Dave Mustaine was an early member of the band Metallica, and helped pen tracks that wound up on their first two albums. In 1983, Mustaine was let go from the group by Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield due to personal conflicts and substance abuse. He would be replaced by Kirk Hammett, guitarist for the Bay Area thrash band Exodus, who remains with the band to this day. Dave felt slighted and vowed to make his own band, which would be even faster and heavier than Metallica. Mustaine picked the name "Megadeth" from a pamphlet by California senator Alan Cranston that read: "The arsenal of megadeath can't be rid no matter what the peace treaties come to."
In 1985, Megadeth released their debut album, Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!, on the independent record label Combat Records, to moderate success. It caught the attention of bigger labels, which led to Megadeth signing with Capitol Records. Their first major-label album, Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?, was released in 1986 and was a major hit with the underground metal scene. Band members' substance abuse issues and personal disputes had brought Megadeth negative publicity during the late 1980s. Nonetheless, the band went on to release a number of platinum-selling albums, including So Far, So Good... So What! (1988), Rust in Peace (1990), and Countdown to Extinction (1992). These albums, along with worldwide tours, brought them public recognition.
Megadeth has had numerous guitarists, drummers and bassists throughout its 39-year career, with Mustaine being the only remaining original member of the group. The band temporarily disbanded in 2002 when Mustaine suffered an arm injury and re-established in 2004 without longtime bassist David Ellefson, who had taken legal action against him. Ellefson settled out of court and rejoined the band in 2010, but was fired in 2021 amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Megadeth's current lineup includes Mustaine, bassist James LoMenzo, guitarist Kiko Loureiro and drummer Dirk Verbeuren.
Megadeth earned platinum certifications in the United States for six of its sixteen studio albums, and has received twelve Grammy nominations. Megadeth won its first Grammy Award in 2017 for the song "Dystopia" in the Best Metal Performance category. The band's mascot, Vic Rattlehead, regularly appears on album artwork and live shows. Megadeth has hosted its own music festival, Gigantour, several times since July 2005, and held its first MegaCruise in October 2019.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megadeth
Studio albums
Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! (1985)
Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? (1986)
So Far, So Good... So What! (1988)
Rust in Peace (1990)
Countdown to Extinction (1992)
Youthanasia (1994)
Cryptic Writings (1997)
Risk (1999)
The World Needs a Hero (2001)
The System Has Failed (2004)
United Abominations (2007)
Endgame (2009)
Thirteen (2011)
Super Collider (2013)
Dystopia (2016)
The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead! (2022)
Family Tree
Megadeth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The tigers eat their young
The body stayed but inside the head
The mind was on the run
Conspiracy of silence
The only way out of pain
Is turn around and run through it man
Too wet to come in from the rain,
I know they were doing it to you
But don't try doing it to me
Let me show you, how I love you
It's our secret, you and me
Let me show you how I love you
But keep it in the family tree...
The secret of the family tree
When you hear them saying "Trust me"
Don't wait to see what's next
Thrown to the wolves
Forever trusting
Raised in a form of living Hell
Sing a one note song of rage
Live and die within your heart
So beware in the shadows
Your family tree waits in the dark
I say...
The lyrics of Megadeth's song "Family Tree" convey a sense of betrayal and mistrust within a family. The first verse talks about memories returning and the tigers eating their young. This could be interpreted as the family members devouring their own, leaving nothing behind but a shell, while the mind tries to escape the pain. The second verse speaks of a conspiracy of silence, the only way out of which is to confront and run through it. The third verse refers to being raised in a living hell where wolves lurk in the shadows of the family tree.
The chorus of the song is intriguing as it speaks of a secret love between family members that needs to be kept in the tree. The singer is saying that he knows they did it to him or her, but he or she will not attempt to do it in return. The song appears to be about incestuous relationships within a family, possibly indicating that the family members have become so twisted and corrupted that they seek out forbidden love within their own bloodline.
Line by Line Meaning
Forgotten things remembered
Recollections of past events resurface
The tigers eat their young
People in power often betray their own
The body stayed but inside the head
Physical state remains unchanged, but mentally disturbed
The mind was on the run
The person was constantly in a state of anxiety and fear
Conspiracy of silence
A group of people are purposefully keeping quiet about something
The only way out of pain
Escaping the pain is only possible by confronting it
Is turn around and run through it man
Braving the pain head-on is the only solution
Too wet to come in from the rain,
Unable to escape an undesirable situation
Tell them...
The artist is about to make a statement directed at someone
I know they were doing it to you
The artist acknowledges that the listener was a victim of someone else's wrongdoings
But don't try doing it to me
The singer is cautioning the listener against repeating past mistakes
Let me show you, how I love you
The artist wants to demonstrate their love to the listener
It's our secret, you and me
The singer wants to keep their love hidden from others
Let me show you how I love you
The singer emphasizes their desire to prove their love
But keep it in the family tree...
Despite their love, they cannot publicly reveal it due to family ties
The secret of the family tree
There are hidden family secrets not meant to be revealed
When you hear them saying 'Trust me'
Be cautious of those who try to gain your trust easily
Don't wait to see what's next
Take precautionary measures as soon as you suspect foul play
Thrown to the wolves
Being left vulnerable to external dangers
Forever trusting
Continuously having faith in others, despite past betrayals
Raised in a form of living Hell
Growing up in a severely dysfunctional family environment
Sing a one note song of rage
Expressing anger in a singular, repetitive manner
Live and die within your heart
Living and dying with unresolved emotional pain
So beware in the shadows
Be cautious of hidden dangers
Your family tree waits in the dark
The past and its secrets continue to haunt you
I say...
The singer is about to make another statement
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVE ELLEFSON, DAVE MUSTAINE, DAVID ELLEFSON, MARTIN FRIEDMAN, MARTY FRIEDMAN, NICK MENZA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind