Megadeth

Released: September 24, 1990

Songwriter: Dave Mustaine

Producer: Mike Clink Dave Mustaine

Part 1: Rust in Peace

[Instrumental Intro]

[Verse 1]
Tremble, you weaklings, cower in fear
I am your ruler - land, sea, and air
Immense in my girth, erect I stand tall
I am a nuclear murderer, I am Polaris
Ready to pounce at the touch of a button
My system's locked in for military gluttons
I rule on land, air, and sea
I pass judgment on humanity
Winds blow from the bowels of Hell
Will we give warning? Only time will tell
Satan rears his ugly head
To spit into the wind

[Chorus]
I spread disease like a dog, discharge my payload
A mile high, rotten egg air of death wrestles your nostrils
I spread disease like a dog, discharge my payload
A mile high, rotten egg air of death wrestles your nostrils
Launch the Polaris
The end doesn't scare us
When will this cease?
The warheads will all rust in peace

[Verse 2]
Bomb shelters filled to the brim
Heh, survival, such a silly whim
World leaders sell missiles cheap
Your stomach turns, your flesh creeps
I rule land, air, and sea
Pass judgment on humanity
Winds blow from the bowels of Hell
Will we give warning? Well only time will tell

[Chorus]
I spread disease like a dog, discharge my payload
A mile high, rotten egg air of death wrestles your nostrils
I spread disease like a dog, discharge my payload
A mile high, rotten egg air of death wrestles your nostrils
Launch the Polaris
The end doesn't scare us
When will this cease?
The warheads will all rust in peace

[Verse 3]
High priest of holocaust, fire from the sea
Nuclear winter, spreading disease
The day of final conflict, all pay the price
The third world war rapes peace, takes life
Back to the start, die in the pyre
When the Earth was cold as ice
Total dismay as the sun passed away
And the days were black as night

[Chorus]
I spread disease like a dog, discharge my payload
A mile high, rotten egg air of death wrestles your nostrils
I spread disease like a dog, discharge my payload
A mile high, rotten egg air of death wrestles your nostrils
Launch the Polaris
It doesn't scare us
When will this cease?
The warheads will all rust in peace

Part 2: Polaris

[Refrain]
Eradication of
Earth's population loves Polaris
Eradication of
Earth's population loves Polaris

[Instrumental Break]

[Refrain]
Eradication of
Earth's population loves Polaris
Eradication of
Earth's population loves Polaris

After being kicked out of Metallica, Dave Mustaine decided to form a Thrash Metal band that not only rivaled his former band, but played faster, more technical Metal. Along with bassist David ‘Junior’ Ellefson and a revolving door of guitarists and drummers, Mustaine set the world afire as Megadeth became known as the world’s state-of-the-art Speed Metal band throughout the 80s and the early 90s. One of the Big Four of Thrash Metal, Megadeth remains one of Metal’s most popular acts today.

However, Dave Mustaine’s fledgling band got off to a shaky start. Initially unable to find like-minded individuals, it was not until an altercation with his (underage) downstairs neighbours Dave Ellefson and Greg Handevidt, that led to him buying them beer and forming the first incarnation of the band with drummer Dijon Carruthers in 1983.

The band was named after a political pamphlet that referred to a “megadeath” (one million deaths by nuclear explosion):

more tracks from the album

Rust in Peace

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Rust in Peace (1990)
Warheads on Foreheads (2019)

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