Album: Evil Empire (1996)

Charted: 8

License This Song 

Songfacts®:

• This song deals with the US military (the bulls) and their aggressive tactics. It mentions how the arms industry encourages war to get military contracts with lines like, "Weapons, not food, not homes, not shoes, not need, just feed the war cannibal-animal," and "What we don't know keeps the contracts alive and moving."
  
  The song is from Rage Against The Machine's second album, Evil Empire, whose title is a reference to US president Ronald Reagan's description of the former Soviet Union.
• The lyric at the beginning is "Come With It Now." It is often mistaken for "Quit It Now."
• Rage Against The Machine performed "Bulls On Parade" on a controversial episode of Saturday Night Live in 1996. During rehearsals, they hung upside-down American flags on their amps, which is something they did at their live shows. The SNL producers thought it might offend Steve Forbes, a billionaire presidential candidate who was hosting that night, and told the group to take the flags down. The band agreed, but just before Forbes introduced them for the song, their roadies tried to hang the flags. The stage crew quickly took them down, and after the number, the group was banished from the building without getting to play a second song.
  
  Regarding the message of the upside-down flags, lead singer Zack de la Rocha said: "American democracy is inverted when your only choice is between wealthy representatives of the privileged classes."
  
  The 2025 documentary Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL revealed the US Secret Service locked Rage Against the Machine in a room following their appearance on the sketch show.
• The sound of vinyl turntable scratching that you hear is not, in fact, a turntable, but a sound effect reproduced by guitarist Tom Morello. Morello rubs his fingers along the guitar strings while toggling between two pickups and using a wah-pedal.
  
  A hallmark of the Rage Against The Machine sound is hip-hop flavors without samples. That was made possible in large part by Morello's ability to coax all kinds of crazy noises out of his instrument.
• The video was nominated for Best Hard Rock Video at the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards. It was directed by Peter Christopherson, himself a member of Hipgnosis, Throbbing Gristle, and Psychic TV, among other career milestones. He also directed videos for Yes' "Owner Of A Lonely Heart," Pink Floyd's "Us And Them," and Bad Company's "Shake It Up," to name just a few notable works.
  
  In the video, we see flashes of artwork by conceptual artist Barbara Kruger. Kruger's work often features bold text in the colors black, white, and red, often with a strong political statement. View some of Kruger's exhibitions here.
• "Bulls On Parade" was the first single from the Evil Empire album, which debuted at #1 in America. The band made most of their first album, titled Rage Against The Machine, soon after they formed in 1991 and released it in 1992 after they signed with Epic Records. Packed with furious tracks like "Killing In The Name" and "Freedom," it established their political ideology and transgressive sound that paved the road to nu-metal with the emergence of Korn a few years later.
  
  It took a while for that first album to catch on; appearances at Lollapalooza and tour with House Of Pain helped them find an audience. By the time they released Evil Empire they had a substantial following and were even getting some airplay. That album doubled down on their incendiary protest music, to the delight of fans. "Bulls On Parade" was the first single and the best-known track from the album.
  
  The next Rage album was The Battle of Los Angeles in 1999, which also debuted at #1. By this time they were battling with each other along with the powers that be. They put out a covers album called Renegades in December 2000, but by that time they were kaput. Guitarist Tom Morello, bass player Tim Commerford and drummer Brad Wilk (everyone except lead singer Zack de la Rocha) formed Audioslave with Chris Cornell. That band did really well, with memorable songs like "Be Yourself" and "Like A Stone."
  
  Audioslave called it quits in 2007 and Rage re-formed. The reunion lasted until 2011, and then they got back together in 2020, but were thwarted by the pandemic. After finally getting their tour underway in 2022, Zack de la Rocha mangled his Achilles tendon at one of their first shows and they had to cut the trek short. When Rage Against The Machine was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2023 it was a good litmus test to see if they were going to soldier on. Tom Morello was the only member to accept the invitation. "Like most bands, we have differing perspectives on a lot of things," he said in his speech.
  
  The band didn't release any new material during either of their reunions.
• Rage made quite a statement on August 14, 2000 when they played a free concert to about 8000 fans across the street from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, where the Democratic National Convention was being held. They were raging against the two-party system that left many voters feeling left out. To open the show, de la Rocha led into "Bulls On Parade" by saying:
  
  Brothers and sisters, our democracy has been hijacked
  Brothers and sisters, Our electoral freedoms in this country are over so long as it's controlled by corporations
  Brothers and sisters, we are not going to allow these streets to be taken over by Democrats or Republicans
  
  Under a heavy police presence, Rage finished their set, but when they were done, police in riot gear moved on the crowd, dispersing them with pepper spray and rubber bullets. The incident riled up Rage's fellow revolutionaries, including System Of A Down, which put these lines into their 2001 track "Deer Dance":
  
  Beyond the Staples Center you can see America
  With its tired, poor, avenging disgrace
  Peaceful, loving youth against the brutality
  Of plastic existence

Comments: 122

• Mental_myopia from UsaThis was originally written as a commercial jingle for Hot Pockets, who was partnering with Velveeta to introduce a new variety of Hot Pockets stuffed with Velveeta Shells and Cheese. The advertisements planned to use this song with the message to rally round the family to a meal with these pockets full of shells. Unfortunately, this new flavor of Hot Pockets never made it to market, and we never had the opportunity to see these advertisements.
• Austin Zoch from AustraliaI love this genre of music and I am Afro-Australian an this support me so much :)
• Dizzug from Idahoi was born 1962 and they have been protesting wars my whole life. what did the war mongers do? they changed their tactics to support the troops instead of the war. the industrial complex and the war mongers in congress don't care about the troops, they are just pawns used to keep the money rolling in
• Resist While You Comply from RenoBased on the comments, nobody knows what the song means. Lol.
• Delucidate from UsaThis song's chorus is clearly about a presidential campaign, the bull is a traditional symbol of power and authority and candidates for election "parade" themselves around certain places in the states. They preach emphasis on core american values like family life, the greater good and peace but they are all-too willing to issue their country into needless armed conflict, hence the pocket full of ammunition which they hide under their mask of "all the people consider just/good". This really isn't too hard to figure out, as political leaders have also historically associated themselves with the image of a bull, the rest of the song's chorus just ties into that and specifies what this is about.
  
  As for the verses, too pretty obvious for most of the lyrics. The pentagon associated with the fist being a center for war and conflict. The fist is a symbol for power and for combat or violent upheaval. Probably a reference to the ops carried out within the pentagon, and by it elsewhere by it. Go wikipedia it for your curiousity.
  "Tha trigger's cold empty ya purse." Is likely another staple of marxism, by the rich forcing everyone else to stay poor and many into poverty, to which communism attempted to fix. (Unsuccessfully, but this band's lead singer is known to support the idealism that the movement carried. Wiki it if you are one of those people who cringes when they hear the word communism. It doesn't work in reality, but it can inspire you to think more openly about politics.)
  
  As for the reference to the library, "i walk tha corner to tha rubble, that used to be a library line up to the mind cemetery now." I only have circumstantial information and some opinion. It may be based in the fact many librarys are places associated with learning or with colleges, and many people believe that modern education is a tool used by the government to make the population docile and unlikely to resist authority, which I assume ties into this artist's ideals/agenda as he likely believes that resistance is the only way to combat oppression by the state.
  
  And that is my total viewpoint of this song's topic content. Now, obviously the other members of the band may not have a lot of input into these lyrics or may. But I can say that those guys brought down the freakin' house with the music written for this song. I play guitar and this song's guitar solo may be one of the least valued guitar solos by the vast majority of listeners but of truly awe-inspiring magnitude to those who have trained ears. Masterful and wickedly creative, I am informed that this solo was written pretty much on improv. Quite a feat if you ask me. This song is pretty much catchy enough to carry the vision of freedom and independence that this song revolves around, I must agree that "the microphone...shattering the mould." Is an important piece of this song's purpose. Put it together with everything else and some other RATM songs, and it's clear here that the artist('s) made this to open your eyes and to make you think for yourself. People get so polarized negatively about this band, they immediately label and judge instead of hear out the message that is in his words. Maybe the world isn't as bad of a place as he makes it appear, but it is similar to sattyre in the fact that it exaggerates and magnifies the misconducts and tyranny of a ruling class or authority for the purpose of giving people the right to make their own decisions and to trust authority less. Giving anyone the control of your decisions is by default a violation of your rights, and that is what all authority figures really want from ceasar to alexander to donald trump and his godless tupeè(excuse my spelling idk how that's really spelled).
  
  Forms of art and expression have always been valued as a tool of enlightenment.
  This song is really just that, it was meant to set you free if you want my opinion on it's "meaning". But i am only discussing this for the sake of being thorough, as no piece of art has intrinsic(which means "true/real/internal") meaning.
  That's up to you to find out for yourself what it means.
  :)
  
  RATM<3
• Maskedstranger from The Matrix"Bulls on parade" like the running of the bulls. I mean it describes perfectly the u.s.a. as a whole the world view is of bulls running amok amongst the rest of it and killing all in their path.
• Tom This song is an attack on conservatives for campaigning on "rally around the family" while they defund welfare for military spending
• Themacallan from Hollister, CaZach says the song was in response to the US Government celebrating the fall of the Berlin Wall while piling up bodies at the Mexican border.
• Shawnerz from Any, MdI always thought "Bulls On Parade" was an off title for a song. So, I ran Bulls on Parade through an anagram solver. I came up with "Pardon Abu" (with 'lls' left over). Do you think the song title was veiled support for Mumia Abu-Jamal. Yeah, maybe I'm reachin' and out in left field, but RATM mentioned Mumia Abu-Jamal in "Guerilla Radio."
  "Sound off Mumia/Go on and be free/Who got him/Yo check the federal file/All you penn devils know the trial was vile"
  ...Just a thought....
• Edward from Downey, Ca"Terror Rains ,Drenchin',Quenchin' tha thirst on the power dons, That five sided fistagon." sounds like he's talking about the U.S. president and the pentagon. There is Alot of u.S. government officials who make big money by having shares in huge military aircraft and weapons manufacturing companies. War menas more military weapons and machinations= more contracts from companies these government goons have stock in = big money. Just like LBJ. he had stock in hughes aircraft. that's why he escalated the war.
• Trenton from Oklahoma City, OkI heard this song is about how arms dealers and private miltary contractors try to encourage conflict to make money. I also heard the title is a comparison to a bull market. I don't understand the comparison. Anybody else think this?
  
• Jenny from Royal Oak, MiIts "They rally round tha family ,With a pocket full of shells" @ Lily from Cali
• Harry from Hallandale, Flin the 80s if you were an engineer right out of college you were most likely to find a job in the defense industry than any other industry that solve human problems. If you stop building weapons for ten days you could feed the children of th world for a whole year. States in recent times have been cutting teacher salaries, libraries closed, etc. etc. This year there we hold mid term elections and it will just be "Bulls on Parade". This song, in my opinion, applies to many countries including developing one.
• Kt from Brisbane, AustraliaThis song is brilliant.
• Mike from Roseville, Mililyibanez...this song was out before iraq problems i think
• Sam from Chicago, IlThey can criticize the government while still loving the country. So what if they hang a flag upside-down?
• Lilyibanez from Los Angeles, CaDon't you think the line "running from their family, with a pocket full of shells" is refering to the families of suicide bombers in Iraq? I thought Rage was referring to the US Military not doing anything about this problem either; just fighting more and more instead of giving them jobs to stop the bombing..
  Also, Nicoletta from NY, everyone has a right to protest anything, you may think that is the "worst thing" anyone could do to our country, and sure, you have a point, they do live here and make money here! But, they are trying to inspire a new nation. They are angry at the US for not improving and for being hypocritical--this is a free country yet we are told lies and the country is governed by war-starved people.
  how dare they protest the war and the cops? they have every right to. not everyone thinks war is the only way to solve problems, especially not the way America has used war in the recent years, and not everyone agrees with the police system here..some like Zach dlr think they're racist, lazy, etc..I don't personally agree with that, but I don't really care..I think Rage is a miracle-that they really have the courage to speak up against such "unspeakable" topics that no one would dare say openly. Respect them, even if you disagree with them.
• Aska from Brewer, MeOne thing that irritates me about political music like these guys and SoaD is that the message is usually spelled out for you. I enjoy being challenged when I go to find a song's meaning, and I personally enjoy those few songs that have no "meaning" and are just poetic attempts to bring abstract feelings into words. About the song though... I definitely am against war in any form. Humans are the only animal that engages in war over things besides territory. Humans are needlessly cruel to themselves. Humans are the only creature besides possibly dolphins that is capable of murder for "fun" or over a petty dispute. What a waste of our minds...
• Mike from Matawan, Nj"The fact that you can't put a "Bullet In The Head" (another Rage Against The Machine song about the media) of the people who don't agree with everything the government does makes this the country we all love. The sword of freedom cuts both ways."
  
  Couldn't agree more, Bill. Remember that all you people on the left and right.
  
  
• Jeff from Philadelphia, PaThe TRUTH I meant
• Jeff from Philadelphia, PaListen to Bill from Texas..He's the first soldier I've ever heard talk about the war that isn't brainwashed..GOD bless man...keep up the good work..the true shall set you free.
• Bill from Victoria, TxI disagree Nicoletta, Charging $3.15 per gallon for regular unleaded and sending $2.80 of it to Saudi Arabia so their president can buy a solid silver Audi rates above flying a flag upside down in my book.
  
  I'm a soldier, I fought in this current war, I lost friends, and I'd rather see someone fly my flag upside down as a protest... it's their constitutional right to do so. Remember, part of living in a free society means putting up with the crap you don't agree with. The fact that you can't put a "Bullet In The Head" (another Rage Against The Machine song about the media) of the people who don't agree with everything the government does makes this the country we all love.
  
  The sword of freedom cuts both ways.
• Matt from Buffalo, NyIn this day and age nobody should have to die in a war. We teach our students to solve all of their differences peacefully and to walk away from fights, but then our government feels that the only way to resolve something is to force our ways upon them through war and violence. We need to educate our youth and the world.
• Wayne from Crockett, TxThankfully you can enjoy a groups music without caring for their politics. Great tune and should be enjoyed by all because of it's pure awesomeness.
• Nick from Cairns, AustraliaAndrew, I wouldn't stop listening to the song, but if it bugs you that much I don't blame you. It's just annoying to see these posers talk about this one band and such when they only know one song that was on a videogame. Sure its great to broaden their mind in terms of music, but seriously you guys, be a bit, well, "adventurous" and check out more their music. All of rage's stuff is awesome and they have some great statements with their songs. My all-time favourite is "Know Your Enemy". Hard decision for me, I like all their songs :)
• Andrew from Linmdenhurst, NyAs much as i like rage as soon as guitar hero came out with this song and people kept singing it i just stopped liking it
• Rafael from San Juan , Puerto RicoThis song is very critical of war and the people who keep them going. RATM puts the blame on the Pentagon and the people who run it, with one line going "That five-sided Fist-a-gon", and mentioning the "Terror rains drenchin', quenchin' tha thirst of tha power dons". They also call the people responsible for war as hypcrites, by saying "Drop an don't copy yo, don't call this a co-op" and "I walk tha corner to tha rubble that used to be a library
  Line up to tha mind cemetary now." I like how many people make war sound like a great thing to do by making it sound pretty, like saying oh we are going to free the oppressed and help them rebuild their shattered nation. What those who are pitching the idea ("the sale for war," as I would like to call it) dont mention is the fact that there are many lives who will be very ruined and irreparable as a result of a war. The forces in power say the country is going to war for the benefit of everyone else when really its for their own benefits, and RATM are calling them out as hypocrites when they mention dont call this a co-op, the reason being that the American military are forcing the other country to cooperate (like the situation that Iraq is in) and the mention of a library that is now rubble (why is a library a military target). If the country is using the military for the benefit of other countries, why would they destroy non-military buildings in the first place?
  
