Killing in the Name
Encyclopedia
"Killing in the Name" is a song by American rap metal
band Rage Against the Machine
, featured on their self-titled debut album
, and was released as the lead single
from the album in November 1992. In 1992, the song peaked at number 25 in the United Kingdom
.
Written about revolution against racism in security agencies, "Killing in the Name" is widely recognized 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 for the fifth successive year. 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.
The song repeats six lines of lyrics that focus on racism in security agencies with the refrain, "Some of those that work 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.
The song builds in intensity, repeating the line "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me" culminating in Zack de la Rocha
screaming "Motherfucker!".
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."
"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".
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.
created the heavier guitar riffs while teaching a student drop D tuning
. He stopped the lesson and recorded the riff.
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".
The song was performed as an extended instrumental at their first public performance at Cal State in the Quad, on October 23, 1991.
Bassist Tim Commerford
is known to chant the backing vocals of "now you do what they told ya" of the chorus during most live performances.
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.
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.
Rage Against the Machine performed the song live in 1999 at the Woodstock '99 festival, burning the American flag during the song. In this performance Zack changed the lyrics to "Some of those that burn crosses are the same that burn churches".
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".
Single track listing:
"Darkness of Greed" and "Clear the Lane" were re-mastered versions of the respective demo tracks. Another version of "Darkness of Greed", titled merely "Darkness", was included on the 1994 The Crow
soundtrack album.
'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.
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.
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
.
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. This moment of infamy has since been consistently referenced by numerous British rock media.
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 complaints from customers .
encouraging people to buy the song in the week running up to Christmas in order to prevent the winner of the X Factor
television show from achieving the Christmas number one slot in the United Kingdom
for the fifth year running.
On December 15, the BBC reported the group had over 750,000 members.
As the X Factor song was donating some of the profits to charity 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).
After the creator of The X Factor, Simon Cowell
, publicly denounced the campaign as "stupid" and "cynical", 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.
Dave Grohl
touring in the UK with Them Crooked Vultures
, Liam Howlett
and The Prodigy
were among many musicians and celebrities supporting the campaign.
The campaign even received support from Paul McCartney
, who had appeared on the X Factor with the finalists
and X Factor contestants John & Edward
also added their support.
Critics noted that both The X Factor and Rage Against the Machine are signed to labels that are part of Sony BMG.
Tom Morello dismissed conspiracy claims as ridiculous.
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
apologised afterward.
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.
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, and dropping out of the top 75 the following week, falling to #100.
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 representing the proceeds from JustGiving
and sales of the single.
As a result of the campaign, the song is featured in the 2011 UK edition of the Guinness World Records under the category of 'Fastest-selling digital track'.
In 1993, the song reached #7 in Australia
, #8 in New Zealand. The song also reached #13 in The Netherlands.
Rap metal
Rap metal is a subgenre of rap rock which fuses vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop music with heavy metal.-History:Rap metal originated from rap rock, a genre fusing vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop with rock...
band Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
, featured on their self-titled debut album
Rage Against the Machine (album)
Rage Against the Machine is the debut studio album by rap metal band Rage Against the Machine. The album was released on November 10, 1992...
, and was released as the lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
from the album in November 1992. In 1992, the song peaked at number 25 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Written about revolution against racism in security agencies, "Killing in the Name" is widely recognized as the band's signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
, 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
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
campaign to prevent The X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
winner's song from gaining the Christmas number one in the United Kingdom for the fifth successive year. 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."The song repeats six lines of lyrics that focus on racism in security agencies with the refrain, "Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses," an allusion to cross-burning by the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
. The uncensored version contains the word "fuck
Fuck
"Fuck" is an English word that is generally considered obscene which, in its most literal meaning, refers to the act of sexual intercourse. By extension it may be used to negatively characterize anything that can be dismissed, disdained, defiled, or destroyed."Fuck" can be used as a verb, adverb,...
" seventeen times.
The song builds in intensity, repeating the line "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me" culminating in Zack de la Rocha
Zack de la Rocha
Zacarías Manuel "Zack" de la Rocha is an American rapper, musician, poet, and activist best known as the vocalist and lyricist of Rage Against the Machine.-Early life and childhood:...
screaming "Motherfucker!".
The song lyrics reference the allegation that some members of US police forces are members of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
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."
"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
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
the band released their self titled debut album, which reached triple platinum status, driven by heavy radio play of "Killing in the Name".
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.
