The original group consisted of Stefan Cush (Vocals, Guitar), Paul Simmonds (Guitar, Bouzouki, Mandolin, Keyboards), Phil "Swill" Odgers (Vocals, Guitar, Tin Whistle, Melodica), Jon Odgers (Drums, Percussion) and Shanne Bradley (Bass, Flute).
Their first single, "The Green Fields of France", was released in 1984. Written by Eric Bogle (of 'The Band Played Waltzing Matilda' fame), the song's protagonist imagined having a conversation with one of the fallen soldiers of World War I whilst sitting by his graveside. The song received considerable airplay on the John Peel show on BBC Radio 1 and finished at No.3 in Peel's Festive 50 for that year.
The following year came TMTCH's debut album, 'The Night of a Thousand Candles' and its accompanying single "Ironmasters" - this time a self-penned number by main songwriter Simmonds, linking the Industrial Revolution to the present-day treatment of the working class. The original final line of the song - "and oh, that iron bastard, she still gets her way" (a reference to the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher) had to be removed for the single version to ensure radio airplay.
In 1985 the band signed for MCA records and released "How Green Is The Valley". The record included "Ghosts Of Cable Street" a political number concerning The Battle of Cable Street in 1936 and "Shirt Of Blue" which regarded the miners' strike of 1984-5 . At the end of promotion for the album Shanne Bradley was replaced on bass by Ricky McGuire (ex UK Subs ).
In 1987 the band switched to Magnet Records and the new record released was, what may fans consider their best "Waiting For Bonaparte". Once again the strongest songs were stories of historical origin. "The Colours" told of an English mutineer sailor during the Napoleonic War and "The Crest" a stretcher bearer during World War II. Sadly whilst "The Colours" was at no.61 in the British top 75 it was blacklisted by Radio 1 due to the line "You've Come Here To Watch Me Hang", which echoed the events happening in South African townships at the time.
In 1988 the band were on the move again and signed for new label Silvertone (who later put out The Stone Roses debut release). Highlights of "Silvertown" included "Rain, Steam and Speed", "A Place In The Sun" and "A Map Of Morocco". They followed this up in 1990 with "The Domino Club" , which had a more conventional rock sound dispensing with much of the folk element in their sound.
Surprisingly the band split in 1991 after releasing a live set "Alive, Alive-0". Paul Simmonds and "Swill" Odgers then formed Liberty Cage who released an album "Sleep Of The Just" in 1994 and an EP "I'll Keep It With Mine" in 1995.
To the delight of their fans the band reformed (minus drummer Jon Odgers who had become Therapy? drum technician). Their new cd was "Never Born To Follow", released on the Demon label in 1996. The following year the band released the mini-album "Six Pack". Two "Best Of" collections followed "Majestic Grill" and "The Mud, The Blood And The Beer" both 1998.
The band again withdrew into semi retirement during which Odgers and Simmonds again relased new material together, "Baby Fishlips" in 1999 and "Folk At The Fortress" in 2002.
The band released a brand new cd in 2003 "The Cherry Red Jukebox", which most fans agreed was a real return to form. In 2005 the band released a DVD to celebrate 21 years together "21 Years Of Love And Hate". This was later released as a live double CD "Smugglers and Bounty Hunters". The band continue to play occasional live concerts. Their next planned release is an acoustic folk orientated cd, including reworking of several popular old songs from their back catalogue.
During breaks from the band "Swill" Odgers has released two Cd's with his band "The Swaggerband" which includes Ricky McGuire and Jon Odgers plus lyrical contribution from Paul Simmonds. They are "The Day After" in 2004 and "Elvis Lives Here" on Irregular Records in 2006.
