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)
Sword of Glory
Motörhead Lyrics
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Do you see the future, do you know,
What can you expect from years to come,
And what can you do now to make it so,
All of history is there for you,
All the deeds done in the world are mad
If you don't know what has gone before,
Soldier, soldier, see where we were,
You have to know the story,
Older, colder, life isn't fair,
Got to grab the sword of glory,
If you can't see what bloody fools we were,
Then you were also born a bloody fool,
Listen to the hundred million dead,
They didn't know it, but they died for you,
All you know is that you're young and tough,
Don't you think those millions thought the same,
If you don't know where it all went wrong,
You'll just make the same mistake again and again and again.
Soldier, soldier, see where we were,
You have to know the story,
Older or colder, life ain't fair,
Got to grab the sword of glory,
Read the books, learn to save your life,
How can you find the knowledge if you don't,
All the brave men died before their time,
You'll either be a hero, or you won't,
Don't you realize the only way,
Is see why all those brave men died in vain,
If all that slaughter doesn't make you sad,
You'll just make the same mistake again and again and again.
Soldier, soldier, see where we were,
You have to know the story,
Older or colder, life ain't fair,
Got to grab the sword of glory.
The song "Sword of Glory" by Motörhead is a commentary on the importance of learning from history and not repeating past mistakes, especially in times of war. The lyrics ask the listener to consider the future and their role in shaping it, and to recognize the sacrifices made by those who came before. The title of the song, "Sword of Glory," can be interpreted as a metaphor for the knowledge and wisdom gained from understanding history.
The lyrics encourage the listener to read books and learn about past wars and the brave men who fought and died in them. Through this knowledge, the listener can become a hero or at least avoid repeating past mistakes. The song implores the listener to not be a "bloody fool" and to realize that life isn't fair. It concludes that the only way to truly honor those who have died in war is to learn from their sacrifices and act accordingly.
Overall, the message of "Sword of Glory" is one of responsibility and education, urging the listener to seek knowledge and understand the lessons of history. It is a call to action to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past and strive towards a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Where are we to go from here in time,
What will become of us in the future?
Do you see the future, do you know,
Can you predict what lies ahead?
What can you expect from years to come,
What should we anticipate in the future?
And what can you do now to make it so,
What actions can you take now to shape the future?
All of history is there for you,
You have access to all of human history.
All the deeds done in the world are mad
Human history is filled with senseless violence and destruction.
If you don't know what has gone before,
If you are ignorant of history,
You'll just make the same mistake again and again and again.
You will repeat past mistakes endlessly.
Soldier, soldier, see where we were,
Soldier, you must understand history.
You have to know the story,
You must learn from the past.
Older, colder, life isn't fair,
As you get older, you realize life is unjust.
Got to grab the sword of glory,
You must seize your opportunity for greatness.
If you can't see what bloody fools we were,
If you cannot understand the past mistakes we made,
Then you were also born a bloody fool,
You are also doomed to make foolish mistakes.
Listen to the hundred million dead,
Remember those who lost their lives.
They didn't know it, but they died for you,
Their sacrifices made your life possible.
All you know is that you're young and tough,
Youth and strength blind you to the lessons of history.
Don't you think those millions thought the same,
Those who died were once young and strong too.
If you don't know where it all went wrong,
If you cannot pinpoint past mistakes,
You'll just make the same mistake again and again and again.
You will repeat these errors endlessly.
Read the books, learn to save your life,
Study history to prevent future calamities.
How can you find the knowledge if you don't,
How can you learn without seeking knowledge?
All the brave men died before their time,
Many courageous individuals have died needlessly.
You'll either be a hero, or you won't,
The future depends on your actions.
Don't you realize the only way,
You must understand
Is see why all those brave men died in vain,
The key is to understand why people died senselessly.
If all that slaughter doesn't make you sad,
If the tragedies of history do not move you,
You'll just make the same mistake again and again and again.
You will fall into the same traps over and over.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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