In 1976, Hell either was kicked out of the Heartbreakers or quit the group, depending on whom you believe, and was replaced by Billy Rath, who, according to legend, was a gigolo. Hell went on to form his own band, The Voidoids.
Arriving for a European tour just as the UK punk scene was building momentum, the Heartbreakers developed a following playing in and around London. The band's members and image were widely associated with drug use, specifically, heroin. The Sex Pistols invited them to open for them on the ill-fated Anarchy Tour. They shortly signed with Track Records. Their debut--and only--studio album, L.A.M.F., featured all the Heartbreakers' popular live songs. The release of the album put a huge strain on the band, because of anger among some band members over the poor quality of the mix. Several of the members of the band left at this point. The band reformed in 1979 for a few farewell shows at Max’s Kansas City with drummer Ty Stix sitting in for Nolan. The resulting live album Live at Max's Kansas City '79 is considered a punk classic. The Heartbreakers' song, London Boys, is a swipe at the Sex Pistols, in response to the Pistols' New York, a put-down of the New York Dolls.
The band re-formed occasionally to play at New York clubs until the death of Johnny Thunders in 1991. Jerry Nolan died a few months later, in 1992. Live shows often consisted of songs performed with the New York Dolls or taken from Johnny Thunders' solo career. Richard Hell rarely plays music live, concentrating instead on writing and spoken-word performances. Billy Rath's whereabouts are currently unknown, leading to various rumors such as that he died or became a priest. Walter Lure still performs about once a month with his band the Waldos, performing mostly Heartbreakers songs
Pirate Love
The Heartbreakers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You've got to talk that talk
You've got to be that girl
In the diamond world
C'mon cut me so fast
Pirate love
Is what I'm looking for
Is what I'm wanting for
I never ever
needed it so bad
Yeah!
Well the blood's running cold, ain't it
All the mommies are praying
Little girls are saying 'no'
And big girls always want more
Pirate love
Is what I'm looking for
Pirate love
Is what I'm wanting for
I never ever
needed it so bad
Yeah!
Well I'm locked in all these getups
Everybody seems too cruel
I can't tell who's who
Without a bag of voodoo
Pirate love
Is what I'm looking for
Pirate love
Is what I'm wanting for
I never ever
needed it so fast
Fast!
Fast!
Pirate love
Is what I'm looking for
Pirate love
Is what I'm wanting for
I never ever
needed it so bad
Yeah!
The Heartbreakers's song Pirate Love is a tale of desperation and longing for something that is hard to define. The singer of the song is searching for "pirate love," which could be interpreted as a kind of love that is wild, adventurous, and unattainable. The song emphasizes the importance of putting on a certain persona ("you've got to walk that walk, you've got to talk that talk") in order to achieve this kind of love.
The opening lines of the song ("You've got to be that girl in the diamond world, C'mon cut me so fast") suggest that the singer is seeking someone who is both beautiful and dangerous, someone who can cut through their sense of ennui and give them a thrill. As the song progresses, the singer becomes more and more desperate, singing that they have "never ever needed it so bad." The final lines of the song, with the repeated "Pirate love," suggest that this desire is all-consuming and impossible to satiate.
Overall, Pirate Love is a song about the yearning for something that is perhaps unattainable, but which gives life a sense of adventure and excitement. The lyrics are dark and brooding, emphasizing the singer's desperation and the sense of danger that seems to pervade their world.
Line by Line Meaning
You've got to walk that walk
You need to act a certain way to fit in with society's expectations
You've got to talk that talk
You need to speak with a certain vernacular to fit in with society's expectations
You've got to be that girl
You need to conform to society's beauty standards to be accepted
In the diamond world
In the exclusive, high-class society
C'mon cut me so fast
Hurry up and injure me
Pirate love
A wild and rebellious love, like that of a pirate
Is what I'm looking for
It's what I desire
Is what I'm wanting for
It's what I crave
I never ever
I have never before
needed it so bad
Wanted it so desperately
Well the blood's running cold, ain't it
It's a chilling and unpleasant situation
All the mommies are praying
Mothers are begging for safety
Little girls are saying 'no'
Young girls are refusing advances they may not understand
And big girls always want more
Adult women have insatiable desires and ambitions
Well I'm locked in all these getups
I am confined by societal expectations and limitations
Everybody seems too cruel
People are unnecessarily harsh and unforgiving
I can't tell who's who
I can't distinguish genuine individuals from those who put up a facade
Without a bag of voodoo
Without supernatural help to reveal others' true nature
Fast!
Quickly!
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN GENZALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind