He was the lead guitarist for the thrash metal band Megadeth for a period of almost ten years (from February 1990 to December 1999). During this period, perhaps its most successful, Megadeth released a string of gold and platinum albums. At the same time, Megadeth's musical style became less Thrash, and more melodic, which many attribute primarily to Marty's creative influence.
Prior to joining Megadeth, he formed and played lead guitar in several bands that attained loyal and faithful followings, including Deuce, Hawaii, Vixen (not the all-female band of the same name), and notably Cacophony. Marty collaborated with Jason Becker on two albums, "Go Off" and "Speed Metal Symphony" that are considered masterpieces and works of reference for pure virtuoso and creative guitar playing. His solo albums, including one in conjunction with Japanese maestro Kitaro, reveal the wide range of Marty's musical exploration, from the very melodic music of "Scenes" and "Introduction" to the hard driving rock of "Music for Speeding", to the variety of styles presented in "True Obsessions". His solo albums seldom conform to a specific genre and often reminds the listener of Marty's creative exploration in music.
Currently living in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Marty travels the world giving eagerly anticipated clinics, performances and master classes in dozens of countries in Asia, Europe, and North and South America. He has become a major force in the Japanese music scene, playing lead guitar in the bands of the some of the country's most famous performers. He is also making his mark as a popular versatile and talented performer on several hit shows on Japanese television, and as a columnist for a major Japanese music magazine and a national daily newspaper.
Marty speaks fluent Japanese. He once appeared on TXN's musical TV program "hebimetasan" with Japanese idol Yoko Kumada etc. Marty has recently appeared on the track "Born Of Anger" on the album "All That Remains" by Fozzy. Marty is a big fan of the Ramones, KISS (during its early years) and Frank Marino. Marty very much enjoys playing guitar -- which he 'speaks' as fluently as he does Japanese. With music, there is never a language barrier.
Live and Learn
Marty Friedman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's so hard to hold your faith
All we do for the children
All we're givin we're takin' away
As sure as I'm gettin' older
Father time keeps ticking by
Mother's getting colder
We'll cross the line, now it's time
Someone tell me why
We're going round and round
Will we ever live and learn
Just like a wheel that keeps on turning
We're going round and round
Will we ever live and learn
Will we ever live and learn
So you say that you're my brother
Comin' 'round,sleepin' in my bed
Why are you talkin' 'bout my mother
Got a big old mouth, nothing in your head
The lyrics of "Live and Learn" by Marty Friedman reflect the challenges and struggles of life. The opening lines, "spinning wheels keep turning backwards, it's so hard to hold your faith," indicate that life can sometimes feel like an uphill battle, and maintaining your faith can be difficult. The reference to "spinning wheels" suggests that we sometimes feel stuck in life and are unable to move forward.
The second half of the first verse speaks about the futility of our efforts, especially in situations where we are working for the benefit of children. It seems like whatever we give, we ultimately end up taking something away. This is a poignant comment on how life can seem to have a way of negating all of our best efforts.
The chorus of the song questions whether we will ever truly learn from our experiences. The imagery of the "wheel that keeps on turning" suggests that we are stuck in a cycle of making the same mistakes over and over again, and we are not able to break free from it. The lines, "will we ever live and learn" indicate a sense of frustration and longing for something more.
The second verse of the song speaks about the passage of time and the changes that come with it. The lines "as sure as I'm getting older, father time keeps ticking by" suggest that time is a constant force that we cannot stop. The reference to "mother getting colder" could refer to the planet Earth and the environmental changes that are happening. The lines "if we don't change our ways, we'll cross the line, now it's time, someone tell me why" are a call to action, a plea for us to take responsibility for our actions and make positive changes before it's too late.
Overall, "Live and Learn" is a thought-provoking song that challenges us to reflect on our experiences and learn from them. It acknowledges the difficulties of life but also offers a glimmer of hope that we can change our ways and break free from negative cycles.
Line by Line Meaning
Spinning wheels keep turning backwards
We seem to be stuck in a repetitive cycle of negative actions and mistakes
It's so hard to hold your faith
Maintaining hope in the midst of hardship and turmoil is a challenge
All we do for the children
Our actions are often motivated by the desire to protect and support the younger generation
All we're givin we're takin' away
Despite our efforts to make positive changes, we often end up undoing them unintentionally
As sure as I'm gettin' older
The inevitability of aging is a constant reminder of the passing of time
Father time keeps ticking by
The relentless progression of time can feel overwhelming
Mother's getting colder
Our environment and world is becoming increasingly uncaring and harsh
And if we don't change our ways We'll cross the line, now it's time
If we continue on our current path, we risk reaching a point of no return
Someone tell me why
It's difficult to understand why we continue to make the same mistakes
We're going round and round
We seem to be stuck in a never-ending cycle of negative behavior and consequences
Will we ever live and learn
Is there hope that we can break this cycle and make positive changes?
Just like a wheel that keeps on turning
Our negative actions and their consequences seem to go round and round in a never-ending cycle
So you say that you're my brother
People claim to care about and be connected to one another, but their actions often say otherwise
Comin' 'round,sleepin' in my bed
People may invade our personal space and claim to be close to us, but their true intentions are unclear
Why are you talkin' 'bout my mother
People may try to spread rumors or gossip about those we care about, causing unnecessary drama and conflict
Got a big old mouth, nothing in your head
People may talk a lot but not have anything of substance or value to say
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ARON FRIEDMAN, MARK MILLINGTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind