The first member to leave was Bill Church, who was later replaced by Alan Fitzgerald for the band's second (and final album) with Hagar on vocals that they titled 'Paper Money' (Warner Bros., 1974). After departing, Hagar released a succession of solo albums in the mid-to-late 70s and early 80s (often with the remaining members of Montrose) as well as a one-off live album with the band Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve. He joined Van Halen in the mid 1980s. As a band Montrose released a further two albums on Warner Brothers, Warner Brothers Presents ...Montrose (1975) and Jump on It, both featuring Bob James on vocals, and new member Jim Alcivar on keyboards. On Jump On It Fitzgerald was replaced on bass by Randy Jo Hobbs.
Whilst Montrose failed to make the kind of impact their pioneering early work merited, they have nonetheless influenced a whole generation of hard rock and metal bands. A rare snatch of their brilliance as a stage band can be heard in the Barbara Striesand film 'A Star is Born' (1976), which features an unseen Montrose hammering out a scintillating version of one of their greatest songs, Rock Candy, as Streisand arrives backstage.
Prior to forming the band Ronnie Montrose, had been a successful session musician (playing, along with Bill Church on Van Morrison's 1971 Tupelo Honey album, also produced by Ted Templeman, and on albums by Beaver & Krause and Herbie Hancock). He was also a member of The Edgar Winter Band, playing on such hit singles as 'Free Ride', which was from the best-selling album 'They Only Come Out at Night' (1972). The guitarist later formed another band in the hard rock mould in the early 1980s, named Gamma, who featured Denny Carmassi, of the original Montrose band and late of Sammy Hagar's band, Jim Alcivar from Montrose, and a Scottish singer named Davey Pattison.
In its original incarnation, Gamma released several albums on Elektra records ('Gamma 1', 'Gamma 2', and 'Gamma 3') before splitting.
The original Montrose line-up reuinited on Sammy Hagar's Marching to Mars (1997) performing "Leaving the Warmth of the Womb" and on stage as an encore at a few Sammy concerts in 2003 and 2005.
Those with sharp ears heard the FM rock radio staple "Rock Candy" on an episode of "My Name Is Earl" in 2008 on NBC.
Bad Motor Scooter
Montrose Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just remember I don't live too far
And there's a red bridge that arcs the bay, yeah
You'll be at my place in less that a day
So get on your bad motor scooter and ride
Up over to my place and stay all night
First thing in the morning we'll be feeling all right
Ooh, the last I seen your face
I swore that no one would take your place
Now since you've been gone I've been feelin' bad, yeah
I'd come out to your place but I'm afraid of your dad so you
You get on your bad motor scooter and ride
Up over to my place and stay all night
First thing in the morning we'll be feeling all right, all right, all right, all right
Get on your bad motor scooter and ride
Ride, ride, ride
Come on baby, ooh yeah
Crank it on up
Get on your bad motor scooter and ride
Up over to my place and stay all night
First thing in the morning we'll be feeling all right, all right, all right, all right
Get on your bad motor scooter and ride
Get on your bad motor scooter
Get on your bad motor scooter and ride
The lyrics to Montrose's song "Bad Motor Scooter" tell the story of a boy and a girl who are separated by distance but have a longing for each other. The boy tells the girl that if she gets lonely on her father's farm, she can come to him because he doesn't live too far away. He assures her that there is a red bridge that arcs the bay and that she could be at his place in less than a day. He encourages her to ride her "bad motor scooter" over to him, spend the night, and be ready to feel all right the next morning.
The lyrics are playful, romantic, and rebellious, with a sense of urgency in the repeated refrain to "get on your bad motor scooter and ride." The boy is not afraid to defy the girl's father, but the girl seems to be hesitant, possibly because of the disapproval of her dad. The song captures the spirit of youthful rebelliousness and longing that characterized rock music of the 1970s.
Line by Line Meaning
If you get lonely on your daddy's farm
When you feel alone and isolated on your father's farmland,
Just remember I don't live too far
Always keep in mind that I live close enough to be reached.
And there's a red bridge that arcs the bay, yeah
There is a red bridge that goes across the bay,
You'll be at my place in less that a day
And in no time you'll arrive at my place.
So get on your bad motor scooter and ride
Therefore, get on your powerful motorcycle and ride it to my place.
Up over to my place and stay all night
Come all the way up to my property and spend the night.
First thing in the morning we'll be feeling all right
By the morning, we will both be well-rested and feel great.
Ooh, the last I seen your face
Oh, I remember the last time I saw your face.
I swore that no one would take your place
I promised that no one else could replace you.
Now since you've been gone I've been feelin' bad, yeah
But, unfortunately, I've been feeling terrible since the moment you left.
I'd come out to your place but I'm afraid of your dad so you
I would visit you but I'm scared of your dad, so it's better for you to come here.
Come on baby, ooh yeah
Come on, my dear. Let's do it.
Crank it on up
Increase the throttle on your motorcycle.
Get on your bad motor scooter and ride
Get on your powerful motorcycle and ride it to my place.
Ride, ride, ride
Drive quickly and confidently.
Get on your bad motor scooter
Ride on your motorcycle with strength and freedom.
And ride
And don't stop riding till you've reached my place.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SAMMY HAGAR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind