10 Underrated Hard Rock Songs Of The '80s
3. Live Wire - Motley Crüe
As the hair metal scene started to gain traction, Motley Crüe were quickly becoming the kings of the Sunset Strip. While Van Halen may have pioneered the hair metal sound in the late '70s, the Crüe claimed it for their own with a mix of energy and theatrics that sounded like KISS and Aerosmith wrapped into one badass package. Albums like Dr. Feelgood and Shout at the Devil may have launched the band into superstardom, but the magic was all there from the very beginning.
Starting with a rapid fire guitar lick, Live Wire shows the band's punk influences to a tee, with a verbal spit that seems reminiscent of both Black Sabbath and the Sex Pistols at the same time. The lyrics also show Nikki Sixx's strengths as a songwriter, already honing down his talents at writing about the seedier side of the Strip.
This was also known as the first song that the band had ever written on their own, which assured them that what they had together was absolutely magical. Ever since, Live Wire has been a fan favorite for the band, making it a fixture in their setlist ever since the beginning. It may have been a bit ridiculous for its time, but the core of this song showed that, above all else, Motley were raw as hell.