The Germs disbanded following Crash's suicide on December 7, 1980. Their music was influential to many later punk rock acts. Pat Smear went on to greater fame performing with Nirvana and the Foo Fighters.
In 2005, actor Shane West was cast to play Crash in the Germs biographical film What We Do Is Secret (named after a song by the Germs). He performed with Smear, Doom, and Bolles at a production party for the film, after which the Germs reformed with West as singer. The new lineup of the band has performed a number of tours in the United States, including performances on the 2006 and 2008 Warped Tours.
On January 16, 2019, bassist Lorna Doom (born as Teresa Ryan) passed away.
Lion
The Germs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lion's world is cold and sharp
All he wants is much too far
So he stalks thw roads of token cars-
He snarls at winds that mean no harm
And takes the thorns in perfect form
A broken ideal rides inside the torture
Lion's denim hide
Gather up the broeken chairs
Feed my mind unholy tests
Do me in I need to rest
He sleep swhen nothing's in the air
Eats the scraps of some that care
He strains the right to overbear
Secrest hidden in the liar-
Pauses long enough to dream
Nightmares push the glowing scream
His shadowed eyes show the toll
Something only lions know
The Germs' song "Lions Share" speaks to the struggles that come with trying to obtain something that seems out of reach. The lyrics reveal the lion's world as cold and sharp, and he can only see death as a result. He is constantly in pursuit of something that is too far away, and as a result, he stalks the roads that are full of token cars. The lion snarls at the winds that present no harm to him, and he takes the thorns in perfect form. We are shown the image of a broken ideal that is trapped inside the torture of the lion's denim hide.
The lion's share that the singer desires has not been defined, but the repeated longing for it in the song reflects a universal human desire to have something more. The singer seeks to gather up broken chairs and feed his mind unholy tests, almost as if he's willing to go to extreme measures to get the lion's share. He's tired and needs to rest, which shows the urgency that comes with trying to achieve something that's far away.
Line by Line Meaning
All he sees are death masked stars
The lion sees only the darkness and despair in everything.
The lion's world is cold and sharp
The world of the lion is cruel and unforgiving.
All he wants is much too far
The lion's desires are beyond his reach, unattainable.
So he stalks thw roads of token cars-
The lion prowls along the streets, defending what little he has.
He snarls at winds that mean no harm
The lion is perpetually on edge, seeing threats where there are none.
And takes the thorns in perfect form
The lion's armor is unyielding, but the pain still seeps through.
A broken ideal rides inside the torture
The lion's idealistic dreams are shattered in his harsh reality.
Lion's denim hide
The lion's tough hide is like denim, protecting him from the world.
I want the lion's share
The artist desires the largest portion, like a lion taking the prey.
Gather up the broeken chairs
The artist wants to gather the broken pieces and make something new from them.
Feed my mind unholy tests
The singer seeks to challenge his mind with forbidden knowledge.
Do me in I need to rest
The artist desires an end to his struggles and a chance to rest.
He sleep swhen nothing's in the air
The lion can only rest when the danger has passed.
Eats the scraps of some that care
The lion survives on the meager kindness of others.
He strains the right to overbear
The lion demands his right to have control and power.
Secrets hidden in the liar-
There are unknown things hidden beneath the surface.
Pauses long enough to dream
The lion takes a brief moment to imagine a better life.
Nightmares push the glowing scream
Even in his sleep, the lion is tormented by nightmares and fears.
His shadowed eyes show the toll
The lion's eyes betray the weight of his suffering.
Something only lions know
There are certain truths that only those who have suffered in life can understand.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: PAT, D. CRASH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TrashDick
Since some can't do something easy right...
All he sees are death masked stars
The lion's world is cold and sharp
All he wants is much too far
So he stalks thw roads of token cars-
He snarls at winds that mean no harm
And takes the thorns in perfect form
A broken ideal rides inside the torture
Lion's denim hide
I want the lion's share
Gather up the broeken chairs
Feed my mind unholy tests
Do me in I need to rest
He sleep swhen nothing's in the air
Eats the scraps of some that care
He strains the right to overbear
Secrest hidden in the liar-
Pauses long enough to dream
Nightmares push the glowing scream
His shadowed eyes show the toll
Something only lions know
@Barrettt870
All he sees are death masked stars
The lion's world is cold and sharp
All he wants is much too far
So he stalks the roads of token cars-
He snarls at winds that mean no harm
And takes the thorns in perfect form
A broken ideal rides inside the torture
Lion's denim hide
I want the lion's share
Gather up the broken chairs
Feed my mind unholy tests
Do me in I need to rest
He sleeps when nothing's in the air
Eats the scraps of some that care
He strains the right to overbear
Secrest hidden in the liar-
Pauses long enough to dream
Nightmares push the glowing scream
His shadowed eyes show the toll
Something only lions know
@coloneldecker
I first heard this on the film Cruising. A brilliant film and a brilliant song.
@westonlong
I love that scary as hell movie.
@dopefiendlarz133
Wow, I was 16 when I saw that movie and only because I was obsessed with punk as a suburban Midwest bar mitzvah boy.
@fuxluck1
"do me in I need the rest" best fucking line ever!
@bombboynomw
that blue circle is sweet
@lutinbarjot
Heard in "Cruising", in some infamous sequence ! Yeah ..... this one rocks !!!!
@patdisaster8543
The gay Leather boy Crime movie?!
@AReservoirDog
One of my top 3 Germs songs
@THECLARENCES
Was “Cruising” for this song!!!
xoxo The Clarences
@littlecasino60
This was played in the murder peepshow scene in 'Cruising.' I wasn't aware they performed other songs for that movie, but wasn't included.