Formed in 1984, the group endured several line-up changes and soul-searching before coalescing around vocalist Jani Lane, guitarist Erik Turner, guitarist Joey Allen, bassist Jerry Dixon, and drummer Steven Sweet. In January 1988, Warrant signed a contract with Columbia Records. They then released their debut album, which they titled 'Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich'. Although coming in at the tail end of the 80s pop metal boom, their tuneful rock brought them some critical and commercial acclaim, the album reaching the #10 slot on the Billboard 200 top albums chart.
The band's second record, 'Cherry Pie', was released in March 1990, and spawned the hits "Cherry Pie", "Uncle Tom's Cabin", and "I Saw Red". It reached the Top Ten in the United States, and went on to sell over three million copies. The group found the title song, written by the band under studio pressure with the lyrics literally composed on a pizza box, a 'throw-away' type tune, giving them a commercial breakthrough. Yet their other tracks showed a desire to branch out into diverse subject matter and styles. For example, their southern rock inspired track "Uncle Tom's Cabin" alludes to the famous 1852 novel on racial divisions and features lyrics discussing shocking, covered-up murders while power ballad "Bed of Roses" discusses a romance beset by poverty and struggles reminiscent of Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer".
Through riding high after their multi-platinum success and passionate touring, the band found itself in the middle of the rise of alternative music in the early 90s. In 1992, Warrant released 'Dog Eat Dog'. The record, an attempt by the band to evolve in the face of changing musical trends, received some critical acclaim but achieved only moderate commercial success. Single "Machine Gun", the title alone showing the change in direction, still managed to reach the top 40 rock charts.
After this, the band would begin a long string of member changes, including even singer Jani Lane leaving the band briefly. Lane achieved some small success producing work without the group, doing some covers of other hard rock and metal bands. He would then return before the band released 'Ultraphobic' in 1995 and 'Belly to Belly, Vol. 1' in 1998. These were released on a smaller label and featured a new darker sound. Neither album would remotely come close to the success of the earlier albums. A live album and an album of re-recorded classic tracks as well as an all-covers disc, titled 'Under the Influence', followed these.
Jani Lane would once again leave the band in 2004. Ironically, all the other original members would return to the band the same year. Vocalist Jaime St. James, known for serving as the frontman of Black 'n Blue, would take over as singer. In 2006, Warrant released 'Born Again', which was their first album to not have Lane on vocals.
On March 4, 2008, Warrant announced that Lane had returned to the band. Lane toured with the band through 2008, but he left the band once again soon after. On August 11, 2011, Lane was found dead in a hotel room in Woodland Hills, California. He was 47, and condolences poured in from hard rock fans.
There is another band with the same name:
2) Warrant is, secondly, the name of an 80s-era Speed Metal band from Germany. This Warrant was formed in 1983 in Düsseldorf and has featured an aggressive heavy metal sound akin to contemporaries Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. The band's original line-up was Jörg Juraschek (vocals and bass), Thomas Klein (guitar) and Lothar Wieners (drums). Oliver May (guitar) followed shortly afterwards.
In early 1985, Warrant released the EP 'First Strike', and they soon also released 'The Enforcer'. They went on tour with Warlock later that year. The band sadly split up not too long later, with Juraschek and May going on to form Punchline while Wieners formed Monroxe.
In 1999, the band (with Jörg and Oliver) briefly reunited and recorded two new songs. Both of Warrant's albums were reissued on a single disc in 2000, with those new tracks included. In 2010, 'First Strike' and 'The Enforcer' were re-released, this meaning new artwork as well as the inclusion of some some live recordings.
The band also notably performed several live shows with Necronomicon and starred in some music festivals. In August 2010, they signed a deal with PSR. Fans rejoiced as the group had new life breathed into it.
Andy Warhol Was Right
Warrant Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Memories with pain
Locking me behind the closet door
I will be a good boy
Promise I won't run
Sit quite in my room
Playing with my toy gun
Now I'm older but the memories
Still eat me like disease.
Alone in the darkness
Watching you on my T.V.
Why did God make you so famous
When he only spit on me.
I want to bathe in your light.
I want to be on the news.
If I take your life
It's nothing personal.
Just a boy and his toy gun
Dying for attention.
I'm sitting on the steps.
The sun is sinking low.
The world gets very quiet
As the street lamps start to glow.
I step out and I raise my gun
Time just seems to slow.
For a moment I can see myself
Trapped in your reflection.
I'm angry and I'm lonely
And I'm dying for attention.
I want to bathe in your light.
I want to be on the news.
If I take your life
Its nothing personal.
Just a boy and his toy gun
Dying for attention.
Dying for attention
Mama.
The lyrics to Warrant's song "Andy Warhol Was Right" speak to feelings of anger, loneliness, and desperation for attention. The singer refers to "twisted little daydreams" and memories that bring him pain, and describes himself as a "good boy" who promises not to run and plays with his toy gun in his room. However, he also acknowledges that these memories "still eat me like disease" even as he has grown older. He feels alone in the darkness as he watches famous figures like Andy Warhol on his TV, wondering why God chose to make them famous but "spit on" him.
The chorus expresses the singer's desire to be on the news and bathe in the light of celebrity, even if it means taking a life with his toy gun. He insists that it's "nothing personal", just a way of gaining attention. The final verses take place as the singer is sitting on the steps outside, watching the world quiet down as the street lamps come on. He raises his gun and can see himself trapped in the reflection of someone he idolizes, feeling angry, lonely, and desperate. The song ends with a repeated phrase of "dying for attention" and a desperate plea to his mother.
