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The Day The Country Died

by Subhumans

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    new pressing from Pirates Press Records, plastic-free digipack with poster. non-UK orders will save postage getting it from here>>> piratespressrecords.com/subhumans

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  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    new pressing on Pirates Press, in black or red vinyl [limited amount of red ones] with gatefold sleeve and all lyrics. Also available from piratespressrecords.com/subhumans <best source for non-UK orders, save postage!

    Includes unlimited streaming of The Day The Country Died via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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1.
All is quiet all is dead The city has melted The sound has penetrated Through our heads The world has ended the gas is gone It killed the people now the mutants live on Chorus: So long to the world That's what they said It's 1984 and it's all gone dead There is no England Anarchy is right But don't contradict Or try to fight It's always dark there is no light And 77 has rose to it's height Chorus They shouldn't have brought back hanging It caused a lot of fuss No one could trust the government We had the fuckers sussed There are no banks left They've all gone bust And the houses of Parliament is just a pile of dust Chorus It's 1984 and there's gonna be a war War,war, who needs fucking war
2.
Ashtray Dirt 01:22
Your lungs have got a dirty stain All you feel's a cancer pain Fingers turned a sticky yellow color Every one fag is less one hour of your life Don't be a sucker and mess up your life Smoking them fags from 9 to 5 You might as well eat the dirty dog-ends You know you're going round the bend They'll put you away I dunno why you smoke them No. 6 A packet of fags is a packet of tricks I dunno why you smoke them fucking cigars You're gonna stay helpless the way you are ...You were but now you're dead with your ashtray dirt
3.
Killing 01:49
You, you're driving me insane But you know there's something wrong with my brain My head is really in a whirl Where you look just like a normal girl Chorus: But you don't really care It happens everywhere You don't give a shit Forget about it I was living in a plastic bag I didn't know what to do I didn't know she was a slag Well what would you do? Chorus I didn't know I killed her I was out of my mind She only wanted my money But she made me blind Chorus
4.
Minority 01:17
Don't ask the people what the people think They've got no opinion but they still think we stink The great British public, the great majority The safe foundation of our society But we're the minority and we're OK We're the minority, won't go away We're the minority and we're OK We're the minority, got something to say Yeah we're the minority the ones with the brains Putting the country on a nervous strain They can't stand the truth--the truth never lies The great British public got bricks in their eyes But we're the minority and we're OK We're the minority, won't go away We're the minority and we're OK We're the minority, got something to fucking say
5.
Mickey Mouse is dead Got kicked in the head Cos people got too serious They planned out what they said They couldn't take the fantasy Tried to accept reality Analyzed the laughs Cos pleasure comes in halves The purity of comedy They had to take it seriously Changed the words around Tried to make it look profound The comedian is onstage Pisstaking for a wage The critics think he's great But the laughter turns to hate Mickey Mouse is on TV And the kids stare at the screen But the pictures are all black and white And the words don't mean a thing Cos Mummy's got no money And Daddy is in jail He couldn't afford the license She can't afford the bail The kids out in the road Their minds have all gone cold Cos Mickey Mouse is dead They shot him through the head With ignorance and scorn They believed in something new They read the papers, watched the films And thought they knew the truth Look what you done to Mickey Mouse But reality deceives Whatever you believe There's always another idea And theirs is based on fear The fear of being sussed For what they really are The fear of being laughed at When they go too far They call it paranoia You can't laugh it away Until you come to realize Everyone's the same People hide their problems Under faces of contempt They hide 'em, till it kills 'em And no one is exempt Not even you Look what you done to Mickey Mouse
6.
Oh my god it's raining again And a 7-year-old anarchist is blowing up Berlin My Subs LP is still brand-new But what does it matter? There's nothing I can do There's a great big hole in my back door And everyone expects a nuclear war I've been on the beer--I think I'm gonna spew But what does it matter? There's nothing I can do The dust in the road gets in my eyes And the system tells such fucking lies Why should I believe what they say is true? But what does it matter? There's nothing I can do There's nothing I can do I wouldn't do it for you But you wouldn't do it for me Well that's the facts you see My 10-year-old sister's on the pill Ronnie Bigg's got a flat in Brazil Third generation ain't got a clue What does it matter? There's nothing I can do Nothing I can do Nothin I can fucking do I wouldn't do it for you anyway It's another day With nothing to say And there's nothing I can do
7.
Dying World 02:57
There's a hole at the bottom of the earth Where the blood pours out at the end of the day When the usual amount of people have died Sit back and watch the death and decay It's a dying world When you're living in a dying world Panicking becomes the everyday thing Buy up the food, the power and the guns Get used to the threat of the final fling It's a dying world There's a hole in your mind where nothing exists Except fear and loathing of the strange but true Facts that defy your inner intelligence Like man kills himself for something to do It's a dying world
8.
Subvert City 04:14
And it all went quiet in the city And the wind blew down the road Someone cried out "Subvert!" And the people all went cold Meanwhile back in Subvert City Someone's writing on the wall "Fuck the government" spray-paint hero Someone wants the state to fall Religious dogma crucified Ritual slaughter, no one lied Living standards were dying morals A state-controlled mass suicide The dying breed of Subvert City Crept into the underground The state police just left them there Blocked the holes and gassed them down Ten years later they emerged Mutated minds so full of hate Tried again to change the system But this time round it was too late There was no system left to change The people ran the entire land The subverts became politicians And finally got the upper hand Meanwhile back in Subvert City Someone's writing on the wall "Fuck the government" spray-paint hero But in Subvert City, it's subvert rule
9.
Big Brother 01:55
Here we are in a new age Wishing we were dead There's a TV in my front room And it's screwing up my head There's a scanner in the toilet To watch you take a bath And there's a picture of Hiroshima To make sure you never laugh Chorus: And somebody told me "Big Brother's watching you" And somebody else said "You know it's not true" Who do you believe? Well the police have all gone crazy You never had it so bad They take away the dignity That you never really had They know all about you They even know what you drink And if they thought you were worth it They could sus out what you think Chorus Well they asked me how to prove it And there was nothing I could say I said "Watch out for Big Brother" And then they put me away They said I was paranoid Because I wrote this song But they didn't need to read it Because they knew it all along Chorus
10.
New Age 01:40
So you're living in fast world See the people you've already killed See what you've done with that machine of yours You can't justify it, you ain't got a cause Chorus: It's only cos we're living in a new age You don't know what you're like when you're in a rage They're gonna put you away in a cage You better start to act your age Victims running, they are screaming Living nightmares, they're not dreaming They're too scared to walk the streets The one with a gun they're afraid to meet Chorus You know you're killing off the race They'll lock you away and change your face Hatred of the new age turned your mind Can't bear to live with the rest of mankind Chorus
11.
It's getting out of hand They don't understand They never ever will They never ever can I don't wanna live if I can't be free The system kills but it won't kill me I don't wanna die Can't run away come back someday Cos it won't change Whatever you say Fear and guilt up to the hilt They can't escape from the walls they built I don't wanna die They gave me a gun and told me to run Defend your country from the atom bomb I said why? they couldn't reply The system kills but I don't wanna die I don't wanna die
12.
No 01:49
no i don't believe in jesus christ my mother died of cancer when i was 5 no i don't believe in religion i was forced to go to church, i wasn't told why no i don't believe in the police force police brutality isn't a dream no i don't believe in the system cos nothing it does makes sense to me don't worry you'll get over it you'll grow up, you'll calm down another youth, another fashion you'll get over it, you'll calm down you don't really mean what you say you've had too much to drink don't be so full of hated it's not as bad as you think no i don't believe in what you say you're just part of what i despise yes you're part of the fucking system i ain't blind, i can see your lies cos the system thrives on ignorance what the public don't know, they can't reject in the face of you all i stand defiant the rest of the people they wanna forget
13.
There's a film at the cinema And people go in pairs They show it at night And some people get scared And once you're inside They lock all the doors And the seats are all empty And there's blood on the floor Chorus: It's a Zyklon B-Movie Straight out of the past It's a Zyklon B-Movie And it could be your last And there's a nine-year old girl Who came for a scream She's screaming all night And it isn't a dream This is just the support film To get you warmed up But it's quite the reverse Because it freezes your blood Chorus And the gas rises up From under the chairs This film is so lifelike It feels like you're there It's a Zyklon B-Movie Certificate X If this was the first film Then what could come next? It's a Zyklon B-Movie Certificate Z The Z is for Zyklon And the people are dead
14.
Oh what a great experience My house is full of deviants My Dad is going mad downstairs My brother has just died his hair Chorus: We got punks and drunks and thrills and pills And lots of things to make your head go round It's fun fun fun fun fun til the pigs come round Someone's banging on a drum Smoke and drink well this is fun The neighbors are smashing in the walls My Mum is making telephone calls Chorus Pigs outside but no one cares Heavy jackboots up the stairs It's the D.S., what a joke "Hey man, do ya want some smoke?" Chorus
15.
No More Gigs 02:53
In a smoke-filled room "How's it going then?" "It's not going at all We got no more gigs" You always knew it could be better But you never thought it would end It only happens cos of other people All the money that that they spend On David Bowie LPs When I told her we were finished She smoked a cigarette and sighed "One last fag before we go home" She said she loved me then she died It doesn't happen like this So you always get what you pay for But the end result is always the same You lose everything you always wanted Because you couldn't afford to pay All the smoke-filled room contains is dejected people with no aims A bottle of gin, a packet of cigs Sing, brother, sing, we got no more gigs
16.
Silence - is no reaction "Violence" - that one-word caption Can you say it with just one word? Unspoken - the sins that go unheard [Chorus:] Government... bullshit Black and white... fight Look though this broken window From normality into the ghetto Broken through madness, hate, and boredom U.K. - a disunited kingdom [Chorus] Inquiries, but no solutions Faceless, empty illusions Reasons are always pushed aside Remember the day the country died

about

REVIEW from Sputnikmusic.com
There was only one year to go when this record was recorded, and Orwell's paranoid classic work '1984' really informed Dick Lucas' lyrics. Most of the music press are in agreement that The Clash's 'London Calling' or The Sex Pistols 'Never mind the Bollocks here's the...' are the essential punk rock records. This is the same press that declared punk rock a spent force when Sid Vicious shook his mortal coil with a copious heroin dose courtesy of his doting mother. By 1983 The Clash had abandoned their furious punk rock roots, the Sex Pistols had disastrously split and the press was clamouring for the first publication of ''the next big thing''.

However, punk rock was far from over. Once the movement had lost its mainstream popularity, only those who really wanted to be a part of it were left. Gone were Vivienne Westwood’s brilliantly offensive torn t-shirts, now it was more likely an all black uniform with striking symbols of peace and anarchy painted on the garments. The imagery of Crass and Discharge was the uniform of choice. But where was the sense of humour? Although Crass did use a lot of humour to make their points, so many people missed the joke. Where was the sarcasm and wit akin to Jello Biafra for the UK scene?

Allow me to introduce Dick Lucas, with sharp witted lyrics a raspy voice and a furious band The Subhumans, spelled [SUB][HUM][ANS] as many studded leather jackets will tell you. They were not the usual early eighties punk rock band, not quite falling in with the anarcho punks due to their melodic music, nor did they fit in with the Oi! Crowd, as their lyrics detailed more than football, fighting and alcohol.

The lyrics are one of the best things about this record, the well read band wrote very well informed and incisive lyrics, with a wide range of subjects. With subject matter ranging from nuclear war and destruction on a national scale to squat parties, the band has played many squat gigs over the years.

The frightening front cover depicts an anarcho punk being shot through the head amidst a frenzy of oppressive imagery, such as the solemn priest, a policeman with a wicked grin and nuclear missiles flying through the air. This may lead people to believe it will be an equally frightening listen, however, the Subhumans have a keen ear for melody as well as damning riffs. One minute the melody is slow dark and frightening, the next fast paced, righteous and furious. This fits the subject matter perfectly, fast minor chords with anxious lyrics concerning Lucas’ smoking habits one minute, and terrifying warnings of a nuclear holocaust the next.

The record begins with the ominous ambience of an empty wasteland, with the sound of a falling bomb, before the crash however the music begins with muted chords and the unforgettable chorus of “So long to the world, that’s what they said, it’s 1984 and it’s all gone dead”. Each song tears straight into the next, which unusual for early 1980s anarcho records, which often feature television and radio broadcasts between their songs, on this record, the Subhumans make their point just using their lyricism and fast paced punk rock music.

The highlights of the record are “Minority”, “Mickey Mouse Is Dead”, “Subvert City”, “No” and “No More Gigs”.

Minority makes an anxious attack on majority rules, angry that most of societies decisions are made to benefit the majority who don’t even understand the issue. This goes straight into the ‘’Dun dun dun dun’’ guitar intro to ‘’Mickey Mouse Is Dead’’ with Lucas’ angered chant tearing over the top, then the guitars thrash onwards at blistering speed, with lyrics concerning the tampering and over serious explanations of cartoons, this then builds up to the chant of “1 2 3 4 Look what you’ve done to Mickey Mouse” usually the tune of “We don’t want your ***ing war” this is an example of the way Subhumans were a bit too serious for most of the anarcho crowd.

“Subvert City” is the most obvious nod towards Orwell’s 1984 novel. ‘’Borrowing’’ its riff from The Vibrators ‘’Troops Of Tomorrow’’ it is a narrative tale of those who fight for liberty now, will control with fear in the future, set in the midst of a nuclear holocaust, ‘’Subvert City’’ remains one of Subhumans finest moments.

“No” begins with the ever memorable opening line of “No I don’t believe in Jesus Christ, cos my mother dies of cancer when I was five. No I don’t believe in religion, I was forced to go to church when I was five” the common punk rock subject of religion, getting a good hateful once over. The song doesn’t stop there though, continuing to disregard the police, fashion, the system and it’s media. Like a continuation of “Minority” this is written as a response to claims of “It’s not that bad” and “You’ll grow out of it”, something many punks believe they will NEVER do.

“No More Gigs” is the records ultimate statement; it’s a vicious attack on straight society. Angry at peoples apathy towards modern cultural efforts and information, and their willingness to conform to the whims of the music press “all their money wasted, on David Bowie LPs”.

Although a David Bowie record would not be an unwise purchase, this record is truly one of the best punk rock records of all time, and doesn’t deserve to be ignored or forgotten.

credits

released February 1, 1983

Dick voice/words
Bruce guitar/voice
Grant bass
Trotsky drums
recorded Pickwick studios Corsham 22-26 June 1982
engineered by Steve Collinson
art by Nick Lant
first released on Flux of Pink Indians' Spiderleg Records [SDL7]
re-released on Bluurg Records [XLP1]

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