Album: Evil Empire (1996)
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Songfacts®:

  • This song is one huge reference to the extremely popular and extremely right-wing radio shows hosted by such people as Rush Limbaugh, Watergate burglar G. Gordon Liddy, and son of Ronald Reagan, Michael Reagan. They all put forth similar reactionary agendas over the US airwaves. Below is a lyric analysis.
  • The line "crosses and kerosene" refers to the practice, by the Ku Klux Klan, of burning crosses in the front yards of people they wish to threaten.
  • "The same one that ran around Managua wit a sword" - During the Iran-Contra affair in the mid 1980s, Oliver North and company funded the counterrevolutionaries in Nicaragua, based in Managua.
  • "Check out tha new style that Ollie found" - This refers to Oliver North, whose conviction in the Iran-Contra scandal of the 1980s was overturned on a technicality, now hosts an extremely right-wing radio talk show and has run for the US Senate.
  • "Comin' down like bats from Stacy Coon" - Former Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. Stacey Coon was one of the four LAPD policemen videotaped beating black motorist Rodney King in the early '90s. He was the only one convicted. The 1992 Los Angeles riots followed the trial and acquittals. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Filip - Vranje, Yugoslavia, for all above

Comments: 9

  • Mike from Selden, Nythe wanton song and this song are not the same. the fast riff you're probably refering to in the wanton song is played with a G and its octive where as vietnow is played along the E scale, however both riffs root themselves on the (low) E string. Perhaps most similar aspect between the two is that their tempos are both between 108 and 110 beats per minute and both played with sixteenth notes.
  • J.d. from Detroit, MiI am not very adept with lyics, which is why I always carry a book of them.

    I am most unfamiliar with R.A.M., but this song makes me want to learn more about them. As a frequently protest musician, I need to know the melody and chord structure, so anyone who can help me there, please do so.
    -J.D., Detroit
  • Sam from Cambridge, Ontario, Canadai think when Jamie says "they" he means rage; and that rage is against "fascist pigs", but he put the hyphen in the wrong spot.
  • Nick from Putnam, CtAnybody else thing the riff in this song is borrowed from Zeppelin's The Wanton Song?
  • Matt from Sulechow, PolandThis song is totally crushing, I just love listening to it, it's extremely powerful. The bass and guitar background, together with the quite simple (but great) rythmical pattern, create a perfect mixture - the song just flooows:-)
  • John from Glasgow, Scotlandwhen you talk about anti-fascist pigs, who do you mean? rage?
  • Jamie Jay from West Oxfordshire, EnglandThey aren't anti white they are anti fascist-pigs and that isn't always the same thing, in fact who am i to tell you who they are against?
  • Jamie Jay from West Oxfordshire, EnglandI like the bit when Y.Tim.K shouts 'huh' over and over again ( off the beet) while Brad Wilk does a smart little rhythmical trip-up on the drums.
  • Jamie Jay from West Oxfordshire, EnglandWhen he says 'coming down like bats from Stacey Coon' it sound like 'bats from Stacey Coonan!'
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