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.
Let's Go
Montrose Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The best things in life can't always last
So spend it right it might be your last time
To think to see what's wrong and right
To live to find what's deep inside
It's all apart of your sad lost life
This world isn't good enough for me
Got better things to do
Got better things to do
So time is up everyone has had enough
You lost your world, someday you'll lose the girl
It's time to think life isn't something free
You made your bed you better lie in it
This world isn't good enough for me
Got better things to do
This world isn't good enough for me
Got better things to do
And everything you wanted
And everything you know
And everything you wanted
You just let go
You just let go
Everything you need
You just let go
An unfinished dream
Everything you need
It's not what it seems
You just let go
And everything you wanted
And everything you know
And everything you wanted
You just let go
You just let go
An unfinished dream
Everything you need
It's not what it seems
Montrose's song "Let's Go" seems to be an anthem for living life to the fullest, emphasizing the importance of seizing opportunities, cherishing loved ones, and not letting anything hold you back. The lyrics paint a picture of a world that is not good enough for the singer. He's got better things to do, and he feels like he is wasting his life. Time is running out, and he needs to make the most of it.
The opening lines set the tone for the song, "You see this time it goes by fast. The best things in life can't always last." This seems to be a call to live in the moment, to appreciate the present, and not take anything for granted. The lines "To live to find what's deep inside. It's all apart of your sad lost life" feel like an admonition to introspection, to search for one's purpose in life, and to pursue it wholeheartedly.
The chorus of the song feels like a declaration of independence, a refusal to settle for a life that's less than what one deserves. "This world isn't good enough for me. Got better things to do" seems like a statement of intent, a determination to make a change and not let external circumstances hold you back. The lines "So time is up everyone has had enough. You lost your world, someday you'll lose the girl" feel like a warning about the consequences of wasting time and not appreciating what you have.
In the second half of the song, the lyrics become more reflective, almost regretful. The lines "And everything you wanted. And everything you know. And everything you wanted. You just let go" feel like an admission of missed opportunities and lost love. "An unfinished dream. Everything you need. It's not what it seems" feels like a recognition that the path to happiness and fulfillment is not always straightforward and requires perseverance and dedication.
Overall, "Let's Go" feels like a song about hope and determination, a message that even when things seem bleak, there's always a way forward, and it's up to us to seize the moment and make the most of our time.
Line by Line Meaning
You see this time it goes by fast
Time flies quickly and we must cherish every moment.
The best things in life can't always last
Valuable things come in and out of our lives, so we must enjoy them while they last.
So spend it right it might be your last time
Make the most of every opportunity you have because it might be the only chance you get.
To think to see what's wrong and right
Reflect on your actions and make sure you're making the right choices.
To live to find what's deep inside
Explore your inner thoughts and emotions to truly understand yourself.
It's all apart of your sad lost life
Life is full of ups and downs, and sometimes we feel lost and confused.
This world isn't good enough for me
The current state of the world doesn't meet my expectations or needs.
Got better things to do
I have more important tasks or goals to focus on.
So time is up everyone has had enough
The time has passed and it's time to move on.
You lost your world, someday you'll lose the girl
If you don't appreciate the things you have, you might lose them eventually.
It's time to think life isn't something free
Life comes with responsibilities and consequences, and we have to face them eventually.
You made your bed you better lie in it
You are responsible for your choices and actions, so you must accept the consequences.
And everything you wanted
Your desires and goals in life.
And everything you know
Your knowledge and experiences.
You just let go
You gave up or lost the things you wanted or knew.
Everything you need
The important things in life that you require to live happily.
An unfinished dream
A goal or aspiration that was never realized.
It's not what it seems
Things might appear one way, but in reality, they are different.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Bob James, Ronnie Montrose, Jim Alcivar, Denny Carmassi
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind