Driving home from the late shift tonight, in the dark and pouring rain, it occurred to me that I haven’t listened to loud, heavy music for quite some time. It was cathartic but judging by the slight ringing in my ears when I got home, I may have overdone it slightly 🤣🎸🥁🔊
One of few fast and frenetic tracks on Nevermind this creates a jolt of energy when listening to the album in sequence. Although “Smells Like Teen Spirit” gets the attention from this album this is equally as good. It was originally titled “Immodium” for an album that never happened and then re-recorded and renamed for Nevermind.
Lyrics
I don’t care, I don’t care, I don’t care I don’t care, I don’t care, care if it’s old I don’t mind, I don’t mind, I don’t mind I don’t mind, mind, don’t have a mind
Get away, get away, get away Get away, away, away from your home I’m afraid, I’m afraid, I’m afraid I’m afraid, afraid, ghost
Even if you have, even if you need I don’t mean to stare, we don’t have to breed We could plant a house, we could build a tree I don’t even care, we could have all three
She said, she said She said, she said She said, she said She said, she said
I don’t care, I don’t care, I don’t care I don’t care, care, care if it’s old I don’t mind, I don’t mind, I don’t mind I don’t mind, mind, don’t have a mind
Get away, get away, get away Get away, away, away from your home I’m afraid, I’m afraid, I’m afraid I’m afraid, afraid, ghost
Even if you have, even if you need I don’t mean to stare, we don’t have to breed We can plant a house, we can build a tree I don’t even care, we could have all three
She said, she said She said, she said She said, she said She said, she said
Even if you have, even if you need I don’t mean to stare, we don’t have to breed We can plant a house, we can build a tree I don’t even care, we could have all three
She said, she said She said, she said She said, she said She said, she said She said
Said, good
Click here for a playlist of all the songs in this series on Spotify
The song is named after Jon Fratelli’s wife Heather, a burlesque dancer whose stage name – a play on Britney Spears – he borrowed for the song. Fratelli described the tune as “a rock ‘n’ roll gig in an old speakeasy or something like that.”
To me this song is just a whole lot of fun!
Lyrics
Well, you must be a girl with shoes like that
She said, you know me well I seen you and little Steven and Joanna Round the back of my hotel Oh yeah
Someone said you was asking after me But I know you best as a blagger I said, tell me your name is it sweet? She said, my boy it’s dagger, oh yeah
I was good she was hot Stealin’ everything she got I was bold she was over the worst of it Gave me gear, thank you dear, bring yer sister over here Let her dance with me just for the hell of it
Well you must be a boy with bones like that She said you got me wrong I would’ve sold them to you If I could’ve just have kept the last of my clothes on Oh yeah
Call me up take me down with you when you go I could be your regular belle And I’ll dance for little Steven and Joanna ‘Round the back of my hotel, oh yeah
I was good, she was hot Stealin’ everything she got I was bold she was over the worst of it Gave me gear thank you dear bring yer sister over here Let her dance with me just for the hell of it
Chelsea Chelsea I believe that when you’re dancing Slowly sucking your sleeve The boys get lonely after you leave It’s one for the Dagger and another for the one you believe
Chelsea I believe that when you’re dancing Slowly sucking your sleeve The boys get lonely after you leave It’s one for the Dagger, another for the one you believe
Click here for a playlist of all the songs in this series on Spotify
The title track of the 1992 album by the same name this track wasn’t released as a regular single but was released in 1993 as a live single to promote the live album “A Real Live One“.
The lyrics are about a man that is afraid of the dark but from a paranoid feeling of being watched rather than a phobia of the dark. It was apparently written by Steve Harris who had his own fear of the dark.
Lyrics
I am a man who walks alone And when I’m walking a dark road At night or strolling through the park
When the light begins to change I sometimes feel a little strange A little anxious when it’s dark
Fear of the dark Fear of the dark I have a constant fear that something’s always near Fear of the dark Fear of the dark I have a phobia that someone’s always there
Have you run your fingers down the wall And have you felt your neck skin crawl When you’re searching for the light? Sometimes when you’re scared to take a look At the corner of the room You’ve sensed that something’s watching you
Fear of the dark Fear of the dark I have a constant fear that something’s always near Fear of the dark Fear of the dark Have a phobia that someone’s always there
Have you ever been alone at night Thought you heard footsteps behind And turned around and no one’s there? And as you quicken up your pace You find it hard to look again Because you’re sure there’s someone there
Fear of the dark Fear of the dark I have a constant fear that something’s always near Fear of the dark Fear of the dark have a phobia that someone’s always there
Fear of the dark Fear of the dark Fear of the dark Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark Fear of the dark Fear of the dark Fear of the dark
Watching horror films the night before Debating witches and folklore The unknown troubles on your mind Maybe your mind is playing tricks You sense and suddenly eyes fix On dancing shadows from behind
Fear of the dark Fear of the dark I have a constant fear that something’s always near Fear of the dark Fear of the dark Have a phobia that someone’s always there
Fear of the dark Fear of the dark I have a constant fear that something’s always near Fear of the dark Fear of the dark Have a phobia that someone’s always there
When I’m walking a dark road I am a man who walks alone
Click here for a playlist of all the songs in this series on Spotify
First released on a 1990 compilation album (Nobody’s Child: Romanian Angel Appeal) released to raise funds for Romanian orphans and then on the 1993 album Use Your Illusion II. It was also released in the US as a single in 1990 but didn’t get a worldwide release until 1993.
Civil War is written as an anti-war song with many aspects of the song reflecting this. The beginning samples Strother Martin’s speech in the 1967 movie, Cool Hand Luke, quotes a speech by a Peruvian Shining Path guerrilla officer and includes the American Civil War song, “When Johnny Comes Marching Home“, whistled by Axl Rose in the intro and outro. It is these unusual aspects of the song as much as the actual musical elements that make me like it so much.
Lyrics
Look at your young men fighting Look at your women crying Look at your young men dying The way they’ve always done before
Look at the hate we’re breeding Look at the fear we’re feeding Look at the lives we’re leading The way we’ve always done before
My hands are tied The billions shift from side to side And the wars go on with brainwashed pride For the love of God and our human rights And all these things are swept aside By bloody hands time can’t deny And are washed away by your genocide And history hides the lies of our civil wars
D’you wear a black armband When they shot the man Who said “peace could last forever” And in my first memories They shot Kennedy I went numb when I learned to see So I never fell for Vietnam We got the wall of D.C. to remind us all That you can’t trust freedom When it’s not in your hands When everybody’s fightin’ For their promised land And
I don’t need your civil war It feeds the rich while it buries the poor Your power hungry sellin’ soldiers In a human grocery store Ain’t that fresh I don’t need your civil war Ow, oh no, no, no, no, no
Look at the shoes you’re filling Look at the blood we’re spilling Look at the world we’re killing The way we’ve always done before Look in the doubt we’ve wallowed Look at the leaders we’ve followed Look at the lies we’ve swallowed And I don’t want to hear no more
My hands are tied For all I’ve seen has changed my mind But still the wars go on as the years go by With no love of God or human rights ‘Cause all these dreams are swept aside By bloody hands of the hypnotized Who carry the cross of homicide And history bears the scars of our civil wars
I don’t need your civil war It feeds the rich while it buries the poor Your power hungry sellin’ soldiers In a human grocery store Ain’t that fresh I don’t need your civil war No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no I don’t need your civil war I don’t need your civil war Your power hungry sellin’ soldiers In a human grocery store Ain’t that fresh I don’t need your civil war No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no uh-oh-uh, no uh-oh, uh no I don’t need one more war
I don’t need one more war No, no, no, no uh-oh-uh, no uh-oh, uh no Whaz so civil ’bout war anyway?
This is the 10th album release from Aerosmith but was my first proper experience of them. I was given a taped copy of the album by a friend along with “Permanent Vacation“. I pretty much wore out the two of them but Pump was and still remains my favourite of the two.
There are 4 very well known single releases from this album but this particular track was album only. It is one of my favourites though with its very different beat, instrumental and intriguing lyrical rhythm. I also like the use of well known clichés in the lyrics and how they’re given a new context.
When I got this album I was only 17 and in my first year at Coleraine university. I have a vivid memory of sitting in the upstairs balcony of “The Model” with Karen and Kim from my course in between classes and Karen asking what I was listening to on my headphones. I’m still not sure what she thought of it!
Lyrics
I’ll tell you little secret make you want to jump and shout when you talk to me in circles take your foot out of your mouth it’s hard enough to make it when you’re livin’ on the street and you want to tell somebody but you got to be discreet then you catch your girlfriend with her skirt hiked up to here honey, don’t get mad, get even
don’t get mad, get even [3x]
say the times they be a-changin’ though the blind lead the blind you know your head is empty though there’s somethin’ on your mind been shackin’ up with Lucy, then when the morning comes you’re with Sally in the alley and the junkies and the bums you wonder why your girlfriend has her skirt hiked up to here honey, don’t get mad, get even
Don’t get mad, get even [3x]
(…’til I can see the white o’ your eyes, baby…) (…I’m gonna kick ass…) (…just wait ’til you see what I got in store for you)
roll the dice get lucky ’cause they roll you for the dime you got nothin’ else to lose if you only lose your mind when pleasure that is shallow causes trouble to be deep you’ve been dusted with the devil while he sweeps you off your feet
I’ll tell you little secret make you want to jump and shout when you talk to me in circles take your foot out of your mouth it’s hard enough to make it when you’re livin’ on the street and you hate to be a wiseguy when your feet are in concrete oh, sleepin’ with the dogs, and you wake up with the fleas honey, don’t get mad, get even
An anti-war track that was never released as a single this is one of my favourite Def Leppard songs. It’s very long at 6:37 and includes recordings at the end of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Regan justifying 1986 air strikes on Lybia as retaliation for a terrorist bombing in Berlin that was blamed on Libya.
All of that was almost 40 years ago and yet sounds depressingly familiar.
The line “We’re fighting with the gods of war” was played backwards multiple times throughout the single “Rocket“.
Lyrics
Feelin’ like it’s over Feelin’ like there’s no love Feelin’ like it’s not easy Breathin’ life in the dust
On a countdown to zero Take a ride on the nightmare machine There ain’t gonna be heroes There ain’t gonna be anything Oh, here it comes, here comes the light Here it comes, hell in the night Here it comes, here comes the light When we all fall down
When we walk into silence When we shadow the sun When we surrender to violence Oh, then the damage is done Put away that gun
I don’t want to be there I don’t want to be anywhere Here it comes, here comes the light Here it comes, hell in the night Here it comes, here comes the light That’s right
We’re fightin’ for the gods of war But what the hell we fightin’ for? We’re fightin’ with the gods of war But I’m a rebel And I ain’t gonna fight no more, no way
On a countdown to zero Take a ride on the nightmare machine There ain’t gonna be heroes Woah, There ain’t gonna be anything, no Here it comes, here comes the light Here it comes, hell in the night Here it comes, here comes the light That’s right
We’re fightin’ for the gods of war But what the hell we fightin’ for? We’re fightin’ with the gods of war And I ain’t gonna fight no more (Stop fighting for the gods of war) We’re fightin’ for the gods of war But what the hell we fightin’ for? (What the hell we fightin’ for?) We’re fightin’ with the gods of war Heavy
“Message to terrorists everywhere: You can run, but you can’t hide.”
“We’re determined to stand together, and we’re determined to take action”
“We are not going to tolerate these attacks from outlaw states. We will not cave in”
“Today, we have done what we had to do.”
“He counted on America to be passive, he counted wrong.
Kerrang! The Album (1994) was my first introduction to modern heavy metal music and one of the tracks on this was my first introduction to Pantera. The sound was very different to anything I’d heard before and it wasn’t long before I was hooked on their most successful album Vulgar Display of Power. This is one of the many tracks that I like a lot but is one of my favourites.
Lyrics
If ever words were spoken Painful and untrue I said I loved but I lied In my life All I wanted Was the keeping Of someone like you As it turns out Deeper within me Love was twisted and pointed at you
You keep this love (thing), love (child), love (toy) You keep this love (fist), love (scar), love (break) You keep this love, love, love You keep this love, love, love You keep this love
I’d been the tempting one Stole her from herself This gift in pain Her pain was life And sometimes I feel so sorry I regret this (the hurting of you) But you make me so unhappy I’d take my life (and leave love with you)
You keep this love (thing), love (child), love (toy) You keep this love (fist), love (scar), love (break) You keep this love, love, love You keep this love, love, love You keep this love
No more head trips
You keep this love (thing), love (child), love (toy) You keep this love (fist), love (scar), love (break) You keep this love, love, love You keep this love, love, love You keep this love
You keep this love You keep this love You keep this love You keep this love
Rammstein are the original NDH (Neue Deutsche Härte/New German Hardness) rock band creating a bizarre mix of heavy metal and Electronic/Techno styles and instruments. The songs are also typically sung in German as the genre developed in Germany and Austria in the 90s. Until I looked up the lyrics for this post I’d no idea what they meant but it really doesn’t matter. This one is all about the sound – it shouldn’t work but it does!
Lyrics
Du Du hast Du hast mich
Du Du hast Du hast mich
Du Du hast Du hast mich
Du Du hast Du hast mich
Du Du hast Du hast mich Du hast mich Du hast mich gefragt Du hast mich gefragt Du hast mich gefragt und ich hab nichts gesagt
Du Du hast Du hast mich Du hast mich Du hast mich gefragt Du hast mich gefragt Du hast mich gefragt und ich hab nichts gesagt
Willst du bis der Tod euch scheidet Treu ihr sein für alle tagen
Nein Nein
Willst du bis der Tod euch scheidet Treu ihr sein für alle tagen
Nein Nein
Du Du hast Du
Du Du hast Du
Du Du hast Du
Du Du hast Du
Du Du hast Du hast mich
Du Du hast Du hast mich
Du Du hast Du hast mich Du hast mich Du hast mich gefragt Du hast mich gefragt Du hast mich gefragt und ich hab nichts gesagt
Willst du bis der Tod euch scheidet Treu ihr sein für alle tage
Nein Nein
Willst du bis zum Tod der scheide Sie lieben auch in schlechten tagen
For many AC/DC’s standout single is Thunderstruck. It gets a lot of attention for the thumping bass, drums and guitar riffs and rightly so. However, this unreleased title track in my opinion, is equally as good if not even better than Thunderstruck. The guitar on this beats anything else I’ve heard from AC/DC.
Lyrics
There’s fighting on the left And marching on the right Don’t look up in the sky You’re gonna die of fright
Here comes the razor’s edge
You’re living on the edge Don’t know wrong from right They’re breathing down your neck You’re running out of lives
And here comes the razor’s edge Here comes the razor’s edge
The razor’s edge
(Razor’s edge) To raise the dead (Razor’s edge) To cut to shreds
To raise the dead
Here comes the razor’s edge Here comes the razor’s edge
Well, here it comes To cut to shreds The razor’s edge
It’s the razor’s edge On the razor’s edge That you’ll be cut to shreds Got a razor’s edge By the razor’s edge