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Killing in the Name

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"Killing in the Name"
Song

"Killing in the Name" is a song by American rap metal band Rage Against the Machine, featured on their 1992 self-titled debut album. Released as the lead single from the album in November 1992, the song reached number 25 on the UK Singles Chart.

Written about revolution against racism in security agencies, "Killing in the Name" is widely recognised as the band's signature song, and has been noted for its distinctive guitar riffs and heavy use of strong language.

In 2009 the song was part of a successful Facebook campaign to prevent The X Factor winner's song from gaining the Christmas number one in the United Kingdom. The campaign provoked commentary from both groups and other musicians, as well as gaining coverage in national and international press. The song became the first single to reach Christmas number one spot on downloads alone.

Song

"Killing in the Name" has been described as "a howling, expletive-driven tirade against the ills of American society."[1] The song repeats six lines of lyrics that focus on racism in security agencies with the refrain, "Some of those that were forces, are the same that burn crosses," an allusion to cross-burning by the Ku Klux Klan. The uncensored version contains the word "fuck" seventeen times.[2] The song builds in intensity, repeating the lines "And now you do what they told ya. And now you're under control" culminating in Zack de la Rocha screaming "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me! Motherfucker!".[3]

The song lyrics reference the allegation that some members of US police forces are members of the Ku Klux Klan organization, whose symbol is the burning cross. The BBC News website refers to it as railing against "the military-industrial complex, justifying killing for the benefit of, as the song puts it, the chosen whites."[4][5][6]

"Killing in the Name" was originally written and recorded shortly after Rage Against The Machine formed as part of a 12 song self-released cassette. After signing with Epic Records the band released their self titled debut album, which reached triple platinum status, driven by heavy radio play of "Killing in the Name".[2]

Rage Against the Machine's first video for "Killing in the Name" did not receive heavy airplay in the United States due to the explicit lyrics. The song received substantial airplay in Europe and drove the band's popularity outside its home country.[7]

Writing

Tom Morello created the heavier guitar riffs while teaching a student drop D tuning. He stopped the lesson and recorded the riff.[8] The next day the band met in a studio and according to Morello the song "Killing in the Name" was created in a collaborative effort, combining his riff with "Timmy C.'s magmalike bass, Brad Wilk's funky, brutal drumming and Zack's conviction".[9]

Live performances

The song was performed as an extended instrumental at their first public performance at Cal State in the Quad, on October 23, 1991.

Zack de la Rocha sometimes changes the lyrics in the second verse from "Some of those that work forces are the same that burn crosses" to "Some of those that burn crosses are the same that hold office" when playing live.[10]

As part of supergroup Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello incorporated instrumentals from Rage Against the Machine, and cover versions of Killing in the Name into their performances.[11]

Rage Against the Machine performed the song live in 1999 at the Woodstock '99 festival, burning the American flag during the song.[12]

Single

Epic Records released Rage Against the Machine's self titled debut album on November 6, 1992. The album included the singles "Killing in the Name", "Freedom" and "Take the Power Back".[7]

Single track listing:

  1. "Killing in the Name"
  2. "Darkness"
  3. "Clear the Lane"

"Darkness" and "Clear the Lane" were re-mastered versions of the respective demo tracks.

Artwork

The album's cover featured Malcolm Browne's Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph of Thích Quảng Đức, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, burning himself to death in Saigon in 1963 in protest of the murder of Buddhists by the US-backed Prime Minister Ngô Đình Diệm's regime.[2]
An alternative cover used in Australia instead featured the words "killing in the name" written in large red block capitals, and a much smaller and tightly cropped picture of the monk appearing in the bottom right corner.[8]

Music video

The video, produced and directed by Peter Gideon, a guitar student of Tom Morello who had a video camera, was filmed during two shows in small Los Angeles venues, the Whisky a Go Go and the Club With No Name. Released in December 1992, (the uncensored version of) the video clip was shown on European MTV but was banned on American MTV because of the explicit lyrics. As a result the video's existence was in doubt until its release on the self-titled video.[7]

United Kingdom

Earlier controversies

The song earned its notoriety in the United Kingdom on February 21, 1993 when BBC Radio 1 DJ Bruno Brookes played the uncensored version of the song on his Top 40 countdown, leading to 138 complaints.[13] This moment of infamy has since been consistently referenced by numerous British rock media.[2][4][citation needed]

The song drew controversy again in Britain on November 2008, when it was played over the speakers in an Asda supermarket in Preston, Lancashire, prompting numerous customers complaints.[4][14][15]

2009 Christmas Number One campaign

In early December 2009, Jon and Tracy Morter launched a group on the social networking site Facebook encouraging people to buy the song in the week running up to Christmas in order to prevent the winner of the The X Factor television show from achieving the Christmas number one slot in the UK Singles Chart for the fifth year running.[16][17] On December 15, the BBC reported the group had over 750,000 members.[18] As the X Factor song was donating some of the profits to charity[19] the Rage against X Factor campaign encouraged supporters also to give to charity. Alongside the group, a JustGiving page was created to raise money for homeless charity Shelter which, as of 20 December, was reported to have raised over £70,000 (approximately $110,000).[20]

After the creator of The X Factor, Simon Cowell, publicly denounced the campaign as "stupid" and "cynical",[21] the group gained more attention and went on to be mentioned on various UK news channels, radio stations and websites. Rage Against the Machine added their support to the campaign. Guitarist Tom Morello said that achieving the Christmas number one would be "a wonderful dose of anarchy" and that he planned to donate the unexpected windfall to charity.[22][23] Dave Grohl touring in the UK with Them Crooked Vultures, Liam Howlett and The Prodigy were among many musicians and celebrities supporting the campaign. [19][24][25] The campaign even received support from Paul McCartney, who had appeared on the X Factor with the finalists [26][27] and X Factor contestants John & Edward also added their support.[28] Critics noted that both The X Factor and Rage Against the Machine are signed to labels that are part of Sony BMG.[18][29][30] Tom Morello dismissed conspiracy claims as ridiculous.[31][32]

The band created controversy when they performed an uncensored rendition of the song on BBC Radio 5Live despite the hosts asking them to censor the expletive end. During the crescendo of their performance, frontman Zack De La Rocha screamed the lyrics, "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me" repeatedly. Hosts Nicky Campbell and Shelagh Fogarty apologized afterward.[22][33][34]

On December 20, 2009, BBC Radio 1 revealed the song had successfully reached the number one spot, selling over 500,000 copies and being the first exclusively download-only single to be Christmas number one in the process.[20] The next week Joe McElderry's cover of the song "The Climb" became the last British #1 single of 2009. Killing In The Name dropped to number two, falling 38 places to #40 the week after,[35][36] and dropping out of the top 75 the following week, falling to #100.[37]

On June 6, 2010 Rage Against The Machine performed at a free thank you gig for 40,000 fans in Finsbury Park. On stage Tracy and Jon Morter were handed a representative cheque displaying the amount of £162,713.03 comprising of the proceeds from JustGiving and sales of the single. [38]

Charts

Wikinews has related news:
Chart Year Position
UK Singles Chart 1992
25
Irish Singles Chart[39][40] 2009
2
Scotland Singles Chart[citation needed] 2009
2
UK Singles Chart[20] 2009
1
European Hot 100 Singles[41] 2009
4
Chart (2000–2009) Position
UK Top 100 Songs of the Decade 36[42]

In 1993, the song reached #7 in Australia, #8 in New Zealand. The song also reached #13 in The Netherlands.[43]

Other appearances

An image of George W. Bush stencilled in light blue with the words "Killing in the Name of" written above it.
Lyrics from "Killing in the Name" appear throughout popular culture.
  • During one of his last performances[specify], American comedian Bill Hicks ended a set by smashing his microphone against a stool while singing along to "Killing in the Name" playing over the loudspeakers.[44]
  • As part of the US War on Terror the song was used by military interrogators at the Guantánamo Bay detention camp. Music was played at painfully high volume levels for hours on end, as a form of psychological torture. "The fact that music I helped create was used in crimes against humanity sickens me" noted Morello.[4][45][46][47]
  • In the Daria episode "The Big House", the opening guitar riffs from "Killing in the Name" can be heard in the background in the scene where Daria Morgendorffer is reading a book while her sister Quinn is pacing back and forth.[48]
  • The song is frequently used as background music in a weekly cooking show, "James Bullen's Cooking Adventures" on the Australian television network, Channel 31.[citation needed]

Cover versions

  • On 22 August 2008, Scottish alt-rock band Biffy Clyro performed a re-worked acoustic cover version of "Killing in the Name" on Jo Whiley's Show at The Reading Festival on BBC Radio 1.[55] The band agreed that, for this live broadcast, they would not use expletives and sung just the melody in place of "Fuck you" in the song. The crowd were bound by no such agreement and began an impromptu mass sing along with "Fuck you" in place, audible by the recording equipment. As this broadcast was going out live at lunchtime, Jo Whiley was required to apologize on air after the performance.[citation needed]
  • In 2008 Icelandic electronica group FM Belfast released a single called "Lotus", a minimal electro cover version of Killing in the Name.[56]
  • Slovak DJ and producer L-Plus released a drum 'n' bass remix of Killing in the Name in 2008.[4][58]
  • French band La Maison Tellier released a country-folk version of Killing in the Name in their first album (2006).[59]

Recognition

  • In July 2009, "Killing in the Name" was voted at number #2 in the Hottest 100 of all time countdown poll, conducted by Australian radio station, Triple J. More than half a million votes were cast in.[8]
  • In 2007, "Killing in the Name" earned a spot on Guitar World's list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Solos" at #89.[60][61]
  • In 2002, Rolling Stone magazine listed "Killing in the Name" as the 24th in its 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time.[9]
  • In 2010, the New Statesman listed it as number 12 on their list of the “Top 20 Political Songs” as voted for by the Political Studies Association.[62]

Video games

  • A note-for-note cover version of "Killing in the Name" is a playable song in the Guitar Hero II video game for PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, as a part of the main song list and Guitar Hero: Smash Hits also for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, as well as the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3. It is found in the fifth song tier, Return of the Shred, in the PS2 version and in the sixth tier, Relentless Riffs, in the Xbox 360 version. The song's lyrics are altered to remove the expletives, replacing the sentence repeated 16 times "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me" with ", I won't do what you tell me", and the word "Motherfucker" near the end with "Under control". The Smash Hits Verson Lacks Now you're under control. [64]

Personnel

References

  1. ^ Buckley, Peter (2003). The rough guide to rock. Rough Guides. p. 844. ISBN 9781843531050.
  2. ^ a b c d "The History Of: Rage Against The Machine". Ultimate Guitar. 2007-07-27. Archived from the original on 2008-01-18. Retrieved 2010-01-15.
  3. ^ Laura L. Finley (2002-03-09). "The Lyrics of Rage Against the Machine: A Study in Radical Criminology,". Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture. Western Michigan University: JCJPC. ISSN 1070-8286. Archived from the original on 2002-10-15. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
  4. ^ a b c d e Alan Connor (2009-12-18). "What is anti-X Factor song Killing In The Name all about?". BBC. Archived from the original on 2010-01-09. Retrieved 2010-01-07.
  5. ^ Savage, Mark (16 December 2009). "What the critics say: X Factor chart battle". Quoting Luke Lewis of NME. BBC. Retrieved 2009-12-18.
  6. ^ McIver, Joel (2002). Nu-metal: the next generation of rock & punk. Omnibus Press. p. 104. ISBN 0711992096.
  7. ^ a b c Sonya Shelton (2009-11-16). "Rage Against the Machine Biography: Contemporary Musicians". eNotes. Archived from the original on 2007-09-09. Retrieved 2010-05-25. Rage Against the Machine's first video for "Killing in the Name" did not receive any airplay in the U.S. because of the language in the song's refrain. (PDF)
  8. ^ a b c "Countdown: Hottest 100 - Off All Time". Triple J. 2009-01-01. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
  9. ^ a b Austin Scaggs (2002-12-16). "The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone (magazine). Archived from the original on 2009-12-20. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
  10. ^ Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the Name Of on YouTube. Retrieved 2009-12-21. Acapella performance Live from the Republican National Convention (2009-08-02). Presented by Above-TheFold.com
  11. ^ Chris Harris (2005-04-18). "Audioslave Performing Rage, Soundgarden Material At Shows. 'Black Hole Sun,' 'Killing in the Name' among songs played recently". Retrieved 2009-12-21.
  12. ^ Rage Against The Machine - Killing in the Name (live Woodstock '99) on YouTube. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  13. ^ John Robinson (2000-01-29). "The revolution will not be trivialised". New Musical Express. Archived from the original on 2000-09-15. Retrieved 2009-12-17. Bruno played the wrong version while doing the Top 40 rundown. There were 138 phone calls of complaint to the BBC.
  14. ^ Robin Murray (2008-11-19). "Rage Against the Machine row". clashmusic.com. Idiomag.com. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
  15. ^ November 19, 2008. Rage Against The Machine's 'Killing In The Name' sparks Asda furore
  16. ^ "Rage Against The Machine to take on 'The X Factor' for Christmas Number One". New Musical Express. 2009-12-04. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
  17. ^ Johnny Famethrowa (2009-12-04). "Rage Against The "X-Factor"". Yahoo! Music. Yahoo!. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
  18. ^ a b "Rock anthem outselling X Factor winner Joe McElderry". BBC. 2009-12-15. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
  19. ^ a b Scott Colothan (2009-12-16). "The Prodigy: 'Rise Up Against The X Factor And Buy Rage Against The Machine'". Gigwise.com. Retrieved 2010-01-05. Kelly Jones from the Stereophonics and comedians Stephen Fry, Ross Noble and Bill Bailey are amongst the other celebrity supporters of the Tracy and Jon Morter's campaign.
  20. ^ a b c "Rage Against the Machine beat X Factor winner in charts". BBC. 2009-12-20. Archived from the original on 2009-12-20. Retrieved 2009-12-20. The Los Angeles rock band's hit also set two records: it is the first single to reach the top of the Christmas charts on download sales alone and has achieved the biggest download sales total in a first week ever in the UK charts.
  21. ^ Liz Thomas (2009-12-11). "Future of X Factor in chaos as Simon Cowell demands more money to return show to ITV". The Daily Mail. Retrieved 2009-12-17. [Simon Cowell] The X Factor creator and judge said the Facebook campaign, which he saw as a personal vendetta against him, was "cynical" and "dismissive" of the show's viewers.
  22. ^ a b "Rage Against The Machine swear on 5 live". BBC News. BBC Corp. 2009-12-17. Retrieved 2009-12-17. Well, we were expecting it and asked them not to do it and they did it anyway - so buy Joe's record.
  23. ^ "Rage Against The Machine's Morello praises chart race". BBC News. BBC Corp. 2009-12-16. Retrieved 2009-12-17. Rage Against The Machine's Tom Morello has said that beating the X Factor single to Christmas number one will be a "wonderful dose of anarchy".
  24. ^ Scott Colothan (2009-12-17). "Dave Grohl: 'I'm Buying Rage Against The Machine'". Gigwise.com. Retrieved 2009-12-17. Grohl joins The Prodigy, Hadouken!, Enter Shikari and the Stereophonics in endorsing the Facebook campaign.
  25. ^ "Liam Howlett: 'Rage Against The Machine'". TheProdigy.com. 2009-12-16. Retrieved 2009-12-16. this is the biggest rise up against the ' industry manufactured shite ' in years and thats why its important --- and fukin funny at the same time act now.
  26. ^ Steve Hargrave (2009-12-18). "Macca Backs Rage Against X Factor No 1". Sky News. British Sky Broadcasting. Retrieved 2009-12-18. He's just some kid with a career ahead. I've got nothing against that, but it would be kind of funny if Rage Against The Machine got it because it would prove a point.
  27. ^ Swash, Rosie (2009-12-18). "Rage Against the Machine for Christmas No 1: The celebrities wade in". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2010-01-15. Retrieved 2009-12-18. Paul McCartney, Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell get dragged into the most heated race for Christmas No 1 in years
  28. ^ Jonny Greatrex (2009-12-19). "X Factor's Jedward support Rage Against The Machine in battle with Joe McElderry to Christmas Number One". The Sunday Mercury online. Retrieved 2009-12-21. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  29. ^ Brian Boyd (2009-12-18). "Sony the ultimate winner in rage against the X Factor machine on music". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2009-12-21. The great irony [...] is that both the gormless Joe McElderry and everyone's favourite alt.metal anarcho-rockers are signed to the same label
  30. ^ Sam Jones (2009-12-15). "Rage against Cowell fuels battle for Christmas No 1". The Guardian. Retrieved 2009-12-16. Whoever wins, though, the bosses of Sony Music will doubtless be full of festive cheer as both McElderry and Rage Against the Machine are signed to labels owned by the recording behemoth.
  31. ^ "RATM dismiss Xmas No.1 conspiracy theories".
  32. ^ "Rage Against The Machine: 'Christmas Number One conspiracy theories are ridiculous'".
  33. ^ Alex Fletcher (2009-12-17). "RATM swear during 5Live performance". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2009-12-20. He also disputed claims that their track reaching number one would benefit Simon Cowell as it is released by Sony Records.
  34. ^ Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name Live on BBC Radio 5 Live Video Full and Uncensored on YouTube.Retrieved 2009-12-21.
  35. ^ "UK Singles Top 75". January 3, 2010.
  36. ^ "Bublé takes smooth path to top of charts".
  37. ^ UK Singles Chart - chart run
  38. ^ "Photographs from the free Rage Against The Machine Gig and cheque". Tracy Morter. 2010-06-06. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
  39. ^ Daniel Kilkelly (2009-12-18). "Joe McElderry beats Rage in Ireland". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2009-12-19.
  40. ^ "Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name".
  41. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/charts/european-hot-100
  42. ^ Nihal (2009-12-30). "Christmas and New Year on Radio 1, Chart of the Decade". BBC Radio 1. BBC. Archived from the original on 2010-01-03. Retrieved 2010-01-03.
  43. ^ Steffen Hung. "Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name".
  44. ^ Hicks, Bill (2004). [[Love All the People: Letters, Lyrics, Routines]]. Foreword, Lahr. p. xxvi. ISBN 1-84119-878-1 (UK edition), ISBN 1-932360-65-4 (US edition). {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help); URL–wikilink conflict (help)
  45. ^ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/21/music-stars-demand-record_n_329476.html
  46. ^ Reid, Tim (2009-10-23). "Musicians demand end to music torture on Guantánamo detainees". The Times. London: News Corporation. Retrieved 2010-01-19. Tom Morello, guitarist with the band Rage Against the Machine — whose song Killing in the Name of was also used - said: "The fact that music I helped create was used as a tactic against humanity sickens me."
  47. ^ Clive Stafford Smith (2008-06-19). "How US interrogators use music as a tool of torture. Welcome to 'the disco'". The Guardian. Retrieved 2010-01-19. while the song choices may sometimes verge on the unintentionally funny, this appropriation of music by the military is anything but a joke
  48. ^ Daria Season 1 Episode 11 The Big House MTV June 30, 1997
  49. ^ South Park episode Guitar Queer-o
  50. ^ Zane Lowe (2007-07-19). "BBC - Radio 1 - Zane Lowe - Tracklisting". BBC Radio 1. BBC. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
  51. ^ The Apples - Killing (7", Single, Promo) at Discogs. The Apples - Killing on YouTube
  52. ^ "The Apples – Killing". 2007-11-21. Retrieved 2009-12-21.
  53. ^ "The Apples - WOMAD Festival". 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-21.. Article includes Introducing The Apples on YouTube
  54. ^ Paul Lester (2007-11-14). "New band of the day. No 226: The Apples". The Guardian. Retrieved 2009-12-21.
  55. ^ "Biffy Clyro perform a cover of RATM's Killing In The Name Of at Reading 2008". 2006-09-15. Retrieved 2010-01-07. Scottish rockers surprise the audience at Reading's Introducing stage with an impromptu set, including a Rage Against The Machine cover. Includes BBC iPlayer video (UK only).
  56. ^ FM Belfast - Killing In The Name Of (Lotus) (12") at Discogs
  57. ^ Adam D Mills. "FourPlay String Quartet - Fourthcoming in Releases :". Mess + Noise. Retrieved 2009-12-30. Rage Against the Machine on YouTube
  58. ^ http://www.discogs.com/L-Plus-vs-Rage-Against-The-Machine-Killing-In-The-Name-Of/release/1533181
  59. ^ http://www.lamaisontellier.com/
  60. ^ "100 Greatest Guitar Solos: 51-100". Guitar World. 2008-10-30. Retrieved 2010-01-12.
  61. ^ Dan Cross (2007-07-19). "100 Greatest Guitar Solos Part 9: Guitar Solos Number 81 - 90". Guitar World. About.com. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
  62. ^ Smith, Ian K (2010-03-25). "Top 20 Political Songs: Killing in the Name". New Statesman. Retrieved 2010-03-25. List of Top 20 Political songs
  63. ^ Tor Thorsen (2004-10-26). "Full San Andreas soundtrack details". Game Spot. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
  64. ^ Chris Roper (2006-10-09). "Guitar Hero II Final Tracklist Revealed. It's official: From Aerosmith to the Rolling Stones to RATM, all 40 licensed tracks unveiled". Game Spot. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rage Against the Machine.
Preceded by United Kingdom Christmas number-one single
2009 		Succeeded by
incumbent
Preceded by UK Singles Chart number-one single
December 20, 2009 – December 26, 2009 		Succeeded by
UK Download Chart number-one download
December 20, 2009 – January 2, 2010 		Succeeded by
Preceded by UK Rock Chart number-one single
December 20, 2009 - January 17, 2010 		Succeeded by
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