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.
Underground
Montrose Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Send me to meet my dark, dark sky.
Lord, help a sinner
Lord, help a fool
Take me now or let me die.
Well you take me and you break me
Well you take me and you break me.
Take me now or take me underground
Still, if you want some, go and get your spoon
Eagles devouring a silver moon.
One by one we've been strolling down the line,
One by one they're always taking up my space
and up my time.
One by one companies crawling out my ears,
One by one they're all burning up my space
and up my years.
Well you take me and you break me
And you make me your slave.
Well you take me and you break me
The lyrics of Montrose's song "Underground" carry the theme of desperation; a plea for release from the turmoil that plagues the mind of the singer. The first line of the song "Take me now or take me underground" sets the tone for the song. It suggests that the singer is ready for the worst and is willing to embrace death or any other form of escape.
As the song progresses, we begin to understand the perspective of the singer. The line "Send me to meet my dark, dark sky" suggests that the singer wants to die and meet their maker. This desperation for release is fueled by the realization that the singer is a sinner and a fool, and that they need divine intervention. The request for help from the Lord is indicative of this.
The line "Well you take me and you break me" is repeated in the song and serves as a reminder that the source of the singer's pain is external. They are at the mercy of something or someone who takes pleasure in causing them harm. The song's chorus is a cry for help, a request for release from the turmoil that is eating them up inside.
Line by Line Meaning
Take me now or take me underground
The singer is requesting to be taken away, either to a dark and mysterious place or even death.
Send me to meet my dark, dark sky.
The singer is possibly referring to the afterlife or a place of darkness and solitude.
Lord, help a sinner
The singer is asking for help from a higher power due to their perceived mistakes and shortcomings in life.
Lord, help a fool
The artist recognizes themselves as foolish and is also asking for divine assistance.
Take me now or let me die.
The artist would rather be taken away or die rather than continue living in their current situation.
Well you take me and you break me
The singer is possibly referring to someone or something in their life that is causing them harm or pain.
Well change me into a maggot pie.
The singer is feeling worthless and insignificant, as they compare themselves to something as lowly as a maggot pie.
Still, if you want some, go and get your spoon
The artist is possibly referring to someone who wants to take advantage of them or their situation, but they are not afraid and tell them to come and try.
Eagles devouring a silver moon.
This line is unclear, but could be interpreted as a symbol for a powerful force conquering something beautiful or precious.
One by one we've been strolling down the line,
The artist is reflecting on the passage of time, where we all eventually move forward towards our own end.
One by one they're always taking up my space and up my time.
The singer may be referring to others who are taking up their time or interfering with their life in some way.
One by one companies crawling out my ears,
The artist feels overwhelmed by the multitude of companies or responsibilities in their life.
One by one they're all burning up my space and up my years.
These people or responsibilities may be draining the singer's energy or taking away from their own personal growth and development.
And you make me your slave.
The singer feels trapped and controlled by whatever or whomever is causing them harm or pain.
Lyrics © Regard Music
Written by: ILENE RAPPAPORT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind