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
Mercy
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Left you there for the kill
But this hope that sorrow bleeds
Leaves a man with nothing
There's just no mercy in your eyes
There ain't no time to set things right
And I'm afraid I've lost the fight
Another day you leave behind
Love grows a fear
Suites your taste of bitter ends
But this stake that holds you in
Leaves no place to begin
There's just no mercy in your eyes
There ain't no time for selling lies
And I'm afraid I've lost the fight
I'm just a painful reminder
Another day you leave behind
Words seem so blind
I've been pushed far aside
To my choice seems too small
Any move and I could fall
There's just no mercy in your eyes, child
There ain't no time to set things right
And I'm not preaching to the choir
I'm just a painful reminder
And you're a fool to satisfy
The lyrics to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's song Mercy suggest that the singer has been left for dead and there is no hope for redemption. The opening line "Time stands too still, left you there for the kill" suggests that time has stopped and the person has been abandoned to their fate. The phrase "hope that sorrow bleeds leaves a man with nothing" highlights the sense of despair that the singer is feeling, despite the fleeting moments of hope that they may have experienced. The line "Love grows a fear, suits your taste of bitter ends" suggests that love can be a double-edged sword and can leave one feeling fearful and bitter.
The chorus "There's just no mercy in your eyes, there ain't no time to set things right, and I'm afraid I've lost the fight" highlights the fact that the singer believes that there is no hope for redemption, and they have lost the battle. The line "I'm just a painful reminder, another day you leave behind" suggests that the singer has been left behind and forgotten.
The second verse "Words seem so blind, I've been pushed far aside, to my choice seems too small, any move and I could fall" highlights the sense of helplessness that the singer is feeling, as they struggle to make sense of their situation. The final chorus "There's just no mercy in your eyes, child, there ain't no time to set things right, and I'm not preaching to the choir, I'm just a painful reminder, and you're a fool to satisfy" suggests that the singer is addressing a child or a youthful lover, who they believe is foolish and has no mercy.
Line by Line Meaning
Time stands too still
The situation seems to be at a standstill
Left you there for the kill
You were left alone to face a difficult situation
But this hope that sorrow bleeds
Even though there is despair, there is still hope
Leaves a man with nothing
The person is left with nothing to hold onto
There's just no mercy in your eyes
The person you're dealing with is cold and unsympathetic
There ain't no time to set things right
There's no time to fix the problem at hand
And I'm afraid I've lost the fight
I feel like I'm going to lose the battle
I'm just a painful reminder
I'm a reminder of something that didn't work out
Another day you leave behind
Another day goes by without resolution
Love grows a fear
Love can bring about fear as well
Suites your taste of bitter ends
You seem to enjoy the taste of things ending badly
But this stake that holds you in
You're stuck in your ways and can't move on
Leaves no place to begin
There seems to be no way to start fresh
Words seem so blind
Words aren't enough to express the situation
I've been pushed far aside
I've been made to feel unimportant
To my choice seems too small
I feel like I don't have enough options
Any move and I could fall
I'm afraid to make a move in case it leads to failure
There's just no mercy in your eyes, child
The person you're dealing with is cold and unsympathetic, even at a young age
There ain't no time to set things right
There's no time to correct the wrongs
And I'm not preaching to the choir
I'm not talking to someone who's already convinced
I'm just a painful reminder
I bring up bad memories for the person
And you're a fool to satisfy
The person is foolish for seeking temporary satisfaction
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: CHERRIE ANDERSON, HAL ST. JOHN, ROLAND FABER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind