonic appearance, and are persistently trying to gain entry into the singer's dwelling.
It has to grey that came to more
The area around the singer is becoming more and more lifeless and dreary, as if all the color has drained from the world.
The eighth day
Reiterating the importance of the eighth day, which likely marks the culmination of the events or changes that have been building throughout the song.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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