Writing
Tom MorelloTom Morello
Thomas Baptiste "Tom" Morello is a Grammy Award-winning American guitarist best known for his tenure with the bands Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, his acoustic solo act The Nightwatchman, and his newest group, Street Sweeper Social Club...
created the heavier guitar riffs while teaching a student drop D tuning
Drop D tuning
Drop D tuning, also known as DADGBE, is an alternate, or scordatura, form of guitar tuning — specifically, a dropped tuning — in which the lowest string is tuned down from the usual E of standard tuning by one whole step to D.- Uses of drop D tuning :In drop D the three bass strings...
. He stopped the lesson and recorded the riff.
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".
Live performances
Bassist Tim Commerford
Tim Commerford
Timothy Robert Commerford , also known by his various monikers/stage names is the bassist/backing vocalist for American alternative metal band Rage Against The Machine and the now-defunct supergroup Audioslave.-Biography:Tim Commerford was born on February...
is known to chant the backing vocals of "now you do what they told ya" of the chorus during most live performances.
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.
As part of supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
Audioslave
Audioslave
Audioslave was an American rock supergroup that formed in Los Angeles, California in 2001. It consisted of former Soundgarden lead singer/rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell and the former instrumentalists of Rage Against the Machine: Tom Morello , Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk...
guitarist Tom Morello incorporated instrumentals from Rage Against the Machine, and cover versions of Killing in the Name into their performances.
Rage Against the Machine performed the song live in 1999 at the Woodstock '99 festival, burning the American flag during the song. In this performance Zack changed the lyrics to "Some of those that burn crosses are the same that burn churches".
Single
Epic RecordsEpic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
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".
Single track listing:
- "Killing in the Name"
- "Darkness of Greed"
- "Clear the Lane"
"Darkness of Greed" and "Clear the Lane" were re-mastered versions of the respective demo tracks. Another version of "Darkness of Greed", titled merely "Darkness", was included on the 1994 The Crow
The Crow (film)
The Crow is a 1994 American action film based on the 1989 comic book of the same name by James O'Barr. The film was written by David J. Schow and John Shirley, and directed by Alex Proyas...
soundtrack album.
Artwork
The album's cover featured Malcolm BrowneMalcolm Browne
Malcolm Wilde Browne is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist and photographer. His best known work is the award-winning photograph of the self-immolation of Buddhist monk Thích Quảng Đức in 1963.- Early life :...
's Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning photograph of Thích Quảng Đức, a Vietnamese
Vietnamese people
The Vietnamese people are an ethnic group originating from present-day northern Vietnam and southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising 86% of the population as of the 1999 census, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other ethnic groups in Vietnam...
Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
monk, burning himself to death
Self-immolation
Self-immolation refers to setting oneself on fire, often as a form of protest or for the purposes of martyrdom or suicide. It has centuries-long traditions in some cultures, while in modern times it has become a type of radical political protest...
in Saigon in 1963 in protest of the murder of Buddhists by the US-backed Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Vietnam
-Office:The Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is the head of the executive branch of the Vietnamese government. The Prime Minister presides over the Vietnamese cabinet, and is responsible for appointing and supervising ministers...
Ngô Đình Diệm's
Ngo Dinh Diem
Ngô Đình Diệm was the first president of South Vietnam . In the wake of the French withdrawal from Indochina as a result of the 1954 Geneva Accords, Diệm led the effort to create the Republic of Vietnam. Accruing considerable U.S. support due to his staunch anti-Communism, he achieved victory in a...
regime.
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.
Music video
The video, produced and directed by Peter Gideon, a guitar student of Tom MorelloTom Morello
Thomas Baptiste "Tom" Morello is a Grammy Award-winning American guitarist best known for his tenure with the bands Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, his acoustic solo act The Nightwatchman, and his newest group, Street Sweeper Social Club...
who had a video camera, was filmed during two shows in small Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
venues, the Whisky a Go Go
Whisky a Go Go
The Whisky a Go Go is a nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard, on the Sunset Strip.-History:...
and the Club With No Name. Released in December 1992, (the uncensored version of) the video clip was shown on European MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
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
Rage Against the Machine (video)
Rage Against the Machine is the official self-titled debut video release by Rage Against the Machine. The video was released in 1997 after their Evil Empire world tour and includes footage from various performances as well as video clips....
.
Earlier controversies
The song earned its notoriety in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on February 21, 1993, when BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
DJ Bruno Brookes
Bruno Brookes
Bruno Brookes is a British radio presenter who became prominent in the 1980s.-Early life and career:...
played the uncensored version of the song on his Top 40 countdown, leading to 138 complaints. This moment of infamy has since been consistently referenced by numerous British rock media.
