The first album I could call my own was Twisted Sister’s Stay Hungry. My little sister gave it to me as a Christmas present one year (probably back in 1984). And a record no less. I believe I still have it in my closet somewhere (tho no record players in the house any more).

My mom took one look at the album cover and hated it. So of course that made it even more awesome to me. 🙂

I loved the music videos (back when MTV was actually cool). I loved the music even more. What got me was not just that the music was heavy yet melodic (i.e. you could sing along with it), but there was some sort of artistic point to it and even a message! And what made the lyrical content doubly cool was the surface presentation that belied the real message.

Their song “Burn In Hell” is a perfect example. It’s all heavy, sounds forboding with those opening droning minor chords and Dee Sinder’s low voice speaking out an invocation that sounds like he’s inviting you through the Gates of Hell for an eternity with The Dark Lord. And of course, the fact the song is titled “Burn In Hell”! Hell! Burning! Looks nice and scary on the album sleeve, especially to parents and the PMRC. So of course, to a teenager this is totally cool!

But then you listen to the song and what Dee’s really singing about:

You can’t believe all the things I’ve done wrong in my life.
Without even trying I’ve lived on the edge of a knife.
Well I’ve played with fire, but I don’t want to get myself burned!
To thine own self be true, so I think that it’s time for a turn… before I burn in Hell.

So he’s talking about how he’s been living a life on the road to Hell, but he’s waking up and realizing that this isn’t good. He doesn’t want to suffer and pay for his sins. He realizes that he better change and clean up his ways. But he doesn’t just stop there:

Take a good look in your heart (and) tell me what do you see?
It’s black and it’s dark; now is that how you want it to be?
It’s up to you, what you do will decide your own fate.
Make your choice now, for tomorrow may be far to late… and then you’ll burn in Hell.

Now he’s calling you, the listener, out. He’s calling for self-examination. He’s seeing the bad in your life and calling you out to change your life. There’s no forcing, it’s your choice, and whatever you choose there will be consequences. Remember, this is in the context of heavy metal, which is all about sex, drugs, rock and roll, drinking, debauchery, Satan worship (or at least faking it for record sales), and basically living that destructive lifestyle. And here’s Twisted Sister coming out with a message rather contrary to the style yet still within the mode of the style. It was all really cool, and still is.

These days, Twisted Sister is still going strong but with a different sort of happy message:

And Lita Ford too! It’s great to see their sense of humor is as strong as ever, never taking things too seriously and just having fun.