Motörhead released 23 studio albums, 10 live recordings, 12 compilation albums and five EPs over a career spanning 40 years. Usually a power trio, they had particular success in the early 1980s with several successful singles in the UK Top 40 chart. The albums Overkill, Bomber, Ace of Spades and, particularly, the live album No Sleep 'til Hammersmith cemented Motörhead's reputation as a top-tier rock band. The band are ranked number 26 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock. As of 2016, they have sold more than 15 million albums worldwide.
Most often classified as heavy metal, Motörhead has been credited with being part of and influencing numerous musical scenes, thrash metal and speed metal especially. Lemmy, however, always insisted that they were a rock and roll band. He said that they had more in common with punk bands, but with their own unique sound, Motörhead is embraced in both punk and metal scenes. Their lyrics typically covered such topics as war, good versus evil, abuse of power, promiscuous sex, substance abuse and, most famously, gambling, the latter theme being the focus of their hit song "Ace of Spades".
Lemmy died on 28 December 2015 from cardiac arrhythmia and congestive heart failure, after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. The day after his death, drummer Mikkey Dee and guitarist Phil Campbell both confirmed that Motörhead had disbanded. By 2018, all three members of Motörhead's best-known line-up (Lemmy, Taylor and Clarke) had died.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motörhead
Discography
Motörhead (1977)
Overkill (1979)
Bomber (1979)
On Parole (1979)
Ace of Spades (1980)
Iron Fist (1982)
Another Perfect Day (1983)
Orgasmatron (1986)
Rock 'n' Roll (1987)
1916 (1991)
March ör Die (1992)
Bastards (1993)
Sacrifice (1995)
Overnight Sensation (1996)
Snake Bite Love (1998)
We Are Motörhead (2000)
Hammered (2002)
Inferno (2004)
Kiss of Death (2006)
Motörizer (2008)
The Wörld Is Yours (2010)
Aftershock (2013)
Bad Magic (2015)
05_-_Poison
Motörhead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
People tell me you didn't know better
Give me sermons 'bout the things I do
Come to love 'em, even wrote letters
You know I even asked it of you, I said
I've been doing poison
I guess I poisoned my life
I love my poison
On the road, the pace is getting frantic
'Specially when you're poisoned out your mind
A flight of stairs is like swimming the Atlantic
When you're poisoned, and deaf, dumb and blind, I said
I take my poison
I guess I poisoned my life
I wish I was poisoned
I wish I'd poisoned my wife
My father, he used to be a preacher
Never taught me nothing but scorn
If I ever catch him on the street, yeah
I'll make him wish he'd never been born, because
He was poison
I know he poisoned my life
Yeah he was poison
I wish my mother wasn't his wife, no!
The lyrics to Motörhead's song "Poison" are a reflection on the dangers and allure of addiction. The singer of the song admits to being addicted to a particular poison, which he insists is better than marriage. He hints at the idea that he knows his addiction is wrong, as people have tried to convince him to change his ways, but he remains unrepentant.
The lyrics go on to describe the physical effects of the singer's addiction. The pace of his life is frantic, and he feels as if he is swimming the Atlantic when he encounters even a flight of stairs. He also mentions that he is deaf, dumb, and blind, which could be a reference to the rock and roll lifestyle and the damage it can do to one's senses.
Finally, the lyrics reveal that the singer's own father was a poisonous influence on his life. He blames his father for teaching him nothing but scorn and vows to make him regret it if they ever cross paths again. This could be interpreted as the cycle of addiction and how it can be passed down through generations, as the singer's father may have had his own struggles with addiction.
Overall, "Poison" presents addiction as a destructive force that can ruin one's life and relationships. The singer seems to revel in his addiction despite knowing the harm it causes, highlighting the power addiction can hold over a person.
Line by Line Meaning
Over the top!
This line is an expression of excitement or enthusiasm. The singer is eager to talk about a topic.
People tell me you didn't know better
The singer is addressing someone who has criticized their behavior. They argue that the criticizer does not understand the singer's perspective.
Give me sermons 'bout the things I do
The criticizer has been lecturing the singer about their actions.
Come to love 'em, even wrote letters
Despite being criticized, the artist has grown accustomed to the sermons and has even corresponded with the criticizer.
You know I even asked it of you, I said
The artist asked the criticizer for their opinion on something.
I've been doing poison
The singer has been using drugs or alcohol.
I guess I poisoned my life
The drug use has negatively impacted the singer's life.
I love my poison
Despite the negative impact, the artist still enjoys using drugs or alcohol.
It's better than marrying a wife
The artist prefers using drugs or alcohol to being married.
On the road, the pace is getting frantic
The artist is traveling or touring and things are becoming more chaotic or stressful.
'Specially when you're poisoned out your mind
The singer is more susceptible to stress and chaos due to their drug or alcohol use.
A flight of stairs is like swimming the Atlantic
Everyday tasks become difficult or overwhelming due to the artist's drug or alcohol use.
When you're poisoned, and deaf, dumb and blind, I said
The singer emphasizes again that drug or alcohol use has made them less capable of handling everyday tasks.
I take my poison
The singer continues to use drugs or alcohol despite the negative consequences.
I guess I poisoned my life
The negative impact of drug or alcohol use is once again acknowledged.
I wish I was poisoned
The artist does not want to confront the problems in their life and prefers to continue using drugs or alcohol.
I wish I'd poisoned my wife
The artist's negative attitude towards marriage is reiterated.
My father, he used to be a preacher
The singer's father was previously a religious leader.
Never taught me nothing but scorn
The singer's father was not supportive and only showed disapproval towards the singer.
If I ever catch him on the street, yeah
The artist expresses a desire to confront their father.
I'll make him wish he'd never been born, because
The artist is very angry and will cause harm to their father.
He was poison
The artist's father is heavily criticized and blamed for the artist's problems.
I know he poisoned my life
The negative impact of the singer's father on their life is emphasized.
Yeah he was poison
The artist repeats that their father was harmful.
I wish my mother wasn't his wife, no!
The singer expresses regret that their mother married their father.
Contributed by Thomas M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@korgond
What a song 🔥🔥
motörhead is timeless
@DAVEBROWNE2004
Motorhead gets straight to the point.
@big4skol83
This sounds like a perfect diss track to anti-smokers and those who are anti-alcohol and anti-marijuana.
@DAVEBROWNE2004
Hilarious lol