CFNN Rock Correspondent Dana Murray

If you’ve talked to me for more than five minutes, you know that Mötley Crüe is my favorite band of all time. Their songs do something for me that no other band can. I love the raw energy and fun they bring to their music. It’s a form of escape from the mundane for me. Not only that, but they are one of the first true glam metal bands. When they formed in 1981, they dominated the Sunset Strip in Hollywood. They’ve inspired countless bands with their stage image and sound. However, the best of their albums is one that is often overlooked: their debut, Too Fast For Love. 

Too Fast For Love has an electric feeling that no other album from them can capture. They were just four guys trying to make a name for themselves and it shows through in the songs. It was written and recorded before the shenanigans they are famous for got too crazy, which is an added bonus. The songs here are equal parts party-hard rock ‘n’ roll and examples of terrific songwriting. 

“Live Wire” is a song that describes the band and a great way for the album to start. The main riff is amazing. This song is why Mick Mars is one of my favorite guitarists. It has an edge to it and a feeling that no one else, John 5 included, can capture. The rhythm section is solid. While the bass technique isn’t perfect, it works well for what the band is going for. Vince Neil’s voice ties everything together. He does a high note during the bridge that is incredibly impressive.

“Come On And Dance” has a groove to it. It captures the spirit of the early 80’s Sunset Strip. I find it interesting that there is a reference to the movie Grease in the pre chorus: “electric love like Sandra Dee.” I didn’t expect them to reference a movie like that. This song keeps up the energy from “Live Wire,” which is great for continuity in an album.

“Public Enemy #1” is a song that Nikki Sixx wrote with one of his bandmates (Lizzy Grey) from his old band, London. It captures the feelings of a young rebellious teenager running to the Sunset. It might be rooted in Nikki’s personal experience of running away from home at 15 to go to Hollywood and start a band. This song is one of my favorites. The backbeat is solid, the riff is great, and the vocals fit the song well. The use of a cowbell towards the end is also an added bonus. I share the Saturday Night Live sentiment that songs “need more cowbell!”

“Merry Go Round” is a beautiful song. It illustrates the hardships of being in a relationship while being in a band and on the road. This song has one of my favorite Mick Mars solos. This song is more tender than some of the others on the album, which is a nice break in the mold. You don’t want an album that has only upbeat or only sad songs; it makes it repetitive and boring. It needs a bit of variety to keep the listener interested, which the Crüe executes well. It’s a great way to close out the first side of the album.

“Take Me To The Top” kicks off side two with a bang. This song showcases the way that Tommy Lee and Nikki Sixx work together. The beat is solid and punchy. I like that it begins fast, slows down for the verses, then speeds back up again for the chorus. The riff is a faster version of one that would appear on the next album they would release (“Too Young To Fall In Love” on Shout At The Devil). The line “a sheer, sheer heart attack” could be a reference to the Queen song and album “Sheer Heart Attack.” Overall, this song has great energy and it’s a stand out song on the album. 

“Piece of Your Action” has one of my favorite riffs from Mick. His tone on this album is amazing. Lyrically, it’s a precursor to some of their later songs like “Looks That Kill.” The bass and guitar work well together here. It’s a solid song. 

“Starry Eyes” is my all-time favorite Mötley song. The bass line is incredible. The simplicity of it is great; it shows that you can have a solid bass line without being technical. It also contains one of the best lyrics Nikki has ever written: “Standing alone in the light / you can see her cry / with a smile and a wink and a sparkle in her eyes / she calmly sighed, I will be alright.” Nikki hasn’t said what this song is about, but I think that it was about a woman he knew on the Sunset that had a hard life. It’s also interesting that it hasn’t been played live consistently since 1982. Perhaps it was too personal to continue to play. The solo here is one of my favorites. It’s a raw, beautiful piece that conveys the emotions of the song so well. This song will always be the first that I recommend to people who haven’t listened to Mötley Crüe.

“Too Fast For Love” is an amazing song. It was among the first that I listened to when I started getting really into the Crüe. It has one of Mick’s best riffs as well. It shares similarities to “Take Me To The Top.” The refrain sections that end with solos from each of the members is a really cool feature. The first one is Vince singing a cappella, then Nikki gets a bass solo, Tommy does a drum fill, and finally, Mick Mars does a slightly sloppy guitar riff. It’s a great track. Something I find cool about the song is the alternate intro version, which is on the deluxe version of the album. It’s also the version of the song featured on the very first pressing of the album, released under their own label (Leathur Records). On my 1982 Elektra records pressing (the Leathur Records version is impossible to find, so this is as close to the original as you can get without paying an arm and a leg), the lyric sheet features the words to the alternate intro!

“On With The Show” has an interesting story behind it. Before he legally changed his name, Nikki Sixx was Frankie Ferrana. The first line, “Frankie died just the other night”, is symbolic of him “killing” his old self and the bad memories he had associated with it. “On with the show” is him getting on with his life after shedding that old self that was holding him back. The “Suzie” that is mentioned throughout the song is a former girlfriend he had before he moved to Hollywood. I love that it’s so autobiographical. I listened to this song after I finished Nikki’s memoir about growing up, The First 21, and it made it so much more vivid. I saw this song performed live when I saw Mötley in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and it was the highlight of the night. This song will forever hold a special place in my heart. It’s such a fitting way for this album to close.
Too Fast For Love is an overlooked masterpiece. No other Mötley album comes close to being this good, Dr. Feelgood included. It deserves more recognition since it’s the reason that Cinderella and Warrant came to be. It created the genre. However, maybe the reason it’s so good is because it’s not as known. It’s not overhyped and it’s there for people to discover when they want to hear something different. This album is a diamond in the rough.