The lyrics to "Andy Warhol Was Right" are haunting and speak to the way that our society elevates and celebrates celebrities while disregarding the pain and struggles of others. The singer's bitterness and desire for attention are relatable in a world that can often feel cold and uncaring. The use of a toy gun as a symbol of power and control adds a layer of complexity to the song, highlighting the way that even those with the least amount of control may seek to assert themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Twisted Little Daydreams
The singer's fantasies are dark and twisted in nature.
Memories with pain
The singer looks back at his past with sadness and anguish.
Locking me behind the closet door
The singer was likely abused or kept locked away as a child.
I will be a good boy
The artist is obedient and subservient.
Promise I won't run
The artist is likely being punished or restrained.
Sit quite in my room
The singer is isolated and alone.
Playing with my toy gun
The singer seeks comfort and control through violent play.
Now I'm older but the memories
The artist still carries the weight of his past trauma.
Still eat me like disease.
The artist's pain is all-consuming and draining.
Alone in the darkness
The artist is isolated and likely struggling with mental illness.
Watching you on my T.V.
The singer fixates on public figures and celebrities.
Why did God make you so famous
The artist believes fame is unwarranted and unfair.
When he only spit on me.
The singer feels unwanted and unloved by a higher power.
I want to bathe in your light.
The singer wants to bask in the attention of others.
I want to be on the news.
The singer wants to be recognized on a national level.
If I take your life
The artist fantasizes about harming others for attention and control.
It's nothing personal.
The artist doesn't see their actions as malicious or targeted.
Just a boy and his toy gun
The singer feels powerless in their life and seeks to control through violence.
Dying for attention.
The singer is desperate for validation.
I'm sitting on the steps.
The artist is in a contemplative state.
The sun is sinking low.
The artist's situation is growing more dire.
The world gets very quiet
The artist feels isolated and alone.
As the street lamps start to glow.
The singer is likely out at night, adding to the ominous tone.
I step out and I raise my gun
The artist is making a dangerous choice with consequences.
Time just seems to slow.
The singer is in a heightened state of awareness.
For a moment I can see myself
The singer has a moment of self-reflection.
Trapped in your reflection.
The singer is obsessed with the public figure they fantasize about harming.
I'm angry and I'm lonely
The artist's emotions are driving them to make these dangerous decisions.
Dying for attention.
The artist is willing to resort to violence for the validation they crave.
Mama.
The singer's final line is a heartbreaking plea for love and acceptance.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: J. LANE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kenao Konthoujam
Twisted Little Daydreams
Memories with pain
Locking me behind the closet door
I will be a good boy
Promise I won't run
Sit quite in my room
Playing with my toy gun
Now I'm older but the memories
Still eat me like disease.
Alone in the darkness
Watching you on my T.V.
Why did God make you so famous
When he only spit on me.
I want to bathe in your light.
I want to be on the news.
If I take your life
It's nothing personal.
Just a boy and his toy gun
Dying for attention.
I'm sitting on the steps.
The sun is sinking low.
The world gets very quiet
As the street lamps start to glow.
I step out and I raise my gun
Time just seems to slow.
For a moment I can see myself
Trapped in your reflection.
I'm angry and I'm lonely
And I'm dying for attention.
I want to bathe in your light.
I want to be on the news.
If I take your life
Its nothing personal.
Just a boy and his toy gun
Dying for attention.
Dying for attention
Mama.
Kenao Konthoujam
Twisted Little Daydreams
Memories with pain
Locking me behind the closet door
I will be a good boy
Promise I won't run
Sit quite in my room
Playing with my toy gun
Now I'm older but the memories
Still eat me like disease.
Alone in the darkness
Watching you on my T.V.
Why did God make you so famous
When he only spit on me.
I want to bathe in your light.
I want to be on the news.
If I take your life
It's nothing personal.
Just a boy and his toy gun
Dying for attention.
I'm sitting on the steps.
The sun is sinking low.
The world gets very quiet
As the street lamps start to glow.
I step out and I raise my gun
Time just seems to slow.
For a moment I can see myself
Trapped in your reflection.
I'm angry and I'm lonely
And I'm dying for attention.
I want to bathe in your light.
I want to be on the news.
If I take your life
Its nothing personal.
Just a boy and his toy gun
Dying for attention.
Dying for attention
Mama.
Jason McMillan
This whole album is an overlooked masterpiece. Perfectly written at every tune. Perfectly recorded and produced. There isnt a bad song on this album. The boys went deep all over this record.
withintemptation73
One of the most heartbreaking songs ever written. This is such an underrated album, with this masterpiece as its centerpiece.
101dumars
one of the most underrated albums
Rod
AMEM!!! Deserves in top 5 of all time!!! Pure power and poetry!!!
Billtown Biker
Warrant's best album for sure.
Andy Appleton
So true, Warrant's best...not much commercial success with this one, maybe because it was so good
Michael Corcoran
For sure.
Michael Corcoran
@Andy Appleton yeah, I mean that's why I admire it so much, this kind of music was no longer really popular, his songwriting had gotten much more thoughtful. Even the cherry pie album was originally not going to have that song or that name and there was some decent songs on it. But lyrically this was their most thoughtful and interesting
Louie Jay Domingo
I was 16 then when this album went out, together with other Warrant albums, my room was filled with their magazine pinups - A salute to Jani Lane and many thanks Warrant for bringing wonderful songs in our lives (i.e. Heaven, I saw red, The bitter pill, etc.), proud to have lived and heard your music.