Race against time / Knife edge / Lycanthropy Necrophilia / State executioner / Dead on arrival Generals / Freak / Alcohol
The first 12" EP from GBH, this one is pretty raw in nature though fairly
clear sound-wise, originally, you could hear the tape running between tracks so
I reckon that it must have been recorded in one go to save money, not that it
sounds any the worse for it. On the CD re-release I have, someone has crudely
cut out the conversation in-between the tracks and omitted 'Alcohol' which
rather spoils it, nontheless, it hardly detracts from the power of the original
recording. If you catch the band live you are sure to hear the likes of 'Knife
Edge' and 'Generals' at least.
The original recording was released without the lyrics, these were printed
however with the 'compilation' Leather, Bristles, No
Survivors, Sick Boys .. released a couple of years later at a budget
price.
I found this EP to be quite a contradictory sort of release when I first
obtained it, brutally noisy and with some questionable lyrics and yet the words
to 'Lycanthropy' seem like pure poetry, typical I think of the great GBH
paradox. Oh and by the way, I was messing around with the scanned image of the
sleeve and I realised that in fact if you invert it you can actually see the
picture as it was really meant to be .. didn't you ever think that it looked a
little odd ?!
Race against time
Words & Music: Abrahall, Blyth, Lomas, Williams
Put us on a life support machine from the day we're born,
didn't realise it was just our dawn.
By the media we've been accepted,
but in reality still rejected.
From the start it won't last,
but now that's all in the past.
Never admit to being wrong,
five years on and we're still going strong.
Given a year to pack up and die,
take the taking, run and hide.
Said 'race against time', thought it was clever,
time is immortal and we're forever.
So five years on and we should be dead,
new ideas in the same old head.
Don't need help, don't need a tutor,
you're our past and we're your future.
It's a race against time, but whose racing ?
'Cus we've already won.
Knife edge
Words & Music: Abrahall, Blyth, Lomas, Williams
On the streets they're after me,
won't let me go, won't let me be.
This opression is screwing my head,
if I ain't careful I'll end up dead.
I'm living my life ..
.. I'm living my life on the edge of a knife.
Loving her was the mistake I made,
defending her honour with a steel blade.
Three on to one just isn't fair ..
but now they're in intensive care.
So now I'm running all over the world,
all because of a stupid girl.
But I've gotta carry on, I've gotta be brave,
else I'll end up in my grave.
Lycanthropy
Words & Music: Abrahall, Blyth, Lomas, Williams
Lycanthropy is in his blood,
and spreads to those he slays.
Uncontrolled metamorphosis,
undetectable by day.
But when the moon is waxing,
and all the world's asleep.
Through woods and fields,
the werewolf he will creep.
Even a man who is pure heart,
and says his prayers at night ..
can become a werewolf when the wolfsbane blooms,
and the Autumn moon is bright.
He instinctively seeks to kill,
the thing he loves the best.
He'll bare his teeth, growl and snarl,
and wish upon you death.
His suffused eyes will glare in hate,
silver-grey hair will shine.
He'll grip you in his muscular arms,
and on your your flesh will dine.
Cures are rare for this schizophrenic,
a Marfisa flower is a start.
Silver topped cane, a crucifix,
a silver bullet through the heart.
Necrophilia
Words & Music: Abrahall, Blyth, Lomas, Williams
Make love to you your eyes are closed,
your body is rotting it's decomposed.
Your hair straggled in a spider's web ..
you're dead.
No remorse ..
screw the corpse.
Your clothes are in a state of decay,
just like you they're thrown away.
Your body's filled with lava flies,
why oh why did you have to die ?
I come and see you every night,
unlike my girl you don't put up a fight.
I'm close to you, put flowers on your womb ..
'cos I was born in your womb.
State executioner
Words & Music: Abrahall, Blyth, Lomas, Williams
State executioner, there's no hope,
for the men that hang on th eend of your rope.
You think you're safe no-one can tell,
what they'll do when you get to hell.
State executioner ..
Got the papers, you need your boss,
that man is not guilty you don't give a toss.
Pull the lever, watch him swing,
state executioner, murderous king.
State executioner, just the same,
as the people you kill in the government's name.
Slip on the hood, open the hatch,
you're no better than those you dispatch.
State executioner, punishing men,
although it's for ever and ever amen.
Fame and fortune damnation you've got,
state executioner you should be shot.
Dead on arrival
Words & Music: Abrahall, Blyth, Lomas, Williams
Tracks in his arm made him a man,
No-one could understand.
Each night he'd go out shooting skag,
Met a pusher who sold him a bag.
That's why he was ..
Dead on arrival .. ..
Ran out of money so he stole a car,
tried to run but didn't get far.
Sent to prison, no turning back,
saw his arm, weaned him off smack.
Out on parole tried to keep calm,
finally died with a needle in his arm.
Yes out on parole, tried to keep calm,
finally died with a needle in his arm.
Generals
Words & Music: Abrahall, Blyth, Lomas, Williams
We'll lead you into victory, you hear the generals say.
Never look behind you, we're with you all the way.
Go to bed early, conserve your energy,
tomorrow we'll be fighting with our enemy.
Polish your boots, clean your gun,
killing those bastards will be a lot of fun.
Take no prisoners, kill them all.
Start to march when you hear the call.
Britain needs you, Britain needs you ..
Britain needs you to die for her.
Marching into victory, marching in the mud.
Fighting for freedom, fighting in th eblood.
There's dead bodies all around, you're told to carry on.
Death is not right, war cannot be won.
March along you see a flash,
fall to the ground and make a splash.
You awake you're lying in the bed,
eyes are shut you think you're dead.
Lost your arm, you've lost your leg,
lost you're job, you'll have to beg.
You'll get loads of sympathy, a picture in the Evening Post.
But where were the generals when you needed them most ?
Freak
Words & Music: Abrahall, Blyth, Lomas, Williams
You're a freak I guess you know .. ..
you're belong in a side-show.
The shape of your head, length of your neck,
on the whole you're a fucking wreck.
Freak .. of nature, freak, god I hate yer ..
You get victimised wherever you go,
and you're too thick to even know.
You grow uglier everyday,
it's not your fault you look that way.
But you've got friends and lots of money ..
behind your back they think you're funny.
Sticking to you like a lot of leeches,
disregarding your grotesque features.
Alcohol
Words & Music: Abrahall, Blyth, Lomas, Williams
You're like a kind of religion,
I see you each night on television.
I can't remember all your names,
I love you running through my veins.
Alcohol, oh alcohol, I love you in my brains.
Acohol, oh alcohol, I never want you again.
I come and see you every night,
take out my purse and i'll buy you a pint .
Would you like another ? No thanks,
tonight I'm wearing incontinence pants.
