The band's second album 'Take Them On, On Your Own' featured several songs ('Generation' and 'US Government') which were critical of the United States' foreign policy and George Bush in particular.
After conflict with their label (Virgin Records), the band was dropped in 2004. Nick Jago left the band at the end of their summer tour in the same year due to "internal conflict".
Following Jago's departure Peter Hayes and Robert Levon Been regrouped and recorded the band's third album. With their third record Howl, they added blues, folk and gospel, a la Spiritualized.
In 2005 the band inked a new deal with Echo in the UK, and RCA in the US. Nick Jago also returned to the fold. The band's third album "Howl" was released that same year to widespread critical acclaim. Jago returned after most of the album was recorded but played on "Promise".
"Baby 81" the band's fourth album was released on May 1st, 2007. In June 2008 Nick Jago once again left the touring line-up of the band being replaced by The Raveonettes' touring drummer Leah Shapiro. Nick stated that "...I am fired again and to be honest with you I respect their decision".
However Hayes and Been released a conflicting joint statement that read "Nick won't be joining us for the upcoming European tour, but it's not true that he is fired. We just feel Nick needs time to sort out exactly what he wants right now. His heart and all his energy and attention is on his own solo project and he needs to see that through".
Current:
On January 9, 2013, the band announced via Facebook the name of their seventh album called Specter at the Feast which was released on March 18 in the UK and Europe and on March 19 in USA, Canada and worldwide. It is considered a tribute to Michael Been (The Call), Robert Levon Been's father who died suddenly on tour with BRMC in August 2010.
It received mostly positive reviews; many critics noting that despite the band having been together for some time the album showed a mellower and moodier side with songs such as opener `Firewalker'.
The band made the first single from the record available, a cover of The Call's 1989 hit "Let the Day Begin", for free download on their official website. The decision to record the song was a tribute to Robert's father Michael, who used his experience from The Call to help BRMC before his death in the last couple of years. The single became Q Magazine's track of the day.[6] The band have also released the Let the Day Begin EP for free, consisting of the single and the album track "Returning", made available for streaming on the official website.[7]
On April 8, 2013 it was announced that the band would play at Rock Werchter, the largest rock festival in Belgium.
The band continues to show a willingness to tour despite the obstacles. During the 2013 tour, the organisers of the Harvest festival in Australia decided to abandon the multi-city event, of which BRMC were one of the lead acts, only a few months ahead of the performances. BRMC was the first band to announce it would still visit the country and play its own shows.
Many shows on the 2013/2014 tour have sold out.
BRMC's music/songs have been featured in many films, television programs and video games.
Visit blackrebelmotorcycleclub.com for tour/CD and merchandise info.
Discography:
2001 - B.R.M.C.
2001 - Screaming Gun (EP)
2002 - Spread Your Love (EP)
2003 - Take Them On, On Your Own
2005 - Howl
2006 - Howl Sessions Vol.1 (EP)
2006 - Howl Sessions Vol. 2 (EP)
2007 - Baby 81
2007 - Napster Live Session (EP)
2007 - American X: Baby 81 Sessions (EP)
2008 - The Effects Of 333 (Download)
2010 - Beat the Devil's Tattoo
2013 - Specter At The Feast
2018 - Wrong Creatures
Fail-Safe
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just like you told me you'd do
And now you live for the star that you reflected to use
I never noticed the time, but now it's start to unwind
The few who know me for nothing
Well why did you lie?
As you blacken my name
Heaven's never gonna cry
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
I watched you look for the days that I don't want you to see
I've only failed in the ways that I don't want to believe
And now the day has begun
And it will burn like the sun
'cause I can see underneath your sacred hands are for none
I, I
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
Heaven's never gonna cry
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
It feels like, nowhere
It feels like, nothing
I never wanted to go
But now it's harder to close
Are we hearing our bodies or are we hearing our souls?
I watched you dead in a box
But since I'd rather you rot
There's nothing left to discuss
So why we lie on the turf
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
Heaven's never gonna cry
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein.
The lyrics in “Failsafe” by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club speak to betrayals, deceit, and the complexities of relationships. The first verse discusses the act of someone searching through someone else's few belongings, as if to prove some sort of theory correct. The singer then confronts this person about lying, perhaps implying that the digging was to call out the singer for some wrongdoing or falsehood. The chorus repeats a phrase, “As you blacken my name, as you poison my vein/ Heaven’s never gonna cry,” which could be interpreted as a statement of rejection or overcoming whatever negativity is being cast upon them.
The second verse suggests that someone is only looking for flaws in the singer and ignores any signs of personal growth or goodness. They continue to look for imperfections, while the singer feels like they can see through their motives. The line “Are we hearing our bodies or are we hearing our souls?” suggests an existential struggle between physical desire and emotional connection, and perhaps a general feeling of distance between two people. Finally, the last verse contains dark imagery of someone dead in a box, and the singer seemingly being done with whatever lies or problems may exist.
