Megadeth Lyrics
Risk
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Breadline
(Music, lyrics: Mustaine, Friedman, Bud Prager) Ain't got no job
Living on the skids
No one there to bind him
About to lose his lifeline
Forgot who he is
A mover and shaker
No one there to bind him
About to lose his lifeline
Watch him dance About to lose his lifeline
About to lose his lifeline
No one, nothing, nowhere
He forgot and he ain't got nothing |
"'Breadline' is about when David Ellefson and I used to have to drive downtown everyday past the soup kitchens and we would see the derelicts out in the street with their shopping carts. We realized that if we didn't make it soon we would be one of them because we were running out of options and we had no other choice but to make it or die trying." (Mustaine, 1999) "... [They] always smiled and made the impression that they had no problems. They were marked from hunger, alcoholism and drug abuse so much, that their brains did not work anymore." (Mustaine, 1999) "The original version of this song started off like Fear's 'I Love Living in the City.' The original lyrics were really bad: 'I got bugs on my balls and sores on my feet, I rinse out my beard so I got something to eat. In my Safeway Winnebago, everything is fine. I'm dancing on the breadline.' A little different, eh? But something cool came out of it because we ended up helping support the young homeless kids in America with this song. So it ended up being a good thing." (Mustaine, 2001) "This was my fave tune on the album at the time. I also did my fave solo of the album on this song, but it was replaced by Dave without my knowledge. I showed up in Nashville all excited to hear the mixes and when 'Breadline' came up, I was especially excited. The solo came and my mouth dropped to the floor. Where the hell was my solo? I was furious that no one had told me anything until the song was already mixed. It turns out that our managers didn't like the solo I that did, they said it was 'too happy and melodic'. Well it was a 'happy and melodic' song! Anyway, if they needed it redone, they just could have told me, I would have been glad to get back to Nashville and redo it. This lack of consideration certainly planted the seed for me to want to quit the band. It was like, if they didn't need my guitar playing, I certainly didn't have to be there. It wasn't like I was Ace Frehley, too high to play and not showing up in the studio to record. I did a great solo, and I would have been happy to replace it with one that made everyone happy, but no call, no nothing, until I'm standing in the control room listening to the final mixes." (Friedman, 2002) |
The Doctor Is Calling
(Music, lyrics: Mustaine, Friedman, Bud Prager) The doctor is calling Something's gone wrong
Something's going down
The coat of arms falling
Always sharing trips
One too many tantrums
The coat of arms falling
This place is my home
The coat of arms falling
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"A lot of people are imprisoned by their family, whether it is a real institution, or just by the silent treatment. People tend to think that blood is thicker than water only in the movies anymore. When we really love someone we need to look past the stupid things that they sometimes say or do and never forget that they are family. I know because this happened to me by my own family." (Mustaine, 1999) "I complained to Dave that we didn't really have any 'really heavy' songs on the record and that everything was kind of middle of the road. I wanted to be extreme; make the heavy stuff unbelievably heavy and the light stuff totally pop. The rest of the guys weren't too comfortable with that, and Dave and I argued a bit before using one of my riffs to write this tune. This is probably my fave solo on the album, but the way it was mixed, it gets kinda lost. I also don't understand and don't particularly like all of the spoken parts and sound effects in this tune. Also, some parts of this were taken from a song called 'Absolution' that I wrote for Countdown... Parts of that were used in 'Trust' as well." (Friedman, 2002) |
I'll Be There
(Music, lyrics: Mustaine, Friedman, Bud Prager) I heard the voice of redemption
I heard the voice of satisfaction
I heard the bells begin to chime
I'll be there for you, when you walk through the fire
You saw me slide, you saw me fall
When skies are dark, no sun shines through
I'll be there for you, when you walk through the fire
I'll be there In my hour of need
I'll be there for you |
"This song means a lot to me. 'In My Darkest Hour' was a song about someone who was not there as he was needed. I can well remember playing '... Darkest Hour' back then. It was very moving every time. 'I'll Be There' is for the fans who always supported us, even when I had problems with my drug addiction again. I want to tell people with this song that I am there for them now." (Mustaine, 1999) "I guess the concept was, the fans have been there for so long and I wanted to tell them, in turn, I'll be there for you now. And that's been happening more now that we've been making ourselves available through the Internet. People say, 'Dude, 'In My Darkest Hour' got me through so many bad days,' or ''A Tout Le Monde' really helped me.' Somebody came up to me the other day and said, 'My father was killed by a train and 'Train of Consequences' has helped me out a lot,' and I thought, 'Jeez, that's a little morbid, but I'm really glad that we were there for you.' (Mustaine, 1999) "Great vocal work by Dave. This has lots of guitar textures that I did, and I believe there are some other instruments filling this out. I learned how to use an e-bow for this." (Friedman, 2002) |
Wanderlust
(Music, lyrics: Mustaine, Friedman) As sure as the sun rises in the east
I'm an outcast
As I ride into the sunset
I'm an outcast
A drum beats for me,
The game I play has caused a lot of grief
I'm an outcast
I got a lust for wandering
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"One of my favorite movies is 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' with Clint Eastwood. Wanderlust is partly about someone who moves from town to town and who has a pursuer who is after him. In heavy metal there are always new bands, who try to push the most popular band from the top. This song describes someone who can draw his gun quicker than the other one. Its very much inspired by classical duels." (Mustaine, 1999) "Nice playing by everyone. I like the breakdown in the middle. We were really trying to be more than a thrash band." (Friedman, 2002) |
Ecstasy
(Music, lyrics: Mustaine, Friedman) You live in a world of fantasy
I come to you when shadows fall
Try to silence the suspicions
Secret meetings that we hide
And we hide the truth to deceive them all
Try to silence the suspicions
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"This is about a girl who lives in a dream world with a perfect guy that makes her feel complete. But there is no possibility of it ever working out so she tries to hide it and her feelings for him. They both know that it is wrong so that is why he knows the ecstasy that he brings is a sin." (Mustaine, 1999) "I love the drum beat at the beginning!! Jimmy rules!! Also nice playing. You can tell that we were not only metallers, but well-rounded musicians. Dave's voice on the choruses is fabulous, I saw a ton of potential in him as a singer when I hear him sing this way. " (Friedman, 2002) |
Seven
(Music, lyrics: Mustaine, Ellefson) Full of greed you sell your soul
Everything turns into wrath
Deep fears that drive us
Procrastination always giving up
Only care how you appear
Deep fears that drive us
Greed, gluttony, pride, envy, wrath, sloth, death, deadly seven
On every street
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"... ['Seven'] which was orignally called 'Anti-Hero'... And before that it was called 'Hornet F***.' I used to have this saying that if something frustrated me it felt like I had hornets in my brain. The song was called 'Hornet F***,' whatever, and that ended up being called 'Seven'." (Mustaine, 1999) "The Bible and several other self help or enlightenment books cite the Seven Deadly Sins. They are: pride, greed, lust, envy, wrath, sloth, and gluttony. That pretty much covers everything that we do, that is sinful... or fun for that matter." (Mustaine, 1999) "By listening to the lack of production on this, you can tell that this was the one that the producers were least interested in. But at the same time, this is what we sounded like without all the sound effects, samples and other stuff thrown in. I used an ancient 8 inch Rickenbacker amp for the breakdown. Fucking amazing drumming on this one too!" (Friedman, 2002) |
Time: The Beginning
(Music, lyrics: Mustaine, Friedman) Father time, I'm running late
You were once my friend
Time taking time, it's taken mine
An enemy I can't defend
I can't get any younger
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"'Time' was made into two parts because the concept and the music were very closely related however they couldn't possibly be further apart". (Mustaine, 1999) "... [This song is] about how we all try hard to stay young. Time is relentless. Sometimes people age overnight. Some time ago I met a girl I used to know. She had been incredibly beautiful and young back then. I was completely shocked as I saw her again, because she had become old and wrinkled, and she had gained a lot of weight. 'The Beginning' describes how time tries to steal seconds of your life." (Mustaine, 1999) "More great vocals. When I was working on songs like this, I really was excited about the future of the band. This is a classy ballad, but still has the eerie Megadeth quality about it. I love the two different drum set sounds used in this one." (Friedman, 2002) |
Time: The End
(Music, lyrics: Mustaine) I see Chronos
Beat the clock
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"... [This song is] about about Cronos, the Greek God of time, who is merciless and of whom there is no escape." (Mustaine, 1999) "'The End' is about when I face father time, also known as the reaper, and my persistence not to let him age me." (Mustaine, 1999) "I did a demo version at my house that I like much better than this one, but it was way too futuristic and weird for the others to buy it. It's probably best that this one came out as full-on slamming metal." (Friedman, 2002) |
Duke Nukem Theme
(Music: Mustaine) Instrumental |
This song is available only on the Japanese release of the album. |
The Realms of Deth |
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