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)
Terminal Show
Motörhead Lyrics
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Gazing at us in despair
Six hundred guests, humanity's best
Are wondering why they are there
All roads lead here, all roads are burned
Have we digested the things we have learned
Have we a chance when the dead rise and dance
Have we the time for the final romance
We better find out the name of the game
Chance of a future frozen and grim
Or of a quick death brought here on a whim
Why are we here does anyone know
Why are we here at the terminal show
The blind king has secrets dark and morose
He'd like it if we were like him
All the dark days spent in the maze
Have made a new man of him
All roads lead here, all roads are closed
Are we quite certain of all that we know
Are we miscast or do we hold fast
Have we the time for the final repast
We better find out
The name of the game
Chance of a new world sunny and fine
Or of a burning a branded design
Why are we here, we don't even know
Why are we here at the terminal show
The red queen is sleeping, lost in a dream
She wakes and she sleeps all alone
All of her fears are crowded in here
Laughing they pick at her bones
All roads lead here, none lead away
Are we quire certain we're here anyway
Have we been wise or are we despised
Have we the time for our final demise
We better find out
The name of the game
Chance of a lost world, rain and dismay
Pick up your belongings, we all have to pay
Why are the vultures circling above
Why can't we fight for the right to our blood
We are demented, everyone knows
Misrepresented, coming to blows
Why are we here, we don't even know
Why are we here at the terminal show
"Terminal Show" is a song that explores the theme of mortality and existential crisis, typical of Motörhead’s compositions. The song is sung from different perspectives of characters present in the story. The lyrics highlight three characters, the golden eyed creature, the blind king, and the red queen, who symbolize different aspects of humanity. The song opens with the golden eyed creature who sits on his throne, overseeing humanity's fate with a perturbed disposition. He questions whether humanity has learned enough from their past mistakes to survive and thrive in the future. The next verse deals with the blind king, who personifies fear and secrecy. The last character, the red queen, embodies hopelessness, helplessness, and despair.
The repeated line, "We better find out the name of the game," emphasizes the need for humankind to unravel some of life's profound mysteries. The phrase denotes the importance of introspection and the quest for meaning and purpose in one's existence. The line also reiterates the central theme of the song, urging individuals to understand life's purpose before it's too late. The chorus, "Why are we here, we don't even know, why are we here, at the terminal show," amplifies the distress and uncertainty individuals feel when faced with the notion of death. The phrase "terminal show" is the ultimate end of life, a poetic expression of death, which makes the whole composition a contemplation of one's mortality.
Line by Line Meaning
The golden eyed creature sits back on his throne
The ruler is relaxed and passive as they observe the events from their position of power.
Gazing at us in despair
The ruler is unhappy and hopeless due to the actions of humanity.
Six hundred guests, humanity's best
The elite members of society are present at this event.
Are wondering why they are there
The guests are puzzled as to why they were invited and what the purpose of this gathering is.
All roads lead here, all roads are burned
All paths lead to this event, and there is no turning back.
Have we digested the things we have learned
Have we fully understood and accepted the lessons we have been taught?
Have we a chance when the dead rise and dance
Do we have a fighting chance when faced with the unknown and unexpected?
Have we the time for the final romance
Is there any opportunity left for love and connection before the end?
We better find out the name of the game
We need to uncover the true intentions and motivations behind this event.
Chance of a future frozen and grim
There is a possibility of a bleak and miserable future ahead.
Or of a quick death brought here on a whim
Alternatively, we may meet our end swiftly and without warning.
Why are we here does anyone know
No one is completely sure why they have been brought to this event.
Why are we here at the terminal show
Why have we ended up at this final and ultimate gathering?
The blind king has secrets dark and morose
The ruler is hiding unpleasant and depressing information from those in attendance.
He'd like it if we were like him
The ruler wishes others were as jaded and hopeless as they are.
All the dark days spent in the maze
The past has been full of uncertainty and confusion for those involved.
Have made a new man of him
The ruler's experiences have changed them completely.
All roads lead here, all roads are closed
There is no escape from this final gathering.
Are we quite certain of all that we know
We need to question the reliability of our sources of information and our own knowledge.
Are we miscast or do we hold fast
Do we belong here or are we misplaced?
Have we the time for the final repast
Is there still time for a final meal or celebration before the end?
Chance of a new world sunny and fine
There is a possibility of a bright and positive future ahead.
Or of a burning a branded design
Alternatively, we may be stuck with a harsh and unforgiving fate.
The red queen is sleeping, lost in a dream
Another ruler is lost in their own thoughts and desires, oblivious to the events around them.
She wakes and she sleeps all alone
The ruler is filled with loneliness and longing as they move through life.
All of her fears are crowded in here
The red queen's anxieties are taking center stage at this event.
Laughing they pick at her bones
Her fears and insecurities are being exploited by others.
All roads lead here, none lead away
There is no escape from the consequences of our actions.
Are we quire certain we're here anyway
Are we completely sure that we are meant to be present at this gathering?
Have we been wise or are we despised
Have we made good choices or been looked down upon by others?
Have we the time for our final demise
Is there still time left before our inevitable end?
Chance of a lost world, rain and dismay
There is a possibility that we will lose everything and face sadness for the rest of our time.
Pick up your belongings, we all have to pay
We must all face the consequences of our actions and settle our debts.
Why are the vultures circling above
Why are those who prey on others present and waiting to take advantage?
Why can't we fight for the right to our blood
Why can't we defend ourselves and our way of life?
We are demented, everyone knows
The crowd is viewed as insane or twisted by others.
Misrepresented, coming to blows
The group has been depicted in a negative light and may face conflict because of it.
Why are we here, we don't even know
The true purpose behind the gathering and the reason for the attendees being present is still a mystery.
Why are we here at the terminal show
Why are we present at this final and ultimate gathering?
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IAN FRASER KILMISTER, PHILIP ANTHONY CAMPBELL, MICAEL KIRIAKOS DELAOGLOU
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind