Barbed Wire Love
Stiff Little Fingers · Long Way To Paradise [2008]
Across the wire we were holding hands
Hearts a-bubble in the rubble
It was love at bomb site
All you give me is barbed wire love
All caught up in barbed wire love
Tangled up in barbed wire love
Throw my leg over barbed wire love
Barbed wire love snags my jeans
Barbed wire love...
When I fell it was awful nice
Caught when not suspecting vice
The night was rife with wasteland life
You set my arm alight
All you give me is barbed wire love
All caught up in barbed wire love
Tangled up in barbed wire love
Throw my leg over barbed wire love
Barbed wire love snags my jeans
Barbed wire love...
Blasted by your booby traps
I felt the blow in both knee-caps
Your eyes did shine
Your lips were fine
And the device in your pants was out of site
All you give me is barbed wire love
All caught up in barbed wire love
Tangled up in barbed wire love
Throw my leg over barbed wire love
Barbed wire love snags my jeans
Barbed wire love...
Barbed Wire Love
Released on the 2008 reissue of Long Way To Paradise, "Barbed Wire Love" stands as a defining track for Stiff Little Fingers, capturing the raw energy of the late 1970s punk movement. The song exemplifies the band's signature blend of aggressive guitar riffs and driving rhythms, delivering a message of defiance and resilience that resonated deeply with the era's youth. As a cornerstone of their discography, the recording showcases the group's ability to transform simple, repetitive structures into anthems of social and personal struggle. Its enduring popularity highlights the band's significant influence on the post-punk and hardcore scenes, cementing their legacy as pioneers who prioritized authenticity over polish. The track remains a powerful representation of the DIY spirit that characterized the punk rock movement of the mid-1970s.