THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

273-The Damned-New Rose.

1976-Has never charted in the UK.

Best Bit-At 0.18. This song is generally accepted as the very first British Punk Rock single.

The Damned (see also best songs 515) were formed in London, England, in 1976 by Dave Vanian. (born David Lett) Brian James, (born Brian Robertson) Captain Sensible, (born Raymond Ian Burns) (see also best songs 833) and Rat Scabies (born Christopher John Millar.) Vanian, Sensible, and Scabies had all previously been members of ‘Masters of the Backside’ who were an early Punk Rock Band managed by Malcolm McLaren, (see also best songs 751-576-92 and 27) another member of that group was Chrissie Hynde who would later go on to be the lead singer of The Pretenders. Prior to joining The Damned Brian James had been a member of the Pub Rock outfit ‘London SS,’ whose other members included Mick Jones, who went on to form The Clash, and Big Audio Dynamite, (see also best songs 867-638 and 294) and Tony James who would join the Punk band ‘Chelsea,’ before finding further success with Generation X, and Sigue Sigue Sputnik (see also best songs 163.) In total there have been 19 official members of The Damned come and go, and they remain active, with David Vanian being the bands one constant. They have released 11 studio Albums between 1977-2018, and 45 singles, of which 10 have reached the UK top 40, with their cover of ‘Eloise’ being the most successful when making Number 3 in 1986.

‘New Rose’ was added to The Damned’s debut studio Album ‘Damned Damned Damned’ released in February 1977, four months after the release of ‘New Rose,’ which is considered to be the first British Punk Rock single, from the first full length Album released by a British Punk group. The majority of the Album, and ‘New Rose’ was written by Brian James who would also write the bands second Album ‘Music for Pleasure’ before leaving the band at the end of 1977. James has explained the songs meaning,’Everyone thinks New Rose is about a girl or a new relationship, but it’s not. It was about this emerging scene, this lovely buzz that you’d never dreamed could possibly happen. It was like,I’d got my own Swinging 60’s, that sorta vibe.’

‘New Rose’ and it’s parent Album was produced by Nick Lowe who was born Nicholas Drain Lowe on March 24th, 1949, in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England. Lowe would go on to produce all of the first five studio Albums for Elvis Costello, (see also best songs 836) as well as releasing 14 solo studio Albums between 1978-2013, he has also had three UK top 40 hit singles including the 1978 Number 7 song ‘I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass.’

At the very start of ‘New Rose’ David Vanian says ‘Is she really going out with him,’ this is a tribute to the ‘Shrangri-Las’ 1964 classic ‘Leader of the Pack’ (see also best songs 833.) ‘New Rose’ is about the emergence of a new scene, a new fashion, a new culture, and of course a new genre of music that was happening in 1976, which was to be coined ‘Punk Rock,’ a term previously used by American Rock critics in the early 1970’s to describe the mid-1960’s ‘Garage’ bands.

‘I got a feeling inside of me, it’s kind of strange like a stormy sea. I don’t know why, I don’t know why, I guess these things have got to be.’