Motörhead was an English rock band formed in London in 1975 by Lemmy (lead … Read Full Bio ↴Motörhead was an English rock band formed in London in 1975 by Lemmy (lead vocals, bass), Larry Wallis (guitar) and Lucas Fox (drums). Lemmy was also the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band are often considered a precursor to the new wave of British heavy metal, which re-energised heavy metal in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Though several guitarists and drummers have played in Motörhead, most of their best-selling albums and singles feature drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor and guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke.

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)

I'm the Man
Motörhead Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Back to back, you see me now
Show me what you're hiding here
I can't move if I don't sing
I can't stand, I got no chair

Can't see me, I'm the man, ain't no joke
Can't see me, master plan, up in smoke
Can't hear me, I'm so loud, suits me fine

Can't hear me, I ain't proud, all the time

Follow me, and don't you move
Stop at nothing, show your teeth
I can see you, I ain't deaf
Two years later, twice a week

Can't see me, I'm the man, laid in bad
Can't see me give a damn, Motorhead
Can't hear me, up your way, ring your chimes
Can't hear me, I can't stay, all the time

I can tell you it ain't me
I won't be no beast up there
Turn me 'round 'cause I can't dance
Be a spaceship, I don't care

Can't hear me, stand up straight, row my boat
Can't hear me, I can't wait, fishtail goat

Can't see me, on the game, ain't no crime
Can't see me, aeroplane, all the time

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Motörhead's song "I'm the Man" express a sense of power and confidence, with a touch of rebelliousness. The singer declares that he cannot be seen or heard, as if he is too powerful or too loud, and that he has a master plan that is "up in smoke." He urges the listener to follow him and show their teeth, while he asserts his dominance and independence by stating that he cannot sit or dance and that he does not care about being a spaceship or an aeroplane. The song seems to celebrate the freedom to be oneself and to exist apart from society's norms and expectations.

One interesting fact about this song is that it was not originally released on a Motörhead album, but rather on a tribute album called "A Tribute to Backstreet Crawlers," which was dedicated to Paul "Koss" Kossoff, guitarist for the band Free. The album featured covers of songs by Free and Back Street Crawler, as well as some original tracks, and was released in 1986, a year after Kossoff's death. Motörhead's version of "I'm the Man" was one of four original songs on the album.

Another interesting fact is that the music for the song was written by bassist Phil Taylor, not frontman Lemmy Kilmister, who is usually credited with most of the band's songwriting. Taylor, who was fired from the band in 1984 but later returned, wrote several songs for Motörhead, including "Killed by Death" and "Doctor Rock."

Line by Line Meaning

Back to back, you see me now
I am ready to face whatever you have to show me

Show me what you're hiding here
Reveal your true intentions or secrets to me

I can't move if I don't sing
My singing and my music are my motivation

I can't stand, I got no chair
I don't need anything to lean on, I am confident in myself

Can't see me, I'm the man, ain't no joke
I am too powerful and dominant to be ignored or taken lightly

Can't see me, master plan, up in smoke
My plans are unpredictable and defy expectations

Can't hear me, I'm so loud, suits me fine
My volume is a representation of my bold and fearless personality

Can't hear me, I ain't proud, all the time
I know when to humble myself, but I am not afraid to assert myself when necessary

Follow me, and don't you move
Be obedient to my leadership and guidance

Stop at nothing, show your teeth
Be aggressive and assertive in achieving your goals, do not let anyone intimidate you

I can see you, I ain't deaf
I am aware and perceptive, do not try to deceive me

Two years later, twice a week
I have consistent and unwavering dedication to my pursuits

Can't see me, I'm the man, laid in bad
My power and influence should never be underestimated, even when I am in a vulnerable state

Can't see me give a damn, Motorhead
I do not care about anyone's opinion or judgement, I am proud to be myself and represent Motorhead

Can't hear me, up your way, ring your chimes
My sound will always be loud and overpowering, it will shake people up and make an impact

Can't hear me, I can't stay, all the time
I am constantly on the move and pursuing new experiences, I cannot be tied down

I can tell you it ain't me
I will not conform to anyone's expectations or beliefs

I won't be no beast up there
I will not let anyone intimidate or control me, even in a higher power or position

Turn me 'round 'cause I can't dance
I do not conform to societal norms, I will not change who I am to fit in

Be a spaceship, I don't care
I am open-minded and accepting of new ideas and experiences, I embrace the unknown

Can't hear me, stand up straight, row my boat
I am commanding and authoritative, I expect others to show me respect and follow my lead

Can't hear me, I can't wait, fishtail goat
I am constantly pursuing new experiences and adventures, I cannot be held back

Can't see me, on the game, ain't no crime
I am not ashamed to be involved in unconventional or controversial pursuits

Can't see me, aeroplane, all the time
I am always moving forward and striving for new heights, I will not be held down

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ian Fraser Kilmister, Philip Anthony Campbell, Richard Michael Burston, Michael Kiriakos Delaoglou

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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