  And about all this mention of Americanism and being Patriotic and all that "sounds pretty" stuff (get where I am going with this?), Shouldnt we say that this country was founded on the idea of challenging those who were in power? It would be very unpatriotic to question those who are in power, just as it is patriotic to respect our President. So if you dont agree with what the current leader is doing, then by all means call them out on it. Thats what the founders did, and everyone should continue the opposition of other ideas because ultimately our ideas get refined into something that everyone can agree on from discussions (which is what Congress was meant to do).
• David from Odenton, MdOne of my friends was head bangin to a live version of this and had to go to the hospital because of this. This song is one of the hardest and heaviest I have ever come across. Love this song and I listen to it hundreds of times over.
• Austin from Smallsville,new England, --Skyler, Bush was not the first appointed president he was the fourth. And the war and iraq is similar to Kosovo(Clinton),Vietnam(kenedy). But this is important. Iraq is basically a battlefield against Iran(sort of cold war). Also with Bush his legacy can be summed up like this-when was the last time we were atacked. Under Clinton we were attacked a few times by terrorist. Also you don't have to agree with a song just to like it. I like the song stinkfist but i am not thrilled about anal fisting. Same with Rage's political views. They personally have lived the american dream. They do nothing but do music and make millions.
• Mike from Redlands, Azi think if people watched the south park episode of the war it explains what this country is doing very well but if you think about it the terrorists have no airforce no navy and no cavalry(tanks) unlessthey are stolen we trained al quada and they are the real threat irna cannot have nuclear bombs because we suspect automatically that since they are in the middle east they are terrorists not true how come north korea can have them when they are screaming for attention because they wish to start a nuclear war meanwhile in the war on terror there are more terrorists now than ever before because of our occupation im an activist ill admit it but i have an american flag(right side up) of all things hanging in front of my house watch the south park episode for the people who take a side for us to work together we do not have to share the same views we can do one thing and say another having your cake and eating it too yes War has always been good for the economy not just this war it always has so people who think that bush entered this war just to make money dont think so we would not have entered war in WWII just to purely make money we would not have entered WWI to purely make money we did it because europe was getting its asz kicked and they needed to get involved this is what bush believed that the terrorists were a threat and needed to be dealt with if this is about money and it probably is then i guess its about money and we will have to wait till the next president is in office to do anything about as far as im ocncerned bush will keep benefitting off of this war and so will cheney a person with great interest in haliburton so you guys can be close minded and pick a side and say the other side is wrong or can go on with your lives and deal with what is going onyou can hate what you want and love what you want about this country thats what makes it AMERICA
• Me from Redneckville, OnThis was before Bush, they're criticizing government, and big business in general. They signed to Sony cuz they agreed not to censor them. Iraq was better off with Hussein, sadly. he killed 300,000 max. Current estimates putcivilian deaths at about 100,000 after his overthrow, in 5 years, as opposed to 25. Rebellion must come from the people.
• Kyle from George, Cayman IslandsI like rage against the machine because there songs are a mix of hip hop, funk, and punk
• Kevin from Sayreville, NjDennis, Waterloo, Canada,& Chris, Camrose, Canada, I apologize for my Canadian bashing comments and how this Rage Against the Machine comment list turned into an international "pride in ones country" debate driven by low-classed people trying to publicly show up others online so they can add to the tensions between other people, I was merely trying to defend my countries honor as others have tried to degrade it, while typing the latter comment I did not intend to offend anyone or make anyone feel the need to be defensive.
• Bob from Southern Tier, NyI love how Canadians get on songfacts.com and come up with all sorts of fuzzy facts to silently justify that Canada is some magical happy place that shares none of the problems with the US. If they ate their own medicine and looked at their own revolving door they call the executive maybe they'd start to realize that the world is not a perfect place, and yes, not even Canada is free of corruption. They criticize the American right as basically an "evil empire," but (indirectly) elected their very own conservative leader after more than a decade of unsuccessful leftist rule. Music is certainly a form of expression, and it should be regarded as a bastion of the first amendment to The Constitution. Although flying upside down and backwards, burning, or not otherwise properly displaying a flag may be disgraceful and/or hurtful to other people I think it should be upheld as legitimate free speech. Feel free to argue, I support your right to do so.
• Chris from Camrose, CanadaSome People may think that Rage goes too far and is too over the top but sometimes in order to affect change, you need to go too far so that things can end up right in the middle.
• Luke from Sar, FlAbout flying the Flag upside down... It has been recognized a a legitemit way of flying a flag by the U.S. Flag Laws (yes, they have quite a few) as carrying the meaning: country in peril.
• Eric from San Francisco, CaI read To Kill A Mockinbird in 9th grade. I would understand if you were still in high school, but there are much more sophisticated writers and books out there. I'm just saying if you are going to hold an opinion such as "RATM politics suck" and "They're just raving anarchists" you should not base your opinion on what everyone else tells you, do the research and find out for yourself that RATM are not "raving anarchists." You will find that they are freedom fighters arguing that those who have power in our country (clue: not just politicians) have hijacked our democracy from the people and are in control. When I say hijacked I mean that we the people no longer hold power in this country. We have become sheep. A "bewildered herd" whose decisions are dictated by meaningless slogans and conniving propaganda in the media. I am not angry. I am very passionate about this matter and approach it positively looking to educate and open people?s eyes and mind, but I become frustrated with peoples ignorance and naïveté.
• Matt from Buffalo, NyIf our country was a respectable country right now in the way that we handle certain affairs and events, we would not have to hang our flag upside down. This country was built on corruption and will continue that way until more people stand up to make that change!
• Michael from Morris County, NjSorry for pissing you off Eric. I simply miss-spelled hear and miss-interperted RATM's politics. I also happen to know anarchy is the state of no government. About the book thing, i happened to have read To Kill A Mocking Bird so don't judge a person's education or habits by one miss-spelled word. Just curious, who hi-jacked our democracy?
• Eric from San Francisco, Ca Michael, I can tell that you are not very educated simply by your misuse of the word here. I think what you meant to use was the word hear. TURN OFF YOUR TV, READ A BOOK, EDUCATE YOURSELF AND WAKE UP...and I mean a BOOK not a comic book or magazine.
  I highly doubt that you would know the definition of anarchy without looking it up. Rage Against the Machine do not want anarchy. If anyone who wants anarchy is an ignorant fool and does not understand what it means. Rage Against the Machine are political activists fighting for us to take the power back from those who HIJACKED OUR DEMOCRACY.
  You are entitled to your own opinion and I very much respect that, but don't base your opinion from TV, Radio, or Magazines. Find out for yourself, do some research, and base your opinions on valid and tangible data.
• Michael from Morris County, NjRATM politics suck. They're just raving anarchists making money of people who probably disagree with their views but here an angry rapper and a band behind him and listen anyways.
• Mitch from Brownsburg, InFirst i would like to comment on the song, which i believe is the point of this web page. I think that it is about the companies that corrupt the government. like gun companies that start wars so they can sell more guns even though they cause terrible things. second, RATM is a political band. So if you like the music and disagree with the message doesn't that make you the hypocrite?
• Johnny Thomas from Seattle, WaTom Morello is thee best synthesized guitar player ever hands down
• Skylar from Tahlequah, Okand i would like to go on to say, not all police are corrupt, as the same as their are some politicians not corrupt... some people are just doing their jobs trying to support their family. Please don't bash police men and women, atleast not all as a group... their is in my mind still hope for this world... hopefully im not alone in this because if i am, why are so many people dying and protesting something that cant be changed?
• Skylar from Tahlequah, Okoh and by the way this was not a song against the bush administration.... this song was directly aimed at N.A.F.T.A. (north american trade agreement). Where the treaty made the mexican government obolish article 27 of the mexican constitution, stripping away the right of farmers to collectivly own land. this land was then sold to the highest bidder, usually being an american corporation. The zapatista, a proactive mexican movement, then began to revolt... this is where the "now you found gun" lyric comes from.
• Skylar from Tahlequah, Oksomeone asked what bush affected us with.... where do you want to start? could it be he was the very first appointed president(he is proof that no matter what the american people want, they really dont matter), lets go recent now... how about child health care? How about we go long term, what the hell is happening to social security? and one thing that affects everyone... national debt, we are in a war that we can't afford to pay for anymore... the american dollar hit an all time low. just a few obvious ones here there are more if you want to know just ask.
• Sam from Cambridge, Ontario, CanadaAs a response to some of the earlier comments: America is not the only country that matters. What about the casualties that the Iraqi forces have had? Also, as for the 300 000 lost in WWII to the 3000 lost in Iraq, would you say that a person who murders 10 people is innocent simply because the killed less people than those who died in WWII? No you wouldn't. And by the way, fascists who listen to RATM make me laugh my ass off. So either stop blindly supporting an unjust war, or don't listen to Rage.
• Jason from New York, NyHow did a list of song comments turn into a political debate? I don't care, but when it comes to the music, this song kicks ass!
  
