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)
Die You Bastard
Motörhead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
See the friendly stranger, stretch your neck,
Keep them in the dark now, it´s alright,
You know they only come out at night,
Your shadow´s alive, it breathes at your side,
Got no place to hide, be with you ´til the day you die,
Deal with the misfits, wipe ´em out,
Search in all the bedrooms, use your head,
Listen to your conscience, wake the dead,
Mother kiss the vampire, shut the door,
Rats in all the rooms babe, hit the floor,
I think it´s a gamble, but what´s your sign?
Upway at the downside, stay in line
Die, Die, Die You Bastard!
The lyrics to Motörhead's song Die You Bastard are filled with references to danger and darkness. The first stanza sets the tone as we are warned to watch our step and be wary of the strangers around us who only come out at night. The second stanza continues this theme, describing our shadow as alive and breathing at our side, leaving us with no place to hide. It is only later in the song when we are told to use our head and listen to our conscience in order to wake the dead.
The closing stanza depicts a scene of chaos and destruction as we are urged to shut the door and hit the floor, presumably to avoid the rats that have taken over the rooms around us. There is a sense of the unknown as the singer ponders the gamble they are taking, asking what their sign is and whether they should stay in line. The repeated cry of "Die, Die, Die You Bastard!" adds to the menacing tone of the song, although it is unclear who exactly this message is aimed at.
Overall, the lyrics to Die You Bastard paint a picture of a world filled with danger and uncertainty, with the singer encouraging us to be wary of our surroundings and to use our instincts to survive. The repeated references to death and the darkness of the unknown create a sense of unease and tension throughout the song.
Line by Line Meaning
You can smell the danger, watch your step,
Be cautious of your surroundings as danger may be present
See the friendly stranger, stretch your neck,
Be wary of strangers who may have malicious intentions
Keep them in the dark now, it´s alright,
It is best to keep certain information hidden to ensure safety
You know they only come out at night,
Dangerous individuals may only act under the cover of darkness
Your shadow´s alive, it breathes at your side,
Your inner demons and fears can persistently haunt you
Got no place to hide, be with you ´til the day you die,
Your fears and anxieties will always be with you, even until death
You can hear the rumours, shut your mouth,
Be aware of gossip and keep quiet to avoid being implicated
Deal with the misfits, wipe ´em out,
Handle troublesome or outsider individuals and eliminate them
Search in all the bedrooms, use your head,
Be thorough in your investigations and think critically
Listen to your conscience, wake the dead,
Trust your instincts and take action even if it may seem risky
Mother kiss the vampire, shut the door,
Protect yourself by shutting out potential danger
Rats in all the rooms babe, hit the floor,
Take cover and prepare for a dangerous situation
I think it´s a gamble, but what´s your sign?
The situation may be risky, but what is your approach?
Upway at the downside, stay in line
Even in turbulent situations, maintain composure and stay focused
Die, Die, Die You Bastard!
A call for revenge or justice against those who have wronged you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRIAN DAVID ROBERTSON, IAN FRASER KILMINSTER, PHILIP JOHN TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind