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.
boderline
MC5 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm at my borderline
Love you girl, but I just don't know why
I, have to love you so
When I make love to you
When I make love to you
Love is true, but I just don't know why
Need you girl, can't say why
Come on over here, love me now
You know you know, you got to know
You're movin' around, pushin' me past
My borderline, yeah yeah
It's about time
It's about time
Love you girl, but I just don't know
Why I have to love you so
Need you girl, can't you feel
I just got to know, if it's real
Big and strong, hard and fine
But you're movin' around, pushin' me past
My borderline, yeah yeah
Ooh, ooh
I'm at my borderline
I'm at my borderline
I'm at my borderline
The above lyrics can be interpreted as a song about the conflicted feelings of the singer towards their lover. The singer is constantly torn between their love for the person and the confusion that comes with it. At the beginning of the song, the singer acknowledges that they are at their borderline, implying that they are anxious about the situation they find themselves in.
The first verse starts with the singer expressing their love for the girl but simultaneously questioning it as well. The second verse seems to indicate that the physical act of making love brings out true emotions, but the confusion still exists. The chorus emphasizes the singer's confusion, questioning why they have to love the girl so much.
The third verse expresses the singer's need for the girl and their inability to explain why it's present. The line "pushing me past my borderline" appears twice, highlighting the conflict within the singer's emotions. The song ends on the same note it started with the singer affirming being at the borderline.
Overall, the lyrics seem to convey a sense of struggle and uncertainty within the singer's emotions, emphasizing the complexities that come with love.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm at my borderline
I feel like I'm at my breaking point
I'm at my borderline
I'm at the limit of what I can handle emotionally
Love you girl, but I just don't know why
I have deep feelings for you, but I can't explain why
I, have to love you so
I can't help but love you, even though I'm not sure why
When I make love to you
When we're intimate
When I make love to you
When we're together romantically
Love is true, but I just don't know why
Our love feels real, but I can't explain why
I, have to love you so
I can't help but love you deeply
Need you girl, can't say why
I feel a strong need for you, but I can't explain why
Come on over here, love me now
Come closer and be with me now
You know you know, you got to know
You're aware of your effect on me and how much I need you
You're movin' around, pushin' me past
Your actions or behavior are affecting me more than I can handle
My borderline, yeah yeah
I'm at my limit and can't handle it anymore
It's about time
It's time for something
It's about time
We need to do something or make a change
Love you girl, but I just don't know
I have strong feelings for you, but I'm unsure
Why I have to love you so
I don't understand why I love you so much
Need you girl, can't you feel
I need you and hope you feel the same
I just got to know, if it's real
I need confirmation that our love is genuine and true
Big and strong, hard and fine
You're physically attractive and impressive to me
But you're movin' around, pushin' me past
Your actions or behavior are affecting me more than I can handle
My borderline, yeah yeah
I'm at my limit and can't handle it anymore
Ooh, ooh
Vocalization or instrumental break with no lyrics
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LOUIS SEDMAK, MARK ANTHONY SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tim Hurley
on The Pledge Song
Found this outfit called "Sonic Hits" for free streaming.
Pretty impressed with the depth of their catalog and none of those serenity busting ads.