You only get a single chance
The rules are very plain
The truth is well concealed inside
The details of the game

You can hear it coming
You can see it from afar
It's pale and it glimmers
Like a faded movie star

And out there in the castle
They're trying to make us scream
By sticking thumb tags in a flash
And canceling the dream

Can you find the Valium
Can you bring them soon
Lost Johnny's out there
Baying at the moon

The time has come for you to choose
You'd better get it right
Pulling girls with sharp white teeth
Are waiting in the night

But you want to really get some
It surely can't be hard
There's always trouble lurking
When you leave your own backyard

And underneath the city
The alligators sing
Of how the fool, he cannot dance
When someone cuts the strings

Can you get the morphine
Try to be so brief
Lost Johnny's out there
Looking for relief

Now Larry looks so evil
And you know he really tries
But every time he makes a play
That vital number dies

And Sally buys her underwear
From a store where no-one goes
She makes it big in photographs
On the strength of what she shows

And here inside the waiting room
The radio still screams
And we're shooting Tuinal
To murder all young dreams

Can you find your credit card
For God's sake make it quick
Lost Johnny's out there
Trying to turn a trick

Overall Meaning

The Motorhead song “Lost Johnny” is an exploration of the darker side of life and how we are all ultimately searching for some form of escape. The lyrics convey the idea that we are all playing a game, with hidden truths and details that are often obscured from view. The song suggests that there are always traps and obstacles that we must navigate in our search for happiness and fulfillment.

The lyrics describe a world full of deception and danger. The alligators under the city may represent the hidden dangers lurking in the shadows, waiting to attack us when we least expect it. Meanwhile, the references to Valium and morphine suggest the use of drugs as a means of escape from the harsh realities of life. The chorus, which speaks of Lost Johnny “baying at the moon”, could be interpreted as a representation of the primal urge within all of us, as we search for something more meaningful in life.

In the end, the song leaves us with a sense of despair and hopelessness. The final lines suggest that our dreams and aspirations are ultimately futile, and that we are all doomed to be trapped in a cycle of pain and misery. The only way to escape is to “get it right”, but even then, we are always at the mercy of the fickle hand of fate.

Line by Line Meaning

You only get a single chance
This is a one-time opportunity

The rules are very plain
The guidelines are straightforward

The truth is well concealed inside
The reality is hidden within

The details of the game
The specifics of the task

You can hear it coming
It can be predicted by sound

You can see it from afar
It is visible from a distance

It's pale and it glimmers
It is faded yet shines

Like a faded movie star
Similar to an old-time celebrity

And out there in the castle
In the vicinity of the fortress

They're trying to make us scream
The attempt is to elicit fear and panic

By sticking thumb tags in a flash
By rapidly inserting thumbtacks

And canceling the dream
And causing the dream to end abruptly

Can you find the Valium
Can you retrieve the medication Valium

Can you bring them soon
Can you bring them quickly

Lost Johnny's out there
A man named Johnny is missing

Baying at the moon
He is shouting or yelling

The time has come for you to choose
Now is the moment for you to decide

You'd better get it right
You should make the correct selection

Pulling girls with sharp white teeth
Attractive ladies with pristine teeth

Are waiting in the night
Are anticipating your arrival

But you want to really get some
But you desire to be more satisfied

It surely can't be hard
It cannot be too difficult

There's always trouble lurking
There is constantly danger present

When you leave your own backyard
When you venture away from your usual environment

And underneath the city
And below the metropolis

The alligators sing
The reptiles let out a bellow

Of how the fool, he cannot dance
Of how an unintelligent person cannot move gracefully

When someone cuts the strings
When someone severs the connections

Can you get the morphine
Can you acquire the medication morphine

Try to be so brief
Make haste

Lost Johnny's out there
A man named Johnny is missing

Looking for relief
Seeking a remedy

Now Larry looks so evil
Now Larry appears wicked

And you know he really tries
And you know he gives his all

But every time he makes a play
But every time he takes a chance

That vital number dies
That important digit disappears

And Sally buys her underwear
And Sally purchases her lingerie

From a store where no-one goes
From a shop that nobody visits

She makes it big in photographs
She becomes famous in photographs

On the strength of what she shows
Based on what she exhibits

And here inside the waiting room
And present inside the reception area

The radio still screams
The radio continues to blare

And we're shooting Tuinal
And we are injecting the drug Tuinal

To murder all young dreams
To extinguish the aspirations of the youth

Can you find your credit card
Can you locate your credit card

For God's sake make it quick
Hurry up, for heaven's sake

Lost Johnny's out there
A man named Johnny is missing

Trying to turn a trick
Attempting to deceive someone

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