Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981 … Read Full Bio ↴Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981 by rhythm guitarist Scott Ian and bassist Dan Lilker. The group is considered one of the leaders of the thrash metal scene from the 1980s and is part of the "Big Four" of the genre, along with Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer. They were also one of the first thrash metal bands (along with Overkill and Nuclear Assault) to emerge from the East Coast. The band has released 11 studio albums, several other albums, and 26 singles, including collaborating on a single with American hip hop group Public Enemy. According to Nielsen SoundScan, Anthrax sold 2.5 million records in the United States from 1991 to 2004, with worldwide sales of 10 million. Four of the band's studio albums have also achieved gold certifications by the RIAA, including their third full-length record Among the Living (1987), which cemented Anthrax's reputation as one of the most successful thrash metal bands.

Anthrax's lineup has changed numerous times over their career, leaving Ian as the only constant member of the band. The band has had a revolving cast of singers and lead guitarists, including Neil Turbin, John Bush, Dan Spitz and Rob Caggiano. Since 2013, the band has consisted of Ian, drummer Charlie Benante, bassist Frank Bello, vocalist Joey Belladonna and lead guitarist Jonathan Donais. Ian and Benante (who replaced one-time drummer Greg D'Angelo in 1983) are the only two members to appear on every album, while Bello has been a member of Anthrax since 1984, replacing original bassist Dan Lilker. After two stints in Anthrax, from 1984 to 1992 and again from 2005 to 2007, Belladonna returned to the band in 2010.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthrax_(American_band)

Studio albums
Fistful of Metal (1984)
Spreading the Disease (1985)
Among the Living (1987)
State of Euphoria (1988)
Persistence of Time (1990)
Sound of White Noise (1993)
Stomp 442 (1995)
Volume 8: The Threat Is Real (1998)
We've Come for You All (2003)
Worship Music (2011)
For All Kings (2016)

Harms Way
Anthrax Lyrics

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Here comes the biggest asshole
That the whole world has ever seen
Watch as things turn to something
I never meant to be
Call it a side effect of my arrested development
Here with you I'm trapped, out of my element
I tear through all this wreckage
You left when you dropped the bomb

Is there something worth saving
Or do I act like nothing's wrong
The lesser of two equals gives me nothing at all
Lust and madness murder and mayhem
My whole life's been about playing
It's so surreal
Maybe that's why I touch but can't feel
Sittin' pretty as I sit up straight
Trying to find means to an end
I move into harms way
I see my face in the mirror
I feel my feet but I can't seem to walk in my shoes
When it hurts I feel closer to you
Closer than you ever knew
And the bottom line is knowing
I will die and the worms will eat me
The bottom line is knowing

Ain't no one else I can be
Running steady, smile on my face

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Anthrax's song "Harms Way" are about a man who recognizes himself as the biggest asshole in the world. He doesn't know what to do about it, and as a result, he allows himself to move into harm's way. He knows that it's not the right thing to do, but he can't help himself. The song speaks about his journey through the ruins of his past, and he does so by tackling the issues that he has caused himself. The song is a blend of themes, including lust, madness, murder, and mayhem.

The singer in the song appears to be in emotional distress as he acknowledges the things that he has done wrong. He speaks about how he tears through all the wreckage that his actions have caused, and even though he feels the pain deep within him, he is still attracted to it. The line "Sittin' pretty as I sit up straight, Trying to find means to an end, I move into harms way" seemingly means he is trying to find a path to redemption but keeps getting lost as he navigates through life. The song ends on a surreal note, where the singer accepts that he will die one day, and that's the bottom line.

Line by Line Meaning

Here comes the biggest asshole
Someone incredibly unpleasant is about to enter the picture

That the whole world has ever seen
This is going to be a historically unpleasant person

Watch as things turn to something
Something is changing but we don't know what yet

I never meant to be
But it's not something the artist wanted or intended

Call it a side effect of my arrested development
The change is due to some personal stunted growth or issue

Here with you I'm trapped, out of my element
The singer is in an uncomfortable situation, possibly due to this change

I tear through all this wreckage
The singer is dealing with the aftermath of something destructive

You left when you dropped the bomb
Someone else is responsible for the destruction

Is there something worth saving
The artist is questioning whether things are salvageable

Or do I act like nothing's wrong
A possible coping mechanism could be to pretend everything's fine

The lesser of two equals gives me nothing at all
Neither option looks good, but one is worse than the other

Lust and madness murder and mayhem
The previous changes maybe had some violent or chaotic elements

My whole life's been about playing
The singer has been living a bit of a game or charade so far

It's so surreal
Everything feels like it's not quite real

Maybe that's why I touch but can't feel
The changes have left the singer numb or unable to connect

Sittin' pretty as I sit up straight
The artist may be putting on a show of having everything under control

Trying to find means to an end
The artist is trying to figure out how to end this situation

I move into harms way
Despite the risks, the singer is purposefully moving towards danger

I see my face in the mirror
The singer is reflecting on themselves and their situation

I feel my feet but I can't seem to walk in my shoes
The artist is struggling to be themselves or navigate this situation

When it hurts I feel closer to you
The artist feels a connection to someone else when things get tough

Closer than you ever knew
This connection may be unknown or unseen by the other person

And the bottom line is knowing
Ultimately, there's one truth that can't be ignored

I will die and the worms will eat me
We all end up in the ground eventually

Ain't no one else I can be
The singer is resigned to being themselves, for better or worse

Running steady, smile on my face
Despite everything, the singer is still putting one foot in front of the other and trying to stay positive

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHARLIE L. BENANTE, FRANK JOSEPH BELLO, JOHN ROBERT BUSH, SCOTT IAN ROSENFELD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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