W.A.S.P. began following the demise of Circus Circus, a Los Angeles-based band featuring Blackie Lawless and Randy Piper. The original lineup of W.A.S.P. was formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1982 by Lawless, Piper, Rik Fox, and Tony Richards.
The first lineup did not last for long, as Rik Fox was let go and went on to join the band Steeler with vocalist Ron Keel and guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen. He was replaced by Don Costa, the bassist in Richards' former band, Dante Fox (which later evolved into Great White). Shortly afterward, Costa also left the band and his position on the bass was filled by Brayden Parker. By the time they recorded their debut album "W.A.S.P.", Lawless had taken over on bass and Chris Holmes had joined on lead guitar. At the same time, guitarist Chris Holmes joined the band.
Shortly after the album's release in 1984, Richards was replaced by former Keel drummer Steve Riley. The group released "The Last Command" in 1985, before Piper left in July 1986. Lawless subsequently switched back to guitar, with Johnny Rod (real name John Tumminello) leaving King Kobra to take over as bassist. "Inside the Electric Circus" followed in October. A live album "Live...In the Raw" was released in 1987. Riley left during the subsequent tour to join L.A. Guns. He was replaced for future shows by a string of temporary substitutes. By early 1988, W.A.S.P. had started working on its fourth studio album with Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali.
The band's popularity peaked in the 1980s, yet they continue to record and tour, making them one of the most enduring of the West Coast heavy metal bands. W.A.S.P. gained notoriety for their shock rock themed image, lyrics and live performances. They have sold over 12 million copies of their albums.
The band was a prominent target in the mid-1980s of the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) led by Tipper Gore, who at the time was wife of then-Senator Al Gore (D-TN), an organization that pushed for warning labels on recorded music. The band immortalized its fight with the PMRC on the song "Harder, Faster" from their 1987 live album, Live...In the Raw.
"I Wanna Be Somebody" was the most successful single from W.A.S.P.'s debut album. and It was ranked at No. 84 in VH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs of All Time.
In October 2007, W.A.S.P. embarked on The Crimson Idol Tour, to celebrate that album's 15th anniversary. It is the first time that the album, often regarded to be among the band's finest work, was performed in full from start to finish. The tour kicked off in Greece, in Thessaloniki at the Principal Club Theater on October 26, 2007.
Blackie Lawless remains the only member from the original line-up. They released their most recent album in November 2009, entitled Babylon.
On September 21, 2012, the band celebrated the 30th anniversary of their first ever live show by kicking off a world tour at The Forum in London. The set for the tour was split into three sections: songs from the first four albums, a cut-down rendition of the Crimson Idol performance and a final segment for newer material.
I Can't
W.A.S.P. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't know the reason why
I ain't straight
And I ain't high
I'm the ugly in between
Can't live and I can't die
And I can't win
My life's a living soundtrack
For a human horror film
I can't feel
And I can't love
My mama never showed me how
I never was enough
I can't laugh
And I can't smile
I'll sacrifice my aged elders
To show me how to die
I can't love
And I can't feel
And my mother never loved me
Deep down she hated me
I can't fuck
I can't feel
I'm one bizarre motherfucker
What the fuck's inside of me
I'll kill the beast so to free my soul
And smash the mirrors that won't let me go
Oh if there's a smile that ya see
It's only the clockwork orange that's in me
I curse the darkness impassioned plea
And tear the heart out and watch me bleed
I'll sacrifice my blood for free
To satisfy the vengeance that's in me
And bury the mirror that's inside me
The song "I Can't" by W.A.S.P. portrays the struggles and pain of a person who cannot express their emotions properly. The lyrics convey the message that the person feels trapped and unable to control their thoughts and feelings. The lines "I can't laugh, I can't cry, I can't see inside of me, don't know the reason why" suggest that the person is suffering from an emotional numbness and is unable to connect with their inner self.
The feelings of confusion and frustration are evident in lines such as "My life's a living soundtrack for a human horror film" and "I'm one bizarre motherfucker, what the fuck's inside of me." The person feels like an outsider who cannot fit in anywhere, and their inability to feel love or connect with others is evident in the lines "Can't live and I can't die" and "My mama never showed me how, I never was enough."
The desperation and anger of the person are also evident in the lines "I'll sacrifice my aged elders to show me how to die" and "I curse the darkness impassioned plea, and tear the heart out and watch me bleed." The person is ready to go to any lengths to find a way out of their emotional turmoil and is willing to sacrifice anything, including themselves.
