Damned, The - I Just Can't Be Happy Today Lyrics






I just can't be happy today
I just can't be happy today

A lot of you know there's not a smile
There's no feeling fun without being fine
It's a price on your head
Nobody sighed when justice is read

I just can't be happy today
I just can't be happy today

They're closing the schools
They're burning the books
The church is in ruins
The priests hang on hooks
The radios on ice
The telly's been banned
The army's in power
The devil commands

Illegal to dance, forbidden to cry
You do what you're told, you never ask why
Ignore all those fools
They don't understand we make our own rules

I just can't be happy today
I just can't be happy today
I just can't be happy, just can't be happy, just can't be happy today
I just can't be happy, just can't be happy, just can't be happy today





Other Lyrics by Artist

Rand Lyrics

Last Posts

Damned, The I Just Can't Be Happy Today Comments
  1. P.... B....

    Great band when i first saw them supported Motorhead at Wolverhampton

  2. I.... ....

    Ace track!

  3. P.... V....

    Yeah,.. pretty much😒

  4. S.... D....

    Dead Kennedy's now I think. Then some 999.

  5. S.... D....

    The Devil commands..

  6. S.... D....

    What not to like?

  7. t.... l....

    Simply Awesome, love it

  8. S.... M....

    Check out the old video from the old grey whistle test :) this is the damned's best album

  9. a.... ....

    sounds like Robin Williams singing.

  10. m.... n....

    When I was younger and used to listen to this I’d envisage the future if it was gonna be like in the lyrics... Now I can see the time coming when “ the priest hangs on hooks” and the devil commands.!

    m.... n....

    been there for decades . + check out the falls hey ! luciani. . and who and what it's about.

  11. A.... D....

    Brilliant 20th century band. Played at many punk parties in the 20th century (early 1980's). And we are all happy in 2019 that they did. Haha.

  12. P.... S....

    Love the Damned! Got to meet Mr. Vanian once, after a gig, while he was touring with the Phantom Chords. Really nice guy. Immediately after they finished playing, Roman Jugg came off the stage, walked up and introduced himself to me. Completely random.

  13. R.... P....

    That fuckin masterpiece like Edgar Allan Poe in PuNk

  14. L.... D....

    https://www.facebook.com/Lannigs-131834483621641/

  15. A.... G....

    Yet so happy

  16. M.... G....

    Great underrated band !!

  17. P.... ....

    ... great lyrics and song, thank you for posting

  18. l.... ....

    1:58-2:15 always makes me think of the Morph theme tune

  19. D.... S....

    Best blokey song ever

  20. T.... ....

    Only song I ever knew from the Damned was Neat Neat Neat. Heard this on Toy Machine's Subhumans tour video years ago. Good stuff

  21. B.... T....

    I Just Can't Be Happy Today
    I Just Can't Be Happy Today

    A lot of you know there's nothing to smile
    There's no feeling fine without being fined
    It's a price on your head
    No point being sad when justice is red

    I Just Can't Be Happy Today
    I Just Can't Be Happy Today

    They're closing the schools
    They're burning the books
    The church is in ruins
    The priests hang on hooks
    The radios on ice
    The telly's been banned
    The army's in power
    The devil commands

    Illegal to dance Forbidden to cry
    You do what you're told and never ask why
    Ignore all those fools
    They don't understand we make our own rules

    I Just Can't Be Happy Today
    I Just Can't Be Happy Today
    I Just Can't Be Happy, Just Can't Be Happy, Just Can't Be Happy Today
    I Just Can't Be Happy, Just Can't Be Happy, Just Can't Be Happy Today

  22. Z.... W....

    I just can't stop being hapy today

  23. R.... P....

    Fuckin love it <3

  24. P.... K....

    This album and the stranglers black and white album changed my life forever(for the better)🙂

  25. d.... ....

    The best Damned song ever and there were many.

  26. b.... ....

    Anyone from tge scene varrify a London rat that dated Dave? Her name started with an L, not trying to put her info up, just confirm if poss she was infact Dave's lady friend lol. Blonde, pretty puff hair, she's a pretty coo ole Chic. Welsh I believe

  27. c.... ....

    damn happy.

  28. d.... ....

    Great band, great song.

  29. l.... t....

    Very late 60s influenced.. Love it

  30. T.... C....

    LOVE THIS TRACK.. and this band.. seeing them in a few hours #tHEdAMNED rules !!!

  31. T.... C....

    The Damned rules!xoxoThe Clarences

  32. n.... ....

    I saw the Damned a few times back in the day ....great band ...I saw them in some gig in Mossside Manchester...some place in a field in Yorkshire ..and some place in the backend of salford ...where I stopped for some libation prior to the gig in a nasty back street pub and who should wonder in?....nope not a member of the band... but Antony Burgess himself followed by a Swedish film crew ....so I met the Author of Clock Work Orange (and he was nice enough to buy the drinks for the disruption..he was so nice what a great guy) ...scruffy as they come..apparently he was revisiting all the haunts his dad used to play piano in when he was lad..so thanks to Damned to having me in that place and time!

    n.... ....

    The damned was on in alexander park with john cooper clark 1981 is that when you mean i was also there

    n.... ....

    Ive seen at Wolverhampton and also supporting Motorhead

  33. D.... l....

    One gig in early 2000's they played this track for my dog that had just died. The drummer was a close family friend (not Scabies, Pinch). Was a helluva tribute to a faithful hound.

  34. s.... k....

    brilliant going to see the damned 40th in nov

    s.... k....

    Adam Ant's the bloody same. These guys, a decade older than me, keep my hope up. Rat was brilliant. Just gifted.

    s.... k....

    Scabies got thrown out the damned but has the rights to some off the old songs so every gig the damned plays rat gets paid royalties

    s.... k....

    Rat has he's own band with Brian James they do all the early damned stuff

    s.... k....

    He's doing OK

    s.... k....

    Looking forward to seeing them this Saturday down at the Stone Pony, Asbury Park, New Jersey. Hope my back & knees are OK for some pogoing

  35. K.... ....

    Is this The Damneds' first Gothic horror track? Plus The Black Album live version pays note to my point.

    K.... ....

    @Kelly14UK graveyard grimness i don't think the song is about that.

    K.... ....

    Obviously @Cedric Rubingisa

    K.... ....

    It was actually supposed to be a piss-take of some of the miserable bands that were around at the time.

    K.... ....

    The Damned were the most fun. @Andy Holland

  36. I.... O....

    Truer words have never been said

  37. I.... D....

    10cc left their Mellatron in the studio used to record this awesome album. You can hear the Damned using it at the beginning of this song. ( Listen for the `I`m not in love` sound )

    I.... D....

    "I'm not in Love" wasn't a mellotron - it was individual tracks of each note sung vocally and then faded in as needed on the mixer. That's how they got that sound

    I.... D....

    For the main longer vocal parts yes. There are lots of mellotron parts in it. Listen to the middle section.

    I.... D....

    It's not a mellotron, it's a Farfisa, based upon the Captain's fascination at the time with 'Piper at the Gates of Dawn' - one of the main reasons they tried to get Syd Barrett to produce MFP but ended up with Nick Mason instead.

    I.... D....

    Isleofwight Dave
    Thanks IsleofWightDave n John, great stuff

    I.... D....

    Wow. How obscure can you get?

  38. M.... P....

    Its always hard to be happy.....

    M.... P....

    +Martin Philliban Especially if you are British and forty something in this SHIT era of Britishness.

    M.... P....

    Kelly14UK yes the UK has declined and become Londinistan! What the fuck happened. Now you wish the National front was still around!

    M.... P....

    Forget the Far Right, man. Arseholes who'll rule you as bad as the so called "liberals" that Fascist us these days. They're all the BLOODY SAME.

  39. t.... ....

    This song is almost as old as me, I'm a few months older, but it's appropriate for me, this and message in a bottle, they're both almost signature tunes for me, and from the same year!

  40. �.... ....

    voice like Ian Curtis
    joke.

    �.... ....

    Pot Big Here, bounce on this for a few hours: ( _ ) _ )::::::::::D~~~~<

    �.... ....

    Vanian does sound like Curtis here.

  41. S.... A....

    Im not always happy but I really want to be.  I really try its soooo hard.

  42. I.... M....

    I actually am happy. I just want my surgery done. Do not tell me I do not have thing's I do not need to get done.

  43. i.... ....

    Saw them in Santa Cruz last week. They rocked it!!

  44. o.... o....

    Keith man exploited and casualties aint no hardcore man hardcore was a American phenomenon exploited early exploited was more like raw sounding street punk same with casualties now some new exploited has a thrash sound

  45. C.... ....

    In love

  46. B.... D....

    i wish i could play this awesome keyboard solo. how can i?

    B.... D....

    Practice?

  47. m.... r....

    great band one of the best

  48. m.... r....

    agreed!!

  49. K.... L....

    Good song, good band, but there is different subcategories of Punk as with all genres. The Damned I would label Psychodelic Punk or New Wave lol. Green Day as Pop Punk. The Exploited,The Casualties are Hardcore Punk.

    K.... L....

    There are Hardcore Punk songs on Machine Gun Etiquette too.

  50. p.... ....

    Just think bout all those kids who say "mam, dad, listen to Green Day" when their parents say No! you listen to The Damned!!!!!

    p.... ....

    When I was a kid, I listened to Green Day. My dad introduced me to proper punk (The Damned in particular), and I never looked back.

  51. C.... M....

    Even though what you say has some truth to it though I do love the taste to Coca Cola along with preferring the Damned a million times over Green Day any day.

  52. T.... P....

    one of the best singles i ever bought as a youngset still love it now 30+ years later
    (words back then still same today) Iran then and now

  53. s.... ....

    If it's like coke, that means it gets worse the more popular and money they get, which is true.

  54. T.... R....

    Classic track! If you want to get The Damned to Number 1 this Christmas, search for "thedamnedforxmasnumberone" on Facebook!

  55. k.... ....

    First record I ever bought, age 13, 1980. Still great, still have it.

  56. K.... N....

    London Calling and Machine Gun Etiquette are both good albums... Can't we just make an army together against Disney and Muchmusic? Personally, I prefer the Damned to the Clash, but they're BOTH way better than Miley Cyrus and Drake. Am I right?

  57. F.... ....

    Lent this to a mate in'79, coloured vinyl, and haven't seen since.Thank god for Youtube

  58. t.... ....

    great album

  59. f.... ....

    Saying something is real punk and something isn't real punk is illogical. Punk has no rules. Therefore all punk is, is rock and roll and angry people playing about their anger. It has nothing to do with not signing to major labels or rules for that goes against punk. Punk is freedom of expression. So how could you say something is real punk and isn't real punk?

  60. p.... ....

    one of my fav damned songs

  61. e.... p....

    Borrowed this (an' never gave it back)of a mate back in 79,listened to it to death on a shite record player ,a pass me down of me ma,always loved it ,still do,this was what punk was about,fun,being daft and not being a bunch of po faced fashion statements i.e the clash,to poe faced and serious an honestly London calling was and is still boring!

  62. F.... ....

    London Calling gets more respect from this time, but your music collection is much better with both this and that, rather than just one. I hope to blast this if I live to 110, and get kicked out or unplugged for it.

    F.... ....

    Flook68 Hahaha... you made my day today.

  63. S.... H....

    fer chrissake. I bought it when it came out. my understanding is this band was actually the first and predated the pistols by a few months. this is punk. greenday??? lol. iggy pop, maybe, but that is not really dystopian enough. jeez. kids. they though we were stupid. oh, and we were.

  64. a.... ....

    Actually is after punk but great though.

  65. a.... m....

    Who can believe that greenday is not punk Mam

  66. P.... B....

    @zopicloneable I came on here hoping the top comment was that. that solo makes this entire song for me. I like The Damned but this song without it is just generic punk.

    Makes me smile every time and the mistakes and timing make it even better.g

  67. 0.... ....

    @narred ...the church is in ruins....

  68. J.... E....

    @narred I think Imma turn Goth just for the hell of it GREENDAY CAN FUCK JUSTIN BIEBER

  69. M.... ....

    wow no dislikes, not that the song is bad as its good but seriously, no dislikes wow

  70. C.... ....

    The Damned and this song in particular is a work of fucking art.

  71. 0.... ....

    @narred errrr....the church is in ruins.....

  72. T.... ....

    quality,,,

  73. m.... ....

    @arnyarny77 Fine stuff for sure.

  74. c.... J....

    Green day is for the coca cola kids....it seems punks, it tastes punk but it's not punk...
    The damned forever...

  75. s.... ....

    will every stop with saying green day is crap or it isnt punk there are many kinds of punk and every punk song is great so stop saying that some bands are not punk or its crap it is punk only an different style and now every one shut the fuck up and listen!!! :D

  76. n.... ....

    great shit greed day great but oldies are goodies

  77. 1.... ....

    greenday who the fuck are they?sorry to say if u missed punk in the late 70s early 8os u missed out .

  78. s.... ....

    wicked, they astonish me other songs of these guys as well

  79. D.... ....

    the church isn't in power. it's in ruins.
    i've seen them play this loads of times and dave gets the lyric wromg all the time

  80. e.... ....

    greenday sucks ass. Pathetic excuse for punk. But the damned rock!

  81. Z.... P....

    @islespatrick the damned is real punk and green day is real punk too
    and fuck you

  82. C.... K....

    @narred well, I used to go to the same dealer as Topper....lol

  83. J.... ....

    bit trebbly but great song

  84. c.... ....

    Not happy today!

  85. S.... P....

    Wow, no dislikes, shows how great this song is!

  86. 0.... ....

    @kevintheshedend1976 ...it changed nothing,the "Government" is still in power,doing whatever Big Business tells it too.....

  87. K.... ....

    @KillingJoke696 It was one of their first Goth tracks, preceding Curtain Call, 13th Floor Vendetta, and everything else.

  88. K.... ....

    I Just Can't Be Happy Today... Bloody freeze up might come back!

  89. K.... S....

    @narred . The church is in ruins.

  90. M.... ....

    First song I heard from The Damned..
    and i can't stop listening to them !!

  91. D.... ....

    Love the damned!

  92. d.... s....

    Thanks.... really needed hear this one today....
    cheers,

  93. d.... ....

    @seirbeach I beg to differ. I'm 17 and diggin this stuff

  94. s.... ....

    They dont write them like they used to...young people these days...'ave no respect for their elders and far superiors!!!!!!!!!

  95. S.... P....

    thank you fery 2 for posting a great song ,great album.

  96. g.... ....

    There was always something quite emotive and moving about the Damned's material that didn't surface in most other punk outfits.

  97. M.... ....

    I'm 47.Pity the poor saps of today who have to listen to crap...Gangsta Rap,City Rap my arse.Little boys singing about life when they havn't yet reached pubity.Punk meant something.never to be bettered or repeated