  p.s. - Why is everyone complaining that Tom Morello's guitar solo is so easy? Who cares, it sounds awesome!
• Spog Zallagi from Blue Hill, MeIn the part when Zack De Le Roch sings "Rally round the family with a pocket full of shells" the guitar notes and melody is very dark and disturbing and it always, ALWAYS makes me feel a little frightened because it is so dark and fearsome. Maybe I'm being a b*tch but it is very dark but it is what makes me love the song so.
• Me from There, NjFirst of all, Bulls on Parade is a great song about police brutality AND the over reaction of the people (riots, out of control protests, etc.) second of all, stop typing all these paragraph long comments, stick to the four liners people, keep it simple.....
• Spog Zallagi from Blue Hill, MeI agree Spencer.
• Spencer from Los Angeles, CaIt is really great to see all this political-economic discussion going on for RATM. I just wanted to add that my opinion of the meaning of "Bulls On Parade" is that is means the "bull market" going crazy. Thus symbolizing money being the incentive for all actions, and not justice, equality, and civil rights. Rage is speaking out against the power of capitalism and how governments go to war so corporations can make money. Do others agree that the title is referring to the bull market?
• Jim from Toledo, OhGeorge Bush is a (deleted) Head. putting a flag upside down is a basic AMERICAN RIGHT. its called FREEDOM. i think this was lost on many of you
• Josh from New London, MnJust about everyone who hates Bush is just a bandwagon hater.
  And before anyone replies to this, first tell me which of president Bush's political policies affected your life drastically -- and I have a hard time believing "the war" from all of you, unless those 3,000 troops were direct family members of the 60% of the country who constantly bash Bush.
• Chris from Columbus, OhHey bottom line is, Saddam hated the US, he had the CAPABILITES to make WMD's and in time would have. Bush made the decision to go in and stop him before he could. So would you rather have them take the fight to the terrorists or the terrorists bring the fight to us. So all you Bleeding-Heart Liberals, SHUT THE F*CK UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You all talk about how bad Bush is yet he won the 2004 election so enough people must have had faith in his leadership.
• Sam from Portsmouth, WaThe iraqi war and Bush aren't the end of the world you narrow-minded liberals!!!! Dude there are worst things than this war (as of Descember 2006).Hey, I remember a war in which we lost 300 thousand people. Oh it wasn't iraq it was f**KING WWII!!!! I guess 3000 is comperbal to that number. Also Bush is a little below adverage president. Its the liberal media who protrays him as an allegded nazi.
• Derek from Ruston, LaI agree with Melissa. It's not just our government, but almost every organization that is full of corruption. This mostly includes religion. I am an animist and a tribalist. I think anyone who talks donwn about RATM or any other band for voicing there opinion is a close minded bitch. You have to listen to the other side of a topic to broaden yourself. You have to take in a lot of things to make a well informed decision.
• Charlie from Seattle, Waare you a marxist anon? iv met a lot of business owners none of wich i found evil, or that they didnt care about anything but money. how are they taking it too far, explain to me.
• Anon. from Twin Cities, Mnare you saying we ought to just let the unjust acts by large corporations against the average workers and consumers slide? I agree that there needs to be some degree of a free market but the corporations in america are taking it too far. besides, the stone age? if everyone were to cooperate more and look out for everyone no matter their wealth, we'd be living in a better society, instead of our current state where the rich get richer by selling guns to a government ready to strike any small nation percieved as a threat and ripping off the middle and lower class
• Charlie from Seattle, WaWithout businesses, large corperations, every body would be living in the stone age. i beileve in free speach but these communist bands like ratm and soad need to shut the f**k up they dont know what there protesting.
• Melissa from Kennewick, Wathe fact is that our government, and most others, are corrupt. Take into account that most people who have money and come into a position of power are egotistical. ratm is not only down on government, but also organized religion. it's not the government or the religion, it's the people who run them with their own agenda.
• Aaron from Kansas City, MoAnd what would be the value of singing about North Korea? What good does that do anybody? If they lived there, now that would be a different story. They are Americans, and they sang about America. they have that right, as many people have stated. Does it make them treasonous if they don't agree with the way our country is ran, Senator McCarthy? Do we have to back the government 100% to be good citizens? Rage simply stated their disapproval through the art of music. I do not personally agree with all of their statements, but they had every right to do it, and in a patriotic way.
  
  And as for the war in Iraq... had we not went in at all, Sadaam would be sitting on $300 million worth of oil per day. that, in itself, is a weapon of mass destruction.
• Nathan from Defiance, OhRATM are eager to denounce violence from our government but not from other countries. Why do they not sing about real tryants and dictatorships? Did they ever sing a song about China or Pol Pot? Their whole act is a joke. They hang flags upside down, insults the the country that ensures their right to say anything they want, and whine about big corporations while raking in money hand over fist. Although the USA only killed a fraction of people some other countries have, they love to sing about our "Nazi-esqe" government. I know this song isn't about the war in Iraq (Duh), but they did oppose the war. These guys probably would have opposed WWII too. They are more than willing to attack the US because it is style. Singing about Iran, Sudan or North Korea's government won't get them any airplay. Thats all they really care about in the end. Don't get me wrong Bush is an idiot. But whats worse, an idiot or a hypocrite?
• Joe from Chicago, IlActually they did not leave, they were kicked off of SNL after their first song, they were not even allowed to appear at the stage at the end of the show.
• Dennis from Waterloo, CanadaWhile I am a huge fan of RATM, their political views are quite distorted. I listen to their music but I have a tough time believing what they stand for. While they have fought for many noble causes (the Zapatista movement in Mexico) they can be considered hypocrites. For example, why would a band who rages against corporate America and neo-liberalism sign with Sony music, a large multi-national corporation. Also, why the hell would they do a song critizing corporate America on the Godzilla soundtrack? Give me a break. Godzilla was a mass marketed piece of crap movie from money grabbing movie studios. Love their music, but can't forgive them for their hypocrisy. I am gonna get it for this one, but come on, its hard to argue otherwise.
• Jake from Washington D.c., VaTo address all the things that the U.S. could have done with the money to pay for the war, think about where that money came from. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS NOT A DIME OF ITS OWN. Every penny that goes to fight wars, pay welfare checks, fix roads, etc. has come out of the pocket of American citizens. And oh yeah, Evil Empire was released in 1996...Bush was elected in 2000...boy I wish I had telepathic powers like RATM, or wait...this song is just about corruption in both politcal parties, go figure.
• Josh from New York, Nymorello's solo on this is so cool. i mean he doesnt actually play a note but it shows what a great technician and genius he is. not to mention that he uses a wah pedal like crazy throughout the song. long live tom morello!
• Angus from Ransomville, Nyi like ratm and soad from a musical standpoint, but their politcal views are f***ed up, i think, and i know im gonna get blasted for saying this
• Flo from Toulouse, FranceRATM rules !!! I love this song !
• Gioglifx from New Orleans, LaMike, Canton, MI:
  
  Please understand that although Nicoletta as well all of us to express freely, we shouldn't... ,no! We MUST NOT conform. If you simply live as a passive member of society, it's fine and you're living the dream. But, that doesn't mean that the wheels aren't turning. People who don't want to live in submission: Nicoletta, RATM, etc. are the ones that keeep the balance. Let her express herself. One time a religious person approached me in the streets. Asked her if she knew exactly all the facts that she tried to pitch. She said that she knew that her pastor was very wise and and listened. Believe me, not to get religious! My point is that MANY if not most follow in ignorance. Heck yeah, I'd rather live in our nation than other governments because of our "freedom"! But, you have to understand that it IS a MASKED FREEDOM. That said, freedom isn't in a song or opinion but in a way of living.
• Rashed from Camden, NjIn the near perfect words of Eric from norfolk, Open your eyes people. Eric's summed this up the best way possible - if we as humans could get rid of this caste,creed,colour we'd be better. Much better.
  As for the song - its badass - Rage rocks
• Sean Hardesty from Arroyo Grande, Calook frank, rage against the machine is not "against bush persay" they just believe that he has done more bad than good for this country. And that he should be focusing more on poverty than anything else.
• Frank from Hickville, GaI've been a Rage fan for about 9 years now and I still don't know why they split. Can anybody inform me? By the way, Bulls On Parade is my favorite song :). Hail Rage, **** Bush!
• Dirk from St.pete, FlSome little fool was complaining about military bases on Australian soil. LOL. Those are there to protect you.
• Mike from Germantown, MdI agree with dirk and Carl: Bush is An Idiot.
• Mike from Germantown, MdI know how to say this song's Title in Latin: Tauri In Decurso.
• Carl Dagger from Mountain LakesNathan, what are you talking about? This album was released 4 years before Bush was elected. It has nothing to do with Iraq or WMDs or Bush or anything of that nature. Think before you post buddy, and no one wants to hear your hardcore Republican pro-Bush jargon.
• Nathan from Defiance, OhI respect Rage for their passoin on a tough situation. Bush was wrong about the WMD's, and therefore wrong for starting a war. I must admit the war was run badly, and Oil might have been a target of invasion. But.....If we hadn't had gone in, Saddam would have killed a lot more innocent people. Anyone remember the Kurdish village massacre in '88? Saddam killed a couple thousand people in that town, and it isn't exactly clear why. He loved to torture people, his son once tortured athletes for not winning (Good thing he wasn't in charge of the Arizona Cardinals). Saddam was an a--hole and taking him out cannot be called a bad thing. So RATM is not okay with suffering and death resulting from war, but are okay with suffering and death when its far away from their eyes? Maybe loss of life today could result in a world improved later. What I'm trying to say; Bush screwed up Iraq, but Rage might take a look at the number of lives ruined by a Saddam then write a song. But singing about massacres in unprenounceable Iraqi villages doesn't sell records does it?
• David from Las Vegas, NvFor all of our right wing Bible thumpin Republican friends out there (Nicoletta I am looking at you), I apologize. I know you love W and that forces you to argue semantics about whether your boy lies. Perhaps the good ol' boys did give him "bad intelligence." Although you have to feel a bit silly wiping out a third world nation, along with 100,000 Iraqis (so says Johns Hopkins), when there is a madman just across the Pacific who like an attention starved child is screaming that he has those WMDs we long for. Now, the bad news. W has stated again and again and AGAIN that we will treat any country that harbors terrorists as an enemy of ours. Oops Jr. You see down there in Miami there is a man named Dr. Orlando Bosch. He is a 'good' Cuban (read: CIA lapdog). So good he blew up a plane leaving Cuba killing all 73 passengers aboard. And what have we done with this terrorist, besides help him escape Venezuelan justice? Uh' Miami declared a day Dr. Orlando Bosch day. Imagine Havanna declaring an Osama Bin Laden day? Once again Jr. has lodged his foot where the Silver Spoon should be. In the furious words of Rage WAKE UP!!!!!!
• Rob from York, PaNicoletta of NY...It's time you wake up and open your eyes!!! Your say F*** them for protesting the war. Many men and women have died to protect our right to to do just that. It's called the 1st amendment and it guarantees us freedom of speech, as well as skinhead nazis, the KKK, and even you Nicoletta. As to the cops? Maybe you aren't old enough to remember Rodney King? Or the hundreds of other people beaten by cops for little reason? Also an upside down flag is a distress signal, besides, a peice of cloth isn't what once made this a great country to live in. It's purely a symbol, for the symbol-minded. The utterly worst thing done against this country has been the governments centuries old policies of descrimating against it's own people...American indians, Blacks, Japanese, WOMEN, etc. Indians forced to off land onto reservations, indians shot and killed for dancing (wounded knee), racial profiling, japanese americans having everything taken away from them during WW2 because of the attack on peral harbor..(btw, this wasn't doen to Italian or German americans). This countries government is as corrupt and dirty as these other governments we have fought against. You say Clinton did nothing after the first attack..well what has Bush done? Start an illegal war, invade and overthrow a sovereign nations government, among other things. Bill Clinton had made us part of the world court, one of the first things Bush did was reverse that. Ironic isn't it since he's now been labeled a criminal by the very same court we used to belong to. Nicoletta, please don't think I'm trying to jump on you, but you really need to look at this government and what it's done before you blast 2 bands for LEGALLY saying what's on their mind. It's one of the few rights we have left in this soon to be dictatorship..(think it can't happen, guess again)
  Oh yeah, I love this country, also have and always will and I will continue to blast the idiots in DC who are tearing this country down as well as the blind idiots who follow them like lemmings into the sea.
  And if you still think this is a lilly white country without blood on it's hands, I suggest you do a search on Leonard Peltier. Maybe this will open your eyes to the government and the beloved police, FBI, and swat.
  BTW, I'm half Native American, who quit school, joined the army, went to college and I have 2 degrees now and a very high IQ and I living in a small backwards town in PA who had 2 friends die on 9-11. Think before you speak Nicoletta.
• Bob from Tokyo, JapanThe attacks on 9.11.2001 killed about 3,000 Americans. So far, the war on terror has claimed the lives of at least 30,000 Iraqi and Afghani civilians. By that reasoning, the Vietnamese and Cambodian people would have been justified wiping out 1/10 of the American population. Justice for all? You decide.
• Chris from Columbus, OhHanging the American flag upside down is actually a distress signal. A much better protest method than burning it.
• Kieran from D.c., Va"R.A.T.M. was being patriotic in their own way by hanging up the flags upside down" i dont remember who said this but this is the most incorrect statement i have seen. rage doesnt hate countries because countries are merely different peoples, rage hates every form of government, that is why they bash "governments" all the freakin time. they are huge supporters of che' guerva, and one of che's fundamental ideas was that without government smaller peaceful groups within society can live harmoniously. at rage's last show in mexico city they flew a huge flag of che' to almost reinforce to the mexicans that che's ideals could help save them from poverty. its hypocritical to say that rage is pointing out the flaws of the US in their songs because in a bigger light, they are rly pointing out the flaws of government
• P K from Ny, Nythat is the worst kind of hipcrisy, we kiss the flag and talk about how great America is, and yet the very things we hold to be of the highest importance we let others die without land, liberty or freedom. and yeah, vultures not only eat dead animals, but near dead animals... including human children. i am absolutely disgusted that the feds can be sitting around complaining about a song. these people need to serve a term in cambodia, if they survive they will be thankful they live in a land of plenty.
• Erik from Norfolk, MaSo nicoletta, now you have the opinions of many home grown americans, a few americans with foreign backround and knowledge like me, and you also have the point of view of several foreigners who i am pretty sure dont live in the US by the way they expressed their opinion, i.e. Nathan from Australia. have we at least made you look at your country a little differently, that the US might not be the "good guys". I didn't mean to offend you or anyone by saying what i said. I was simply just angry. I just hope you lose a little of the "america is the best" attitude, because there is no way that can be judged, so please, help the world. Lets just have peace and continue with our democratic society, but lets not impose it upon others. Peace, the one word that would end this argument. If only we could impose peace rather than form of government. Lets try that, everybody in this discussion, lets just fight for peace.
• Erik from Norfolk, MaTo answer chris' questions: The most important question you asked was if you are from another country, can you say the US is better. NO, not at all. My parents and my whole family is danish but i was born here in boston MA, so i have quite an open view to the world. What scares me is that people here truly believe that the US is the greatest place on earth. Patriotism and Nationalism is fine and serves its purpose in the world. However, saying that a country is better than another is blatantly ignorant-especially the United States. With Bush in office, this country is no where near the best. First of all the unemployment in this country is abominable compared to other countries in the world. Poverty is far worse than most of the Western european countries, i.e. france which everyone for some reason hates: is that because they didn't want to fight a war that shouldn't have been fought. Seriously people, especially nicoletta; Lift the blinders and look at the world from the perspective of a human being of no nationality, no race, no social status, just as a human. The war on iraq is pointless. Terrorism is INCREASING around the world as a result of dislike and distrust for america. Did you people honestly believe that this war was a war on "terrorism". Why the hell would we attack iraq if that was the case. The terrorists were afghani. We knew, and still know, that pakistan has nuclear weapons, why the hell didn't we go after them. Oh, right, i forgot, saddam threatened bush seniors' life. Look at how many troops we've lost, for what, to give iraq democracy. DEMOCRACY is not something that can be given over night. Did you people really believe that the iraqi people would be democratic over night. Honestly, i am scared. The world is a scary place right now. Right now North Korea is continuing its process of building nuclear weapons. What is bush gonna do now, he has no power. The world will not back him up because he betrayed the rest of the world by invading iraq. He has no control over what North Korea is going to do because they will not listen to him. Why should they, the rest of the world wont help him. If anything, the rest of the world is doing it by themselves, leaving the US out. Nicoletta, look at what you have contributed to, one day you are going to open your eyes and realize the rapid rate at which world is declining in every single way. Christ, bush wont even pass a bill to try to stop global warming, good idea, bring along the end of the world a little quicker Nicoletta, as long as i dont have to see nuclear war. You keep voting on those bill and you keep on voting for those bush like characters, yeah, they are making the US look real good. thanks nicoletta. RATM is a very political group as many of us can deduce from this political discussion that is taking place. Yes, they should be able to say what they want. Yes, they should be allowed to hang their flags upside down. Think about it, it is nothing more than a friendly protest. I have offended the US more by what i have said here than i can ever do by hanging a damn flag upside down. If you dont want to hear it, cover your ears. If you dont want to watch, close your eyes. I honestly dont care. RATM is not just a good band to rock out to, but its also a good band to just listen to and think about the world. Nicoletta pick up a newspaper someday and see how many people are dieing in iraq, american or iraqi, or anyone for that matter. You would be amazed how hard it is to find the death toll of the iraqis. Probably because it is too high to count. Are you proud of that. Are you pround that hundreds of thousands of fathers and sons are dying to fight an unecessary war. Innocent civials being shot for being born in iraq. put youself in their shoes, take your self out of your upper-middle class surroundings and go to iraq. Put down the gucci purse and pick up and m16, see how you like it. ill end it on that note.
• Chris from Philadelphia, PaThere certainly is a variety of views here. I have some questions for the patriotic people: What makes you so patriotic?
  What makes one country "better" than another?
  What is gained by making judgements of this nature?
  Do you feel in any way, limited by your attachment?
  Is dividing people into countries benefical to spiritual development?
  If you were born and raised in another country, can you honestly say that you would believe that the USA is a "better" country than your own? In addition, how would you come to such a decision?
• David from Las Vegas, NvI had to respond to the psuedo patriotic comment posted by Chaz. Rage always performed with an upside down US flag because that is the essence of their music. The flag much like the ideology behind the band was fighting to repair this democracy in peril.
• Nathan from Adelaide, AustraliaI'm glad to see people debating socio-political issues. However, I'm a little disappointed that the discussion is largely about patriotism and what kind of behaviour is "acceptable" for political dissidents. Rather than respond to any particular person's comments, I'd rather respond to the board in general.
  As far as I am concerned, the United States represents the greatest threat to global peace and justice. This idea is certainly not unique to me, and with no disrespect, if some of you stopped believing everything you hear on Fox news, you'd see that. In fact, I would say that most of the third world / middle east shares that opinion. This is not because everybody in the third world / middle east is a terrorist. Quite the contrary, in fact. It is because your political leaders are terrorists. They are not fighting terrorists, they ARE terrorists. I honestly don't want to offend anyone, because I think that when you approach someone calmly and with respect, they are more likely to hear you out. But that said, I get the impression from this board that some of you are highly indoctrinated with ruling-class propaganda. I don't doubt that you want the best for this world and that your values are sincere, but somewhere, somehow, you have been convinced that the capitalist imperialist war machine is synonomous with freedom, justice and equality.
  It is not. Unfortunately, US foreign policy has never been concerned with these values. The two things that concern the US ruling class are access to global resources and economic, political and military dominance. The United States IS an empire, make no mistake. The only distinction between this and any other empire is that the US denies that it is one. This is the reason why the third world is so poor, not bad leadership or a lack of resources or any other reason. To the Western ruling-class, the third world has always been a store-house for primary resources and a sweatshop for first-world industry. There are many reaons for this.
  Firstly, the West is quite content to overthrow democratically elected third-world leaders if their interests do not suit the interests of first-world leaders. This has been demonstrated over and over again. Patrice Lumumba, Salvador Allende, and Che Guevara were all assasinated by the CIA. Where they can, the US likes to install Fascist dictatorships in previously democratic countries, and then invade them when Washington loses control. There are literally thousands of examples of politically motivated killings and kidnappings by US government forces. Even former Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam was secretly sabotaged by the CIA because he disallowed US army bases on Australian soil.
  I am not saying these things to be disagreeable, I honestly want you to know the truth about US foreign policy. Everything I have written about US foreign policy is a fact. Please check for yourself. I highly recommend "Killing Hope" by William Blum. It details every US Military and CIA intervention since World War II.
  To sum up, the US leadership is not in the least concerned with freedom and justice. It is concerned only with geo-strategic control and the perpetuation of its own power. To quote former US Attorney General Ramsay Clarke, "Our overriding purpose, from the beginning through to the present day, has been world domination - that is, to build and maintain the capacity to coerce everybody else on the planet: nonviolently, if possible; and violently, if necessary. But the purpose of US foreign policy of domination is not just to make the rest of the world jump through hoops; the purpose is to facilitate our exploitation of resources."
• Chaz from College Park, MdI'm not a conservative, and I'm not a liberal. I like issues from both sides almost equally the same. I would like to first point out the fact that our fore-fathers who wrote the Constitution spoke highly of keeping the American Flag raised high, never touching the ground and never being destroyed. You sing the National Anthem today because we take pride in what our Flag stands for. I love RATM, however by them hanging the flag upside down and burning it shows other countries how unpatriotic our country has become. However, at the same time, it is a GIVEN RIGHT for us to express our feelings. By RATM making music and expressing their opinions and what should be done it shows what America is about.
• Mike from Mckinney, TxHi, this will be the only time I will look at this specific comment page, so don't bother responding to what im about to say... I only read about 80 percent of the messages on this page and then had to stop, so I apologize to the people at the top. But every comment I read seemed to be more stupid than the last. Everyone who contributed to this page is an idiot and most likeley a petentious one too. I hate you all. I even read somewhere that RATM is a liberal band...That had to be the dumbest part i read. The machine is of course the gov't, as we all know. So unless they have changed format recently, the democratic party still participates in our government. Tom Morello is a communist, he sports the red star everywhere he goes.
• Tara from Gladstone, AustraliaBush is an arse. I just don't understand how some of you Americans can let your views become so clouded by fear that you would actually call yourself "Pro Bush". The man is running a campaign of fear, don't kidd yourself into thinking that he is protecting you, it is all about the money. That is what it all comes down to. Don't fear RATM, don't fear the truth, open your eyes.
• Travis from Lawrence, KsI think it's about time one of those Middle American hicks that dropped out of high school educates the fancy city slicker. Actually, I was born and raised in the middle of Kansas, and I now attend my homestate U (a top 50 university). There must be something right in the water here, because I seem to have devoloped something your New York blood can't handle: freedom of thought. To dismantle part of your arguement right off the bat, I would like to point out that many midwesterners such as myself don't even take the SAT because area schools adhere to ACT standards, therefore skewing any kind of study due to a lack of sample size. That one was too easy. Secondly, did it ever occur to you that, while you accuse Bush supporters of being blind, you are just the same? I am in no way a Bush supporter, but I chose not to take the idiotic "anyone but Bush" position other sheep, such as yourself, blindly rallied behind. I refused to vote for a president due to a lack of a relevant candidate. John Kerry was in no way competent for the office, but he was the only other choice with a chance to win. What you and your aristocratic counterparts failed to realize is that, while you rallied for a release from opression, you were all the while rooting for the same kind of monster. All politicians are corrupt, plain and simple. Kerry and Bush are immoral, power hungry members of an elitist society. W doesn't run this country, big business does, and John Kerry has his hand in the pot, as well (if you'd like some of that fancy educatin', you might pick up a book on Marx). Plain and simple, Chris, you were wrong. Bush isn't necessarily wrong for this country. In fact, he fits it quite nicely. This COUNTRY is just wrong. Everybody has such nice things to say about our forefathers, but they were powerful well-to-does, also. Well, your highness, I hope you learned something from I, your loyal bumpkin servant. Due to your ignorance, I assume I will be seeing your name on the ballot for pres one of these days. I'll rest easy knowing the country is in the hands of the noble easterners.
• Paul from Manchester, EnglandKellen,
  
