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)
Orgasmatron
Motörhead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I am the one, Orgasmatron
The outstretched grasping hand
My image is of agony
My servants rape the land
Obsequious and arrogant
Clandestine and vain
Of torture in my name
Hypocrisy made paramount
Paranoia the law
My name is called religion
Sadistic, sacred whore
I twist the truth, I rule the world
My crown is called deceit
I am the emperor of lies
You grovel at my feet
I rob you and I slaughter you
Your downfall is my gain
And still you play the sycophant
And revel in your pain
And all my promises are lies
All my love is hate
I am the politician
And I decide your fate
I march before a martyred world
An army for the fight
I speak of great heroic days
Of victory and might
I hold a banner drenched in blood
I urge you to be brave
I lead you to your destiny
I lead you to your grave
Your bones will build my palaces
Your eyes will stud my crown
For I am Mars, the God of War
And I will cut you down
The lyrics to Motörhead's song Orgasmatron are a scathing indictment of religion and politics. The song's title is a play on words, combining the words orgasm and matron, which suggests a connection between physical pleasure and women in positions of power. The singer proclaims himself to be the "Orgasmatron," a figure who holds power over others and inflicts pain in his name. He claims that his servants "rape the land," highlighting the destructive actions of those in power who exploit the earth's resources for their own gain.
The second verse is particularly pointed, as the singer declares himself to be the "emperor of lies" and proclaims that he "robs" and "slaughters" those who follow him. He accuses his followers of being "sycophants" who revel in their own pain, suggesting that those who blindly follow those in power are complicit in their own oppression. The final verse, which describes the singer leading an army to war, reinforces the idea that those in power use violence and war to maintain control and consolidate their own power, even if it costs the lives of others. Overall, the lyrics of Orgasmatron are a scathing critique of the abuse of power and the destructive forces of religion and politics.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh!
An exclamation indicating an extreme emotional response to the themes of the song.
I am the one, Orgasmatron
The singer is claiming to be the ultimate authority and power in the world, with a focus on sexual pleasure (represented by the word "orgasmatron") as a symbol of their dominance.
The outstretched grasping hand
The singer's power comes from their ability to take and control whatever they want.
My image is of agony
The artist's appearance is one of pain and suffering, indicating that they are willing to cause harm in order to gain their desired outcomes.
My servants rape the land
The artist's followers take advantage of the earth's resources and people in order to serve the artist's interests, with no concern for the consequences of their actions.
Obsequious and arrogant
The singer requires complete submission and loyalty from their followers, and sees themselves as better than everyone else.
Clandestine and vain
The singer operates secretly and hides their true intentions, with an excessive focus on their own appearance and self-importance.
Two thousands years of misery
The artist's influence has caused suffering for centuries, and shows no signs of stopping.
Of torture in my name
The artist's followers have caused great pain and suffering in order to serve the artist's interests.
Hypocrisy made paramount
The artist's actions contradict their stated beliefs or goals, but they demand that their followers ignore this fact and continue to serve the artist's interests.
Paranoia the law
The singer requires their followers to be constantly afraid and suspicious of outsiders or opposing viewpoints.
My name is called religion
The artist refers to their power and control as a religion, indicating that they require complete devotion from their followers.
Sadistic, sacred whore
The singer is both cruel and revered. They demand loyalty and devotion from their followers while also taking pleasure in causing pain.
I twist the truth, I rule the world
The singer is skilled at manipulating information and lying in order to gain more power and control, and sees themselves as the ultimate authority.
My crown is called deceit
The singer's power is built on lies and deception, and they see this as a source of strength rather than weakness.
I am the emperor of lies
The artist is the ultimate authority when it comes to dishonesty, and sees themselves as above the rules or morals that apply to others.
You grovel at my feet
The artist is able to control and manipulate others into worshiping them, no matter how cruel or manipulative they may be.
I rob you and I slaughter you
The singer has no qualms about taking what they want from others, including their lives or freedom.
Your downfall is my gain
The singer benefits from the suffering and destruction of others, and sees these outcomes as necessary to their success.
And still you play the sycophant
Even though the artist is cruel and dishonest, others continue to try and win favor with them, hoping to gain some measure of power or safety in return.
And revel in your pain
The artist takes pleasure in the suffering of others, and enjoys seeing the painful consequences of their own actions.
And all my promises are lies
The artist uses false promises to manipulate others into doing what they want, with no intention of actually delivering on those promises.
All my love is hate
The singer is incapable of genuine affection or empathy, and sees cruelty as a better way to control and manipulate others.
I am the politician
The artist is not just a religious figure or dictator, but also operates within the political realm, using their influence to shape laws and public opinion.
And I decide your fate
The singer has complete power over the lives and outcomes of their followers, and makes decisions based solely on their own desires.
I march before a martyred world
The singer sees themselves as leading a group of people who are willing to die for their cause, but takes no actual risks themselves.
An army for the fight
The singer's followers are willing to go to war and die for the singer's interests, with no concern for their own safety or well-being.
I speak of great heroic days
The artist uses grandiose, heroic language to inspire their followers and convince them that their sacrifices are worth it.
Of victory and might
The artist believes that they are destined to win and conquer, and sees themselves as superior to all others.
I hold a banner drenched in blood
The singer's symbol of power and authority is stained with the blood of others, indicating the sacrifices that have been made to maintain their control.
I urge you to be brave
The singer demands self-sacrifice, bravery, and loyalty from their followers, regardless of the dangers or consequences.
I lead you to your destiny
The artist claims to have a divine or predestined plan for their followers' lives, but this is simply a means of controlling them.
I lead you to your grave
The artist's leadership ultimately ends in the death or destruction of their followers, but the artist is unconcerned with this outcome as long as they maintain power.
Your bones will build my palaces
The artist's wealth and power comes from the sacrifices and hard work of others, who are used as slave labor to build the artist's empire.
Your eyes will stud my crown
The singer sees their followers' lives and bodies as nothing more than objects to be used for their own purposes, with no regard for their humanity or dignity.
For I am Mars, the God of War
The artist sees themselves as a divine, godlike figure, with complete power over the lives and fates of others.
And I will cut you down
The singer is willing to use any means necessary, including violence and death, in order to maintain their power and control.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Michael Burston, Philip Camp, Peter Gill, Ian Fraser Kilminster
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind