No Sleep till Brooklyn

"No Sleep till Brooklyn"
Song
B-side	"Posse in Effect"

"No Sleep till Brooklyn" is a song by Beastie Boys as well as the sixth single on their debut studio album Licensed to Ill. The name of the song itself is a play on Motörhead's No Sleep 'til Hammersmith album.

Production and play

The guitar riffs and solo are played by Slayer guitarist Kerry King, who had also released an album produced by Rick Rubin in 1986 (Reign in Blood). The song interpolates "T.N.T." by AC/DC (though tuned in a different way). The video, directed by Ric Menello, is a parody of glam metal.

The song is still performed live, although with altered lyrics to reflect their more mature attitude towards women. "M.C.A.'s in the back because he's skeezin' with a whore," is changed to "M.C.A.'s in the back at the Mahjong hall",and also from "Autographed pictures and classy hoes" to "Autographed pictures to nobody knows."

Meanings

Many believe the song is an afterthought to the demands of touring on the road ("[it was latter said] ...that tour was like a nonstop party with bitches and ho's around every corner..."). The idea is that, when the gigs are complete and the crew has finally made it back to Brooklyn, New York, they will then be in a position to procure rest. In the meantime, they are must endure the environment around them.

Uses

• The song is also on the soundtrack of the Steven Seagal movie Out for Justice.
• The Canadian teen drama Instant Star named its second season premiere two part episode after this song. The show is known for naming each of its episodes after a hit song.
• The Cleveland Indians use the song to introduce their starting lineup.
• The San Francisco Giants frequently played the opening riff of the song when former infielder Rich Aurilia, a Brooklyn native, came to bat (ironically, Brooklyn was the original home of the Giants' biggest rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers).
• The song is a playable track in the 2008 music video game Guitar Hero World Tour.
• Former WWE and ECW Superstar Nunzio used an instrumental version of No Sleep 'till Brooklyn as an entrance theme for part of his tenure in WWE.
• Rapper Tone Loc sampled the riff for his song "Ace Is In The House", which was recorded in the credits of 1994 film Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.
• The song was used as part of the opening sequence for the 2010 movie, Cop Out

Covers and parodies

• British comedian Tony Hawks recorded the song, "Stutter Rap (No Sleep Til Bedtime)" under the pseudonym of "Morris Minor and the Majors" as a "send-up" of the Beastie Boys' then image.
• The song is also played as "No Sleep 'til Belfast" by Stiff Little Fingers on their 1988 album No Sleep 'til Belfast
• In 2009, "No Sleep 'till Brooklyn" was covered by Jay-Z at the All Points West Festival. Jay-Z had inherited the Friday headlining slot from the Beastie Boys, who pulled out due to Adam Yauch's early stage battle with cancer.
• Dutch hiphop groep Osdorp Posse made a Dutch version called 'Geen Slaap Tot Osdorp' which means No Sleep till Osdorp.

Charts

Chart (1987)	Peak Position
German Singles Chart	46
UK Singles Chart	14

External links

• "No Sleep till Brooklyn" Official music video on YouTube