MC5 is an American rock band from Lincoln Park, Michigan, formed in 1964. T… Read Full Bio ↴MC5 is an American rock band from Lincoln Park, Michigan, formed in 1964. The original band line-up comprised vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson. Early success in and around Detroit led to the band name, MC5 being short for "Motor City Five". The band's radical left-wing political ties and anti-establishment lyrics and music positioned them as emerging innovators of the punk rock movement in the United States. Though Thompson is the only surviving original member of the band, the band's first three albums are regarded by many as staples of rock music, and their 1969 song "Kick Out the Jams" is widely covered. MC5 was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in 2002, 2016 and 2018.

MC5 had a promising beginning that earned them a January 1969 cover appearance in Rolling Stone magazine and a story written by Eric Ehrmann before their debut album was released. They developed a reputation for energetic and polemical live performances, one of which was recorded as their 1969 debut album Kick Out the Jams. Their initial run was short-lived, though. In 1972, just three years after their debut record, the band came to an end. Often cited as one of the most important American hard rock groups of that era, their three albums are regarded by many as classics.

Tyner died of a heart attack in late 1991 at the age of 46. Smith also died of a heart attack, in 1994 at the age of 45. The remaining three members of the band reformed in 2003 with The Dictators' singer Handsome Dick Manitoba as its new vocalist, and this reformed line-up occasionally performed live over the next nine years until Davis died of liver failure in February 2012 at the age of 68.

In 2022, Kramer announced that a tour would take place that spring, and that a new MC5 studio album with producer Bob Ezrin would also be released later that year with original MC5 drummer Dennis Thompson playing on two tracks. In 2023, Kramer announced that the album would be released in the spring of 2024. Kramer died in February 2024, leaving Thompson as the only surviving original member of the band.

Talk/Rocket Reducer No. 62
MC5 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

After some good tokes and a six pack
We can sock 'em out for you
Till you're flat on your back
You know I got to keep it up
Cause I'm a natural man
I'm a born hell raiser
And I don't give a damn
I'm the man for you baby

I'm the man for you baby
I'm the man for you baby
I'm the man for you baby
I'm the man for you

Workin' here before your momma
Soakin wet
You think you're satisfied
You ain't seen nothing yet
I said wham bam thank you ma'am

I'm a born ass pincher
And I don't give a damn

[Chorus:]
Lead...
Rama lama fa fa fa...

You can lay it down on me, momma
Any old time
We can shimmy so good
We'll both be stoned o-mind
I'm irresistibly bad
The cool's what am
Robin Tyner's the name
And I kick out the jams

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to MC5's song Rocket Reducer No.62 depict the persona of a brash, self-assured man who is confident in his ability to please a woman. The opening lines suggest that after indulging in some marijuana and beer (likely to loosen inhibitions), he can provide physical pleasure until his partner is completely exhausted. The lyrics "I'm a natural man, I'm a born hell raiser, And I don't give a damn" further emphasize the man's carefree and promiscuous attitude.

The second verse implies that this man has been in the game for a long time - "Workin' here before your momma, Soakin wet" - and that he knows exactly how to satisfy a woman- "You ain't seen nothing yet". The lyrics "I'm a born ass pincher And I don't give a damn" make it clear that he is not afraid of crossing boundaries or offending people.

In essence, the message of this song is one of uninhibited sexuality and pleasure-seeking. It's an ode to those who are not afraid to express themselves sexually and who embrace their primal instincts.

Line by Line Meaning

After some good tokes and a six pack
After consuming marijuana and a six pack of beer

We can sock 'em out for you
We can fight for you

Till you're flat on your back
Until you are knocked out

You know I got to keep it up
I need to maintain my reputation

Cause I'm a natural man
I am a man who is true to oneself

I'm a born hell raiser
I am someone who enjoys causing trouble

And I don't give a damn
I do not care about anything else

I'm the man for you baby
I am the perfect man for you

Workin' here before your momma
I have been working here for a long time even before your mother was born

Soakin wet
Completely drenched in water

You think you're satisfied
You believe you are content

You ain't seen nothing yet
You have not experienced anything yet

I said wham bam thank you ma'am
I say things bluntly and impulsively

I'm a born ass pincher
I am someone who enjoys touching others

And I don't give a damn
I do not care about the consequences

You can lay it down on me, momma
You can depend on me anytime

Any old time
Whenever you want

We can shimmy so good
We can dance well together

We'll both be stoned o-mind
We'll both be intoxicated

I'm irresistibly bad
I am irresistible even when I behave badly

The cool's what am
I am cool and that's what matters

Robin Tyner's the name
My name is Robin Tyner

And I kick out the jams
I perform rock music with great enthusiasm

[Chorus:]
Refrain

Lead...
Instrumental interlude

Rama lama fa fa fa...
Lyrics with no specific meaning

[Chorus]
Refrain

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DENNIS TOMICH, FREDERICK D. SMITH, MICHAEL DAVIS, ROBERT W. DERMINER, WAYNE KRAMER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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