Line by Line Meaning
I watched you look through the few
I observed you scanning through the small number of options available to you
Just like you told me you'd do
You followed through with your previously stated intentions
And now you live for the star that you reflected to use
Presently, your primary focus is on utilizing the reputation you have gained from others
I never noticed the time, but now it's start to unwind
I didn't pay attention to the progression of time, but now it's beginning to unravel
The few who know me for nothing
The select few who don't really know me
Well why did you lie?
What reason did you have for being dishonest?
As you blacken my name
Your actions are tarnishing my reputation
As you poison my vein
Your behavior is having a harmful impact on me
Heaven's never gonna cry
There won't be any divine intervention to rectify the situation
I watched you look for the days that I don't want you to see
I observed you trying to find days or moments that I don't wish for you to witness
I've only failed in the ways that I don't want to believe
I've only not succeeded in areas that I don't want to accept
And now the day has begun
The day is starting
And it will burn like the sun
It will be intense, like the heat of the sun
'cause I can see underneath your sacred hands are for none
Because I can perceive that your supposed pure actions have no genuine motive
It feels like, nowhere
This scenario seems like a place without any direction or hope
It feels like, nothing
This situation seems like it lacks any value or meaning
I never wanted to go
I didn't want to leave
But now it's harder to close
Now it's more difficult to bring it to an end
Are we hearing our bodies or are we hearing our souls?
Are we listening to our physical urges or our spiritual selves?
I watched you dead in a box
I observed you lifeless in a coffin
But since I'd rather you rot
But because I prefer for your body to decay
There's nothing left to discuss
There's no more topics to talk about
So why we lie on the turf
So, why do we continue to deceive one another?
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NICHOLAS JAGO, PETER HAYES, PETER B. HAYES, ROBERT BEEN, ROBERT TURNER, ROBERT L. BEEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Zachary Pfeiff
Love this song, I've heard it got left off the album because they thought the base line was too similar to Stop. lyrics on BRMC's site are a bit different than shown here:
I watched you move through the few just like you tore me in two
And now you look for the scar that you inflicted to use
I never noticed in time, but now I start to unwind
If you did owe me for nothin lord, why did you hide
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
Heaven’s never gonna cry
As you blacken my name
As you poisen my vein
I watched you come from the daze, but I don’t want you to see
I’ve only failed in ways that I don’t want to believe
Another day has begun and it will burn like the sun
Inside my skin, underneath you’re safe but never for long
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
Heaven’s never gonna cry
As you blacken my name
As you poisen my vein
It feels like you’re nowhere
It feels like you’re nothing
I never wanted to go
But now it’s harder to close
So are we here in our bodies or are we led in our souls
I want you dead in a box
And since I’d rather you rot
There’s nothin’ left to discuss
So why rely on the tongue
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
Heaven’s never gonna cry
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
Night Mike
Heavily bluesy great stuff that these guys always manage to come out with, BRMC are one of those bands that knows how to make memorable riffs, this is one of many reasons why this band rocks.
Marco Palomba
The band with the best B-sides EVER.
They could literally publish a double feature album out of gems like this.
Sérgio Costa
Along with The Jesus and Mary Chain
Lee
I love all there stuff but the production on these early ones was magical, that rough sheen over the vocals and the guitar sound ! Perfect rock and roll with a ambient phycadelic edge
Zachary Pfeiff
Love this song, I've heard it got left off the album because they thought the base line was too similar to Stop. lyrics on BRMC's site are a bit different than shown here:
I watched you move through the few just like you tore me in two
And now you look for the scar that you inflicted to use
I never noticed in time, but now I start to unwind
If you did owe me for nothin lord, why did you hide
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
Heaven’s never gonna cry
As you blacken my name
As you poisen my vein
I watched you come from the daze, but I don’t want you to see
I’ve only failed in ways that I don’t want to believe
Another day has begun and it will burn like the sun
Inside my skin, underneath you’re safe but never for long
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
Heaven’s never gonna cry
As you blacken my name
As you poisen my vein
It feels like you’re nowhere
It feels like you’re nothing
I never wanted to go
But now it’s harder to close
So are we here in our bodies or are we led in our souls
I want you dead in a box
And since I’d rather you rot
There’s nothin’ left to discuss
So why rely on the tongue
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
Heaven’s never gonna cry
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
Deedee 60
Terrific song from a great band! Big love for BRMC.
Spin Al-Fluid
I think a little of Peter's BJM days come through on this song, and it totally works! This song rocks!
R. Ann
I remember this song was on a cd that came with a " alternative " magazine that I bought long long ago.
kjtuckley
Yep. Q Rocks. I saw them at Kentish Town not long after and they played this. Same night they played Leave Them All Behind with Mark Gardner
John Hopes
Jackson yep! This was where I heard it! Q rocks :)