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 History of the World
The Damned Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell the dinosaurs,they just wont survive
So I fell,and you just laughed
You think that I canr satnd
To see me trip this way
You think I�m second hand
I have seen it all,she�s the only one
She belongs to me,i�m the lonely one
You think there�s no more left
Talk is cheap,how many lies
Sustain a single breath ?
Adam chance and zorro
Take them with a pinch of salt
Sad about tomorrow
Sorry,but it�s not my fault
While they were shoting at the moon
Somebody croaked and no-one heard
Whats a sin or two in the history of the world
Some one said to me "why d�ya play so loud? "
What d� you want from me
You corrupt the crowd
Miles of print you�d think we�d thought of
Nothing else
There�s more important things than ink and
Decibels
Leave it to tomorrow
Corporal clott and stalingrad
They�re the ones to follow
Theyre the ones,that make me glad
No-one alive and no-one left
Nobody cares or ain�t you heard
Looks like I�ll take my dying breath
In the history of the world
The history.........of the world...........part one
The lyrics to The Damned's song "History Of The World Part 1" reflect a sense of struggle and isolation within the larger scope of history. The singer has "arrived," but it seems to be an unsteady arrival as they have "hit the ground" and "fell." However, the dinosaurs are no longer a concern, as they "just won't survive." The singer is mocked, believed to think that they are "second hand" and unable to handle this perceived failure. Despite this, the singer has experienced a lot and has a sense of ownership over someone ("She belongs to me"). They are aware of the triviality of some of the world's events ("Counting sheep and swatting flies") and the abundance of lies told ("Talk is cheap, how many lies / Sustain a single breath?"). The song culminates in a sense of futility ("No-one cares or ain't you heard / Looks like I'll take my dying breath / In the history of the world").
The song reflects on the ups and downs of the human experience, critiquing societal norms and expectations while also acknowledging the strength of the individual. The lyrics remind us that we are all part of a larger narrative, but that it is up to us to make a difference in our own unique ways. Ultimately, the song leaves us with a sense of resignation: while we can do our part, the impact we have may be minimal in the face of history.
Line by Line Meaning
I just hit the ground ,boy have I arrived
I have reached my destination and achieved my goals
Tell the dinosaurs,they just wont survive
I have surpassed those who came before me, and they cannot compete with me
So I fell,and you just laughed
My failures do not matter to you, and you take pleasure in my suffering
You think that I canr satnd
You believe I am weak and cannot handle adversity
To see me trip this way
To witness my setbacks and failures
You think I'm second hand
You view me as inferior and replaceable
I have seen it all,she's the only one
I have experienced everything, but she is the only thing that truly matters
She belongs to me,i'm the lonely one
I have her love, but it isolates me from the rest of the world
Counting sheep and swatting flies
Boredom and monotony, with no meaningful actions to take
You think there's no more left
You believe that all possibilities and opportunities have already been exhausted
Talk is cheap,how many lies
Words are meaningless without action to back them up, and lies are prevalent
Sustain a single breath ?
How can someone continue to believe in such falsehoods?
Adam chance and zorro
False heroes and idols, who are not worthy of our admiration
Take them with a pinch of salt
Their achievements and abilities should be viewed with skepticism
Sad about tomorrow
The unknown future fills me with melancholy and despair
Sorry,but it's not my fault
I refuse to take responsibility for events beyond my control
While they were shoting at the moon
While others were chasing unattainable goals and unrealistic dreams
Somebody croaked and no-one heard
A person died, and their demise went unnoticed by society
Whats a sin or two in the history of the world
In the grand scheme of things, individual transgressions are insignificant
Some one said to me "why d'ya play so loud? "
Someone questioned my actions and motivations
What d' you want from me
What are you expecting of me?
You corrupt the crowd
You influence and manipulate others for your own benefit
Miles of print you'd think we'd thought of
There are countless words written, but nothing new or original
There's more important things than ink and
The written word, while valuable, is not the most critical or essential aspect of life
Decibels
Loud sounds
Leave it to tomorrow
Delaying action and procrastination
Corporal clott and stalingrad
War and conflict, with no clear outcome or resolution
They're the ones to follow
These are the examples that society has set for us to emulate
Theyre the ones,that make me glad
These are the things that bring me happiness and satisfaction
No-one alive and no-one left
Society and humanity have perished, leaving only desolate ruins
Nobody cares or ain't you heard
No one is concerned with what happens next
Looks like I'll take my dying breath
It seems that my life is reaching its conclusion
In the history of the world
In the grand span of time and events that have occurred
The history.........of the world...........part one
This is merely the beginning of the story, with much left to be told
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Phil Greer
I loved this song when I first heard it when I was 13. And I still love it, one the best songs from the most under rated band of all time. The Damned recorded a big part of the soundtrack to my life. Excellent!
Aussie Horse Art
Phil Greer same :)
Steven Parker
Janelle Ratcliffe nice words, I’m listening to it now, love the damned
Jesse Van Horn
Word!
Stephenwivver P
Same here. 👏👏👏👏👏😘
meee8 uhhh8
Fuck yes!
truemansparks
revisiting my youth with this one cannot believe how good it sounds after all these years!
Captain Of The Lost Waves
Fell in love with this track and the black album as a complete entity. One of the first bands I ever saw live too…. A true complexity and myriad of sonic and lyrical textures are evident in their work. Not obviously as punk to many casual punters ears- that was their beauty- a true punk sensibility with an experimentation approach regarding how they paid reverence to the music they made. I can still see myself jumping around the room, with my dear reclusive uncle,who helped to raise me : we were jumping up and down ( he didn’t do that often, despite him being such a complex, yet comedic & fun loving , sad, yet joyous man) bless the damned. Beautiful memories x
Beckoning Chasm
It's astonishing--and not in a good way--how underrated this band is.
Jim Allen
Not by me.