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).
Tattoo Vampire
Blue Öyster Cult Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To a nude dagger fantasy domain
Wrapped in hell, I lost my breath
Chest to stimulating Chinese breast
Grisly smiles, that don't flake off
Corny-colored demons leering
Vampire photos, sucking the skin
Seeding the night at the inker's parlor
Flash permabrand pricked for a dollar
Her wrist surreal a heart and flying skull
Lettered "Life and love pass swiftly"
Grisly smiles, that don't flake off
Corny-colored demons leering
Vampire photos, sucking the skin
The lyrics to Blue Öyster Cult's "Tattoo Vampire" describe a surreal and dark experience in a tattoo parlor. The singer went there with a "tattoo madam", and they entered into a "nude dagger fantasy domain", suggesting a sexually charged atmosphere. Once inside, the scene became hellish, with "grisly smiles" and "corny-colored demons leering" around them. In the midst of it all, there were "vampire photos, sucking the skin".
The experience is described in vivid detail, with the singer's chest pressed against a "stimulating Chinese breast" and the tattoo madam getting a permanent tattoo of a heart and flying skull on her wrist. The tattoo itself is described as surreal, with the words "Life and love pass swiftly" written alongside it. Overall, the lyrics paint a picture of a surreal and disturbing experience, with sexual undertones, in a tattoo parlor that seems to border on the supernatural.
Line by Line Meaning
I went down last night with a tattoo madam
I went to a tattoo shop with a woman who gets tattoos
To a nude dagger fantasy domain
To a place where people get tattoos with violent themes
Wrapped in hell, I lost my breath
The environment was so dark and twisted that it made me feel suffocated and overwhelmed
Chest to stimulating Chinese breast
I was close to a woman's breasts that were decorated with Chinese symbols
Grisly smiles, that don't flake off
The people in the shop had sinister smiles that didn't fade away
Corny-colored demons leering
The demons in the tattoos were poorly designed and staring at me
Vampire photos, sucking the skin
The tattoos of vampires looked like they were draining blood from the skin
Seeding the night at the inker's parlor
People were getting tattoos late into the night at the tattoo shop
Flash permabrand pricked for a dollar
Tattoos were being done quickly and cheaply with permanent ink
Her wrist surreal a heart and flying skull
The woman I was with had a bizarre tattoo of a heart and a flying skull on her wrist
Lettered "Life and love pass swiftly"
The tattoo on the woman's wrist had a message about the passage of time and love
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOUCHARD, ROBBINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Andy Terrell
Lyrics:
I went down last night with a tattoo madam
To a nude dagger fantasy domain
Wrapped in hell, I lost my breath
Chest to stimulating Chinese breast
Grisly smiles, that don't flake off
Corny-colored demons leering
Vampire photos, sucking the skin
Seeding the night at the inker's parlor
Flash permabrand pricked for a dollar
Her wrist surreal a heart and flying skull
Lettered "Life and love pass swiftly"
Grisly smiles, that don't flake off
Corny-colored demons leering
Vampire photos, sucking the skin
TRUMP FAILED
*Numerology *
Chaldean Numerology:
The numerical value of permabrand in Chaldean Numerology is: 7
Pythagorean Numerology :
The numerical value of permabrand in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2
Well, they are a cult!!
P. Vander
I went down last night with a tattoo madam
To a nude dagger fantasy domain
Wrapped in hell, I lost my breath
Chest to stimulating Chinese breast
Grisly smiles, that don't flake off
Corny-colored demons leering
Vampire photos, sucking the skin
(Vampire! Vampire!)
Seeding the night at the inker's parlor
Flash permabrand pricked for a dollar
Her wrist surreal a heart and flying skull
Lettered "life and love pass swiftly"
Grisly smiles, that don't flake off
Corny-colored demons leering
Vampire photos, sucking the skin
(Vampire! Vampire!)
Grisly smiles, that don't flake off
Corny-colored demons leering
Vampire photos, sucking the skin
(Vampire!) Tattoo!
(Vampire!) Tattoo!
(Vampire!) Tattoo!
(Vampire!) Tattoo! Tattoo! Tattoo! Tattoo!
Vampire photos, sucking the skin!
johnny zell
I went down last night with a tattoo madam
To a nude dagger fantasy domain
Wrapped in hell, I lost my breath
Chest to stimulating Chinese breast
Grisly smiles, that don't flake off
Corny-colored demons leering
Vampire photos, sucking the skin
Seeding the night at the inker's parlor
Flash permabrand pricked for a dollar
Her wrist surreal a heart and flying skull
Lettered "Life and love pass swiftly"
Grisly smiles, that don't flake off
Corny-colored demons leering
Vampire photos, sucking the skin
Kalepherion
BOC are the shoulders upon which many other rock acts have stood to achieve greatness. They are, and forever will be part of the history and lore of Rock, especially for those who prefer to hear music that makes you think.
Michael Kuhn
Almost every one of their songs has a bad ass riff in them. BOC invented the Bad Ass Riff Hall of Fame and they sit at the top them all!
Andy Terrell
Lyrics:
I went down last night with a tattoo madam
To a nude dagger fantasy domain
Wrapped in hell, I lost my breath
Chest to stimulating Chinese breast
Grisly smiles, that don't flake off
Corny-colored demons leering
Vampire photos, sucking the skin
Seeding the night at the inker's parlor
Flash permabrand pricked for a dollar
Her wrist surreal a heart and flying skull
Lettered "Life and love pass swiftly"
Grisly smiles, that don't flake off
Corny-colored demons leering
Vampire photos, sucking the skin
Richard McMasky
V-A-M-P-IIIIIIIIIIII-R-E!!!!
Sleepless Slander
@Richard McMasky TATTOO!
Always got to have the chorus!
TRUMP FAILED
Dude! Who the fuck else EVER used the word "permabrand" in their lyrics??
Fucking AWESOME!!!
TRUMP FAILED
*Numerology *
Chaldean Numerology:
The numerical value of permabrand in Chaldean Numerology is: 7
Pythagorean Numerology :
The numerical value of permabrand in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2
Well, they are a cult!!
Michael Kennedy
such great lyrics
Chris Damon
"Tattoo Vampire" has always brought a huge smile to my face. It rocks like hell, but it also takes me to my happy place!
Colin
One of the best rock bands ever