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.
Thin Disguise
Warrant Lyrics
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The heater works but I'm chilled to the bone
Oh, this room never felt so big
There's not enough conversation to fill the empty spaces
Now how can you love someone and not know them at all?
It's a thin disguise, livin' our life behind a thin disguise
One of these days if I got the time
I talked, you used to hear me so well
Now all the best conversations are with myself
Oh I wish I knew what's pullin' you away
But the space that's grown between us gets a little bigger everyday
How can you love someone and not know them at all?
It's a thin disguise, livin' our life behind a thin disguise
One of these days if I got the time
I'll show you what I'm like on the inside
It's a thin disguise, livin' our life behind a thin disguise
One of these days if I got the time
I'll show you what I'm like on the inside
It's a thin disguise, livin' our life behind a thin disguise, oh yea
It's a thin disguise, livin' our life behind a thin disguise, yea
It's a thin disguise, yea yea
The lyrics to Warrant's "Thin Disguise" depict a relationship in which the singer feels increasingly disconnected from their partner. The house that once felt warm now feels cold and empty, and there are not enough conversations to fill the space between them. The singer laments that they love this person but do not really know them at all, reflecting on how thin the disguise of their relationship truly is. They wonder what is pulling their partner away and why the space between them is growing larger each day. The final lines of the song suggest a desire to show their partner who they really are on the inside, suggesting a need for more authenticity and openness in their relationship.
Overall, the song speaks to the challenges of relationships that lack transparency and vulnerability. It highlights the importance of truly knowing one's partner and being willing to share one's true self in order to maintain a deep and fulfilling connection.
Line by Line Meaning
This house used to feel so warm
I used to feel comfortable and at home in this house
The heater works but I'm chilled to the bone
Even though the heater is working, I still feel cold and uncomfortable
Oh, this room never felt so big
The room feels empty and lonely without enough people to fill it
There's not enough conversation to fill the empty spaces
There's not enough talking between us to make up for the emptiness in the room
Now how can you love someone and not know them at all?
It's impossible to truly love someone if you don't really know who they are
It's a thin disguise, livin' our life behind a thin disguise
We are living behind a false front, pretending that everything is okay when it's not
One of these days if I got the time
I hope to have the chance to show you who I really am
I'll show you what I'm like on the inside
I'll reveal my true self, which I have been hiding behind the thin disguise
I talked, you used to hear me so well
We used to communicate well and understand each other
Now all the best conversations are with myself
I am left to have the best conversations with myself because there is no one else to talk to
Oh I wish I knew what's pullin' you away
I wish I understood why you are distancing yourself from me
But the space that's grown between us gets a little bigger everyday
The emotional distance between us is growing every day
It's a thin disguise, livin' our life behind a thin disguise, oh yea
We are not being honest with ourselves or each other about how we feel and what's really going on
It's a thin disguise, livin' our life behind a thin disguise, yea
We are pretending that everything is okay, even though it's not
It's a thin disguise, yea yea
Our facade is barely covering up the truth
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ADAM DANIEL SHORE, ERIC TURNER, JERRY DIXON, JOEY CAGLE, JOHN OSWALD, LOU REED, STEVEN CHAMBERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind