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)
Rust In Peace...Polaris
Megadeth Lyrics
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I am your ruler, land, sea and air
Immense in my girth, erect I stand tall
I am nuclear murderer I am Polaris
Ready to pounce at the touch of a button
My systems locked in on military gluttons
I rule on land, air and sea
Winds blow from the bowels of hell
Will we give warnings, only time will tell
Satan rears his ugly head, to spit into the wind
I spread disease like a dog
Discharge my payload a mile high
Rotten egg air of death wrestles your nostrils
Launch the Polaris, the end doesn't scare us
When will this cease
The warheads will all rust in peace
Bomb shelters filled to the brim
Survival such a silly whim
World leaders sell missiles cheap
Your stomach turns, your flesh creeps
High priests of holocaust, fire from the sea
Nuclear winter spreading disease
The day of final conflict
All pay the price
The third world war
Rapes peace, takes life
Back to the start, talk of the part
When the Earth was cold as ice
Total dismay as the sun passed away
And the days where black as night
Eradication of Earth's
Population loves Polaris
In "Rust In Peace...Polaris," the lead singer of Megadeth assumes the identity of a nuclear weapon, Polaris. Through the perspective of the weapon itself, the lyrics explore the ideas of dominance, fear, and destruction of humanity. The first verse starts with a warning for the weaker parties to tremble and cower in fear, acknowledging Polaris's dominant position. The second verse emphasizes Polaris's role in deciding humanity's fate by passing judgment on them. The song also mentions the terrifying consequences of a nuclear war that can happen if the military leaders press the wrong button.
The chorus is an urgent call to action, questioning when this nuclear threat will end, and suggests the irony of building bomb shelters to protect oneself when the looming danger of death can come from within. The verses convey the image of Satan, an evil force that thrives on chaos, adding to the overall apocalyptic tone of the song. The final verse talks about the eradication of Earth's population, implying that the weapon and the wielder have a love for destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
Tremble you weakings, cower in fear
I am so powerful that it scares you weak and vulnerable beings, and you should be scared.
I am your ruler, land, sea and air
I am the supreme ruler over everything; the land, sea, and air are under my control.
Immense in my girth, erect I stand tall
I am big and tall, and I stand erect in all my glory.
I am nuclear murderer I am Polaris
I am a killer, and my name is Polaris. I am a missile that launches nuclear warheads.
Ready to pounce at the touch of a button
I can strike anytime. All it takes is just a push of a button.
My systems locked in on military gluttons
I target those who have an insatiable appetite for warfare- the military leaders and their followers.
I rule on land, air and sea
I am the supreme ruler of everything the land, the air, and the sea.
Pass judgment on humanity
I have the power to judge humanity, and I pass my judgment on them.
Winds blow from the bowels of hell
The winds are so terrible, they seem to be coming from the depths of hell itself.
Will we give warnings, only time will tell
I am not sure if I will give any warning before striking. Only time will tell.
Satan rears his ugly head, to spit into the wind
Satan seems to be showing his ugly face, as if he is spitting at everyone who gets in his way.
I spread disease like a dog
I spread misery and destruction, much like a dog that carries diseases.
Discharge my payload a mile high
I can deliver a massive destructive blow, with my payload exploding up to a mile high.
Rotten egg air of death wrestles your nostrils
The air smells of death, like rotten eggs, and it chokes your nostrils.
Launch the Polaris, the end doesn't scare us
Igniting the Polaris missile and causing the end of the world doesn't scare us.
When will this cease
We ask when this madness will end.
The warheads will all rust in peace
The weapons of war will rust peacefully, destroyed and forgotten.
Bomb shelters filled to the brim
Shelters created to protect us from bombs during war are overloaded and overcrowded.
Survival such a silly whim
Trying to survive in war is just a silly whim or fantasy; it is almost impossible.
World leaders sell missiles cheap
The leaders of countries are selling missiles or weapons of mass destruction at cheap prices.
Your stomach turns, your flesh creeps
It disgusts and horrifies you to think of the horrors of war and weapons that destroy everything in their path.
High priests of holocaust, fire from the sea
Those who are responsible for major holocausts are considered like High Priests, and they aim their missiles from the seas.
Nuclear winter spreading disease
The cold conditions, and illnesses that come from nuclear winter are spreading and taking lives.
The day of final conflict
The day that marks the final conflict of mankind.
All pay the price
Everyone has to pay the price for their greed and lust for power, even the innocent.
The third world war
The third world war, which is currently happening, threatens to escalate and destroy everything.
Rapes peace, takes life
War harms peace and takes lives away from us.
Back to the start, talk of the part
Looking back to where things started, and talking about the beginning of it all.
When the Earth was cold as ice
A time in history when the earth was very cold and dark.
Total dismay as the sun passed away
Everyone felt nothing but terror and confusion when the sun disappeared.
And the days where black as night
The days were so dark, that they felt like a never-ending night; filled with anxiety, sadness, and emptiness.
Eradication of Earth's
The complete destruction of the Earth, leaving nothing behind.
Population loves Polaris
The population of the world is enamored with the Polaris missile and the idea of it brings.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVE MUSTAINE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind