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.
Into The Fire
W.A.S.P. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Scream in my ear giving life to me
Come feel confusion, it's illusion, it ain't real
Your love, your lust, could never feel the fear in my eyes
Oh I come to steal, give it all to you, give it all to me
Give into the fire, don't blame it on me
Your devil's your desire now, no, ain't no shame on me
And feed your desire, don't tell it, don't tell it to me
Your lust I can feel, don't cry my name
I don't wanna hear it, your passion your pain
My name is fate and I don't claim to be real
I take it all from you, give it all to me
Give into the fire, don't blame it on me
Your devil's your desire now, no, ain't no shame on me
Give into the fire, get down on your knees
I don't want you to love me, no, just give it all, give it all to me
Lay down in the fire, you gave it to me
Reach down in desire for my shame, ain't nothing to me
Advance unto a liar, never gonna see
Advance into a lie and try and see me for what you thought I'd be
My soul is my loss, tell me what you will
Say it, say if it's all you'll need, say if that's your belief
Can you tell me that you don't need, say that you don't bleed
You're burning up, up, up, save your up, up, up
Take me up, up, up, celebrate me
You need to take me, you need to thank me
Give into the fire, don't blame it on me
The devil's your desire now, no, ain't no shame on me
Give into the fire, get down on your knees
I don't want you to love me, no, just give it all, give it all to me
The lyrics to W.A.S.P.'s song "Into The Fire" depict a tumultuous relationship where lust and desire overpower any sense of logic or reason. The singer urges their partner to give in to their deepest desires, relinquish control, and surrender to the passion that burns within them. They claim that their love cannot compare to the fear and intensity in the singer's eyes, and that their own passion and pain should not be vocalized. The chorus repeats the phrase "give into the fire," emphasizing the addictive nature of the relationship and the destructive consequences that come with it. The singer continues to encourage their partner to submit to their desires and celebrate the all-consuming passion they share, never once asking for love in return.
The dark and intense lyrics of "Into The Fire" reflect the rollercoaster of emotions that come with a volatile relationship. It suggests a power dynamic in which one partner dominates and the other submits, highlighting themes of control, obsession, and addiction. The use of fire as a metaphor for this all-consuming passion adds an element of danger and unpredictability, making the relationship seem volatile yet irresistible. Overall, the song paints a picture of a passionate but ultimately destructive relationship, in which desire and lust reign supreme.
Line by Line Meaning
Give it to me slow, give now to me
I want you to take your time and give me what I want right now.
Scream in my ear giving life to me
I want you to make noise and show me that you are passionate.
Come feel confusion, it's illusion, it ain't real
I want you to experience a sense of disarray and realize that it is just a temporary feeling.
Your love, your lust, could never feel the fear in my eyes
You can never empathize with my fear and desperation, despite any feelings of love or lust you may have for me.
Oh I come to steal, give it all to you, give it all to me
I am here to take what I want from you and in exchange, I will give you everything you desire.
Give into the fire, don't blame it on me
You should give in to your desires without placing blame on me for your actions.
Your devil's your desire now, no, ain't no shame on me
Your temptation and sinful thoughts are your own responsibility, I am not to blame for them.
Give into the fire, get down on your knees
You should succumb to your temptation and show your willingness to indulge your desires.
And feed your desire, don't tell it, don't tell it to me
You should satisfy your own desires and not speak to me about them.
Your lust I can feel, don't cry my name
I am aware that you are sexually attracted to me, but I do not want to hear you call out my name when expressing your feelings.
I don't wanna hear it, your passion your pain
I do not want to hear about how your passion or pain relates to me.
My name is fate and I don't claim to be real
I am only a concept, an idea of what may happen in your life, I am not a tangible entity.
I take it all from you, give it all to me
I am willing to take everything you have, including your trust, vulnerability and intimacy, in exchange for giving you what you desire.
Lay down in the fire, you gave it to me
You are responsible for igniting your own passion and desire, so you should lay down and continue on this path.
Reach down in desire for my shame, ain't nothing to me
You should embrace your lust and sexual desire, it does not bother me.
Advance unto a liar, never gonna see
If you continue seeking someone that you believe will satisfy all of your desires, you will only find a deceptive and untrustworthy person.
Advance into a lie and try and see me for what you thought I'd be
If you continue seeking someone that you believe will satisfy all of your desires, you will only find a deceptive and untrustworthy person.
My soul is my loss, tell me what you will
Whatever you think about me or whatever I do, it doesn't matter to me. I am not emotionally invested in this.
Say it, say if it's all you'll need, say if that's your belief
Tell me what you believe will satisfy you and I will attempt to provide it.
Can you tell me that you don't need, say that you don't bleed
Tell me if you are strong enough to deny your own desires and do not feel any lust or passion.
You're burning up, up, up, save your up, up, up
You are consumed by your passion and desire, but you should try to save some of it for later.
Take me up, up, up, celebrate me
Elevate me to a level where I can influence you completely, and revel in our mutual pleasure.
You need to take me, you need to thank me
You must take hold of what I offer you and appreciate me for it.
I don't want you to love me, no, just give it all, give it all to me
I am not looking for your love, just give me all that I desire from you and I will afford you the same courtesy.
Contributed by Gianna D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.