The Silver Bullet Band was formed in 1974. Its original members were:
* Drew Abbott, guitar
* Charlie Allen Martin, drums
* Rick Mannassa, keyboards
* Chris Campbell, bass guitar
* Alto Reed, saxophones, flutes, acoustic guitar, keyboards and percussion.
Seger himself did all lead vocals and plays guitar and piano.
In 1975 Mannassa was replaced by Robyn Robbins on keyboards, who in 1980 was replaced by Craig Frost. Around 1977 Martin was replaced by Dave Teegarden on drums, who in 1983 was replaced by Don Brewer. In 1982 Abbott was replaced by Dawayne Bailey on guitar.
Seger has almost always used session musicians, most notably The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, on his albums as well.
In 1974 Seger formed the Silver Bullet Band and released the album Seven (credited to Bob Seger), which contained the Detroit-area hard rock hit "Get Out of Denver". This track that was a modest success and charted at #80 nationally.
In April 1976 Seger and the Silver Bullet Band had an even bigger commercial breakthrough with the album Live Bullet, recorded over two nights in Detroit's Cobo Arena in September 1975. The album stayed on the Billboard charts for 168 weeks, peaking at #34 which was Seger's highest charting album at the time. It also contained Seger's hit rendition of Tina Turner's "Nutbush City Limits" (#69 US) as well as Seger's own classic take on life on the road, "Turn the Page", from Back in '72. It also included his late 1960s successful releases — "Heavy Music" and "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man".
Critic Dave Marsh later wrote that "Live Bullet is one of the best live albums ever made ... In spots, particularly during the medley of 'Travelin' Man'/'Beautiful Loser', Seger sounds like a man with one last shot at the top." An instant best-seller in Detroit, Live Bullet quickly began to get attention in other parts of the country. In June 1976 he was a featured performer at the Pontiac Silverdome outside Detroit in front of nearly 80,000 fans. Only three nights before in Chicago, Seger had played before 50 people in a bar.
Seger and the Silver Bullet Band achieved a commercial breakthrough with their 1976 album Night Moves which featured several hits including the highly evocative title song. Subsequently Seger had success with rockers such as "Hollywood Nights" and mellower mid-tempo ballads such as "We've Got Tonight", "Fire Lake" (recorded 1979, and featured Don Henley, Timothy B. Schmit, and Glen Frey on backing vocals) and "Against the Wind". His most recognizable songs are almost certainly "Old Time Rock & Roll" (featured in the film Risky Business) and "Like a Rock" (most familiar to many younger Americans through its association with a long-running Chevrolet ad campaign).
Seger and the Silver Bullet Band released The Distance in 1982. Critically praised for representing a tougher sound than some of Seger's recent material, the album spawned hits with Rodney Crowell's "Shame on the Moon" (which also did moderately well as a country music song), "Even Now", and "Roll Me Away". But perhaps because Seger and his band were ill-equipped to exploit the new MTV era, Seger's album sales dropped noticeably, with The Distance only selling approximately 1 million copies. The following year country music superstar Kenny Rogers would team up with pop singer Sheena Easton to cover "We've Got Tonight". This version was a world wide hit and was so successful Rogers used it as the title cut to one of his own albums. In 1984 Seger wrote and recorded with his band the power rock ballad "Understanding" for the "Teachers" movie soundtrack. The song was a mild Top 40 hit in 1985.
Seger and the Silver Bullet Band were no longer as prolific and four years elapsed before their next studio album, 1986's Like a Rock emerged. The fast-paced "American Storm" garnered both pop and rock airplay, and "Like a Rock" became yet another successful Seger ballad. Later it would become familiar to many Americans through its association with a long-running Chevrolet ad campaign (something Seger explicitly chose to do to support struggling American automobile workers in Detroit). Seger's 1986-1987 American Storm Tour was his self-stated last major tour, playing 105 shows over 9 months and selling almost 1.5 million tickets. Like a Rock sold over a million copies and went platinum.
Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band's next record was 1991's The Fire Inside, at a time when glam metal, grunge and alternative rock were all taking the forefront. Seger's new music found little visibility on radio or elsewhere. The same was true of 1995's It's a Mystery, however the album was certified Gold (500,000 copies sold). In between, however, his Greatest Hits compilation was a major success, achieving sales of over 8 million units through late 2006. Seger did go back on the road again for a 1996 tour, which was successful and sold the fourth-largest number of tickets of any North American tour that year.
Seger and his band has recently released his first new album in 11 years, titled Face the Promise (credited to Bob Seger) (with guest appearances from Patty Loveless and Detroiter Kid Rock). In its first 45 days, the album sold more than 400,000 copies, according to Soundscan. The album has sold over 1 million copies to date and stayed on the Billboard chart for months. His supporting tour has also been eagerly anticipated, with many shows selling out within minutes. Showing that Seger's legendary appeal in Michigan had not diminished, all 15,000 tickets available for his first show at Grand Rapids' Van Andel Arena sold out in under five minutes; three additional shows were subsequently added, each of which also sold out.
The Encyclopedia of Rock And Roll stated that "His throaty, authoritative delivery is a pleasure to listen to, and the Silver Bullet Band is superb."
Events in late March of 2007 suggested that Seger may move on from Capitol Records because those who had worked with him to this point are now gone from the label. The same press release also confirmed Seger's intention to release a live CD/DVD package chronicling his Face the Promise tour at some point in the fall.
"Face the Promise" Tour 2006-2007 Lineup:
# Chris Campbell, Bass Guitar, since 1969
# Alto Reed, Saxaphones, since 1972
# Craig Frost, Keyboards, Piano, 25 years
# Mark Chatfield, Lead Guitar (Rythm Guitar 1983, 1996 Tours)
# Shaun Murphy, Backing vocals, since 1973
# Laura Creamer, Backing vocals, since 1968
# Don Brewer, Drums, (also 1983 Tour)
# Jim "Moose" Brown, Guitar and Keyboard
# Barbara Payton, backing vocals
Lock and Load
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And blamed somebody else
I'd give a ton of money to the ones I've hurt
And I'd still be sittin' pretty well
I've spent years losin' touch of what's right and what's real
Caught up in these missions of my own
And you're tellin' me you think I've done so damn well
While we're sittin' here a thousand miles from home
Two holes in your head where the light's supposed to get by
Time to lock and load
Time to get control
Time to search the soul
And start again
So many times I've seen chances disappear
I hesitate and watch them slip away
Like the time I fail to spend with the ones I love
And it's gone as sure as yesterday
All these users and fakers, big time takers
Manipulating everyone they see
I get caught up in their schemes and their useless dreams
And the only one I have to blame is me
I get turned 'round and twisted, pulled left and right
I can see where I'm goin', but I can't see the light
Time to lock and load
Come in from the cold
Take a different road
And start again
I can sit here, in the back half of my life
And wonder when the other shoe will fall
Or I can stand up, point myself home
And see if I've learned anything at all
Anything at all
Mediocrity's easy, the good things take time
The great need commitment, right down the line
Time to lock and load
Come in from the cold
Pay these debts I owe
And start again
I've been down this road
I've seen things get old
Time to get control
And start it all again
Time to lock and load
Time to get control
Time to search the soul
And start again
I've been down this road
I've seen things get old
Stand up, get bold
And start it all again
Time to lock and load
In Bob Seger's "Lock and Load," the lyrics grapple with the long-term consequences of poor decision-making, while acknowledging the difficulty of breaking free from negative cycles. The first verse frames the song by emphasizing how much easier it is to blame others for one's problems, when in fact owning them is a more productive path. Seger longs to compensate for the damage he's inflicted upon others, acknowledging that he's hurt the people he loves the most. He's aware that he has lost touch with what truly matters in life, caught up in his missions and pursuits that neglected his inner self.
The chorus speaks to the need to make a change and regain control of one's life. "Lock and load" references a soldier preparing on a mission and acts as a metaphor for taking charge of one's life. The second verse critiques those who use and manipulate others for their own purposes, causing those around them to falter. Seger accepts responsibility for falling into some of those individuals' traps, feeling pulled in various directions with no clear path back to the light.
In the end, Seger emphasizes the importance of committing oneself to the betterment of oneself and others. He suggests that mediocrity is easy, while greatness requires time and commitment. He stands at a crossroads, unsure of what will happen next, but searching for the determination to start anew with renewed conviction and direction in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I wish I had a nickel for every time I fell
I wish I had some money for every time I failed in something.
And blamed somebody else
And put the responsibility on someone else.
I'd give a ton of money to the ones I've hurt
I would willingly give money to compensate for the mistakes I made and the damage I caused.
And I'd still be sittin' pretty well
And even then, I would still be in a good financial position.
I've spent years losin' touch of what's right and what's real
I've spent a long time losing touch with what is morally right and what truly exists.
Caught up in these missions of my own
Engaged deeply in pursuing my own goals, sometimes at the cost of losing sight of what matters.
And you're tellin' me you think I've done so damn well
You are saying to me that you believe I have succeeded exceptionally well.
While we're sittin' here a thousand miles from home
Even though we are far away from home right now.
There's a hole in your wisdom, a hole in your sky
Your knowledge and understanding have gaps and limitations, and this has an impact on your perspective.
Two holes in your head where the light's supposed to get by
There are two areas of knowledge and understanding where you are not getting the full picture, and it affects your perception of things.
Time to lock and load
It is time to focus and prepare for action.
Time to get control
It is time to take charge of the situation and regain control.
Time to search the soul
It is time to look inward and examine one's own moral compass.
And start again
And begin anew.
So many times I've seen chances disappear
I have lost several opportunities in the past.
I hesitate and watch them slip away
I have been indecisive and have watched these opportunities slip away.
Like the time I fail to spend with the ones I love
Like the time I did not spend with the people I love.
And it's gone as sure as yesterday
And just like yesterday, it has passed and cannot be retrieved.
All these users and fakers, big time takers
All these people who are deceitful and manipulative, and who consume a lot of time.
Manipulating everyone they see
Controlling and exploiting everyone they come across.
I get caught up in their schemes and their useless dreams
I become entangled in their plans and their meaningless pursuits.
And the only one I have to blame is me
And I am the only one responsible for my involvement with them.
I get turned 'round and twisted, pulled left and right
I get confused and disoriented, and pulled in different directions.
I can see where I'm goin', but I can't see the light
I know where I am headed, but I am unable to see the way forward clearly.
Come in from the cold
Come in from the unfriendly and inhospitable environment.
Pay these debts I owe
Repay the debts that are owed.
And start it all again
And begin anew.
I've been down this road
I have been in a similar situation before.
I've seen things get old
I have seen things become outdated and irrelevant.
Stand up, get bold
Take a stance and be bold.
And start it all again
And begin anew.
Mediocrity's easy, the good things take time
Being average is not difficult, but achieving excellence requires effort and patience.
The great need commitment, right down the line
To achieve greatness, one needs unwavering dedication in every aspect.
I can sit here, in the back half of my life
I can spend the latter half of my life just sitting and reflecting.
And wonder when the other shoe will fall
And worry about when something bad will happen.
Or I can stand up, point myself home
Or I can take action and direct myself towards home.
And see if I've learned anything at all
And evaluate if I have learned anything from my experiences.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CRAIG FROST, TIM MITCHELL, BOB SEGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
kylevarnsin
This song helped me change my life around, listened to it over and over, hard to look deep and realize your the one who needs to change. DAMN I wish there was any type of music like this around nowadays. Where has the soul in music gone
Brenda Jones
if we buy music like many the performances that r out there who make great music would get a chance.
Segergirlrox
+kylevarnsin i couldnt agree more!
Max Berry
This song hit me big. My last night at Betty Ford, I got to play it and have made it my theme song. 10 years now. still locked and loaded and am in from the cold in the back half of my life still trying to figure out what if anything I've learned in my life. What a great song.
Terri S. Thomas
NOBODY CAN TELL A STORY LIKE THIS MAN...ONE OF THE BEST.WE LOVE YOU BOB
Raymond Mccallum
It might not be his best, but could sure be his truest. Seger always hits you right in the gut or the heart, usually both. 3
Segergirlrox
+Raymond Mccallum hes my hero!
Donald Johnson
that about as true as it gets. he can dig down in your soul and make you see Shit that you don't want to see
Joe Kac
Will there EVER be another Artist that can deliver this kind of music and / or Lyrics, Most of us would say " NO WAY " Bob is the ABSOLUTE BEST when it comes to touching the Heart and Soul !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Segergirlrox
you are the same age as my son and he loves seger too. he got that from me and i got it from my dad. this past march 2015 i took my 69 year old dad to his first seger concert and i took my son. awesome memory to watch grandpa and grandson raise their hands in the air for come to poppa and beautiful loser. 3 generations had a blast that night