Blue Öyster Cult have been described as heavy metal, light metal, psychedelic rock, occult rock, acid rock, and progressive rock. They have also been recognized for helping pioneer genres such as stoner metal and speed metal.
The band is influenced by artists such as Alice Cooper, Grateful Dead, The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, MC5, The Blues Project, Jimi Hendrix, and Black Sabbath.
While Blue Öyster Cult has been noted for heavy rock, they would often add their own tongue-in-cheek style. Keeping with their image, the band would often include out-of-context fragments of Pearlman’s The Soft Doctrines of Imaginos into their lyrics, giving their songs cryptic meanings. Additionally, the band would keep a folder of Meltzer’s and Pearlman’s word associations to insert into their music.
Blue Öyster Cult's longest-lasting and most commercially successful lineup included Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser (lead guitar, vocals), Eric Bloom (lead vocals, "stun guitar," keyboards, synthesizers), Allen Lanier (keyboards, rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Joe Bouchard (bass, backing vocals), Albert Bouchard (drums, percussion, backing vocals). The band's current lineup includes Roeser and Bloom, as well as Danny Miranda (bass, backing vocals), Jules Radino (drums, percussion) and Richie Castellano (keyboard, rhythm guitar, backing vocals).
Monsters
Blue Öyster Cult Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
New worlds waiting in the sky
To escape the feasting and the hunger
Not the monsters in our minds
We got our hands on this ship
And stowed away into the night
The four of us and Pasha dear
Federal rules and regulations
No more laughter left on earth
Outer space our one salvation
May god help us in our search
We went so fast that we grew younger
Put this ship on cruise control!
We all did our best with Pasha
But not as good as good ol' Joe
Love never should have entered
It was never in the plan
We were finally going to have her
And let Joe be damned
Monsters, monsters, monsters in the night
Monsters, monsters, monsters in black and white
Monsters, monsters, monsters out of control
Monsters, monsters, monsters when you're alone
Monsters, monsters, monsters feeding on themselves
Monsters, monsters on the road to hell
Joe awoke from a stupor
It was clear something was wrong
He rushed in and found us with her
And in his rage he aimed his gun
One shot and it was over
Pasha smiled and then was gone
The lyrics of "Monsters" (1982) by Blue Oyster Cult are telling the story of a group of people who try to escape their current existence on earth and embark on a space journey, hoping to find new worlds and salvation. They steal a ship, overcome federal rules and regulations, and discover feelings of love and jealousy among them. Ultimately, one of them, Joe, murders Pasha, a woman they all desire, and the song ends with her smiling before dying.
The meaning behind the lyrics is not entirely clear-cut, but the theme of escapism and the search for a better life is predominant. The song seems to suggest that our fears and insecurities manifest themselves as monsters in our minds, which we try to escape by finding new worlds and new experiences. However, the journey towards our salvation might not always turn out as planned, and we might discover new monsters along the way, such as jealousy, rage, and murder. In other words, the song might be seen as a cautionary tale against blindly pursuing our desires without considering the consequences.
Line by Line Meaning
Keep going getting higher
We are continuing to climb higher into the sky.
New worlds waiting in the sky
There are unexplored worlds waiting for us to discover beyond our current location.
To escape the feasting and the hunger
We are trying to escape the hunger and the need to constantly consume resources in order to survive.
Not the monsters in our minds
We are not afraid of the imaginary monsters that we sometimes create in our minds.
We got our hands on this ship
We were able to gain control of the ship and use it to travel through space.
And stowed away into the night
We secretly boarded the ship and began our journey under the cover of darkness.
The four of us and Pasha dear
There were four of us on this journey, along with our trusted companion, Pasha.
She to steer and we to fight
Pasha was in charge of steering the ship while the rest of us were responsible for protecting it from harm.
Federal rules and regulations
There were strict rules and regulations that we had to abide by while in space.
No more laughter left on earth
There was no time for laughter or enjoyment on earth due to the harsh conditions and lack of resources.
Outer space our one salvation
Our only hope for salvation was to venture out into space to find new resources and worlds.
May god help us in our search
We hope that God will assist us in our search for salvation and help us to overcome any obstacles we may encounter.
We went so fast that we grew younger
We traveled at such a high speed that we appeared to age backwards, as if we were getting younger.
Put this ship on cruise control!
We set the ship on auto-pilot, allowing us to relax for a short while and take a break from our duties.
We all did our best with Pasha
We worked hard with Pasha to complete our mission to find new worlds and resources in space.
But not as good as good ol' Joe
However, no one could do it as well as our trusted companion, Joe.
Love never should have entered
We were not supposed to let love enter our mission to find new worlds and resources in space.
It was never in the plan
Love was not a part of the original plan for our journey through space.
We were finally going to have her
Despite this, we decided to pursue a romantic relationship with Pasha.
And let Joe be damned
We were willing to betray our friend and companion, Joe, in order to be with Pasha.
Monsters, monsters, monsters in the night
We are confronted with monsters in the darkness of space that may harm us.
Monsters, monsters, monsters in black and white
The monsters in space come in different forms, but all pose a threat to our safety.
Monsters, monsters, monsters out of control
The monsters in space are unpredictable and may attack us at any moment.
Monsters, monsters, monsters when you're alone
We are most vulnerable to the monsters in space when we are alone and isolated from others.
Monsters, monsters, monsters feeding on themselves
The monsters in space may be self-destructive and feed on each other in order to survive.
Monsters, monsters on the road to hell
By encountering and dealing with the monsters in space, we are on a perilous journey toward potential doom.
Joe awoke from a stupor
Joe became aware of what was happening after being dazed or unconscious for a time.
It was clear something was wrong
Joe knew that something was not right and that he needed to take action.
He rushed in and found us with her
Joe discovered that we were romantically involved with Pasha.
And in his rage he aimed his gun
Joe was so angry that he pulled out his gun and aimed it at us.
One shot and it was over
Joe fired one shot from his gun and everything came to an end.
Pasha smiled and then was gone
Pasha died as a result of Joe's actions.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOUCHARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
KRITICALITY GAMING
LYRICS:
Keep going getting higher
New worlds waiting in the sky
To escape the feasting and the hunger
Not the monsters in our minds
We got our hands on this ship
And stowed away into the night
The four of us and Pasha dear
She to steer and we to fight
Fed up with rules and regulations
No more laughter left on Earth
Outer space our one salvation
May God help us in our search
We went so fast that we grew younger
"Put this ship on cruise control!"
We all did our best with Pasha
But not as good as good ol' Joe
Monsters, monsters, monsters- in the night
Monsters, monsters, monsters- in black and white
Monsters, monsters, monsters- out of control
Monsters, monsters, monsters- when you're alone
Monsters, monsters, monsters- feeding on themselves
Monsters, monsters, monsters- on the road to hell
Love never should have entered
It was never in the plan
We were finally going to have her
And let Joe be damned...
Joe awoke from a stupor
It was clear something was wrong
He rushed in and found us with her
And in his rage he aimed his gun
One shot and it was over
Pasha smiled and then was gone...
Darin McNew
Keep going getting higher
New worlds waiting in the sky
To escape the feasting and the hunger
Not the monsters in our minds
We got our hands on this ship
And stowed away into the night
The four of us and Pasha dear
She to steer and we to fight
Federal rules and regulations
No more laughter left on earth
Outer space our one salvation
May god help us in our search
We went so fast that we grew younger
Put this ship on cruise control!
We all did our best with Pasha
But not as good as good ol' Joe
Love never should have entered
It was never in the plan
We were finally going to have her
And let Joe be damned
Monsters, monsters, monsters in the night
Monsters, monsters, monsters in black and white
Monsters, monsters, monsters out of control
Monsters, monsters, monsters when you're alone
Monsters, monsters, monsters feeding on themselves
Monsters, monsters on the road to hell
Joe awoke from a stupor
It was clear something was wrong
He rushed in and found us with her
And in his rage he aimed his gun
One shot and it was over
Pasha smiled and then was gone
Desdinova69
Keep going getting higher
New worlds waiting in the sky
To escape the feasting and the hunger
Not the monsters in our minds
We got our hands on this ship
And stowed away into the night
The four of us and Pasha dear
She to steer and we to fight
Fed up with rules and regulations
No more laughter left on earth
Outer space our one salvation
May god help us in our search
We went so fast that we grew younger
Put this ship on cruise control!
We all did our best with Pasha
But not as good as good ol' Joe
Monsters, monsters, monsters in the night
Monsters, monsters, monsters in black and white
Monsters, monsters, monsters out of control
Monsters, monsters, monsters when you're alone
Monsters, monsters, monsters feeding on themselves
Monsters, monsters, monsters on the road to hell
Love never should have entered
It was never in the plan
We were finally going to have her
And let Joe be damned
Joe awoke from a stupor
It was clear something was wrong
He rushed in and found us with her
And in his rage he aimed his gun
One shot and it was over
Pasha smiled and then was gone
# GBCR
This track is simply insane; it comprises hard rock, jazz, prog, and even comedy. I feel so bad for people who don't know the mighty BÖC...
Victor Perez
Toda la razón 🤘🤘
Brad Roblling
A fucking classic album, & im glad nobody knows how good it is, but we cult fans do, and that all that matters.
Chris Damon
This is my favorite song on "Cultosaurus Erectus" (along with "Black Blade"). "Monsters" is one of the most unique tracks they ever recorded... and it's among the most compelling!
jimmy fortrue
Yep. Monsters and black blade tie for first place in my mind.
RockfrdDrm
Unknown Tongue was creepy yet compelling
Damien Thorn
So I'll tell it again: Joe is not the one with love; Joe is the outcast, the monster. This outer space story is a metaphor for something else.
Pasha dear loves the monster, the outcast, in which she even fueled hatred against.
"Love never should have entered, it was never in the (Marshall) plan..."
"He rushed in and found us with her" (on her side).
"If he really thinks we're the devil, then let's send him to hell!"
"I'm just living for giving the devil his due, but I'm burnin', I'm burnin', I'm burnin' for you"
Jason Dudash
@Damien Thorn Just before Fire Of Unknown Origin came out along with Burnin' For You.
Arkon Slorman
That riff at the beginning alone is capable of making motorcycles drive by their own
Gabriel WoT
This song is incredible, I can't explain it !