Official Website http://www.tmtch.net/
Ghosts of Cable Street
The Men They Couldn't Hang Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The grip of the Sabbath day
In London town the only sound
Is a whisper in an alleyway
Men put on their gloves and boots
Have a smoke before they go
From the west there is a warning of
A wind about to blow
Like Caesar marching to the East
Marches Mosley with his men
Dressed in their clothes of deepest black
Like a gathering hurricane
This is the British Union
With its flag of black and red
A flag that casts a shadow in
Berlin and in Madrid
So listen to the sound of marching feet
And the voices of the ghosts of Cable Street
Fists and stones and batons and the gun
With courage we shall beat those blackshirts down
So mile by mile they come on down
To a place called Cable Street
And other men are waiting there
Preparations are complete
Mosley comes so close
They now can see his outstretched arm
A hand raised up that way
Never took the future in its palm
Listen to the sound of marching feet
And the voices of the ghosts of Cable Street
Fists and stones and batons and the gun
With courage we shall beat those blackshirts down
The battle broke as the fists and the batons fell
Through the barricades came the sound of the wounded yells
Jack Spot burst through with a chair leg made of lead
Brought down a crashing blow on Mosley's head
And so we learn from history generations have to fight
And those who crave for mastery
Must be faced down on sight
And if that means by words, by fists, by stones or by the gun
Remember those who stood up for
Their daughters and their sons
Listen to the sound of marching feet
And the voices of the ghosts of Cable Street
Fists and stones and batons and the gun
With courage we shall beat those blackshirts down
Listen to the sound of marching feet
And the voices of the ghosts of Cable Street
Fists and stones and batons and the gun
With courage we shall beat those blackshirts down
The Men They Couldn't Hang's song The Ghosts of Cable Street is a powerful political commentary on the events that took place on October 4th, 1936 in the East End of London. The song begins with a description of the Sabbath day in London, where the only sound is a whisper in an alleyway. Men in gloves and boots prepare for what is about to come. The British Union of Fascists, led by Oswald Mosley, is marching towards the East End in their clothes of deepest black, like a gathering hurricane. The song depicts the fear and anticipation felt by those waiting for their arrival.
As the blackshirts reach Cable Street, they are met by a barricade of men and women who refuse to let them pass. The battle that ensues is described in vivid detail in the lyrics, with the sound of marching feet, fists and stones, and the gun. The song celebrates the bravery of those who stood up to the blackshirts and emphasizes the importance of resisting fascism in all its forms.
The Ghosts of Cable Street is a powerful anthem that continues to be relevant today. It reminds us of the importance of standing up to hate and intolerance, and of the courage that is required to do so.
Line by Line Meaning
England, 1936.
The year is 1936, and the events that follow occurred in England.
The grip of the Sabbath day
On a Sunday, a religious day of the week, the events unfold.
In London town the only sound
In London, the city's usual sounds are replaced with an eerie silence.
Is a whisper in an alleyway
The only sound that can be heard is a hushed whisper from a hidden place.
Men put on their gloves and boots
Men put on their clothing and shoes to prepare to join a group.
Have a smoke before they go
Before they leave, the men take a moment to smoke a cigarette.
From the west there is a warning of
From the direction of the west comes a warning.
A wind about to blow
There is a sense of impending danger, like a storm brewing on the horizon.
Like Caesar marching to the East
Mosley and his men proceed like the famous Roman emperor, leading his forces to conquer other lands.
Marches Mosley with his men
Mosley is leading his followers as they march through the streets of London.
Dressed in their clothes of deepest black
They wear dark clothing, indicating their seriousness and possibly their militant views.
Like a gathering hurricane
Mosley and his followers are like a powerful storm brewing on the horizon.
This is the British Union
This group rallying under Mosley's leadership is known as the British Union of Fascists.
With its flag of black and red
The flag of the British Union is black and red, which symbolizes their beliefs and their cause.
A flag that casts a shadow in
The flag has a dark effect that seems to loom over those who oppose the group, even in other countries.
Berlin and in Madrid
The British Union's flag has a presence in places outside of England, such as Berlin and Madrid.
So listen to the sound of marching feet
The sound of Mosley's followers marching is ominous and signals their impending arrival.
And the voices of the ghosts of Cable Street
The echoes of the conflicts that took place on Cable Street in 1936 can still be heard.
Fists and stones and batons and the gun
Violence erupted on Cable Street, with the use of fists, stones, and batons, and even firearms.
With courage we shall beat those blackshirts down
People will need to be brave to stand up to the British Union and stop them.
So mile by mile they come on down
The British Union is slowly advancing closer and closer to the defensive position on Cable Street.
To a place called Cable Street
The group will face their decisive battle on Cable Street.
And other men are waiting there
Others will stand alongside those who oppose the British Union at Cable Street.
Preparations are complete
Those who oppose the British Union are ready for what is to come.
Mosley comes so close
The leader of the British Union, Mosley, is closing in on Cable Street.
They now can see his outstretched arm
The opposition can now see Mosley's gestures and body language.
A hand raised up that way
Mosley's hand is raised in a way that may communicate a message or order to his followers.
Never took the future in its palm
In the moment, the hand gesture seemed insignificant and unimportant.
