Early success was found with singles such as "Warhead", "I Live in a Car", and "Tomorrow's Girls", with several of their songs managing to enter the United Kingdom's Top Forty. Their biggest selling album came with 1980's Crash Course.
With the arrival of new bassist Alvin Gibbs and drummer Steve Roberts in the early 1980s, the songs took on a heavier sound, faster, better quality. But always the punk views. The band has continued to perform, being one of the last surviving bands of Britain's punk era. They have toured constantly over the years.
Now in 2015, with the addiition of Jet on guitar and Jamie Oliver on drums, UK Subs have just released their 25th studio album 'Yellow Leader' to a crescendo of critical acclaim, bringing the band to the final step in their 40 year old mission - to record and release every official album in alphabetical order from A to Z.
Cid
UK Subs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pass him by don't look back
Keep in a line and walk straight ahead
One false move could be dead
'Cos he's an underground undercover agent for the CID
CID, CID
Got a loaded 44
Take a tip and hear what I say
Don't take no trip down Soho way
If you do you better keep in a line
Make one false move could be doing time
'Cos he's an underground undercover agent for the CID
CID, CID
Got a loaded 44
Walking armoury store
Watch it
Take a tip and hear what I say
Don't take no trip down Soho way
If you do you better keep in a line
Make one false move could be doing time
'Cos he's an underground undercover agent for the CID
CID, CID
Got a loaded 44
Walking armoury store
The UK Subs's song "Cid" is a cautionary tale about an underground undercover agent of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in London. The lyrics urge listeners to be careful and avoid any suspicious-looking men, particularly one dressed in black, who could be a dangerous CID agent with a loaded 44 and a walking armoury store. The song advises people not to take any trips down Soho way and to keep in a line and walk straight ahead, as any false move could lead to imprisonment.
The lyrics of "Cid" reflect the political and social turmoil of the UK in the late 1970s and early 1980s, particularly the heavy-handed tactics of the police and the authoritarian approach of the Thatcher government. The song captures the paranoia and fear that many people felt during that time, particularly the punk subculture that the UK Subs were part of. The message of the song is clear: don't trust the authorities and beware of those who may be working against you.
Line by Line Meaning
See that man dressed in black
Notice the man dressed in black clothing
Pass him by don't look back
Avoid attracting the attention of the man and do not stare at him
Keep in a line and walk straight ahead
Walk in a group, without deviating from your path
One false move could be dead
Any mistake or suspicious movement could lead to severe consequences, even death
'Cos he's an underground undercover agent for the CID
He is a secret agent for the Criminal Investigation Department (CID)
CID, CID
Repeats the abbreviation for Criminal Investigation Department
Got a loaded 44
The man is carrying a handgun
Walking armoury store
He has an arsenal of weapons with him
Take a tip and hear what I say
Listen to my advice
Don't take no trip down Soho way
Avoid travelling to the Soho neighbourhood
If you do you better keep in a line
If you have to go to Soho, stay in a group and follow a straight path
Make one false move could be doing time
Any suspicious action could result in arrest and imprisonment
Watch it
Be careful and vigilant
Contributed by Savannah Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.