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)
Ramones
Motörhead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
New York City, N.Y.C.
Pretty mean when it wants to be
Black leather, knee-hole pants
Can't play no high school dance
Fuzz tone, hear 'em go
Hear 'em on the radio
R-A-M-O-N-E-S, R-A-M-O-N-E-S
RAMONES
Bad boy rock, bad boy roll
Gabba gabba, see them go
C Jay now hit the gas
Hear Marky kick some ass
Go Johnny, go, go, go Tommy o-way-o
Misfits, twilight zone,
R-A-M-O-N-E-S, R-A-M-O-N-E-S
RAMONES
Bad boy then, bad boy now
Good buddies, mau mau mau
Sing it loud, rock 'n' roll
Good music save your soul
Dee Dee, he left home
Joey call me on the phone
Misfits, twilight zone,
R-A-M-O-N-E-S, R-A-M-O-N-E-S
RAMONES
This iconic song from Motörhead, Ramones, is an ode to the legendary punk rock band, the Ramones. The lyrics express the rough, tough, and rebellious nature of the band, who were known for their black leather attire, knee-hole pants, and uncompromising attitude. The opening lines, "New York City, N.Y.C. / Pretty mean when it wants to be" paint a picture of the city's gritty and edgy vibe, which is reflected in the Ramones' music.
The chorus of the song features the repetition of the band's name, "R-A-M-O-N-E-S," which serves as both a tribute and a cheer for the band. With lines like "Can't play no high school dance" and "Good music save your soul," the song captures the anti-establishment sentiment of punk rock music that the Ramones helped popularize. The lyrics also celebrate the individual members of the Ramones, mentioning Johnny, Tommy, Dee Dee, and Joey, which reinforces the idea that the Ramones were a collective force to be reckoned with.
As a whole, Ramones is a powerful and energetic tribute to one of the most influential punk rock bands of all time. With its catchy chorus and high-energy instrumentation, the song captures the spirit of the Ramones and their impact on rock music.
Line by Line Meaning
One, tow, three, four
Counting off before the start of the song
New York City, N.Y.C.
A reference to the Ramones' hometown
Pretty mean when it wants to be
The city can be tough and unforgiving
Black leather, knee-hole pants
The signature look of the Ramones and their style of punk rock
Can't play no high school dance
Their music was too rebellious for mainstream audiences
Fuzz tone, hear 'em go
The distinctive distorted guitar sound of punk rock music
Hear 'em on the radio
Despite their underground reputation, their music had achieved some radio airplay
Misfits, twilight zone
Referencing those who identified with the Ramones' outsider status
R-A-M-O-N-E-S, R-A-M-O-N-E-S
Spelling out the band's name, a common crowd chant at their concerts
RAMONES
Repeating the band's name for emphasis
Bad boy rock, bad boy roll
The rebellious, edgy style of the Ramones' music
Gabba gabba, see them go
Referencing the Ramones' fan club 'The Gabba Gabba Hey'
C Jay now hit the gas
A reference to CJ Ramone, who joined the band after Dee Dee Ramone left
Hear Marky kick some ass
Praising drummer Marky Ramone's skills
Go Johnny, go, go, go Tommy o-way-o
Shouting out to guitarist Johnny Ramone and drummer Tommy Ramone
Bad boy then, bad boy now
The band's rebellious nature has remained consistent throughout their career
Good buddies, mau mau mau
A nonsensical tribute to their friendship and camaraderie
Sing it loud, rock 'n' roll
Encouraging fans to embrace their love of rock music
Good music save your soul
Emphasizing the importance of music in one's life
Dee Dee, he left home
The departure of bassist Dee Dee Ramone
Joey call me on the phone
Mentioning lead singer Joey Ramone, who passed away in 2001
Misfits, twilight zone
Reiterating the idea of the Ramones as a group of outsiders
R-A-M-O-N-E-S, R-A-M-O-N-E-S
Another chant of the band's name
RAMONES
Closing out the song with the band's name once more
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IAN FRASER KILMISTER, MICHAEL RICHARD BURSTON, PHILIP TAYLOR, PHILIP ANTHONY CAMPBELL, PHILIP JOHN TAYLOR, RICHARD BURSTON MICHAEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind