After the guys worked on their sound for a while, inspired by gritty rock n roll, they finally recorded and released their first album, 1978's 'Molly Hatchet'. Then, in 1979, 'Flirtin' with Disaster' came out. The group's work earned them both critical praise and commerical success, the album hitting the #19 slot on the Billboard top 200 chart. Allmusic's Rob Theakston has spoken for many in writing that the "tour de force" of a record shows that " the band means business".
Yet the group's history would prove to be a rocky one. In 1980, Brown left the group to form The Danny Joe Brown Band (with future Molly Hatchet guitarist Bobby Ingram). He was replaced by vocalist Jimmy Farrar. After the release of Beatin' the Odds in 1980 and Take No Prisoners in 1981, Farrar left as well.
Brown rejoined the band in 1982 and Banner Thomas left and was replaced by Riff West. In 1983, a new album was released titled No Guts... No Glory. Steve Holland left and was replaced by keyboardist John Galvin.
In 1984 came the release of a new album The Deed Is Done. In 1985 Dave Hlubek left and he was replaced by Bobby Ingram. Then in 1985, the double live album Double Trouble Live was released.
The band continued to tour regularly, and then in 1989 the album Lightning Strikes Twice was released.
1990s
In 1991, the greatest hits collection Greatest Hits was released. Molly Hatchet was in ways similar to fellow Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd in that it paired strong guitar work with a pounding boogie beat. When Brown left the band after Flirtin' with Disaster and was replaced by Farrar, the band's sound turned more to jamming and free form. When Brown returned in time for No Guts...No Glory, the original sound returned as well.
In 1996 due to a stroke and illness Brown had to leave the band, bringing in lead singer Phil McCormack to finish the album Devils Canyon in 1996.
At this point, the band consisted of members: vocalist Phil McCormack, guitarists Bobby Ingram and Bryan Bassett, keyboardist John Galvin, bassist Andy McKinney, and drummer Mac Crawford.
In 1998 Silent Reign Of Heroes was released. And in 1999 the band traveled coast to coast with Charlie Daniels and the Volunteer Jam.
2000s
In 2000, the album The Kingdom Of XII was released in Europe. The band went on tour to promote this album. It was released in the United States in 2001. Locked and Loaded (2003) and Warriors of the Rainbow Bridge (2005) followed. In January of 2005, Ingram invited Hlubek to rejoin Molly Hatchet and in doing so became the only current member who was a part of the original band.
On Thursday, March 10, 2005, after Brown was hospitalized for four weeks, he died less than an hour after returning to his home in Davie, Florida with his family and friends at his side, at the age of 53 from complications from pneumonia. He had previously left the group due to the suffering from a massive stroke in 1995 while driving to his brother's house. After a long battle with diabetes and the effects of the stroke, Brown was able to take the stage one last time at the Jammin' for DJB benefit concert in 1998 where with the help of his friends he ended the show with "Flirtin' with Disaster."
On Monday, June 19, 2006, founding guitarist Duane Roland died in St. Augustine, Florida at the age of 53. He had been playing with the band Gator Country, consisting of former members of Molly Hatchet, as late as May of 2006. His death was listed as being of "natural causes".
Bruce Crump (July 17, 1957 – March 16, 2015) was the original drummer from 1976 to 1983 (including their 1980 hit song "Flirtin' with Disaster" ) and 1984 to 1991. He also played as a member of Canadian band Streetheart in the early 1980s, and joined several of his former Molly Hatchet bandmates in the band Gator Country in the mid-2000s. At his death, Crump was in the Jacksonville, Florida-based band White Rhino and the newly reformed China Sky.
Bass guitarist Banner Thomas died of complications of pneumonia, at 63, on April 10, 2017.
Dave Hlubek died of a heart attack on September 3, 2017, at the age of 66.
Jimmy Farrar, who was frontman from 1980 to 1982, died of heart failure on October 29, 2018, at 67. Singer Phil McCormack died on April 26, 2019 at 58 (McCormack had been sidelined in early 2019, after suffering from health troubles that affected his voice andwas replaced by singer Jimmy Elkins, who continued on with Hatchet after McCormack's death).
Steve Holland, the last original member of Molly Hatchet, died on August 2, 2020.
The Creeper
Molly Hatchet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Life is getting stranger, baby
As we travel on.
People don't know the difference no more
Between right and wrong.
Say it's gonna be a cold dark night
Watch out for the steel blade, baby,
All shiny and long.
I say it's gonna be a cold dark night
Oh, when The Creeper come along. Yea.
He's tall, he's short, he's fat, he's thin.
He's out for vengeance, he's out to win.
The road he walks is dark and dim
Don't let him catch you out on a limb.
He'll cut your throat, baby, stick you in the back
Drive off in your Cadillac.
He's more trouble than you think
He'll kill your sugar, leave you in the drink.
Say, it's gonna be a cold dark night
Oh, when The Creeper come along.
Yea the enemy of Society hurts the people everyday.
The law's out to catch him, baby, but there just ain' no way.
I say it's gonna be a cold dark night
When The Creeper come along.
Watch out for the steel blade, baby,
All shiny and long.
I say it's gonna be a cold dark night
Lord, when The Creeper come along.
Yea...
Yes, it's gonna be a cold dark night
Lord, when The Creeper come along.
Molly Hatchet's "The Creeper" is a cautionary tale warning people of the dangers lurking in society. The lyrics suggest that the world is becoming a stranger place and people can no longer tell right from wrong. The Creeper, the antagonist of the song, is described as a ruthless, vengeful figure who walks a dark and dim road. The song tells us to be careful, to watch out for the steel blade the Creeper carries, and to avoid being caught on the wrong side of him.
The second and third verses of the song describe the extent of the Creeper's danger. He is more than just a common thief, he is a killer, ready to cut your throat or stab you in the back at a moment's notice. He will even steal your car and your lover before leaving you dead and drowning in a river. The song suggests that the Creeper is an enemy of society, hurting people every day, but the law is powerless to stop him.
Overall, "The Creeper" is a bleak look at society that warns the listener about the dangers lurking just around the corner. The song suggests that even our own shadow may not be safe, and that danger is ever-present in our world.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, listen to my story:
Pay attention to what I'm about to tell you
Life is getting stranger, baby
The world is becoming more unpredictable and dangerous
As we travel on.
As time goes by
People don't know the difference no more
People are losing their moral compass
Between right and wrong.
They can't distinguish between good and evil
Say it's gonna be a cold dark night
I predict that an ominous event will occur soon
When The Creeper comes along.
When the dangerous criminal known as The Creeper appears
Watch out for the steel blade, baby,
Beware of his deadly weapon
All shiny and long.
Which looks polished and potent
He's tall, he's short, he's fat, he's thin.
The Creeper has a variety of physical characteristics
He's out for vengeance, he's out to win.
His motivations are fueled by the desire for revenge and victory
The road he walks is dark and dim
His path in life is mysterious and foreboding
Don't let him catch you out on a limb.
Don't put yourself in a vulnerable position around him
He'll cut your throat, baby, stick you in the back
He's capable of extreme violence and betrayal
Drive off in your Cadillac.
He'll even steal your luxury possessions
He's more trouble than you think
The Creeper is a bigger threat than people realize
He'll kill your sugar, leave you in the drink.
He'll harm your loved ones and leave you in a dire situation
Yea the enemy of Society hurts the people everyday.
The Creeper is a menace who harms innocent people regularly
The law's out to catch him, baby, but there just ain' no way.
The authorities are trying to apprehend him, but it's proving to be difficult
Lord, when The Creeper come along.
The Creeper's arrival will be a dark and perilous time
Yes, it's gonna be a cold dark night
I am certain that the coming night will be ominous
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: BRUCE HULL JR CRUMP, DANNY JOE BROWN, STEVEN JEROME HOLLAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind