Having started as a glam metal band, Pantera released three albums in the mid-1980s with lead vocalist Terry Glaze (Metal Magic, Projects in the Jungle, and I Am the Night), with little success. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera recruited Anselmo in 1986 and released Power Metal in 1988. They secured a record deal with major label Atco the following year. Their fifth album (which the band has since declared to be their official debut album), 1990's Cowboys from Hell, popularized the groove metal genre, while its 1992 follow-up Vulgar Display of Power achieved an even heavier sound and increased their popularity. The subsequent album Far Beyond Driven (1994) then debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.
Tensions began to surface among the band members when Anselmo became addicted to heroin in 1995; he almost died from an overdose in 1996. These tensions resulted in the recording sessions for The Great Southern Trendkill (1996) being held separately. The ongoing tension lasted for another seven years, during which only one studio album, Reinventing the Steel (2000), was recorded. Pantera went on hiatus in 2001 but lingering disputes led to the band breaking up in 2003. The Abbott brothers went on to form Damageplan while Anselmo continued to work on several side projects, including Down, which Brown joined as well.
On December 8, 2004, Dimebag Darrell was shot and killed on stage by a mentally unstable fan during a Damageplan concert in Columbus, Ohio. Vinnie Paul went on to form Hellyeah after his brother's death, and died of heart failure in 2018, leaving Brown and Anselmo as the only surviving members of the band's best-known lineup. In July 2022, it was announced that Brown and Anselmo were reuniting in 2023 for Pantera's first tour in 22 years, with Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante filling in for the Abbott brothers on guitar and drums, respectively. The new lineup played its first show in 21 years at the Hell and Heaven festival in Mexico on December 2, 2022.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantera
Studio albums
Metal Magic (1983)
Projects in the Jungle (1984)
I Am the Night (1985)
Power Metal (1988)
Cowboys from Hell (1990)
Vulgar Display of Power (1992)
Far Beyond Driven (1994)
The Great Southern Trendkill (1996)
Reinventing the Steel (2000)
Medicine Man
Pantera Lyrics
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Past the shores of ever dark
There stays a magic man
Who bears an evil mark
He helps all concerned
Those who come again return
Injecting lies while fires burn
The devil's heart
Have you wondered what heaven's like?
She can show you in one night
Overwhelming with euphoric lift
To lure you to steal your gift
Intoxication
Seeping down to the bone
And there's no question
To where you have to go
Understand, just take his hand
He's the medicine man
Understand, just take his hand
He's the medicine man
Once proud and fearless men
With desire in their eyes
Lost strong and fruitful lives
To self-indulgent ties
Their souls were dipped in venom
Then put into a box
Then placed upon a crowded shelf
Where countless souls now rot
Have you ever wondered what hell's like?
He can take you there
Just one taste and you'll be back
And by the high you'll swear
Intoxication
Seeping down to the bone
And there's no question
To where you have to go
Understand just take his hand
He's the medicine man
Understand just take his hand
He's the medicine man, oh
Understand just take his hand
He's the medicine man
Understand just take his hand
He's the medicine man
The song "Medicine Man" by Pantera speaks about a man who is known to have an evil mark and helps those in need by injecting them with lies while fires burn. He is known as the magic man, and those who come to him return again. The lyrics also suggest that this man has a devil's heart and angel's words. The song is warning against the illusion of a magical cure or a quick fix for one's problems. The song cautions against falling into the temptation of seeking out unnatural remedies that can intoxicate an individual and make them crave more of it.
The lyrics suggest that this magic man has the power to take individuals on a journey to heaven or hell with just one night. He lures them with euphoria and overwhelms them with an intoxicating high, which seeps down to the bone. The song implies that there is no escape from his hold, and he preys on individuals who are lost and have given in to self-indulgent ties. The lyrics describe how this man can take souls dipped in venom and put them into a box and place them on a crowded shelf, where countless souls now rot.
In summary, "Medicine Man" by Pantera is a cautionary tale about not falling into the trap of a quick-fix solution to life's problems, as it can lead to self-destruction and being consumed by one's addiction. The song suggests that one should avoid the temptations of unnatural remedies and seek out a healthy way to live.
Line by Line Meaning
Many distant miles away
There is a place that is far away from us.
Past the shores of ever dark
It is beyond the dark and unknown world.
There stays a magic man
A man resides there with extraordinary abilities.
Who bears an evil mark
However, he is marked by something ominous.
He helps all concerned
Despite this, he helps anyone who seeks his assistance.
Those who come again return
But anyone who goes there once will come back.
Injecting lies while fires burn
The man fills people with false beliefs while disaster ensues.
The devil's heart
His intentions bear the weight of evil.
With angel's words
But he talks in a way that makes people believe he's good.
Have you wondered what heaven's like?
Do you ever think about the good things in life?
She can show you in one night
The magic man can give you a glimpse of it.
Overwhelming with euphoric lift
You'll be filled with a sense of joy.
To lure you to steal your gift
But it's a trap to make you lose something precious.
Intoxication
A sense of being drugged.
Seeping down to the bone
It's something that goes deep inside you.
And there's no question
There's no doubt or hesitation.
To where you have to go
You will go wherever it takes you.
Understand, just take his hand
Do you get it? Just follow him.
He's the medicine man
The magic man is the one who can cure you.
Once proud and fearless men
There were men who were confident and brave.
With desire in their eyes
They were filled with ambition.
Lost strong and fruitful lives
However, their lives turned out to be meaningless and empty.
To self-indulgent ties
They lost themselves in their own ego and pleasure.
Their souls were dipped in venom
They became poisoned with corruption.
Then put into a box
Their lives are now confined and restricted.
Then placed upon a crowded shelf
Their stories are now lost among the masses.
Where countless souls now rot
An endless amount of people now live their lives in misery and despair.
Have you ever wondered what hell's like?
Have you ever thought about the worst things in life?
He can take you there
The magic man can show you.
Just one taste and you'll be back
It's a trap that will make you come back for more.
And by the high you'll swear
And because of the rush, you'll make a promise.
Understand just take his hand
It's simple. Just follow the magic man.
He's the medicine man
He is the one who can cure you of your problems.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Philip Anselmo, Rex Brown, Darrell Abbott, Vincent Abbott
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind