The "classic lineup" of the group would reunite in 1999 and began recording new material. However, the group continued to change lineups and Guns eventually left to form the hard rock supergroup Brides of Destruction with Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe in 2002. L.A. Guns continued without Guns, bringing in guitarist Stacey Blades, however, following his decision to put Brides of Destruction on hiatus in 2006, Guns formed The Tracii Guns Band. The group's lineup consisted of former L.A. Guns members Black, Alexander as well as Jeremy Guns (though the lineup would eventually change), with the group eventually changing their name to L.A. Guns. Both groups continued to record and tour under the L.A. Guns moniker until 2012, when the Tracii Guns-led version of the group disbanded. Riley died in 2023.
L.A. Guns (feat. Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis) released a new single "Let You Down" on May 6, 2020. It was released as the first single from their then-upcoming fourteenth studio album Checkered Past, which was released on November 12, 2021, and featured producer Adam Hamilton on drums.
In May 2022, it was announced that Shawn Duncan had replaced Shane Fitzgibbon as their drummer. In the following month, guitarist Ace Von Johnson revealed that L.A. Guns had been working on new material for their next studio album. The resulting album, Black Diamonds, was released on April 14, 2023.
NO MERCY
L.A. Guns Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Give ya love, make you feel alright, yeah
I say the things that you want to hear
I'm gonna whisper in your ear.
Show no mercy
Show no mercy
Show no mercy
But did you think you were the only one
Lonely heart and a woman in black
I broke your heart and I ain't coming back
And I'm sorry if I broke your dream
Watch your life come apart at the seam
I know it ain't fair
I broke your heart, yeah yeah
Show no mercy
Show no mercy
Show no mercy
I'll be standing in the shadows of love
Hey yeah, so I'm indiscreet
Shattered dolls and a fait accompli
I wonder why, why I keep up the chase
I'm just a fool for a pretty face
Show no mercy
Show no mercy
Show no mercy
The song "No Mercy" by L.A. Guns is a poignant representation of a tumultuous and manipulative romantic relationship. The singer, who is male, is trying to win over a woman named Jane. He promises to hold Jane and make her feel loved, but the use of the phrase "whisper in your ear" suggests that he is only telling her what she wants to hear. He repeatedly urges himself to "show no mercy," indicating that he will do whatever it takes to get what he wants from Jane, even if it means breaking her heart.
The song takes a melancholic turn in the second verse when the singer admits that he has been a heartbreaker before and is likely to do it again. The woman he is pursuing is just another victim in a series of love and runs, and he is not interested in forming a meaningful relationship with her. The imagery of a "lonely heart and a woman in black" adds to the melancholic vibe of the song. The singer admits that he broke Jane's heart and apologizes for it, but at the end of the day, he is unapologetic about his behavior and the fact that he will continue to pursue women for his own selfish needs.
Overall, "No Mercy" is a brutally honest song about unhealthy and manipulative relationships. The singer is fully aware of his destructive tendencies but cannot help himself from chasing after pretty faces. The song serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of getting involved with people who show no mercy in matters of the heart.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on Jane, I want to hold ya tight, yeah
I am expressing my desire to hold Jane tightly and provide her with the love she deserves.
Give ya love, make you feel alright, yeah
I want to give her the love she needs to make her feel good.
I say the things that you want to hear
I am telling Jane what she wants to hear to make her happy.
I'm gonna whisper in your ear.
I will sweetly whisper in her ear to make her feel loved.
Show no mercy
I am warning Jane that I have no intention of being merciful.
But did you think you were the only one
I ask Jane if she thought she was the only person I was pursuing romantically.
Just a victim of a love and run
Jane was just one of many people I pursued, leaving them afterwards when I got what I wanted.
Lonely heart and a woman in black
Jane is a lonely heart, and is suffering because of my actions.
I broke your heart and I ain't coming back
I am admitting that I broke her heart and I have no plans to return to her.
And I'm sorry if I broke your dream
I am expressing regret for damaging her dreams and ruining her hopes for our relationship.
Watch your life come apart at the seam
I acknowledge that my actions will have a profound effect on Jane's life and will cause it to unravel.
I know it ain't fair
I admit that my treatment of Jane isn't fair or just.
I broke your heart, yeah yeah
I broke Jane's heart, and I am remorseful for doing so.
I'll be standing in the shadows of love
I will be present in the background of the love Jane eventually finds after me, making me a part of her love history.
Hey yeah, so I'm indiscreet
I admit that I can be indiscreet and careless with others' feelings.
Shattered dolls and a fait accompli
I have left a trail of damaged dolls, representing the people I have hurt, and this is an inevitable outcome for me.
I wonder why, why I keep up the chase
I question why I persist in pursuing people when I cause them so much pain.
I'm just a fool for a pretty face
I recognize that my obsession with physical beauty causes me to hurt people through my selfish actions.
Show no mercy
I close the song with the same warning I opened with, indicating that this is a path I continue to walk without any mercy for those involved.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Unison Rights S.L., Songtrust Ave
Written by: MICK CRIPPS, NICKY ALEXANDER, PAUL BLACK, PHILIP LEWIS, STEVE RILEY, TRACII GUNNS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ruudla12
Phil is one of the most underrated singers. He sings just like in the 80s
@joncampostheincurables6795
100% agree. I sing my nuts off, to Mr. Lewis mad respect!
@MarkCox21125150
Yeah. He is on fire here! 🔥
@cinful5680
Ain't that the truth!!! He is awesome
@Endo-uu8mo
so damn right but people today dont had taste 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤘🦇
@sweetsally1313
Thank you Frontier, for keeping our bands from the 80's alive and well. Please keep on keeping on. We appreciate it!
@robertturner1550
I love Phil's voice. Good to see Traci back in the line up.
@mike3894
This new band is playing with more energy than even when the song came out. Great stuff.
@Devis312R
Tracii one of the best guitar players in the world. I'm proud to know that this video and the new album are registered in my city :Milan,, Italy.
@JWyaMovieTime
As a guitar player the sound that comes out of Tracii Guns' fingertips is the sound in my head.