  I won't open up any personal opinions about the war in Iraq or how itis viewed by the population of the rest of the world. However, speaking as a Briton (and therefore member of the worlds bunch of colonialists) I must defend your comments regarding third-world countries and colonisation.
  While I do not openly agree with colonisation, it is something that started about 250-300 years ago or in the case of Spain, little over 500 years ago. Do not question why it was done, or hold it against those that did, attitudes were somewhat different back then.
  Although most third world countries are indeed former colonies, I do not believe for one minute that this is the cause of their poverty (most of these countries having been much better off before gaining independance).
  The Spanish lost control of South America almost 200 years ago. If those countries are today poor, how is that the fault of the colonists, most of whom remained behind anyway, it's only sovereignty that changed.
  
  And places like India were granted independance in 1947, almost 60 years ago. During this period of self government, the country has slid into poverty. While it was a British Dominion (i.e. the Indian Empire), India benefited much from the industry and trade brought there by the British. The country was given back without clauses or hidden agendas with most of it's natural resources intact. Sovereignty was in fact granted due anti-colonialist pressure, by places like the USA, following the Nazi empire building of World War II.
  
  And while I am on the subject of former colonies, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and to some extent Republic of South Africa seem to be doing well for themselves. If colonialism is to blamed for third world countries poverty, is it also to be thanked for the successes of other former colonies? Or shall we simply say that poverty within a country is generally down to poor leadership and that it is the country's own responsibility to provide strong leadership for itself, as to do otherwise leads to a situation similar to that unfolding in the Gulf.
• David from Las Vegas, NvI have become increasingly jaded with this best of a bad bunch theory when it comes to our fine country. True this is the greatest country in the world; however this does not give you a free pass to sit on your complacent ass while bombs kill innocent citizens with "U.S.A." tagged on the side. Understand that our founding fathers established this "democracy" with the intent that true patriots would continue to fight to make it better. One of my favorite quotes is by one of my favorite US Presidents JFK: "to sin by silence when one should protest makes cowards out of men." There is nothing more un-American than not questioning authority. And by the way, if you want to see the Bulls on Parade that the song is referring to, turn on CNN.
• Chris from Sea Cliff, NyFirst of all, there is a right of free speech, RATM can say/write whatever they want as long as its in reason, just because you dont agree with it, doesnt make it wrong. Second of all bush an incompetant president, the middle america hicks and un educated people really shined in the last election, its not a coincidence that the states with the lowest I.Q. and SAT scores all voted bush. (hhhmmmm?). This song is a qualality peace of expression, it shines a light for people who believe in a better america. Protesting a war does not mean that you hate soldiers or something of the sort.
• Kellen from Nova Scotia, CanadaAccording to documented statistics, if the US Administration (Y-12 Corporate Groups) were to redirect the S500,000,000 they have planned to spend during the next half term on inforced weaponry and homeland security, they would be able to:
  
  - pay a living wage for 17,000 currently impoverished families
  - supply groceries for 121,000 families
  - 410,000 currently uninsured children could have health insurance, access to preventative medicine
  - provide Head Start for 90,000 children
  - buy 8000 Habitat for Humanity homes
  - build 70,000 affordable apartment units
  - cover a year?s tuition for about 72,000 college students
  
  To nicoletta, SOAD is stupid. They are a dumb band, that has little to any tangeable research behind theyre lyrics. Quoting prison statistics, and using metaphorical meaning in songs does not make you a radical (and no I'm not biased by the fact that RATM is awesome haha). Bush (along with 90% of the other Presidents) have done little but taint the world view on Americans. I'm not anti american, but I can see why some of this evidence would be self-incriminating. There have been three decent presidents by my opion:
  
  Thomas Jefferson- instituted the American Bill of rights stating that all men are created equal.
  
  Abe Lincoln- stood up for racial rights, and fought the good fight
  
  John F. Kennedy- may not hav been a totally pure president, but he did address the issue that America is controlled by a higher power and that his maing goal (probably leading to his assination) was to unearth these lies to the American public. (I'm unsure of the exact quote...but he made it at A texan University just days before he was assasinated...it involved unrest in the high offices of the white house..anyone know?)
  
  These presidents may not have been perfect...but don't ever, EVER say that Bush or many other president has done anything good for your country without considering what good actually is. Saddam Hussein may have been a vicious fascist dictator, but how is the troops being sent unknowingly into disaster, which Operation Iraqi Freedom obviously has become, to fight a cause which is unjustified and skeptically devised...for a president who is a materialized puppet for a fascist structure be any different? He's no better than Saddam Hussein, Joseph Stalin, Zedong Mao, Castro or any of them? They all fight in the same bloodthristy merciless fashion for power
• Bob from Boston, MaThis discussion speaks volumes for this song...really incites people.
• Joe from Racine, WiI think that the song is simply about how destructive this country is towards other countries. The line "the rotten soar on the face of mother earth gets bigger," means that 3rd world countries, Iraq for example, are so poor, and instead of helping them, we just bomb them. And the line,"weapons, not shoes, not homes, not food," is about the tax money going to weapons and the military instead of fixing problems in our country. i think the song is about how instead of fixing our own problems, we make other countries problems worse. And i also think that people like RATM, System of a Down, and Micheal Moore have the right to protest the government. Cause we have this little thing called the first amendment. And we have this little problem called censorship, and this big problem called Bush.
  
  KERRY 2004!!!!
• Bryan from Sacto , Cahey aaron iam a conservative republican and i think that crap about bush brainwashing us is b.s. Plus I think although their very liberal there an awesome, awesome band, and I think its really awesome they have the guts to protest what they believe is wrong, thats the beauty of america. I dont agree with hanging the flags upside down but I think itrs cool they can do that(and are brave enough to do it) without getting arrested, rebellion is what being a young person is about.
• Aaron from Aurora, Ilnicoletta, you're criticizing clinton for bombing kosovo while praising bush for bombing iraq, which is contradicitory. both situations are similiar. we got attacked and clinton bombed a country that had no threat to us. well same with 9/11. we weren't "bombed" by terrorists but attacked and the terrorists were al-quaida, not iraq. iraq had nothing to do with it. a buncha republicans always say they hate propoganda when theyre victims. anyone supporting bush is a victim. he used the words "iraq" and "terrorist" and "al-quaida" a lot in the same sentence to get ur mind correlating all of them. terrorist=al quaida=iraq=threat to us=lets go to war. uve been brainwashed by bush
• Nicoletta from Bronx, NyTo be honest, the main great thing that Bush has done was send our troops to Iraq instead of sitting back while terrorists bombed us on American soil. Looking at the location of most of you it seems like the ones who are nowhere near New York City where the towers were hit love to criticize me. And to Mike from Canton, I do listen to Rage and SOAD. They do make kickass music, but the message is utterly wrong in most cases. Speaking up against the U.S. Government, like I've said before is smacking us back in our faces. When Clinton was in office, we were attacked and he did absolutely nothing about it. What did he do? He bombed Kosovo, a country that is so minor in affecting our economy and security as American citizens. I believe that our safety is more important than policing around the world over ethnic cleansing. I as an American citizen have every right to listen to music. I'm stating an opinion like everyone else is on this forum, but as I am born here and raised, I stand by my country.
• Rory from Kalama, Wahey nicolleta, name a few of these "great things" for us because I sure can't think of any. This is the guy that is making the rich richer, raising our dependancies on foreign oil, making the poor poorer, dividing the country, offending our allies, inciting panic to keep the masses in line and completely destroying the separation between church and state. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. rage has the right and the responsibility of educating the masses and raising the veil pulled over the eyes of society by the conservative media. long live rage!
• Mike from Canton, MiI don't agree with anything RATM sings about but I still like their music. I don't like Liberals or Conservitives, I don't think what they do (upside down flags, ect) is right but this here is America and in America you can express yourself freely. Nicoletta, if you don't like em, don't listen to them! Now of corse I think its stupid to do things like that. This country isn't great, but its still the best place on earth and we are all very damn lucky to be here. Complaining about America isn't smart, especially when you could be living in a place where true opression and poverty occurs, such as 3rd world countries and dictatorships, and to compare the democratic nation to a dictatorship is just plain wrong. People get too upset over these things. but at the SAME TIME, people who want to ban flag burning and such are just as horrible, because that makes the country exactly what it isnt but is compared to be: Nazi Germany. Everyone can express their veiws, no matter what. That means you can Nicoletta, and RATM can. If you don't agree with them, stop listening to them. Why get so bent out of shape about this? Does this really make your life worse? You can still be happy. Go make yourself a lemonade and leave this argument alone. it will take a load off your brain. and anyone else too, no matter what your veiws are...extreemists are wrong. But that don't mean they can't make sweet music.
  
  
  Oh, And to everyone else, I think this song is protesting guns.
• Joe from El Paso, TxThe lyric "that five-sided fistagon" is a metaphor for the Pentagon. They used fistagon instead of polygon as imagery to depict the the government as an iron fist.
• Nick from Shelton, CtThe song is about war, and how messed up it is,, and how good people get cought up in it"rally round the familly with a pocket full of shells.." = souldiers in a city, emptiing libraries, Lets face it War is not good, ,,, all rage is saying (in to maney words) is that war is messed up, it makes no scense what so ever. and to open your eyes and see whats really going on. there expressing there opinionm, not with guns, but with words,
• Robert from Pittsburgh, PaI heard this song is based on a true event with a mafia snitch that put away some big members of the New york mafia (the family), and when he left the courthouse, he was surrounded with federal agents, hence the line "bulls on parade". The power dons and the five sided fistagon are the 5 mafia families in NY.
• Ray from Lake City, FlThe song is about the government controling us with their big shiney guns and what not (Rally 'round your family...with a pocket full of shells...), but I see not what this had to do with two people shaking hands...I mean, it didn't have to come to that. This here thingy is to talk about the SONG, not what you felt was a wrongdoing by a political leader...
  Nice song and all, but I'm thinking you over-analyzed it. How long ago was this song released? 1996. After Operation Desert Storm...our attack on Iraq. If you think about it we were allies with Cuba when it was taken over by Castro. Whether or not Rumsfeld was in a picture with Huessein is not a revelant fact in this matter.
  Nicolleta, I don't see why this got you so fired up. You're FOR Bush, so you thought that Rage's example of putting the flag upside down was wrong, and you think that SOAD is also wrong for protesting the war. Brian was right about the Constitution, and our rights as American citizens are being imposed upon. There is so much corruption in Government now that they use the Constitution and the Bill of Rights as mere giudelines. I do on the other hand agree that it was wrong to hang the flag upside down. This action does not change my opinion of RATM or this song however.
• Zach from Raleigh, NcDon't you people have all the fun taken out of your music by considering it's political means?
  I certainly don't want to pay $13.99 to have propaganda implanted into my head accompanied by catchy bass lines, and guitar solos.
• Dustin from Tampa, FlI don't care for the message of the song, but I used to play this song before I played football. Dang this song gets you pumped up and ready to bash some heads in.
• Tim from Galway, NyDon't forget the fact that the US government supplied and supported Saddam Hussein when he first got into power; this included the nerve gas that he used on the Kurds. In fact, there is a picture of Donald Rumsfeld, thats right, one of Bush's right hand goonies, shaking hands with Saddam shortly after he came into power, to view the picture go here: http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB82/press.htm
• Robin from Sydney, CanadaTo Nicoletta:
  
  you do realize that Saddam was not a threat to the Americas at all! He possesed no weapons of Mass Destruction, and the only people he killed were the Kurds living in Iraq. The Kurds are enemies of the Iraqis. (it is the same way between the Israelis and palestineans)
  
  George Bush admitted to knowing that he posessed no knowledge of WMDs in Iraq. The only reason he enetered the country was to get the country's oil/natural gas.
  
  and to your last statement: the rules of engagement state that the police may not fire until fired upon (or other chance for physical harm may occur)that does NOT mean pre-emptive shooting. the cops got off with murder. the only reason they got off: they're cops!
• Nicoletta from Bronx, Nyjimbo, u sound like a smart guy ... being in boston, i'm assuming ur an intellectual college student, and what u wrote was an opinion which i can't condemn you for that. but i don't see how i screwed up. i just told the bands to go f*** themselves. so, as far as i'm concerned, i'm protected by the constitution in that standpoint, now, aren't i? i will give RATM some leeway when it comes to the freedom of speech issue since the lead singer is a mexican-american, a culture where the white man stole land from them and the native americans. however, in most countries around the world, people will get killed and stoned (yes,this has been done recently in africa to a woman) to death for disobeying laws that we, americans, would find ridiculous. in the police situation, i'll admit, some are ass holes, but they are here to protect us and our country would be chaotic without them. in rage's last concert, de la rocha gave a speech that included the diallo shooting where all 4 police officers walked off getting away with murder in a sense. (get ready for this one, guys) i'm sorry, but living in nyc, they had the right to shoot cuz in the big apple, i have witnessed several times, criminals taking shots at cops before the cops had the chance to shoot back. These cops fear for their lives every day on the streets, and just because one incident declared cops to be killers doesn't make it applicable for the rest of the police departments.
• Blake from Seattle, WaIt's the military's distress signal to fly to flag upside down.
• Jimbo from Boston, MaHard subject to discuss, but I think that Simon's right here. Being patriotic is standing up for your beliefs. R.A.T.M. was being patriotic in their own way by hanging up the flags upside down, and Nicolleta is also being patriotic in expressing pro-war beliefs. Nicolleta screwed up though by condemning anti-war statements, which is censorship, the antithesis of patriotism. While SNL was entitled to censor them on the air, it was wrong. I COULD go shoot someone but that doesn't mean I will or should. I think that SNL should've let it fly with the flags. P.S. RATM rocks and I am anti-war (my own little bit of patriotism)
• Simon from Anchorage, Aklook nicolletta, people like rage and many others take pride in what America is. it is not a flag, not a ribbon you wear when you want to feel patriotic. you are patriotic when you stand up for something you believe in, because that's what the people who founded this country did. also, rage didnt just do it for that show, they are on the amps at every show, as well as a flag of che guevara. so, dont get offended when some one hangs a flag upside down, its only cloth. be offended when some one uses that flag for their own benefit, by starting wars and taking food and books from children, when that money should go to funding the future of this country, and the world. like eisenhower said, "every bomb that is produced, is taking away from the needs of the American people." rage is not anti-america, george bush is.
• Schuyler from Clearfield, PaJust remember when you throw around the term freedom of speech what it actually means. I support many things RATM says and believe their views should be heard, but SNL has every right to censor their acts. True freedom of speech refers to the government censoring it's citizens and our right to say what we want, we just can't do this on someone else's TV show if they don't want us to.
• Brian from Mayfield Heights, Ohmaking money of "us" nicoletta? who is "us".. the slaves of the establishment? the bitches of the feds? or the sheep led by the shepards of those who pander to the lowest common denominator. Think for ur self woman. They are fully entitled to protest aslong as no one is hurt... and just becuase u, snl, and a lot of the counrty has decide it will lick the feet of the corrupt, does not mean they have to also. They and SoaD are fully protected by the document ur masters have so terrilbly abused. I belive it's call the Constitution.
• Gus from Baltimore, Mdits called freedom of speech nicolleta from ny, the reasoning for RATM hanging flags upside down is due to the utterly worse things our country does. pride sure can blind.
• Eddie from Lachine, MiTom Morello plays the guitar solo by simply scraping his strings with his pick.
  I also believe that the bass was slightly out of tune, thus sounding more angry.
• Nicoletta from Bronx, Nyf*** them and system of a down for protesting against the war and the cops ... putting the flag upside down is the utterly worst thing to do against our country while LIVING here and making money off us!
• Nick from Paramus, NjThe title lyric in the song was once misheard as "b***s*** for brains". I'm not making this up.

More Songfacts:

GreaseFrankie Valli

The song "Grease," sung by Frankie Valli in the 1978 movie, was written by Barry Gibb of The Bee Gees.

I Wanna Be Your DogThe Stooges

Sleigh bells aren't very punk, but they play throughout the Stooges classic "I Wanna Be Your Dog."

ToxicBritney Spears

"Toxic" was the most-searched song on Google in 2004 and helped Spears become the most-searched artist that year, a title she held from 1999-2001.

Uptown FunkMark Ronson

The biggest hit of 2015 was "Uptown Funk," a collaboration between Bruno Mars and guitarist/producer Mark Ronson. Ronson says making it took "six or seven months of chasing Bruno around on tour."

Don't ChaThe Pussycat Dolls

Sir Mix-A-Lot is credited as a writer on The Pussycat Dolls' biggest hit, "Don't Cha," because it interpolates his 1988 song "Swass," where he goes, "Don't you wish your boyfriend was swass like me?"

Sweet Child O' MineGuns N' Roses

"Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses is about Erin Everly, who was Axl Rose's girlfriend at the time. She is the daughter of Don Everly of the Everly Brothers.

Editor's Picks

Ron and Russell Mael of SparksSongwriter Interviews

The men of Sparks on their album Hippopotamus, and how Morrissey handled it when they suggested he lighten up.

Motley CrueFact or Fiction

Was Dr. Feelgood a dentist? Did the "Crüecifixion" really happen?

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"They're Playing My Song

Chris and his wife Tina were the rhythm section for Talking Heads when they formed The Tom Tom Club. "Genius of Love" was their blockbuster, but David Byrne only mentioned it once.

Graham ParkerSongwriter Interviews

When Judd Apatow needed under-appreciated rockers for his Knocked Up sequel, he immediately thought of Parker, who just happened to be getting his band The Rumour back together.

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."

Songs Discussed in MoviesSong Writing

Bridesmaids, Reservoir Dogs, Willy Wonka - just a few of the flicks where characters discuss specific songs, sometimes as a prelude to murder.