Richard O'Brien (born Richard Timothy Smith on March 25, 1942 in Cheltenham… Read Full Bio ↴Richard O'Brien (born Richard Timothy Smith on March 25, 1942 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK) is a writer and performer. He is best known for writing the musical The Rocky Horror Show and its 1975 film adaptation The Rocky Horror Picture Show, in which he played the character of Riff-Raff. The stage show has been in almost continuous production since, and the cinematic version is one of the best known and most ardently followed cult films of all time.

He is also responsible for the little-known sequel, Shock Treatment.

Duel Duet
Richard O'Brien Lyrics

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You're a loser
An abomination in the eyes of any sensitive man
And you're a blind alley cruiser
Always heading down a losing street
Dreaming that you're screaming at fate

You're a dead end, dead beat, nowhere Mister
With a kiss like a Mississippi alligator's sister

I took as much of you as any man can!

You've lost your heart
You've lost your cause
You lost your baby
When you lost your balls
You lost your mind
You've lost your grip
So say bye-bye!

We lost our Mom
We lost our Dad
And if I'm losing you
Well that's too bad
Well the best thing you could ever do is die

You're a failure
A malformation in the guise of many
An also ran
And you're a weeper and a wailer!
Always treading on the toes of the great
Damnably spreading your weight
You're a spiteful, hateful, assinine creature
A pupil with no scruples who's no better than the teacher
I took as much of you as any man can

You've lost your heart
You've lost your cause
You lost your baby
When you lost your balls
You lost your mind
When you lost your grip
So say bye-bye!

We lost our home
Our family
You've lost compassion
Now you're losing me

Well the best thing you could ever do is die

Well the best thing you could ever do is die
Well the best thing you could ever do is die!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Duel Duet" by Richard O'Brien are a scathing attack on someone who the singer sees as a complete failure in life. The song is full of insults and accusations, painting a picture of a person who has lost everything and is completely hopeless. The character being targeted is called "you" throughout the song, and the lyrics offer a brutal assessment of his life and shortcomings.

The opening lines declare "you're a loser," setting the tone for the rest of the song. The singer goes on to list various reasons why "you" are a failure, including having lost your heart, cause, baby, balls, mind, and grip. The insults continue, with "you" being called a "dead end, dead beat, nowhere Mister" and a "spiteful, hateful, assinine creature."

As the song goes on, the singer asserts that "we" have also lost things, including a home and family. The final lines deliver the ultimate insult, with the singer stating that "the best thing you could ever do is die."

Overall, "Duel Duet" is a powerful and confrontational song that pulls no punches in its assessment of the character being targeted.

Line by Line Meaning

You're a loser
You are someone who is poorly skilled, unpopular, and unsuccessful.

An abomination in the eyes of any sensitive man
Sensitive men find you extremely repulsive, loathsome, and despicable.

And you're a blind alley cruiser
You are someone who is always heading towards a dead end or nowhere slowly with no destination in sight.

Always heading down a losing street
You are someone who consistently makes bad choices, leading to failure and disappointment.

Dreaming that you're screaming at fate
You are someone who is delusional, thinking they have some control over their destiny, but instead only shouting into a void.

You're a dead end, dead beat, nowhere Mister
You are a complete failure and waste of space with no prospects or future.

With a kiss like a Mississippi alligator's sister
Your kisses are repulsive and nasty like the kissing habits of an alligator's sibling from Mississippi.

I took as much of you as any man can!
I am fed up with all of your terrible qualities and actions, and am done dealing with you.

You've lost your heart
You have become heartless, unfeeling, and cruel.

You've lost your cause
You have lost your motivation, purpose, and drive.

You lost your baby
You lost someone or something very dear and important to you.

When you lost your balls
You lost your courage, bravery, and strength, making you a weak and worthless person.

You lost your mind
You have gone insane and irrational, losing your grasp on reality.

You've lost your grip
You have lost control of your life and are unable to keep things in order.

So say bye-bye!
Get lost and never come back!

We lost our Mom
Our mother passed away and is no longer with us.

We lost our Dad
Our father passed away and is no longer with us.

And if I'm losing you
If I am losing your love and commitment, and you are drifting away.

Well that's too bad
That is unfortunate, but I cannot force you to stay.