Overkill

Album: Overkill (1979)
Charted: 39
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The genesis of this track is explained by the band in the 2005 documentary Motörhead: The Guts And The Glory. Shortly before they got their big break, Phil Taylor was practicing alone in the studio with his new bass drums when Lemmy and Fast Eddie walked in. He was about to stop but they both shouted at him not to, and the riff he was playing at that moment became the basis for the song.
  • The song was recorded December 1978/January 1979, and released in the UK on March 10, 1979, the band having the previous day performed it live on Top Of The Pops. The B-side was another group composition: "Too Late Too Late". The full album version of "Overkill" runs to 5 minutes 12 seconds, and was produced by Jimmy Miller. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2
  • "Overkill" is the title track to Motörhead's second album; the song is about rocking hard:

    Only way to feel the noise is when it's good and loud

    In the studio, the band set out to capture their live sound on the album.

Comments: 2

  • Dan Gillespy from Courtenay BcA very good fast pace rocking out and a big influence on the thrash metal scene.
  • Owen Watson from IllinoisI knew this song was about rocking hard, I thought it was about war.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Top American Idol Moments: Songs And Scandals

Top American Idol Moments: Songs And ScandalsSong Writing

Surprise exits, a catfight and some very memorable performances make our list of the most memorable Idol moments.

Mike Scott of The Waterboys

Mike Scott of The WaterboysSongwriter Interviews

The stories behind "Whole Of The Moon" and "Red Army Blues," and why rock music has "outlived its era of innovation."

Dave Edmunds

Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews

A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."

Lip-Synch Rebels

Lip-Synch RebelsSong Writing

What happens when Kurt Cobain, Iron Maiden and Johnny Lydon are told to lip-synch? Some hilarious "performances."

Michael Bolton

Michael BoltonSongwriter Interviews

Into the vaults for this talk with Bolton from the '80s when he was a focused on writing songs for other artists.

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete BlondeSongwriter Interviews

The singer/bassist for Concrete Blonde talks about how her songs come from clairvoyance, and takes us through the making of their hit "Joey."