On March 9, 1979 the band played this song on the BBC TV Top of the Pops show, to support the release of the single. The song is a live favourite and is frequently featured in Motorhead concerts, often in an extended version.
The artwork on the sleeve was created by Joe Petagno, based on his design for the album's cover.
"Overkill" was re-recorded by Motörhead to be a playable track in the video game Guitar Hero World Tour.
"Overkill" was used as the closing song for Motörhead's final tour, making it the last song the band ever played live.
Overkill
Motörhead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So good I can't believe it, screaming with the crowd
Don't sweat it, we'll get it back to you
Don't sweat it, we'll get it back to you
Overkill, overkill, overkill
On your feet you feel the beat, it goes straight to your spine
Shake your head you must be dead if it don't make you fly
Don't sweat it, we'll get it back to you
Overkill, overkill, overkill
Know your body's made to move, ya feel it in your guts
Rock 'n' roll ain't worth the name if it don't make ya strut
Don't sweat it, we'll get it back to you
Don't sweat it, we'll get it back to you
Overkill, overkill, overkill
The lyrics to Motörhead's "Overkill" are a tribute to the power of loud, raw rock and roll music. The song is a celebration of the physical and emotional sensations that come with experiencing music that is so powerful, it can make you feel like you're flying. The opening lines of the song set the tone: "Only way to feel the noise is when it's good and loud / So good I can't believe it, screaming with the crowd." The lyrics suggest that the full impact of music can only be felt when it is played at top volume and is accompanied by the energy of a live crowd.
This idea is expanded in the chorus, which repeats the word "overkill" three times, emphasizing the intense, overwhelming nature of the experience. The second verse continues the theme: "On your feet you feel the beat, it goes straight to your spine / Shake your head you must be dead if it don't make you fly." Here, the emphasis is on the physical response to the music, with the beat and rhythms of the music taking on a visceral quality that can transport you to a higher plane. The final verse takes a different tack, emphasizing the importance of movement and dance as an integral part of the rock and roll experience. "Know your body's made to move, ya feel it in your guts / Rock 'n' roll ain't worth the name if it don't make ya strut." The message is clear: when you listen to music this powerful, you should let your body be taken over by the sound and the beat, letting it move you both physically and emotionally.
Line by Line Meaning
Only way to feel the noise is when it's good and loud
To truly experience the power of music, it must be played at high volume
So good I can't believe it, screaming with the crowd
The energy of the music is so intense that it's almost unbelievable, and the singer is swept up in the excitement along with the audience
Don't sweat it, we'll get it back to you
Don't worry, the band will continue to bring the same level of intensity to their performances
Overkill, overkill, overkill
The intensity of the music is so extreme that it's almost like overkill
On your feet you feel the beat, it goes straight to your spine
The rhythm of the music is so powerful that it physically affects the listener, causing them to move involuntarily
Shake your head you must be dead if it don't make you fly
If the music doesn't move you to the point where you're lost in the moment, then you must not be truly alive
Know your body's made to move, ya feel it in your guts
The human body is designed to respond to the beat of music, and there's something primal and instinctive about the way it makes us feel
Rock 'n' roll ain't worth the name if it don't make ya strut
Music isn't truly rock 'n' roll unless it makes you feel confident and powerful, as if you're strutting down the street
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Edward Alan Clarke, Ian Kilmister, Philip John Taylor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ritesh1903
Only way to feel the noise is when it's good and loud
So good I can't believe it, screaming with the crowd
Don't sweat it, we'll get it back to you
Don't sweat it, we'll get it back to you
Overkill, overkill, overkill
On your feet you feel the beat, it goes straight to your spine
Shake your head you must be dead if it don't make you fly
Don't sweat it, we'll get it back to you
Don't sweat it, we'll get it back to you
Overkill, overkill, overkill
Know your body's made to move, ya feel it in your guts
Rock 'n' roll ain't worth the name if it don't make ya strut
Don't sweat it, we'll get it back to you
Don't sweat it, we'll get it back to you
Overkill, overkill, overkill
@ryderholland5179
Lemmy is the only dude who can be a viking, a cowboy, a biker, a pirate, a bassist, a guitarist, and singer at the same time
@Erny_Module
Also bastard, but would share his chips with you and beat you at pinball, and quote P.G. Wodehouse while doing it. A legend in his own lunchtime!
@reneauvray205
Rest in peace Eddie, Lemmy and Phil.
@newcomerjason7791
And nobody would question it.....Lemmy was a one of a kind 🤘🤘
@andresdavidcalderonvalverd8478
Your god damn right
@voleraabriganov550
Lem is god xD
@yourmomshouse6984
Lemmy was the realest guy in the music industry. When everyone started flying private jets and overcharging for tickets, Lemmy stayed the same. Same apartment, same bar, same music. It was never about the money. The guy even told his fans not to buy the record company’s Motorhead box set because of the inflated price. RIP Lemmy.
@BobGnarley.
For real - saw them 40th anniversary tour at Ipswich regent. You wouldn't expect them to be playing there considering it's Motorhead.. Tiny little intimate theatre. It was fuckin great
@yourmomshouse6984
@@BobGnarley. you’re a lucky man. I bet that was a kickass show
@BobGnarley.
@@yourmomshouse6984 Fuck yea man, my old man took me - I only knew Motorhead from Tony Hawk games lol. Can still remember this was first time I heard Overkill and they fuckin blasted it out live! had tinnitus for weeks