When your name is spoken
Then your soul awakes as well
And there is no limit to the power of the spell
You can never leave it
You can never let it lie
You must find the speaker
For one of you must die

The name, the name, the name, the name's the same
All your lives are on the line
All your lives are on the line
And all your life you know you're dying

What you know, you must not tell
What you know, you must not sell
All the secrets you can keep
All the lies you cannot speak
Everybody steals your time
Thousand voices in your head
Everybody, everybody
Shouting fit to wake the dead

When you see the devil
Then you're looking for relief
And there is no relief
And there is no justice
Keep your tongue between your teeth
You can be the devil
But you cannot count the cost
All your time is wasted
All your love is lost

The name, the name, the name's the same
Play the game
You can never be the one
You can never be the one
When you know all your love is gone

What you know, you must not tell
What you know, you must not sell
All the secrets you can keep
All the lies you cannot speak
Everybody steals your time
Remember me, what I said
Everybody, everybody
Shouting fit to wake the dead

When you are alone here
In the houses of the blind
Don't you ever wonder what happened to the time?
You cannot regain it
You cannot bring it back
Stretched out on the rack

The name, the name, the name's the same
The name, the name's the game
You will never know the truth
You will never know the truth
We both know you will never look

What you have is yours, my friend
You will never see the end
All your future gone to hell
All your past an empty shell
You can't keep upon your secret shelf
You are not the Antichrist
You are not the Lord of flies
You are not important now
You are not the one to dread
Everybody, everybody
The name, the name's the game


Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death

Wake the Dead Lyrics as written by Micael Kiriakos Delaoglou Ian Fraser Kilmister

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Wake The Dead song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

1 Comment

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment

    I can't believe nobody has commented on this yet. This is easily my most favourite motorhead song. Wether it is due to the fast drums with minimalistic riffs and monotone singing during the verses but angry and aggressive choruses, or the lyrics that, while rather mysterious, still manage to convey a strong atmosphere... I don't know. As to the meaning... not easy to understand (for me) what this is about, even for Lemmy it's unusually cryptic. Maybe about people who want others to fear them, but don't relize their insignificance? Nah... I have the feeling this is about some very specific character, yet I cannot place it...

    Das Boeseon January 29, 2008   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him. There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Album art
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Album art
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve. The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future. Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere" The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Album art
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example: "'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Album art
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it. “I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.