Chumbawamba Albums for song lyrics and biography.

Chumbawamba are a band from the UK who use their music to promote anarchist ideas. Originally called The Mirror Boys, Chumbawamba were formed in 1982 from two other bands based in Yorkshire in the North of England, The Passion Killers and Chimp Eats Banana. Inspired musically by The Fall and the anarchist politics of Crass, Chumbawamba's activities in their early years were based around a communal house in Armley, Leeds. Stalwarts of the cassette culture scene, Chumbawamba were at the forefront of the 1980s anarcho-punk movement, frequently playing benefit gigs in squats and small halls for causes such as animal rights, the anti-war movement, and community groups.

Apparently, the name "Chumbawamba" does not mean anything. According to Chumbawamba's official FAQ: "Chumbawamba doesn’t mean anything. At the time we formed (early 80’s) there was a rush of bands with obvious names. It was the time of ‘peace punk’ and you couldn’t get across a youth club dance floor without bumping into a Disorder, a Subhumans, a Decadent Youth or an Anthrax t-shirt. We liked the sound of Chumbawamba because it wasn’t nailing ourselves down. Thatcher On Acid were a good band but it’s lucky for them that Thatcher stayed in power for 11 years. If her influence had only lasted 18 months Thatcher On Acid’s sell by date would have come and gone a lot sooner. We wanted a name which wouldn’t date."

Despire our best efforts, we can't possibly cover all the lyrics to all the songs ever written. If you can't find the lyrics that you are looking for, try asking in the Lyrics Forum.

By the mid-1980s Chumbawamba had progressed to releasing their material using vinyl format on their own Agit-Prop record label, which had evolved from an earlier project, Sky and Trees Records. Their first LP, Pictures Of Starving Children Sell Records was a scathing and articulate critique of the then current Live Aid concert organised by Bob Geldof, which they argued was primarily a cosmetic spectacle designed to draw attention away from the real political causes of world hunger. By the late 1980s and early 1990s, Chumbawamba had begun to absorb influences from techno music and dance culture. Moving away from their original anarcho-punk roots and evolving a pop sensibility, releases such as Slap, the sample-heavy Shhh! (originally intended to be released as Jesus H Christ!), and Anarchy lyrically remained as politically uncompromising as ever, continuing to address issues such as homophobia, the Criminal Justice Act and the rise of fascism in the UK following the election of a British National Party candidate in south-east London in 1993.

Chumbawamba drew criticism from their original following in 1997 when they signed to the major label EMI, particularly as much of their earlier output had explicitly attacked this corporation and they had even been involved with a compilation LP called Fuck EMI in 1989. However, the band argued that this move brought with it the opportunity to make the band financially viable as well as to communicate their message to a far wider audience, although ironically their biggest chart hit, "Tubthumping", features what are probably the most apolitical of any of their lyrics. It was also during this period that Chumbawamba gained some notoriety when male vocalist Danbert Nobacon poured a jug of water over the UK Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott at the 1998 Brit Awards.

All song lyrics for Chumbawamba are here! This is the place for music! This is the place for fun! This is the place for lyrics!

Chumbawamba parted from EMI in 2001, and in 2002, formed their own record label, MUTT, for UK releases. Under MUTT, Chumbawamba released their eleventh official album, Readymades, as well as Sic- Adventures In Anti-capitalism, a paperback book of political and musical writings by friends and acquaintances of the band. General Motors paid Chumbawamba $100,000 to use their song "Pass it Along" for a Pontiac Vibe television advertisement in 2002. Chumbawamba gave the money to the anti-corporate activist groups Indymedia and CorpWatch. In 2004 they released an album of 'world music' influenced songs entitled Un, which addressed such current concerns as eBay and Buy Nothing Day.