The battle broke as the fists and the batons fell
The fight erupted and the two sides began to use their weapons, including fists and batons.
Through the barricades came the sound of the wounded yells
The violence was so intense that people on the other side of barricades could hear the cries of those who were injured.
Jack Spot burst through with a chair leg made of lead
One man, Jack Spot, emerged with an improvised weapon made of a lead pipe.
Brought down a crashing blow on Mosley's head
Jack Spot used the weapon to hit Mosley in the head, incapacitating him.
And so we learn from history generations have to fight
The events on Cable Street demonstrate that conflicts like this must be fought by each generation in order to defend against oppression.
And those who crave for mastery
Those who wish to have power over others.
Must be faced down on sight
These people must be stopped immediately when they are identified as a threat.
And if that means by words, by fists, by stones or by the gun
People must use whatever means necessary to stop those who seek to oppress them.
Remember those who stood up for
We should honor and remember those who bravely opposed the British Union on Cable Street.
Their daughters and their sons
Those who oppose the British Union were doing so in order to protect their children and future generations.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: STEFAN CUSH, PAUL SIMMONDS, PHIL ODGERS, JON ODGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fernbracken
BATTLE OF CABLE ST
I was there a a small child and most of what you read on here is not true.
Grand dad had small sweet /tobacconist shop, it was robbed several times during the wartime blackouts, many shops and homes were robbed and often burnt out and the excuse was given " a stray German bomb" Londons Petticoat lane on a sunday would see whole troups of men with suitcases on the pave ment selling goods stolen in these night time raids,
my uncle John would sometimes shout out POLICE POLICE and it was hilarious to see them all pick up their suitcases and run like hell, their skull caps falling behind them.
British men were away fighting, and people survived on food coupons
Churchill's minister of supply Herbert Morrisom ( peter mandelsons grand father ) saw to it that
certain people got extra and these men were called " spivs" and they would sell off at high prices,
my auntie dolly had 7 children and she would have to buy extra food from the spivs
many women got into debt and the spivs would force them into prostitution to pay off what they owed, those women who refused has their faces slashed, the men were called Razor gangs.
The loan sharks were busy and at the end of the war many service men came home to find the local loan shark now owned his home.
Churchill's Black N Tans in Ireland were brutal and this meant many irish men joined Hitlers army
but a lot came over toward the end of the war to work clearing building sites etc
and a lot of these irish men , god bless them, joined Oswald Mosely and stood guard over many shops and homes through the night time black outs.
These irish men saved many families as a small child one passed me an orange, i had never seen an orange and thought it wasa ball to play with.
Loking back, Thankyou god for Oswald Mosely.
@andynicholas1728
Simply one of the very best songs EVER written. AWESOME.
@Felix-yl5fk
My mother used to sing this to me before I went to sleep along with the song ‘colours’ by the men they couldn’t hang as well
@danniantagonist
My Jewish grandparents were living and working in the east end of London at that time.
Sadly I never knew about this history to ask them about it whilst they were still alive. We need to keep this history alive for future generations, and continue to fight the fascists!
I lived on Cable Street as a student and there's a fantastic mural to commemorate this victory of the people over the fascists.
We must never forget who the police protected, and continue to celebrate and commemorate this victory over oppressors, whoever they might be....
@markclitheroe900
The area now hardly has any White Brits living there at all.
It was another stab in the back for British people wanting to keep their country for their own ( In the same way that Jews do with Israel ).
@danniantagonist
@@markclitheroe900 hi Mark, I see the point you are making, but not all Jewish people believe in the Jewish state, and many acknowledge that we are Europeans and have no place in the middle east. It's been a long while since I lived there, but colourful, multicultural Bethnal Green holds great memories for me. We owe a great debt of gratitude to many who have made the UK their home. The insular nationalistic rhetoric is inaccurate, as we as a bit sad. Embrace and be proud of our multiculturalism, we are all better off as a result. 💖💖
@thechekist2044
The time the working class found out that Fascism should not he debated, but should be crushed!
@welshexile1963
Spot on ✊
@DioBrando-mr5xs
Bro all you fought were police officers, they came back and held the rally the next day.
@thecoldcutcombowithtomato8926
@@DioBrando-mr5xs as if fighting fascist sympathizing police officers is not also a major W
@DioBrando-mr5xs
@@thecoldcutcombowithtomato8926 It's not, no. You guys did nothing.