THE DAMNED – LOVE SONG (CHISWICK)
The Damned were a strange band that managed to straddle a number of genres through their career and thus managed to elongate what could otherwise have been quite the limited lifespan.
“Love Song” is a blunt, sarcastic sounding gesture. The band were punk but looked goth so such lyrical sentiments do not necessarily sit comfortably with their shtick. Their music didn’t appear to carry the intellect of the torchbearers of the movement but with its hooks and thug chorus chants their appeal was not limited but such deviations.
Released in 1979 after they had left Stiff Records and taken from their third album Machine Gun Etiquette this single actually saw the band making their debut appearance on Top Of The Pops.
Listened to from a 21st century perspective it feels slightly tame. With bass playing that sounds like it maybe about to fall apart at any moment it rumbles with something of a Motorhead motion as it all gets delivered at a Ramones pace. There is no questioning the hook of the piece but time does expose the basic playing involved and slightly one dimensional delivery of the song. In other words time has not been kind.
That aside The Damned were powerful forerunners and for this their work must be valued and appreciated at a time when younger and more cynical ears hold it within their means to tear their material apart.
There was a reason why this band played on The Young Ones.
Thesaurus moment: regard.
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