Dave Mustaine was an early member of the band Metallica, and helped pen tracks that wound up on their first two albums. In 1983, Mustaine was let go from the group by Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield due to personal conflicts and substance abuse. He would be replaced by Kirk Hammett, guitarist for the Bay Area thrash band Exodus, who remains with the band to this day. Dave felt slighted and vowed to make his own band, which would be even faster and heavier than Metallica. Mustaine picked the name "Megadeth" from a pamphlet by California senator Alan Cranston that read: "The arsenal of megadeath can't be rid no matter what the peace treaties come to."
In 1985, Megadeth released their debut album, Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!, on the independent record label Combat Records, to moderate success. It caught the attention of bigger labels, which led to Megadeth signing with Capitol Records. Their first major-label album, Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?, was released in 1986 and was a major hit with the underground metal scene. Band members' substance abuse issues and personal disputes had brought Megadeth negative publicity during the late 1980s. Nonetheless, the band went on to release a number of platinum-selling albums, including So Far, So Good... So What! (1988), Rust in Peace (1990), and Countdown to Extinction (1992). These albums, along with worldwide tours, brought them public recognition.
Megadeth has had numerous guitarists, drummers and bassists throughout its 39-year career, with Mustaine being the only remaining original member of the group. The band temporarily disbanded in 2002 when Mustaine suffered an arm injury and re-established in 2004 without longtime bassist David Ellefson, who had taken legal action against him. Ellefson settled out of court and rejoined the band in 2010, but was fired in 2021 amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Megadeth's current lineup includes Mustaine, bassist James LoMenzo, guitarist Kiko Loureiro and drummer Dirk Verbeuren.
Megadeth earned platinum certifications in the United States for six of its sixteen studio albums, and has received twelve Grammy nominations. Megadeth won its first Grammy Award in 2017 for the song "Dystopia" in the Best Metal Performance category. The band's mascot, Vic Rattlehead, regularly appears on album artwork and live shows. Megadeth has hosted its own music festival, Gigantour, several times since July 2005, and held its first MegaCruise in October 2019.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megadeth
Studio albums
Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! (1985)
Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? (1986)
So Far, So Good... So What! (1988)
Rust in Peace (1990)
Countdown to Extinction (1992)
Youthanasia (1994)
Cryptic Writings (1997)
Risk (1999)
The World Needs a Hero (2001)
The System Has Failed (2004)
United Abominations (2007)
Endgame (2009)
Thirteen (2011)
Super Collider (2013)
Dystopia (2016)
The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead! (2022)
Symphony of Destruction
Megadeth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And put him in control
Watch him become a god
Watch people's heads a-roll
A-roll, a-roll
Just like the Pied Piper
Led rats through the streets
We dance like marionettes
Swaying to the symphony
Of destruction
Acting like a robot
Its metal brain corrodes
You try to take its pulse
Before the head explodes
Explodes, explodes
Just like the Pied Piper
Led rats through the streets
We dance like marionettes
Swaying to the symphony
Just like the Pied Piper
Led rats through the streets
We dance like marionettes
Swaying to the symphony
Swaying to the symphony
Of destruction
The earth starts to rumble
World powers fall
A-warring for the heavens
A peaceful man stands tall
Tall, tall
Just like the Pied Piper
Led rats through the streets
We dance like marionettes
Swaying to the symphony
Just like the Pied Piper
Led rats through the streets
We dance like marionettes
Swaying to the symphony
Swaying to the symphony
Of destruction
The lyrics of "Symphony of Destruction" by Megadeth are a commentary on the dangers of giving one person or a group of people too much control or power, and the potential disastrous consequences of such a situation. The opening lines, "You take a mortal man / And put him in control / Watch him become a god / Watch people's heads a-roll" suggest that when an individual is given too much power, they can become tyrannical, and those under their control suffer greatly. The reference to rolling heads implies that people are being executed for disobedience or dissent.
The song also draws parallels to the Pied Piper, a fairy tale character who played music to lead rats out of town. Here, the "Pied Piper" could refer to a person or group who is leading others down a dangerous path, causing them to act like "marionettes" or puppets, blindly following orders without question. At the same time, the "symphony of destruction" represents the chaos and violence that can arise from situations when people are stripped of their agency.
As the song progresses, the lyrics suggest that this pattern of behavior could lead to the collapse of world powers, as a "peaceful man" eventually stands up against the tyranny. This person could represent a voice of reason or a symbol of resistance, challenging the status quo and potentially disrupting the cycle of destruction.
Overall, "Symphony of Destruction" is a warning against authoritarianism and the potential devastation that can occur when too much power is concentrated in the hands of a few.
Line by Line Meaning
You take a mortal man
A mortal man is given power and control.
And put him in control
This newly empowered man is now in charge.
Watch him become a god
With this newfound power, the man begins to feel god-like.
Watch people's heads a-roll
His power is causing others to suffer and roll their heads in agony.
A-roll, a-roll
Repeated for emphasis.
Just like the Pied Piper
An analogy comparing the situation to the story of the Pied Piper.
Led rats through the streets
The Pied Piper led rats through the streets with his music.
We dance like marionettes
The people who are suffering due to the man's power are like puppets on strings, dancing to his tune.
Swaying to the symphony
This is their 'dance', being swayed by the power and destruction caused by the man.
Of destruction
The symphony being played here is the symphony of destruction caused by the man's power.
Acting like a robot
People are acting like robots, devoid of emotion and solely focused on the destruction caused by the man's power.
Its metal brain corrodes
This robotic behavior is causing people to degrade mentally, as if their brains are corroding.
You try to take its pulse
Just like a doctor trying to check a patient's vital signs, people are trying to figure out what's going on with the man's power.
Before the head explodes
The situation is so explosive and dangerous that people are afraid the man's head might literally explode.
Explodes, explodes
Repeated for emphasis.
The earth starts to rumble
The destruction caused by the man's power is literally shaking the world.
World powers fall
This destruction is so significant that powerful nations are falling apart.
A-warring for the heavens
This destruction is even causing wars in the heavens or between gods.
A peaceful man stands tall
Despite all of this destruction, one peaceful man stands tall, a symbol of hope amongst the chaos.
Tall, tall
Repeated for emphasis.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dave Mustaine
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind