To date, Overkill has released nineteen studio albums, an album of cover songs, two EPs, one demo tape and three live albums. They were one of the first thrash metal bands to sign to a major label (having signed to Atlantic Records in 1986), and rose to fame as part of the genre's movement of the mid-to-late 1980s, along with the "Big Four" (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax) as well as Exodus and Testament. Overkill achieved their first mainstream success with its second studio album and Atlantic debut, Taking Over (1987), which peaked at number 191 on the Billboard 200. The band's next five studio albums—Under the Influence (1988), The Years of Decay (1989), Horrorscope (1991), I Hear Black (1993) and W.F.O. (1994)—were also successful on the Billboard charts, with the latter two cracking the top ten on the Top Heatseekers chart. Following their split from Atlantic in 1995, Overkill went through some label changes, but continued to enjoy moderate underground success, particularly in Europe and Japan. The band experienced a resurgence of popularity in the U.S. during the 2010s, with three of their studio albums released that decade—The Electric Age (2012), White Devil Armory (2014) and The Grinding Wheel (2017)—reaching the top 100 on the charts. Overkill has sold over 16 million records worldwide; they are also estimated to have sold more than 625,000 records in the United States since the beginning of the SoundScan era.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overkill_(band)
Studio albums
Feel the Fire (1985)
Taking Over (1987)
Under the Influence (1988)
The Years of Decay (1989)
Horrorscope (1991)
I Hear Black (1993)
W.F.O. (1994)
The Killing Kind (1996)
From the Underground and Below (1997)
Necroshine (1999)
Bloodletting (2000)
Killbox 13 (2003)
ReliXIV (2005)
Immortalis (2007)
Ironbound (2010)
The Electric Age (2012)
White Devil Armory (2014)
The Grinding Wheel (2017)
The Wings of War (2019)
Scorched (2023)
80 Cycles
Overkill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just a little back off who you know
I don't think they deserve us
As they sit back, back off , here we go
I don't care if you love me
I don't care it's about just who you blow
I don't have all the answers
I just want to know
How low can you go
Go
It's just a lot of crosstalk
I don't think they listen anyway
I got hit in the crosswalk
Best be careful , back up what you say
I know you don't love me
But I know just exactly what you show
I don't want all the answers
I just won't to know
How low can you go
How low can you go
Eighty cycles hummin' like a big twin comin'
Eighty cycles comin'. I know
How low can you go
Slow
Listen
Bottom out/ discount/ 80 cycles goin' south
Goin' wherever I go
Kick start/ motormount/ 80 cycles in your mouth
80 cycles comin' I know
Go to
Live free/got gas/80 cycles in your ass
Lower that I want to go
Die free/ sacrifice/ 80 cycles pay the price
80 cycles comin' I know
Once more
Your move/buckshot/80 cycles slingshot
One thing I want to know
Bad move/ dog food/ 80 cycles too rude
How low can you go
Your move
The song "80 Cycles" by Overkill talks about how the singer is a bit nervous and edgy about the people around him/her who are not trustworthy. The opening lines of the song, "I'm just a little nervous, Just a little back off who you know" indicate that the singer is unsure of the people around him. The singer feels that these people don't really deserve his trust and he wants them to back off before it's too late. The second stanza of the song talks about how the singer doesn't care if they are loved or not. The singer wants to know just how low these people can go in their actions and behavior towards him. The refrain, "How low can you go" is repeated over and over, emphasizing the singer's confusion and frustration with people around him.
The next stanza talks about the crosstalk around him. The singer doesn't feel like people listen to each other, and he speaks about how one of them got hit in the crosswalk. This is an indication that people are not paying attention to their surroundings and are quite careless. The singer knows that he is not loved, but he also knows that the people around him are not all that trustworthy too. The use of "How low can you go" indicates that the singer is disgusted with the people and wants to know how low they can stoop to be truly horrid.
The refrain "How low can you go" repeats again in the final stanza. The words "80 Cycles" are repeated throughout the song, almost to the point where it becomes another refrain. The song ends with the singer taunting the listener with a few choice phrases like "kick start/motormount/ 80 cycles in your mouth." The song is gritty, and the lyrics remind us that trust is a commodity that is hard to come by.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm just a little nervous
I am feeling a bit uneasy
Just a little back off who you know
Just back off a bit and reconsider your associations
I don't think they deserve us
I don't think they are worthy of us
As they sit back, back off , here we go
As they sit and relax, we have to be on guard
I don't care if you love me
Your love is of no consequence to me
I don't care it's about just who you blow
I don't care if your success is based on who you know
I don't have all the answers
I don't have a complete understanding of everything
I just want to know
How low can you go
How low can you go
Go
I am curious to see how far you will sink into depravity
It's just a lot of crosstalk
All this talking is just a waste of time
I don't think they listen anyway
I don't think they are paying attention to what I say
I got hit in the crosswalk
I was met with an unexpected problem
Best be careful , back up what you say
You better be cautious and have evidence for what you claim
I know you don't love me
I'm aware that you don't harbor any romantic feelings for me
But I know just exactly what you show
But I know exactly what you're trying to demonstrate
I don't want all the answers
I don't need to know everything
How low can you go
How low can you go
Eighty cycles hummin' like a big twin comin'
I'm still wondering, how low can you go, as 80 cycles are approaching like a roaring motorcycle
Eighty cycles comin'. I know
The motorcycle is arriving, no doubt about it
Slow
Listen
Take it slow and pay attention
Bottom out/ discount/ 80 cycles goin' south
Crash, refuse, and 80 cycles run wild
Goin' wherever I go
Going in the same direction as me
Kick start/ motormount/ 80 cycles in your mouth
Start it up, in full gear, and 80 cycles riding hard
80 cycles comin' I know
The 80 cycles are coming, I'm certain
Go to
Live free/got gas/80 cycles in your ass
Depart, get ready to rock, 80 cycles are ready for you
Lower that I want to go
That's lower than I'd like to go
Die free/ sacrifice/ 80 cycles pay the price
Live with freedom or sacrifice your life and pay with the 80 cycles
80 cycles comin' I know
Once more
I'm still certain the 80 cycles are coming, again
Your move/buckshot/80 cycles slingshot
It's your turn now, with buckshot and 80 cycles going full throttle
One thing I want to know
There's one thing I'm curious to learn
Bad move/ dog food/ 80 cycles too rude
You are making a terrible choice, you'll be receiving punishment with the 80 rude cycles
How low can you go
Your move
I'm still pondering, how low can you go? Now, it's your turn to decide.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CARLO VERNI, ROBERT ELLSWORTH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind