Motörhead – Heroes | Dances with Bass

December 7, 2018

Track: Heroes
Artist: Motörhead
Album: Under Cöver
Year: 2017

Lyrics:

I, I will be king
And you, you will be queen
Though nothing, will drive them away
We can beat them, just for one day
We can be heroes, just for one day

[Verse 1]
And you, you can be mean
And I, I’ll drink all the time
‘Cause we’re lovers, and that is a fact
Yes we’re lovers, and that is that

Though nothing, will keep us together
We could steal time, just for one day
We can be heroes, forever and ever
What d’you say?

[Refrain]
Though nothing, will keep us together
We could steal time, just for one day
We can be heroes, forever and ever
What d’you say?

[Verse 2]
I, I wish you could swim
Like the dolphins, like dolphins can swim

[Refrain]
Though nothing, nothing will keep us together
We can beat them, forever and ever
Oh we can be heroes, just for one day

[Chorus]
I, I will be king
And you, you will be queen
Though nothing will drive them away
We can be heroes, just for one day
We can be us, just for one day

[Verse 3]
I, I can remember (I remember)
Standing, by the wall (by the wall)
And the guns, shot above our heads (over our heads)
And we kissed, as though nothing could fall (nothing could fall)

[Refrain]
And the shame was on the other side
Oh we can beat them, forever and ever
Then we could be heroes, just for one day
We can be heroes, we can be heroes
We can be heroes, just for one day
We can be heroes

[Outro]
We’re nothing, and nothing will help us
Maybe we’re lying, then you better not stay
But we could be safer, just for one day
Oh-oh-oh-ohh, oh-oh-oh-ohh, just for one day

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On this cold Sunday, we here at the Dances with Bass Industries home office are feeling a bit gritty, and when we’re feeling gritty, a dram of Lemmy is just what the doctor ordered. Motörhead was formed in 1975 by Lemmy Kilmister—and his two enormous facial lesions—in London. Kilmister is known for his whiskey-soaked (spelled “whisky-soaked,” if you’re a Brit) vocals, his bottle of Jack Daniels a day, his black hats, and the aforementioned facial growths that occupied their own zip code. Interestingly, the name Motörhead comes from a street reference to amphetamines (speed).

Lemmy Kilmister's moles — Lemmy’s moles applied for statehood.

Motörhead never reached mainstream status, though they routinely sold out large venues and enjoyed a rabid fan following. The band’s fame peaked in 1980 with the release of Ace of Spades, a heavy metal anthem for the ages. If you can listen to this track in your car without driving 100 mph, you’re a better person than me.

Motörhead—and Kilmister as a soloist—often studded their albums with covers, and some of their choices were, um, interesting. Today’s featured track, Heroes by David Bowie, is one such example.

After Kilmister died at the age of 70 in 2015, the band released the posthumous Under Cöver record, which contains an interesting collection of covers, including a fine cover of Judas Priest’s Breaking the Law, the Sex Pistols’ God Save the Queen, The Ramones’ Rockaway Beach, and The Rolling Stones’ Jumping Jack Flash and Sympathy for the Devil.

During its illustrious career, Motörhead released 22 studio albums, 13 live albums, 13 compilation albums, 5 EPs, 29 singles, 10 video albums, and 34 music videos.

After Kilmister’s death, Motörhead released Clean Your Clock, a live album, in 2016. The tracks on Under Cöver are taken from a variety of the band’s records and tribute albums. If you like the sound of Lemmy growling out rock staples, be sure to check out his solo cover of The Beatles’ Back in the USSR from the 2006 compilation album, Butchering the Beatles – A Headbashing Tribute.

Video:

Here is the official video for Motörhead’s version of Heroes, which utilizes live concert footage:

And because we’re completists here at Dances with Bass Radio, here is David Bowie’s version for comparison and reminiscing. With all due respect to David Bowie (a staff fave here), we think Motörhead’s version kicks its stylish ass.