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.
Restless Gypsy
W.A.S.P. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On this road, I'm moving on
I feel her heat, the desert sun burning skin
Never stopping, always on the run
Ooh, forever all I want is you here by my side
But I can't wait too long, no
Holding me is like taming the seven seas
I want restless gypsy, all I need
Is to catch the wind, where my heart's in
And I'm riding in the breeze
Call me restless gypsy, to the end
Riding free - is all I need
My spirit's in the wind
Move too fast no never hold me down
Catch me if you really think you can
Feel my touch, two lovers, cry that sound
Never ever knowing who I am
Ooh, I want you closer, baby, don't you take too long
'Cause tomorrow I'll be gone, yeah
And holding me is like holding the seven seas
[REFRAIN:]
Easy rider on the highway
Got the wind in my hair
Come on, you can touch me where I lay
Running free without a care
Come on, restless gypsy, all I need
Is to catch the wind, where my heart's in
And I'm riding in the breeze
Call me, restless gypsy, to the end
Riding free - is all I need
My spirit's in the wind
The lyrics of W.A.S.P.'s song Restless Gypsy convey a sense of freedom and wildness. The singer is constantly moving and running towards the open road, away from conventional life and the expectations of others. The desert sun burns his skin as he races forward, always searching for something more. He wants his lover to be by his side, but at the same time, he cannot wait for very long. The chorus declares that he is a restless gypsy who needs only to ride in the wind to feel free, and no one can tame him.
The song's lyrics are quite evocative, painting a picture of a free-spirited person who aims to remain unrestricted and journey through life without any strings attached. He shares an almost nomadic lifestyle, always on the move, and constantly craving more. At the same time, however, he struggles with his desire for companionship, someone who understands and accepts his unconventional persona. The song has a wild and adventurous spirit that encourages the audience to embrace their inner restlessness and seek out adventures and unknown paths.
Line by Line Meaning
For so long now, I'm racing on in the wind
I've been moving so fast for so long, like the wind itself
On this road, I'm moving on
I'm always on the move, never staying in one place for too long
I feel her heat, the desert sun burning skin
I can feel the intense heat of the desert sun on my skin as I ride
Never stopping, always on the run
I never stop, I'm always moving and running forward
Ooh, forever all I want is you here by my side
I want you with me forever, always by my side
But I can't wait too long, no
But I can't wait forever, I have to keep moving
Holding me is like taming the seven seas
Trying to hold onto me is like trying to tame something as vast and untameable as the ocean
[REFRAIN:] I want restless gypsy, all I need Is to catch the wind, where my heart's in And I'm riding in the breeze Call me restless gypsy, to the end Riding free - is all I need My spirit's in the wind
I'm a restless gypsy, always in motion and free, with my heart and spirit carried on the wind
Move too fast no never hold me down
I move too fast to be held down or tied to one place
Catch me if you really think you can
If you want to try and catch me, go ahead and try
Feel my touch, two lovers, cry that sound
When two people touch, it can be a beautiful and emotional thing
Never ever knowing who I am
Even though I'm always on the move, I'm not sure who I am or where I'm going
Ooh, I want you closer, baby, don't you take too long
I want you near me, don't take too long to catch up
'Cause tomorrow I'll be gone, yeah
Because I have to keep moving, I won't be around forever
And holding me is like holding the seven seas
Trying to hold onto me is like trying to hold onto something vast and untameable, like the ocean
[REFRAIN:]
I'm a restless gypsy, always in motion and free, with my heart and spirit carried on the wind
Easy rider on the highway
I'm an easy rider, cruising along the highway
Got the wind in my hair
I can feel the wind blowing through my hair as I ride
Come on, you can touch me where I lay
You can try to catch up and touch me as I ride by
Running free without a care
I'm running free, without any worries or cares in the world
Call me, restless gypsy, to the end
I'll always be a restless gypsy, moving forward no matter what
Riding free - is all I need My spirit's in the wind
I need to ride free, and my spirit is carried on the wind as I ride forward
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave
Written by: BLACKIE LAWLESS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@GChris-ny8fp
For so long now, I'm racing on in the wind
On this road, I'm moving on
I feel her heat, the desert sun burning skin
Never stopping, always on the run
Ooh, forever all I want is you here by my side
But I can't wait too long, no
Holding me is like taming the seven seas
I want restless gypsy, all I need
Is to catch the wind, where my heart's in
And I'm riding in the breeze
Call me restless gypsy, to the end
Riding free - is all I need
My spirit's in the wind
Move too fast no never hold me down
Catch me if you really think you can
Feel my touch, two lovers, cry that sound
Never ever knowing who I am
Ooh, I want you closer, baby, don't you take too long
'Cause tomorrow I'll be gone, yeah
And holding…
@imperatorglaber1752
The most underrated 80s metal band of all time
@tonycummings4588
agree, noticed recently that twisted sister have more spotify monthly listeners than wasp, this makes no sense
@diogeniscruyff1084
And the best too
@Guitarist888
@@tonycummings4588 don’t get me wrong now, wasp made great music but not as good as Twisted Sister did. Sister had better songs and hits like I Wanna Rock, We’re Not Gonna Take etc that were ubiquitous.
@FDGRebel
@@Guitarist888 Cant agree. WASP had one of the greatest concept albums of all time behind OPMindcrime with TCI. The Headless Children was flawless. WildChild, Love Machine, I wanna be somebody and Mean Man are far better songs than those of TS, maybe not as big hit wise but definitely better songs
@Guitarist888
@@FDGRebel yeah, but most of those song were redundant back then. I mean, KISS already wrote songs similar to what WASP 🐝 wrote 10 years earlier 😆. They were basically love songs, just heavier. Sister on the other hand wrote more mutinous song that shocked society and was a major impact on the youth. We’re not gonna take it, 🔪 in the back, you can’t stop rock n roll, stay hungry etc.
@brianhills3216
Love this band. Has been my favorite since I was 14 and I am 46 now
@ninaswer3490
Same here and I am in my 50s 😊😊
@andrewbates8076
I'm not a biker. This song makes me wish I was!!!
@petergorm
I absolutely love this track, and this album! Great music.