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
These Hands
The Damned Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
outside I'm laughing but inside I'm really wearing a frown
I see you laughing at me
but baby in my dreams
it's quite a different scene
Chasing you through the night with my hands around your neck
funny how everything seems in technicolour, yet
and you are turning blue
Ha ha ha ha ha
Ha ha ha ha ha
Ho ho ho
The opening line of The Damned's song These Hands describes the twisted and distorted nature of the song's protagonist. The "demented circus clown" persona represents a character who appears to be happy and jovial on the outside, but inside, they are struggling with something darker. As the song continues, it becomes clear that the character's inner turmoil is driven by their obsession with someone.
The second verse describes the singer's disturbing obsession with a person who they seem to be pursuing aggressively. The line "Chasing you through the night with my hands around your neck" paints a vivid picture of the character's violent tendencies. Despite the dark and twisted nature of the lyrics, the singer seems to find humor in the situation - hence the laughter that punctuates the song's chorus.
Overall, The Damned's These Hands is a haunting portrayal of a disturbed individual whose happy exterior masks something much darker. The song's imagery and lyrics combine to create a deeply unsettling portrait of a twisted mind.
Line by Line Meaning
These are the hands of a demented circus clown
The singer's hands seem like those of a crazed performer from a circus or carnival
outside I'm laughing but inside I'm really wearing a frown
The singer may seem happy on the outside, but they are actually unhappy or disturbed on the inside
I see you laughing at me
Someone is mocking or making fun of the singer
but baby in my dreams it's quite a different scene
The artist imagines a different reality in their dreams
Chasing you through the night with my hands around your neck
The artist has violent or dangerous intentions towards the person they are pursuing
funny how everything seems in technicolour, yet
Despite the serious or scary situation, the singer finds it amusing or entertaining
I find I'm laughing at you
The singer is mocking or belittling the person they are chasing
and you are turning blue
The person being chased is suffering or in danger
Ha ha ha ha ha
The artist is laughing maniacally
Ha ha ha ha ha
The artist is still laughing maniacally
Ho ho ho
The singer adds another joyful noise to their manic laughter
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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