Public Enemy No. 1

Album: TH1RT3EN (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is a single from American heavy metal band Megadeth's thirteenth studio album, TH1RT3EN. The song was debuted on July 4, 2011 at a show in Hamburg, Germany.
  • The song was written from the perspective of 1920s and 30s gangster Al Capone. It was inspired by a possible haunting incident while the band was recording in an old building in Tennessee which once served as a "hideaway" of Capone's.
  • Other songs inspired by Capone include Paper Lace's 1974 chart-topper "The Night Chicago Died" and Prince Buster's 1964 ska classic "Al Capone," which was later reworked by The Specials into the UK hit single "Gangsters."
  • The writing of the song was started by the band during a soundcheck in Croatia in 2010 and completed in Vienna, Austria a short while later. Another TH1RT3EN track, "Never Dead" was penned by the band in the same Austrian venue.
  • Bassist Dave Ellefson described this song to MusicRadar as a, "New Wave Of British Heavy Metal-type song, at least as far as what I do." He continued: "I loved the early Def Leppard records, and I'm copping a bit of a Rick Savage bass approach on it. I really tried to write around the vocals. I love to hear as much of the band, especially the vocals, when I record a bass part. As a player, I want to be the mortar between the blocks that glue the building together.

    Once the vocal melody developed, Johnny [K, producer] and I worked with Dave [Mustaine], and that allowed me to put down a strong bass part. It was a fun way to record. I had a lot of note choices available to me, and there's a cool moving bassline in the B section of the verse as well as the chorus."
  • The video was filmed on September 17, 2001 in Santa Clarita, California on a movie set where old Westerns are filmed. The Western-themed clip includes live animals and footage of the band.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Don Felder

Don FelderSongwriter Interviews

Don breaks down "Hotel California" and other songs he wrote as a member of the Eagles. Now we know where the "warm smell of colitas" came from.

Jethro Tull

Jethro TullFact or Fiction

Stage urinals, flute devices, and the real Aqualung in this Fact or Fiction.

Famous Singers' First Films

Famous Singers' First FilmsSong Writing

A look at the good (Diana Ross, Eminem), the bad (Madonna, Bob Dylan) and the peculiar (David Bowie, Michael Jackson) film debuts of superstar singers.

Marvin Gaye

Marvin GayeFact or Fiction

Did Marvin try out with the Detroit Lions? Did he fake crazy to get out of military service? And what about the cross-dressing?

La La Brooks of The Crystals

La La Brooks of The CrystalsSong Writing

The lead singer on "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Then He Kissed Me," La La explains how and why Phil Spector replaced The Crystals with Darlene Love on "He's A Rebel."

Charlotte Caffey of The Go-Go's

Charlotte Caffey of The Go-Go'sSongwriter Interviews

Charlotte was established in the LA punk scene when a freaky girl named Belinda approached her wearing a garbage bag.