MOTORCYCLE EMPTINESS is unquestionably one of the most memorable and timeless anthems (next to ‘Design For Life‘, of course) MANIC STREET PREACHERS ever wrote and the song gave their early career a tremendous boost at the time. The epic classic was released 25 years ago – 1 June 1992. The lyrics were inspired by S.E. Hinton‘s book Rumble Fish, about biker gang culture. The band said they wanted to express their critical view on the hollowness of the consumer lifestyle offered by capitalism, describing how society expects young people to conform. Originally, the very early version was titled ‘Go, Buzz Baby, Go‘. The first line of the chorus – ‘Under Neon Loneliness’ – was taken from a poem
by Welsh poet Patrick Jones, the brother of Manics’ bass guitarist and lyricist Nicky Wire.
Here’s the electrifying, magnetizing and melancholic pearl…
Culture sucks down words
Itemise loathing and feed yourself smiles
Organise your safe tribal war
Hurt maim kill and enslave the ghetto
Each day living out a lie
Life sold cheaply forever, ever, ever
Under neon loneliness motorcycle emptiness
Under neon loneliness motorcycle emptiness
Life lies a slow suicide
Orthodox dreams and symbolic myths
From feudal serf to spender
This wonderful world of purchase power
Just like lungs sucking on air
Survivals natural as sorrow, sorrow, sorrow
Under neon loneliness motorcycle emptiness
Under neon loneliness motorcycle emptiness
All we want from you are the kicks you’ve given us
All we want from you are the kicks you’ve given us
All we want from you are the kicks you’ve given us
All we want from you are the kicks you’ve given us
Under neon loneliness motorcycle emptiness
Under neon loneliness motorcycle emptiness
Drive away and it’s the same
Everywhere death row, everyone’s a victim
Your joys are counterfeit
This happiness corrupt political shit
Living life like a comatose
Ego loaded and swallow, swallow, swallow
Under neon loneliness motorcycle emptiness
Under neon loneliness motorcycle emptiness
Under neon loneliness motorcycle emptiness
Under neon loneliness everlasting nothingness
The single – also on their debut album ‘Generation Terrorists’ – peaked at
number 17 on the UK singles chart and the video clip was shot in Japan…