The song drew controversy again in Britain on November 2008, when it was played over the speakers in an Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
supermarket in Preston, Lancashire, prompting numerous complaints from customers .
2009 Christmas Number One campaign
In early December 2009, Jon and Tracy Morter launched a group on the social networking site FacebookFacebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
encouraging people to buy the song in the week running up to Christmas in order to prevent the winner of the X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
television show from achieving the Christmas number one slot in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for the fifth year running.
On December 15, the BBC reported the group had over 750,000 members.
As the X Factor song was donating some of the profits to charity the Rage against X Factor campaign encouraged supporters also to give to charity.
Alongside the group, a JustGiving
Justgiving
JustGiving is a private for-profit company formed in 2000 for the administration of charitable donations. The company's website provides online fundraising tools to enable the electronic collection of donations.- Details :...
page was created to raise money for homeless charity Shelter
Shelter (charity)
Shelter is a registered charity in England and Scotland that campaigns to end homelessness and bad housing. It gives advice, information and advocacy to people in need, and tackles the root causes of bad housing by lobbying government and local authorities for new laws and policies to improve the...
which, as of 20 December, was reported to have raised over £70,000 (approximately $110,000).
After the creator of The X Factor, Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
, publicly denounced the campaign as "stupid" and "cynical", 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
Tom Morello
Thomas Baptiste "Tom" Morello is a Grammy Award-winning American guitarist best known for his tenure with the bands Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, his acoustic solo act The Nightwatchman, and his newest group, Street Sweeper Social Club...
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.
Dave Grohl
Dave Grohl
David Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Foo Fighters; the former drummer for Nirvana and Scream; and the current drummer for Them Crooked Vultures...
touring in the UK with Them Crooked Vultures
Them Crooked Vultures
Them Crooked Vultures is a rock supergroup formed in Los Angeles in 2009 by John Paul Jones , Dave Grohl , and Josh Homme . The group also includes guitarist Alain Johannes during live performances...
, Liam Howlett
Liam Howlett
Liam Paris Howlett known as Liam Howlett , is a member of the English band The Prodigy, occasional DJ, and a music producer.-Life and career:...
and The Prodigy
The Prodigy
The Prodigy are an English electronic dance music group formed by Liam Howlett in 1990 in Braintree, Essex. Along with Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, and other acts, The Prodigy have been credited as pioneers of the big beat genre, which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s and 2000s...
were among many musicians and celebrities supporting the campaign.
The campaign even received support from Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, who had appeared on the X Factor with the finalists
and X Factor contestants John & Edward
Jedward
John Paul Henry Daniel Richard Grimes and Edward Peter Anthony Kevin Patrick Grimes are an Irish hip pop duo. They are identical twins and perform under the name Jedward...
also added their support.
Critics noted that both The X Factor and Rage Against the Machine are signed to labels that are part of Sony BMG.
Tom Morello dismissed conspiracy claims as ridiculous.
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
Nicky Campbell
Nicholas Andrew Argyll "Nicky" Campbell is a Scottish radio and television presenter and journalist. He is known for his time presenting on programmes such as the consumer affairs programme Watchdog...
and Shelagh Fogarty
Shelagh Fogarty
Shelagh Fogarty, born 13 January 1966 in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, is a radio and television presenter and journalist. She formerly hosted the BBC Radio 5 Live breakfast show with Nicky Campbell.-Early life:...
apologised afterward.
On December 20, 2009, BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
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.
The next week Joe McElderry
Joe McElderry
Joseph "Joe" McElderry is an English singer and model. He won the sixth series of the ITV show The X Factor in 2009. His first single "The Climb" reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and Irish Singles Charts. He was also crowned the winner of the second series of Popstar to Operastar, two...
's cover of the song "The Climb"
The Climb (song)
"The Climb" is a song performed by American recording artist and actress Miley Cyrus, for the 2009 film Hannah Montana: The Movie. The song was written by Jessi Alexander and Jon Mabe, and produced by John Shanks. It was released on March 5, 2009, as the lead single of the film's soundtrack by...
became the last British #1 single of 2009. Killing In The Name dropped to number two, falling 38 places to #40 the week after, and dropping out of the top 75 the following week, falling to #100.
On June 6, 2010, Rage Against The Machine performed at a free 'thank you' gig for 40,000 fans in Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park is a 46 hectare public park in the London Borough of Haringey. Officially part of the London area of Harringay, it is also adjacent to Stroud Green, the Finsbury Park district and Manor House. It was one of the first of the great London parks laid out in the Victorian...
