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.
Organised Crime
UK Subs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a man who takes your beer
There's a man who takes your woman
There's a man who just takes you
He's a government official
That's what his papers say
He's a government official
There's a man who takes your cigarettes
There's a man who takes your car
There's a man who takes the piss out of you
But the biggest thief by far
He's a government official
Knocking on your door
He's a government official
Coming back for more
He's organised
Organised crime
Organised crime
He's organised
Organised crime
Organised crime
There's a man who takes your petrol
There's a man who takes your food
There's a man who takes your place in the queue
There's a man who just takes you
He's a government official
Checking up on you
He's a government official
There's nothing you can do
He's organised
Organised crime
Organised crime
He's organised
Organised crime
Organised crime
He's organised
Organised crime
Organised crime
He's organised
He's organised crime
Organised cri
me is a song by UK Subs that criticizes the oppressive nature of governmental authority. The lyrics paint a vivid and depressing picture of a world where people are constantly being taken advantage of and robbed of their possessions by corrupt officials. The opening lines of the song describe different scenarios in which individuals are getting robbed: their wallets, beer, woman, and themselves—by a man who just takes them. However, it is revealed that the biggest thief of all is a government official, who takes possession of cigarettes, cars, and personal dignity. The song makes the point that this official is stealing from people who are already at a disadvantage, as they have no chance of protecting themselves from the power of the government.
The chorus of the song repeatedly affirms that the government is engaging in "organised crime". This phrase is used as a metaphor for the power imbalance between the people and the government. The government has the power to do what it wants, and the people can't fight against it. The implication is that the government and its officials are the real criminals in society. They are the ones who steal from the people and profit from their misery.
In summary, the song Organised Crime by UK Subs is a powerful denunciation of the corruption that plagues governmental systems. It paints a vivid picture of a society where the government is the biggest thief and oppressor of those it is meant to serve.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a man who takes your wallet
A person takes your wallet from you.
There's a man who takes your beer
A person takes your beer from you.
There's a man who takes your woman
A person takes your significant other from you.
There's a man who just takes you
A person takes advantage of you.
He's a government official
This person is an official in the government.
That's what his papers say
The government official's papers state that he is an official.
And he takes you every day
The government official takes advantage of you every day.
There's a man who takes your cigarettes
A person takes your cigarettes from you.
There's a man who takes your car
A person takes your car from you.
There's a man who takes the piss out of you
A person continuously makes fun of you and humiliates you.
But the biggest thief by far
The government official is the most significant thief among all.
Knocking on your door
The government official comes to your door.
Coming back for more
The government official keeps coming back to take more from you.
He's organised
The government official is well-planned and prepared.
Organised crime
His actions constitute organized crime.
There's a man who takes your petrol
A person takes your petrol from you.
There's a man who takes your food
A person takes your food from you.
There's a man who takes your place in the queue
A person cuts in front of you in line.
Checking up on you
The government official is monitoring and observing you.
There's nothing you can do
You are powerless to stop the government official's actions.
He's organised
The government official is well-planned and prepared.
Organised crime
His actions constitute organized crime.
He's organised
The government official is well-planned and prepared.
He's organised crime
His actions constitute organized crime.
Contributed by Anna D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.