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)
Fast Lane
Megadeth Lyrics
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A fuel in my soul
I hyperventilate as I accelerate
Till I've lost all control
My speed becomes relentless
And testing all my senses
White line appearing faster
My supersonic machine
Get out of my
Fast lane, like a jet plane
Like a freight train, I'm driving insane
Addicted to the fast lane
Rushing to my brain
No time to explain, this is my domain
Addicted to the fast lane
I look into mirror, red lights are drawing nearer
They think I've met my match
But I shift into high gear, soon they just disappear
You can't jail what you can't catch
My speed becomes relentless
And testing all my senses
White line appearing faster
Prompting death and d-d-disaster
I hear the engines screaming
I'm burning up the
Fast lane, like a jet plane
Like a freight train, I'm driving insane
Addicted to the fast lane
Rushing to my brain
No time to explain, this is my domain
Fast lane
Fast lane, like a jet plane
Like a freight train, this is my domain
D-d-domain
The song "Fast Lane" by Megadeth portrays the adrenaline rush and addiction to speed that certain individuals feel when they get behind the wheel. The lyrics suggest that driving in the fast lane is a dangerous yet thrilling experience. The singer's machine is described as supersonic and his speed becomes relentless as he tests all his senses. He compares his driving to that of a jet plane or a freight train, driving insane with a rush to his brain. The white line on the road appears to be moving faster, suggesting impending danger and disaster. As police sirens approach, he shifts into high gear, manages to outrun them, and continues to drive faster.
The lyrics, while seemingly glorifying this addiction to speed, also acknowledge the risks and dangers associated with it, such as potential crashes, injury or death. The phrase "No time to explain, this is my domain" suggests a reckless, impulsive behavior that disregards safety concerns. The lyrics also underscore the singer's determination to maintain his rush, even at the cost of breaking the law.
Overall, the song portrays the thrill and temptation of driving in the fast lane despite the risks, while acknowledging the unhealthy addiction and dangerous consequences.
Line by Line Meaning
You don't know what I feel, I get behind the wheel
I am the only one who understands the thrill I feel when I get behind the wheel.
A fuel in my soul
Driving and the need for speed is like fuel that keeps me going.
I hyperventilate as I accelerate
My excitement builds up as I push down the accelerator to go faster and faster.
Till I've lost all control
I can't stop myself from accelerating until I've gone too far beyond my limits.
My speed becomes relentless
Once I start driving fast, I can't slow down, it becomes natural for me.
And testing all my senses
The speed tests all of my senses such as vision, hearing, and reaction time.
White line appearing faster
As I speed up, the white lines separating lanes appear to move quicker.
Prompting death and disaster
Driving insanely fast can lead to fatal accidents and disastrous outcomes.
My supersonic machine
My high-performance car is like a jet flying down the highway.
Get out of my
I command slower moving vehicles to get out of my way.
Fast lane, like a jet plane
I feel like a jet plane when driving in the fast lane, that's why it's so addictive.
Like a freight train, I'm driving insane
Similar to a speeding freight train, I'm driving with complete disregard for safety.
Addicted to the fast lane
I'm addicted to the thrill of speeding down the highway.
Rushing to my brain
The adrenaline rush I feel while driving fast is addictive and feeds my addiction even more.
No time to explain, this is my domain
I don't want to explain to anyone why I do it, driving fast is my thing and I want to own it.
I look into mirror, red lights are drawing nearer
I see police lights behind me but I don't worry because I know I can out-speed them.
They think I've met my match
The police think they've caught me, but I know I can escape.
But I shift into high gear, soon they just disappear
I use all the power I have to shift gears and leave the police behind.
You can't jail what you can't catch
I know that as long as I stay ahead of the police car, I won't get caught or go to jail.
I hear the engines screaming
The sound of the engine is so loud, it feels like it's screaming in my ears.
I'm burning up the
I'm causing so much friction and heat from driving so fast.
D-d-domain
I own the fast lane, and nothing can stop me from driving however I desire.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVE MUSTAINE, JOHN KARKAZIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind