Less widely-known than The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, or The Clash, but highly influential and an important part of the punk movement of the 70’s, Stiff Little Fingers have used their own experience of growing up with the ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland to combine the personal and the political in songs that shine a light on subjects that range from racism to economics, to depression.
Speaking of the oft-requested song, “My Dark Places”, singer Jake Burns opened up about his own struggles with depression, summarizing by saying, “Just fucking talk about it”.
Good advice from a great writer and performer as SLF continues its 40th anniversary tour.
My Dark Places
(Jake Burns)
Well it cuts just like as knife
Takes away your love of life
Puts out your fire and leaves you in the ashes
And you lay there in the hole
What you loved now leaves you cold
It’s hard to get the strength to face the morning
Some days you really feel like hiding
Some days you swear you’ll never go out anymore
Chorus:
And I’m not going back
I’m not going back to my dark places
I’m not going back
I’m not going back to my dark places
Well the days drag slowly by
All you want to do is cry
Nothing makes sense nothing has a reason
And the world is not the same
And you’re the one to blame
Before too long you feel just like a prisoner
Some days you really feel like screaming
Some days you swear you’ll never smile anymore
(Chorus)
It’s something they can’t see yet it seems so real to me
Can’t explain just how I feel when what I feel is no emotion
It’s not a tragedy, yet that’s how it seems to me
I wish that you could see or even for one minute be me
Well, I got there in the end
With the help of many friends
Some who helped by simply just believing
And the days look brighter now
Yet I know someday, somehow
I could end up back there in an instant
Some days I really feel like laughing
Some days I realize I must stay on my guard
Photos and Review by Jeff Ross
