The group has released three original studio albums: First and Last and Always (1985), Floodland (1987), and Vision Thing (1990). Each album was recorded by a different line-up; singer-songwriter Andrew Eldritch and the drum machine called Doktor Avalanche are the only points of continuity throughout. Eldritch and Avalanche were also involved in The Sisterhood, a side-project connected with Eldritch's dispute with former members.
The Sisters of Mercy ceased recording activity in the early 1990s, when they went on strike against East West Records, whom they accused of incompetence and withholding royalties, and had pressured the group to release at least two more studio albums; instead, the label released the album Go Figure under the moniker SSV in 1997. Although the Sisters of Mercy were eventually released from their contract with East West, they have never been signed to another label nor released any new material, despite showcasing numerous new songs in their live sets.
Former members of the group established the bands Ghost Dance and The Mission.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sisters_of_Mercy
Discography
First and Last and Always (1985)
Floodland (1987)
Vision Thing (1990)
Some Girls Wander by Mistake (compilation, 1992)
A Slight Case of Overbombing (compilation, 1993)
Amphetamine Logic
The Sisters of Mercy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The falling over
Watch them do
The standing still
Nothing but the knife to live for
One life all I need
Give me one good reason
(Women)
And the women come and go
(Talk)
Talking about me like they know
(Men)
Bought and sold
And the world keeps turning
People cold
And people burning
Nothing but the knife to live for
One life all I need
Give me one good reason
Give me more s.....
Nothing but the knife to live for
One life all I need
Give me one good reason
Give me more s.....
(Amphetamine logic)
Hit up
Steel in hand
Lit up
Like candles
Burning
Like Catherine wheels
Turning
On
Nothing but the knife to live for
One life all I need
Give me one good reason
Give me more s.....
Nothing but the knife to live for
One life all I need
Give me one good reason
Give me more s.....
Nothing but the knife to live for
One life all I need
Give me one good reason
Give me more s.....
(Amphetamine logic)
Nothing but the knife to live for
One life all I need
Give me one good reason
Give me more s.....
Nothing but the knife to live for
One life all I need
Give me one good reason
Give me more s.....
Nothing but the knife to live for
One life all I need
Give me one good reason
Give me more s.....
The Sisters of Mercy's song "Amphetamine Logic" seems to be a commentary on the monotony and meaninglessness of life. The lyrics speak of people going through the motions, falling over and standing still, with nothing to look forward to but the knife (perhaps a metaphor for the grim reality of daily life). The only thing that seems to offer any relief is the feeling of being alive, expressed in the lines "One life all I need" and "Give me more s…” The recurring phrase "Amphetamine logic" seems to suggest that this feeling is achieved through some sort of drug use.
The song also touches on themes of objectification and commodification as the women in the lyrics are bought and sold while the world keeps turning, with people suffering and burning. The repetition of the line "Give me one good reason" suggests a desperate longing for purpose and meaning in life. The song ends with a repetition of the line "Nothing but the knife to live for/One life all I need/Give me one good reason/Give me more s…", which seems to cement the bleak message of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Watch them do
Observing others whose lives lack meaning and purpose
The falling over
They repeatedly fall down, unable to stay upright
Watch them do
Continuing to watch these people with a feeling of superiority
The standing still
These people lack motivation and drive to move forward
Nothing but the knife to live for
Having nothing else to live for except getting high with a knife
One life all I need
Willing to risk their life for the temporary pleasure of drugs
Give me one good reason
Challenging anyone to give a reason to stop using drugs
Give me more s.....
Addicted and in desperate need for a fix
And the women come and go
Surrounded by women who come and go as a result of drug addiction
Talking about me like they know
Being gossiped about by those who do not understand their addiction
Bought and sold
Being used and taken advantage of by drug dealers
And the world keeps turning
The world continues on, while they remain trapped in addiction
People cold
Others cannot understand or empathize with their addiction
And people burning
Succumbing to addiction and being consumed by it
Hit up
Injecting drugs into their veins
Steel in hand
Holding a knife to keep others away and protect their drugs
Lit up
High on drugs
Like candles
Their addiction slowly burning away their lives
Burning
Consumed by addiction
Like Catherine wheels
Their lives spiraling out of control like a Catherine wheel firework
Turning
Unable to escape the cycle of addiction
On
Continuing to burn and spiral out of control
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDREW ELDRITCH, GARY MARX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@goth-moth
Watch them do
The falling over
Watch them do
The standing still
Nothing but the knife to live for
One life, all I need
Give me one good reason
Give me more S....
And the women come and go
(Talk)
Talking about me like they know
(Men)
Bought and sold
And the world keeps turning
People cold
And people burning
Nothing but the knife to live for
One life, all I need
Give me one good reason
Give me more S....
Nothing but the knife to live for
One life, all I need
Give me one good reason
Give me more S.... (Amphetamine Logic)
Hit up
Steel in hand
Lit up
Like candles
Burning
Like Catherine wheels
Turning
On
Nothing but the knife to live for
One life, all I need
Give me one good reason
Give me more S.... (Amphetmine Logic)
Songwriters: Andrew Eldritch / Gary Marx
@Dromieris
Watch them do
The falling over
Watch them do
The standing still
CHORUS
Nothing but the knife to live for
One life all I need
Give me one good reason
Give me more s.....
(Women)
And the women come and go
(Talk)
Talking about me like they know
(Men)
Bought and sold
And the world keeps turning
People cold
And people burning
CHORUS [x2]
(Amphetamine logic)
Hit up
Steel in hand
Lit up
Like candles
Burning
Like Catherine wheels
Turning
On
CHORUS [x3]
(Amphetamine logic)
CHORUS [x3]
@sugarandspice4815
Apparently it's understood that he's saying "Nothing but the knife to live for / One life, all I need"; however, at 4:14 he's clearly saying "Nothing but the NIGHT to live for / One LINE, all I need" Now the song makes a little more sense to me.
@spokart7221
Unless you have been a meth shooter, days awake till your brain tires, the delusions, and the half awake “dreams”; of a 10 day+ run….you will never comprehend this song!
@djdrack4681
@@spokart7221 I mean you could also just be that college kid that gets through semesters on a 'healthy diet of energy drinks, caffeine, and adderall.
For some its a way of life ;P
@thybloodyromance
@@spokart7221 or amph, my fellow sleep deprived friend
@djdrack4681
He prob didn't mean to, but if there was inconsistency in what he's says that would be very amphetamine logical ;P
Apparently during recording of the album he'd be so strung out he was just walking into wall and generally tweeking tf out until he basically had a heart attack.
@joelconfalonieri5621
Yeah sure.
Maybe what he's looking for afterall is just a line and and knife by night, on thé amphetamine highway.
@minifest6969
One of their best songs. ❤️
Fun Fact: I've read that on the first pressings of that album this song was titled just "Logic" to avoid the drug reference.
@Subcomfreak1
As an owner of an original press, you are correct. The song title is simply logic.
@djdrack4681
and yet, if there are 2 general themes to the album 1 = nihilism and 2 = where TF are my amphetamines, I need more of them!
the reference was more than obvious, so I found it kinda odd they dropped the word lol
@johanzuidema353
@@djdrack4681 They were forced to do by record company.