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)
You Better Swim
Motörhead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What's on the hook that's what I avoid
I was born underwater without a sound
With my friends in the drink and the sea on the ground
You better swim
Baby, you better swim
You better swim like a tigershark
I'm sorry when I'm told that I'm black and I'm white
Sometimes I'll be wrong, sometimes I'll be right
I'm higher than a seal, and I'm bad to the bone
You go looking for touble, but you come alone
You better swim
Baby, you better swim
You better swim like a tigershark
Or I'm gonna do you in
Come on spongey!
I see them come, and I see them go
I see big things and big people that nobody knows
I'm talking at pictures and I'm paintin 'em black
I'm telling you, fish-face, you ain't never coming back
You better swim
Baby, you better swim
You better swim like a tigershark
Or I'm gonna do you in
Yeah
The lyrics of Motorhead's song "You Better Swim" seem to be addressing someone who is not taking the necessary precautions in life. Lemmy warns the unnamed individual that they need to "swim like a tigershark" if they want to survive and thrive. The opening lines suggest that the singer was born underwater and has been comfortable in the sea since childhood, but that he also understands the danger that comes with living in such an environment. The references to black and white suggest that he may have been raised with a certain set of beliefs that have since been challenged or questioned.
The chorus is the most prominent and repeated part of the song, and it is a warning to the people around the singer that they need to be on their guard if they want to avoid trouble. He again references the tigershark, which is known for being a ferocious predator, and implies that he has the same instincts and tendencies. The line "Or I'm gonna do you in" is delivered with a lot of force, emphasizing the seriousness of the threat.
The final verse of the song seems to suggest that the singer has seen a lot of people come and go in his life, but that he is still going strong. He describes himself as "higher than a seal," suggesting that he is above the fray and can see things from a different perspective. The lyrics "I'm telling you, fish-face, you ain't never coming back" are delivered with a sense of finality, indicating that the singer is not to be messed with.
Line by Line Meaning
I got no reason to be paranoid
I don't have any cause to be overly cautious or suspicious
What's on the hook that's what I avoid
I steer clear of anything that seems like a trap or trick
I was born underwater without a sound
I have always been in my element under the water, able to swim without making a noise
With my friends in the drink and the sea on the ground
I am most comfortable with my fellow creatures in their natural habitat
You better swim Baby, you better swim You better swim like a tigershark Or I'm gonna do you in
If you don't move quickly and confidently, I will attack you like a predator
I'm sorry when I'm told that I'm black and I'm white
I acknowledge when people point out my flaws or mistakes
Sometimes I'll be wrong, sometimes I'll be right
I accept that I am not always perfect and make mistakes just like everyone else
I'm higher than a seal, and I'm bad to the bone
I am superior to other marine animals and have a fierce and unrelenting nature
You go looking for trouble, but you come alone
If you provoke me or try to fight, you will suffer the consequences on your own
Come on spongey!
An exclamation directed at a friend or ally, urging them to join in the fun or action
I see them come, and I see them go
I observe the movements and behaviors of other creatures around me, but am not disturbed by them
I see big things and big people that nobody knows
I notice things that others might miss, and am intrigued by mystery and enigma
I'm talking at pictures and I'm paintin 'em black
I am creative and imaginative, able to see beyond the surface of things and expressing myself in novel ways
I'm telling you, fish-face, you ain't never coming back
I am warning my enemies that they will not survive my wrath, and that their time is up
You better swim Baby, you better swim You better swim like a tigershark Or I'm gonna do you in Yeah
A final warning to those who would cross me: flee or be destroyed
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IAN FRASER KILMISTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind