Capitaneado por los hermanos Coyne, The Godfathers es un carismático quinteto londinense que practica, aún hoy, un rock potente con una sección rítmica arrolladora y riffs prodigiosos. Por edad, parece ser que llegaron tarde al punk; pero no se dejen engañar, a pesar de los trajes, son tipos duros y sólo entienden la música de esa manera. En sus canciones hay buenas letras, compromiso, historias reales despojadas de cualquier ornamento, y rebeldía, mucha rebeldía.
Birth, School, Work, Death, es el primer corte del disco homónimo lanzado en 1988. Dicen de él que fue uno de los precursores de lo que luego ha dado en llamarse rock alternativo, rock independiente y heterogéneo, como el grunge o el britpop, que beben, en mayor o menor medida, del punk.
Been turned around till I'm upside down
Been all at sea until I've drowned
And I've felt torture, I've felt pain
Just like that film with Michael Caine
I've been abused and I've been confused
And I've kissed Margaret Thatcher's shoes
And I been high and I been low
And I don't know where to go
Birth, school, work, death
Birth, school, work, death
And heroin was the love you gave
From the cradle to the grave
Boys and girls don't understand
The devil makes work for idle hands
I cut myself but I don't bleed
'Cause I don't get what I need
Doesn't matter what I say
Tomorrow's still another day
Birth, school, work, death
Birth, school, work, death
Yeah I been high and I been low
And I don't know where to go
I'm living on the never never never
This time it's gonna be forever
I'll live and die don't ask me why
I wanna go to paradise
And I don't need your sympathy
There's nothing in this world for me
Birth, school, work, death
Birth, school, work, death
Birth, school, work, death
Birth, school, work, death
Birth, school, work, death
Birth, school, work, death