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 Shadow of Love
The Damned Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The hour is late and you know that time waits for no-one
See the glow of the soul in her face
Then you know that you're caught in the shadow of love
A brief embrace and fear and restraint have all gone
Innocence burns, -yes a fire that burned all along
See the doors about to swing both ways
Then you know that you're caught in the shadow of love
Every night, every day
I experience the most exquisite pain
A thousand whispers seem to say
I light a candle to you and I pray
I kneel to pray
Now don't be afraid to get caught in the shadow of love
Play the game take a chance or you haven't the power of love
See the glow of a soul in her face
See the glow of her saving veil of grace
Then you know that you're caught in the shadow of love
You're caught in the shadow of love
The Damned's song Shadow of Love is a love story with a twist. The lyrics talk about losing oneself in the shadow of love, a powerful force that can take hold of someone and make them forget their fears and restraints. The singer urges the listener to not be afraid of standing in this shadow and to take a chance on love. The glow of the loved one's soul is described as a saving veil of grace, which draws the singer in and captures him in this state of love.
The lyrics also speak of exquisite pain and a thousand whispers that seem to say something, possibly alluding to the intense emotions and thoughts that come with being caught in the shadow of love. The singer kneels to pray, suggesting that this love may also have a spiritual element to it.
Overall, the message of the song is to embrace love and not fear getting lost in its shadow, no matter how intense and overwhelming it may feel.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't be afraid to stand in the shadow of love
Don't hesitate to embrace love, even if it comes with risks.
The hour is late and you know that time waits for no-one
Time is precious and waits for no one, so seize the moment.
See the glow of the soul in her face
When you see the joy in your lover's face, you know you're doing something right.
Then you know that you're caught in the shadow of love
You're completely entranced by love, and it's taken over your life.
A brief embrace and fear and restraint have all gone
When you embrace love, all your fears and inhibitions disappear, even if only temporarily.
Innocence burns, -yes a fire that burned all along
Love can reignite a sense of innocence and passion that was always within you.
See the doors about to swing both ways
Change is coming, and it could go either way with love.
See the answer mirrored in her gaze
Your lover's eyes hold the key to your happiness and future.
Every night, every day
Love is a constant force that fills every moment and thought.
I experience the most exquisite pain
The intensity of love can be both beautiful and painful.
A thousand whispers seem to say
Love speaks to us in small moments and feelings that can't be put into words.
I light a candle to you and I pray
Love can feel like a spiritual experience, something to be cherished and revered.
I kneel to pray
Love can make us humble and grateful for the blessings we have.
Now don't be afraid to get caught in the shadow of love
Embrace love fully, even if it means getting lost in its shadow.
Play the game take a chance or you haven't the power of love
You have to take a chance on love to really feel its power and impact on your life.
See the glow of a soul in her face
The beauty of love is evident in the eyes and spirit of your lover.
See the glow of her saving veil of grace
Love can be a saving grace, giving us hope and happiness when we need it most.
Then you know that you're caught in the shadow of love
When love takes hold, you can't escape its influence on your heart and soul.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@coldeathofthearth
❤ Don't be afraid to stand in the shadow of love
The hour is late and you know that time waits for no-one
See the glow of the soul in her face
Then you know that you're caught in the shadow of love
A brief embrace and fear and restraint have all gone
Innocence burns, yes a fire that burned all along
See the doors about to swing both ways
See the answer mirrored in her gaze
Then you know that you're caught in the shadow of love
Every night, every day
I experience the most exquisite pain
A thousand whispers seem to say
I light a candle to you and I pray
I kneel to pray
Now don't be afraid to get caught in the shadow of love
Play the game take a chance or you haven't the power of love
See the glow of a soul in her face
See the glow of her saving veil of grace
Then you know that you're caught in the shadow of love
You're caught in the shadow of love ❤
@salomebatsarah5528
Don't be afraid to stand in the shadow of love
The hour is late and you know that time waits for no-one
See the glow of the soul in her face
Then you know that you're caught in the shadow of love
A brief embrace and fear and restraint have all gone
Innocence burns, yes a fire that burned all along
See the doors about to swing both ways
See the answer mirrored in her gaze
Then you know that you're caught in the shadow of love
Every night, every day
I experience the most exquisite pain
A thousand whispers seem to say
I light a candle to you and I pray
I kneel to pray :-) (*) (-:
Now don't be afraid to get caught in the shadow of love
Play the game take a chance or you haven't the power of love
See the glow of a soul in her face
See the glow of her saving veil of grace
Then you know that you're caught in the shadow of love
You're caught in the shadow of love
@ThePosledni
I love it... <3
I'm calling the track
I'm calling the track
Don't be afraid to stand in the shadow of love
The hour is late and you know that time waits for no-one
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
See the glow of the soul in her face
Then you know that you're caught in the shadow of love
The shadow of love
A brief embrace and fear and restraint have all gone
Innocence burns, -yes a fire that burned all along
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
See the doors about to swing both ways
See the answer mirrored in her gaze
Then you know that you're caught in the shadow of love
Every night, every day
I experience the most exquisite pain
A thousand whispers seem to say
I light a candle to you and I pray
I kneel to pray
Shadow
Shadow
Shadow
Shadow
Now don't be afraid to get caught in the shadow of love
Play the game take a chance or you haven't the power of love
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
See the glow of a soul in her face
See the glow of her saving veil of grace
Then you know that you're caught in the shadow of love
You're caught in the shadow
Don't get caught
You're caught in the shadow of love
You're caught in the shadow
I'm calling the track...
@seanmoloney7797
The bassline is so awesome. RIP Bryn Merrick, you are missed. Great band, great album.
@vermilliongecko
Well said.
@julosx
What happened to Merrick ?
@lindasmith6316
@julosx He died of cancer in 2015. :'(
@stephanie7890
I wish the 80's were my youth.
@leethomas255
@@stephanie7890They were the years of my youth and they rocked. Many millennial say similar things as you commented. ✌️✨☮️
@ghoste_girll
Dave vanian has to be one of the most beautiful gothic men ive layed my eyes on
@thekraemer1757
Tell me Johnny Depp didn't steal Dave's look for Sweeney Todd
@death4metal201
More like Carl Mccoy
@fugazi_
One of my favorite songs ever. Great drumming, great bass, great guitar, great singing, great composition and arrangement. Loved The Damned at that period, as I loved them for almost everything they released and their attitude. Punk history without them would be much poorer.