Overall, the song showcases the struggles of a person with emotional numbness and how they feel trapped and unable to connect with their inner self.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't laugh I can't cry I can't see inside of me
I am emotionally numb and disconnected from myself, unable to express any feelings or understand my inner self
Don't know the reason why
I cannot explain or understand why I am this way
I ain't straight And I ain't high I'm the ugly in between
I do not fit into any societal norm or subgroup, and instead exist in a state of limbo and insecurity
Can't live and I can't die
I am trapped in a state of existence where I cannot fully live nor find peace in death
I wanna scream And I can't win My life's a living soundtrack For a human horror film
I feel powerless and trapped in a never-ending nightmare that feels like a horror movie
I can't feel And I can't love My mama never showed me how I never was enough
I struggle to experience emotions or form meaningful connections with others, and blame my mother for not providing me with the love and support I needed
I can't smile I'll sacrifice my aged elders To show me how to die
I cannot find happiness, and am willing to harm others in order to better understand the concept of death
And my mother never loved me Deep down she hated me
I believe my mother never truly cared for me, and instead harbored deep-seated feelings of dislike or even hatred towards me
I can't fuck I can't feel I'm one bizarre motherfucker What the fuck's inside of me
I struggle with sexuality, and feel like a strange and abnormal person, questioning what is wrong with me
I'll kill the beast so to free my soul And smash the mirrors that won't let me go
I will destroy my own inner demons in order to find peace and break free from my own self-destructive tendencies
Oh if there's a smile that ya see It's only the clockwork orange that's in me
Any outward display of happiness or contentment is merely a facade and not indicative of my true emotional state
I curse the darkness impassioned plea And tear the heart out and watch me bleed
I am consumed by hatred and anger towards the world around me, and am willing to inflict pain on myself as a form of release
I'll sacrifice my blood for free To satisfy the vengeance that's in me And bury the mirror that's inside me
I am willing to shed blood and harm myself in order to satiate my desire for revenge and rid myself of my own reflection, which I despise
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cupid Stunt
I can't laugh
I can't cry
I can't see inside of me
Don't know the reason why
I ain't straight
And I ain't high
I'm the ugly in between
Can't live and I can't die
I wanna scream
And I can't win
My life's a living soundtrack
For a human horror film
I can't feel
And I can't love
My mama never showed me how
I never was enough
I can't laugh
And I can't smile
I'll sacrifice my aged elders
To show me how to die
I can't love
And I can't feel
And my mother never loved me
Deep down she hated me
I can't fuck
I can't feel
I'm one bizzare motherfucker
What the fuck's inside of me
I'll kill the beast
So to free my soul
And smash the mirrors
That won't let me go
Oh if there's a smile that ya see
It's only the clockwork orange that's in me
I curse the darkness impassioned plea
And tear the heart out and watch me bleed
I'll sacrifice my blood for free
To satisfy the vengence that's in me
And bury the mirror that's inside me
Laimy Lau
somebody says he can´t sing but to me he is the greatest heavy singer ever with a touch of soul
Cole Masiuk
Of all metal and rock singers he is one of the greatest ever, hands down
F Rodger
Laimy Lau Yep.
Some Fudge
I can understand people who say that Ozzy or Vince Neil can't sing.
But Blackie??!
John Payaso De La Muerte Reynolds
He has a deep, rich, melodic, and powerful voice that is unique and absolutely amazing to be honest.
Absolute Brilliant Band.
Jeff Johnson
W.A.S.P. and Type O Negative have gotten me through a lot of things.
christina færch
I agree with you..... ;-)<3<3<3
blind_channel_fp
Oh same here but with W.A.S.P.
My Desire
This gave me cold chills cause it just told my life story!!!!!!! It's pure pain in itself for me and now even deeper knowing this is also someone else's life story!!!!!! You never want anyone else to feel this way, it causes such a heavy burden, deepest pain, darkness and tons of bitterness!!!!!!!! A prison in one's self...... Damn, I'm shaking!!!!!!! This is the first time I've ever heard this song and he is singing the word's that's been in my mind for year's ( 22 yrs to be exact)!!!!!!!
Suhaib Ghazi
@Don Fuselier you're resilient. both of you. Keep rising above what you were born into.