. On stage Tracy and Jon Morter were handed a representative cheque displaying the amount of £
Pound (currency)
The pound is a unit of currency in some nations. The term originated in England as the value of a pound of silver.The word pound is the English translation of the Latin word libra, which was the unit of account of the Roman Empire...
162,713.03 representing the proceeds from JustGiving
Justgiving
JustGiving is a private for-profit company formed in 2000 for the administration of charitable donations. The company's website provides online fundraising tools to enable the electronic collection of donations.- Details :...
and sales of the single.
As a result of the campaign, the song is featured in the 2011 UK edition of the Guinness World Records under the category of 'Fastest-selling digital track'.
Charts
| Chart | Year | Position |
|---|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
1992 | |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
2009 | |
| Scotland Singles Chart | 2009 | |
| UK Singles Chart | 2009 | |
| European Hot 100 Singles | 2009 | |
| Chart (2000–2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| UK Top 100 Songs of the Decade | 36 |
| UK's Official Top 100 Downloads Chart | Position |
|---|---|
| UK Download Chart (All Time) | 13 |
In 1993, the song reached #7 in Australia
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
, #8 in New Zealand. The song also reached #13 in The Netherlands.
Other appearances
- During one of his last performances before he died, American comedian Bill HicksBill HicksWilliam Melvin "Bill" Hicks was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, and musician. His material largely consisted of general discussions about society, religion, politics, philosophy, and personal issues. Hicks' material was often controversial and steeped in dark comedy...
ended a set by smashing his microphone against a stool while singing along to "Killing in the Name" playing over the loudspeakers.
- As part of the US War on TerrorWar on TerrorThe War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
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.
- In the DariaDariaDaria is an American animated television series produced by Paramount Television, and created by Glenn Eichler and Susie Lewis Lynn for MTV. The series focuses on Daria Morgendorffer, a smart, acerbic, and somewhat misanthropic teenage girl who observes the world around her...
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.
- The song also briefly appeared in the South ParkSouth ParkSouth Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
episode Guitar Queer-OGuitar Queer-o"Guitar Queer-O" is episode 1113 of Comedy Central's South Park, which aired on November 7, 2007. The title and plot parody the video game Guitar Hero. The episode aired ten days after the release of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock in the US....
.
- During The 2010 State Of Origin2010 State of Origin seriesThe 2010 State of Origin series was the 29th year that the annual best-of-three series of interstate rugby league football matches contested between the Queensland and New South Wales representative teams was played under 'State of Origin' selection rules...
in Australia this song was used for the Queensland line-up.
- The song featured in the British television series SkinsSkins (TV series)Skins is a BAFTA award-winning British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of college. The controversial plot line explores issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness , adolescent sexuality, substance abuse and death...
. Metal music fan Rich tells ballerina Grace to stick up for herself, he encourages her using the song as an example, and has her chant the chorus.
Cover versions
- In July 2007, a remix of the song by SebastiAn (miscredited as a Mr. OizoMr. OizoMr. Oizo is the stage name of French electronic musician and film director Quentin Dupieux. His pseudonym is a corruption of the French , meaning "bird". He is currently signed to French electro record label, Ed Banger Records.-Beginning:...
remix) was Zane LoweZane LoweZane Lowe also known as 'Zipper', is a radio DJ and television presenter. He was born in New Zealand and grew up in Auckland, where he was a presenter on the local music station Max TV, before moving to England...
's "Hottest Record in the World" on his show on BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
.
- In June 2007, The Apples a funk band from Tel AvivTel AvivTel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, released a cover on a 7" vinyl on Freestyle Records.
- On 22 August 2008, Scottish alt-rock band Biffy ClyroBiffy ClyroBiffy Clyro are a Scottish rock band from Kilmarnock, comprising Simon Neil , James Johnston and Ben Johnston...
performed a re-worked acoustic cover version of "Killing in the Name" on Jo WhileyJo WhileyJohanne "Jo" Whiley is a British radio disc jockey and television presenter. She was the host of the long running weekday Jo Whiley Show on Radio 1.-Early life and education:...
's Show at The Reading Festival on BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
. 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.
- In 2008 IcelandIcelandIceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic electronica group FM BelfastFM BelfastFM Belfast is an electro/electronica band from Reykjavík, Iceland.Its members include Lóa Hlín Hjálmtýsdóttir, Árni Rúnar Hlöðversson, Árni Vilhjálmsson and Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason....
released a single called "Lotus", a minimal electro cover version of Killing in the Name.
- Australian rock group FourPlay String Quartet recorded a version of the song for their 2009 album FourthcomingFourthcomingFourthcoming is an album by FourPlay String Quartet. Fourthcoming is their fourth album, and their first to be recorded live, was released July 3, 2009.It follows the trend of their previous album Now to the Future, containing more originals than covers....
.
- Slovak DJ and producer L-Plus released a drum 'n' bass remix of Killing in the Name in 2008.
- French band La Maison TellierLa Maison Tellier (group)La Maison Tellier is a French rock group with American country and folk influences, founded in 2004 by Raoul and Helmut Tellier. The group have released three studio albums, performing in both French and English.-History:...
released a country-folk version of Killing in the Name in their first album (2006).
- On July 4, 2010, American jam band PhishPhishPhish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
covered the song after introducing Rage Against the Machine as "one of the only other bands, other than Phish, that won't bullshit you."
- New York-based band EmmureEmmureEmmure is an American band formed in 2003, originally based in Connecticut, but now residing in Queens, New York. The group has a total of seven releases...
covered the song at the Hoodwink Festival along with "Bulls on ParadeBulls on Parade"Bulls on Parade" is a song released by Rage Against the Machine in 1996, and can be found on their second album Evil Empire.-Context:"Bulls on Parade" addresses the American military-industrial complex, a situation in which industry urges government to take military action, with the intent of...
".
- Zac Brown BandZac Brown BandZac Brown Band is an American country music, southern rock, and folk band based in Atlanta, Georgia. The lineup consists of Zac Brown , Jimmy De Martini , John Driskell Hopkins , Coy Bowles , Chris Fryar and Clay Cook...
has covered the song on several occasions during their live performances.
- A cover version of Killing in the Name by deadmau5, in a style well associated with deadmau5 has been circulating on youtube and other online music websites since the middle of 2009.
Recognition
- In July 2009, "Killing in the Name" was voted at number #2 in the Hottest 100 of all timeTriple J Hottest 100 of All Time, 2009The Triple J Hottest 100 of All Time was a music poll conducted in 2009 amongst listeners of Australian youth radio network Triple J. Over half a million votes were compiled, with Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" collecting the highest number of votes. Voters could submit a list of up to ten...
countdown poll, conducted by Australian radio station, Triple JTriple Jtriple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
. More than half a million votes were cast in.
- In 2007, "Killing in the Name" earned a spot on Guitar WorldGuitar WorldGuitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year...
s list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Solos" at #89.
- In 2002, Rolling StoneRolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine listed "Killing in the Name" as the 24th in its 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time.
- In 2010, the New StatesmanNew StatesmanNew Statesman is a British centre-left political and cultural magazine published weekly in London. Founded in 1913, and connected with leading members of the Fabian Society, the magazine reached a circulation peak in the late 1960s....
listed it as number 12 on their list of the “Top 20 Political Songs” as voted for by the Political Studies Association.
Video games
- "Killing in the Name" is featured on fictional alternative rockAlternative rockAlternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
station Radio X in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San AndreasGrand Theft Auto: San AndreasGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
.
- A cover version of "Killing in the Name" is a playable song in the Guitar Hero IIGuitar Hero IIGuitar Hero II is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems and published by RedOctane. It is the second installment in the Guitar Hero series and is the sequel to Guitar Hero...
video game for PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and Xbox 360Xbox 360The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, and Guitar Hero: Smash Hits also for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360, as well as the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3PlayStation 3The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. The song's lyrics are altered to remove the expletives, replacing the sentence repeated 17 times Fuck you with Now you're under control, and the word Motherfucker near the end with Under control.
Personnel
- Zack de la RochaZack de la RochaZacarías Manuel "Zack" de la Rocha is an American rapper, musician, poet, and activist best known as the vocalist and lyricist of Rage Against the Machine.-Early life and childhood:...
- vocals, lyrics - Tom MorelloTom MorelloThomas Baptiste "Tom" Morello is a Grammy Award-winning American guitarist best known for his tenure with the bands Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, his acoustic solo act The Nightwatchman, and his newest group, Street Sweeper Social Club...
- guitar - Tim CommerfordTim CommerfordTimothy Robert Commerford , also known by his various monikers/stage names is the bassist/backing vocalist for American alternative metal band Rage Against The Machine and the now-defunct supergroup Audioslave.-Biography:Tim Commerford was born on February...
- bass guitar/backing vocals - Brad WilkBrad WilkBrad Wilk is an American musician, best known as the drummer of the American rock bands Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave.-Family and early life:...
- drums
External links
- Rage Against the Machine for Christmas No.1 (UK) group on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Tracy Morter, instigator of the campaign on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...