[1] The Men They Couldn't Hang came together in 1984 to perform at the alternative music festival in Camden Town alongside The Pogues and the Boothill Foot Tappers.

Paul Simmonds, Philip 'Swill' Odgers and his brother Jon, veterans of the Southampton-based pop-punk band Catch 22, met Pogues roadie Stefan Cush whilst busking in Shepherd's Bush in London.

[1] Written by Eric Bogle (of "And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" fame), the song's protagonist imagined having a conversation with one of the fallen soldiers of World War I whilst sitting by his graveside.

The following year they were signed to the Demon label, which released their début album, Night of a Thousand Candles, and its accompanying single "Ironmasters", a self-penned number by main songwriter Simmonds, linking the Industrial Revolution to the present-day treatment of the working class.

[1] The original final line of the song, "and oh, that iron bastard, she still gets her way" (a reference to the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher), had to be removed for the recorded version to ensure radio airplay.

At the end of promotion for the album, Shanne Bradley left to create music with Wreckless Eric and The Chicken Family; she was replaced on bass by Ricky McGuire (ex UK Subs).

Whilst "The Colours" was at Number 61 in the UK Singles Chart it was blacklisted by BBC Radio 1 because of the line "You've come here to watch me hang", which echoed the events happening in South African townships at the time, in particular the plight of the Sharpeville Six.

[needs update] In October 2006 the band announced on their website titles of five new tracks they are demoing for their new album: "Brixton Hill", "Jam Tomorrow", "Madelaine", "Man in the Subway" and "The Winter Wind".

In January 2007 more song titles were announced: "Cocaine Housewife", "Love Tomorrow", "Pair of Shoes", "Lead Me to the Gallows", "Whisky & Wine", "Snow Is Falling" and "Call Me Darling".

All except "Jam Tomorrow" and "Man in the Subway" subsequently appeared on Paul Simmonds' solo country album titled The Rising Road, released in June 2008.

2012 saw the release of an album from Stefan Cush's new band the Feral Family, and Paul Simmonds was recording and touring with roots singer Naomi Bedford as well as numerous live dates for TMTCH.

They headlined the 10th anniversary commemoration of Joe Strummer's Acton Town Hall show which also featured a special guest appearance by Hard Fi.

Shane MacGowan of the Pogues named an instrumental "Shanne Bradley", after the original bassist of The Men They Couldn't Hang and member of his previous band The Nipple Erectors.