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)
The Watcher
Motörhead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What do you think you can do now?
It's very small from way out here
The last thing you will feel is fear
Give you a chance to do the right thing
Give you a chance to do the bright thing
Now our sense is all disgusted
Where you're from you can't be trusted, whoa
Where I come from no-one smiles
Every inch exists in miles
Still, it's cool, relaxed and calm
Sitting here on the funny farm, oh
Where all the hilltops scream in pain
There are no leaders you can blame
Human greed destroys your sphere
And there's no room for you out here
You're on your own now
You're on your own now
You're on your own now
You're on your own now
You're on your own now
You're on your own now
The lyrics of Motörhead's song, The Watcher, convey the sense of disapproval and disgust directed towards someone or something. The song starts by describing a scenario where the audience is eyeing the subject, making them feel small and powerless. Despite being given an opportunity to do the right and bright thing, there is a feeling of mistrust that arises from where they come from. This mistrust adds an element of danger, and the last thing they will feel is fear. This could be interpreted as a warning, that the subject should be wary of the consequences of their actions, and consider doing the right thing.
The second verse juxtaposes the world where they come from- where no one smiles, distances are measured in miles, and the surroundings are barren, to a place that is cool, relaxed, and calm, called the "funny farm." This contrasts the previous tone of the song, with a hint of irony, making listeners question the source of the disgust. The next lines mention that there are no leaders to blame, and the hilltops scream in pain, possibly referring to the destruction of the environment, and that the human race is responsible. The theme of being on one's own now repeats towards the end, suggesting a sense of isolation, and perhaps the inevitable consequences of our actions.
Overall, the song's lyrics highlight themes of mistrust, danger, a lack of leaders, destruction, and isolation. They call for introspection and consideration of the repercussions of our actions, both individually and as a species.
Line by Line Meaning
We are looking in on you now
We are observing your actions closely at this moment in time
What do you think you can do now?
Do you believe that you can take any action at this point in time?
It's very small from way out here
From our perspective, your problems seem minuscule and insignificant
The last thing you will feel is fear
You will not experience fear until the moment before you face the repercussions of your actions
Give you a chance to do the right thing
You have the opportunity to correct your wrongdoing and make amends
Give you a chance to do the bright thing
By doing the right thing, you have the chance to create a better future for yourself
Now our sense is all disgusted
We are extremely displeased and disappointed with the situation at hand
Where you're from you can't be trusted, whoa
We have reason to believe that you are dishonest and untrustworthy based on your background and previous actions
Where I come from no-one smiles
The place I am from is not a happy or joyful environment
Every inch exists in miles
The scale of distance is vastly different in the area I am from compared to here
Still, it's cool, relaxed and calm
Despite the lack of happiness, the atmosphere is peaceful and serene
Sitting here on the funny farm, oh
I am presently located in a mental institution or someplace equally absurd
Where all the hilltops scream in pain
The environment is suffering and nature is in anguish
There are no leaders you can blame
The problems and issues that exist cannot be attributed to any specific leader or figure
Human greed destroys your sphere
The selfish and excessive desire for wealth and power is causing destruction to your surroundings
And there's no room for you out here
There is no place for you in this environment due to your complicity in the destruction that is occurring
You're on your own now
You are now solely responsible for the consequences of your actions
You're on your own now
No one will come to your rescue or support you in this situation
You're on your own now
The full weight of responsibility is yours to bear
You're on your own now
Your situation is isolated and unique to you
You're on your own now
This is the stark reality that you must face
You're on your own now
There is no going back or changing the current state of affairs
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: IAN KILMISTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind