Since their formation, Europe has released eleven studio albums, three live albums, three compilations and nineteen music videos.
Europe rose to international fame in the 1980s with their third album, 1986's The Final Countdown, which has sold over 3 million copies in the United States and 15 million copies worldwide (including album and single). Europe has sold over 25 million records worldwide. The band has had two top 20 albums on the Billboard 200 chart (The Final Countdown and Out of This World) and two top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart ("The Final Countdown" and "Carrie").
Europe went on hiatus in 1992, reunited temporarily for a one-off performance in Stockholm on New Year's Eve 1999 and announced an official reunion in 2003. Since then the band has released six albums, Start from the Dark (2004), Secret Society (2006), Last Look at Eden (2009), Bag of Bones (2012), War of Kings (2015) and Walk The Earth (2017). They continue to have popular tours.
Europe has achieved new attention in the US due to being featured in a GEICO Insurance cable television commercial campaign viewed for many months across the US in 2015-16.
The band is mainly influenced by Whitesnake, Deep Purple, Rainbow, Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy, UFO and Michael Schenker Group.
Born in 1979 from the underground rock music scene in the outskirts of Stockholm, Sweden, a young band called 'Force' sprung from the suburbs to win national acclaim in the early 80s, emerging victorious in a nationwide talent contest. Their main influences were arena-ready British hard rock bands of the 70s such as UFO, Thin Lizzy, and Led Zeppelin. Winning a recording contract, core members Joey Tempest (vocals), John Norum (guitar) and John Leven (bass) re-named themselves 'Europe'.
They went on to record and release two spirited albums, 'Europe' and 'Wings of Tomorrow'. They broke through the musical mainstream in both Scandinavia and Japan. The band toured widely on the strengths of these two records, and, in 1984, they recruited new members Mic Michaeli (keyboards) and drummer Ian Haugland. The success these albums generated on their home soil as well as in the Far East landed them an international record deal with Epic Records in New York.
In 1986, Europe went on to release their third album, 'The Final Countdown', which was produced by Kevin Elson (who had notably worked with Journey and Mr Big). Upon its release, gaining major momentum from Moscow to Manhattan and Stockholm to Sydney and elsewhere, that album conquered the airwaves and the epic arena rock anthem that was its title track succeeded in penetrating the global psyche. The prominent (and now arguably legendary) keyboard riff and memorable melodies catapulted "The Final Countdown" into the top ten charts in the U.K and U.S., and it ended up reaching number one in 24 countries. Selling in excess of six million units and resulting in an extensive world tour, 'The Final Countdown' became a global phenomenon.
It was at this time that John Norum chose to leave Europe to pursue a solo career, and he was replaced by another well-known Swedish guitarist, Kee Marcello. About two years later, Europe emerged again with their fourth album, titled 'Out of This World'. Produced by Ron Nevison (who had worked with UFO, Thin Lizzy, and Heart), this album delivered what had become the trademark Europe melodies and inspiring musical arrangements. Also a remarkable success, Europe embarked on a second world tour, and they notably were the first international rock-act to perform behind the 'Bamboo Curtain' in Bombay, India in front of a 60,000-strong audience.
The follow-up to 'Out of This World' approximately came two years later. That album, titled 'Prisoners in Paradise', was inspired by the band's time residing in Los Angeles, California. Upon completion of yet another world tour in 1993, the members of Europe decided to take time out to pursue personal projects and record solo albums.
After an extended hiatus, the band came together again in 1999 (including original guitarist John Norum) on new year's eve in Stockholm Sweden to perform "Rock the Night" and "The Final Countdown", helping to usher in the new millennium. The performance not only marked Europe's first public appearance in almost a decade but also inspired a permanent reunion. Still, the band's members had difficulties getting their plans to come together.
In 2004, with John Norum firmly back in the band, the original Europe lineup returned to the world stage with "Start From the Dark" - a raw, cutting-edge rock album that delivered a brand new style of melodic rock. The release saw the band's welcome return to the road as they embarked on an extensive tour in Europe, the United States, and the Far East. Shortly thereafter, the band returned to the studio to record their 7th studio album titled "Secret Society" which was released in October 2006. Marking the most daring and innovative Europe album to date, "Secret Society" is both a return to their roots as well as a celebration of their collective musical experience and willingness to explore brand new territories. Followed by another world tour, the band continues to work hard to establish themselves yet again. It can be said that there are few bands from the 80's that still remain creative and relevant today with an edgy and modern sound.
Following their summer 2008 European tour, Europe returned to the studio to record and then release their eighth studio effort, " the Last Look at Eden." The band's latest work is "Bag of Bones," which they released in April 2012. Vocalist Joey Tempest remarked that he thought he'd "made a hardcore classic rock record with the blues knocking on the door." Showing that the group has still got it, the album debuted at #2 on Sweden's top album chart and has been certified Gold in Sweden while also receiving strong sales throughout Europe and in the U.K.
www.europetheband.com/
The Beast
Europe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're having more fun than we deserve
Oh hell, oh hell yeah
Chaos reigns inside my head
It's been a long road down the wrong road
I've got everything but a broken soul
Oh my, oh my dear
Strap yourself in 'cause we're out of here
I'm beginning to feel
We can make it 'till the end
I'm beginning to feel
The beast is alive again
I'm beginning to feel
We can make it 'till the end
It's a ride worthwhile, my friend
Go
Oh my, oh my Lord
We're pushing faders from here to New York
Oh well, you gotta have some guts
Wanna live before we're back to dust
We've come a long way and it's our our way
No one can touch us on a good day
We don't show up, we arrive
Maybe it's time you believed the hype
I'm beginning to feel
We can make it 'till the end
I'm beginning to feel
The beast is alive again
I'm beginning to feel
We can make it 'till the end
It's a ride worthwhile, my friend
Go
Way out here
Never wanna come down
There's no fear
No sense of time
You can try to talk me down
Guess there ain't no use
'Cause you might as well
Light up a fuse
I'm beginning to feel
We can make it 'till the end
I'm beginning to feel
The beast is alive again
I'm beginning to feel
We can make it 'till the end
It's a ride worthwhile, my friend
Go
The lyrics of "The Beast" by Europe are about breaking free, living life to the fullest, and enjoying every moment. The opening lines of the song suggest that the singer and his companions are having a great time, perhaps more than they deserve. The chaos inside the singer's head could represent the excitement of living in the moment, with no real direction or plan. The chorus of the song reveals that the singer is beginning to feel that they can make it to the end, whatever the end may be. The image of a beast being alive again evokes a sense of power and energy, as if the singer has tapped into something primal and unstoppable.
The lyrics are upbeat and optimistic, with a sense of defiance and rebellion. The lines "We've come a long way and it's our way/No one can touch us on a good day" suggest that the singer has overcome obstacles and is now unstoppable. There is a sense of freedom in the lyrics, as if the singer is breaking free from societal norms and expectations. The lines "Wanna live before we're back to dust" reflect the fleeting nature of life and the need to seize the moment.
Overall, "The Beast" is a song about living life to the fullest, taking risks, and enjoying the ride. The upbeat tempo and optimistic lyrics make it an inspiring anthem for anyone looking to break free from the mundane and live life on their own terms.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh my, oh my word
We're amazed and in disbelief about the fun we're having
We're having more fun than we deserve
We should not be having so much fun, but we are
Oh hell, oh hell yeah
We're excited and pumped up about what's happening
Chaos reigns inside my head
My mind is in a state of confusion and disorder
It's been a long road down the wrong road
We've been on a long journey that has taken us in the wrong direction
I've got everything but a broken soul
Despite everything we have, we still feel broken inside
Oh my, oh my dear
We're taking off on a wild ride and we want to make sure everyone is ready
Strap yourself in 'cause we're out of here
Hold on tight, because we're going on a crazy adventure
I'm beginning to feel
I am starting to sense that something good is happening
We can make it 'till the end
We have the strength and determination to see this through to the end
The beast is alive again
Our energy and excitement have been revived
It's a ride worthwhile, my friend
This journey is worth taking, and worth sharing with others
Go
Let's keep moving forward and making the most of life
We're pushing faders from here to New York
We're taking control and making things happen, even at a great distance
Wanna live before we're back to dust
We want to experience everything life has to offer before our time is up
We've come a long way and it's our our way
We've made it through challenges and obstacles, and we did it our way
No one can touch us on a good day
When things are going well for us, we feel unstoppable
We don't show up, we arrive
We make a grand entrance and command attention
Maybe it's time you believed the hype
Our actions and accomplishments are living up to the hype, and it's time for others to recognize that
Way out here
We're in a unique and isolated place, away from the usual constraints of life
Never wanna come down
We're enjoying the high too much to want it to end
There's no fear
We're not afraid of anything right now
No sense of time
Time doesn't matter to us at the moment
You can try to talk me down
Others may try to bring us down, but we won't let them
Guess there ain't no use
There's no point in trying to convince us otherwise
Cause you might as well
You might as well accept that we're going to keep going
Light up a fuse
Get ready, because things are about to get explosive
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN GUNNAR LEVEN, MIC MICHAELI, HAKAN JAN HAUGLAND, JOEY TEMPEST, JOHN TERRY NORUM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
nate
Fantastic song. Europe's later albums are amazing. It's a shame that people judge this band only by 1 or 2 overplayed radio hits. Europe rules!
TON délire
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Long Live Rock 'n' Roll
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Bunny Soup
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Long Live Rock 'n' Roll
This is going to end up becoming a long chain of thumbs up isn't it? 😄 Shall we add some words? I'll take the honour of starting. This song is brilliant just as the album is! Europe is an amazing band, I love their music!
Nigel1990
Nordic Beast
Wayne Cook
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Long Live Rock 'n' Roll
The Beast is such an awesome song by Europe!