Nasty

Album: The Day Is My Enemy (2015)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Speaking to Q magazine, Prodigy keyboardist/producer Liam Howlett likened the middle section of this schizophrenic breakdance as "some trippy Winston Churchill vibe."
  • The song and accompanying animated video is an attack on the widening gulf between classes in the UK. The scurrying fox in the clip is a reference to the Conservative plans to re-legalise fox-hunting.
  • This is the first single from The Day Is My Enemy, the follow-up to 2009's Invaders Must Die. Liam Howlett explained to NME why it took six years to get the record out. "I'm always writing but 2013 and 2014 were bad years as far as the writing went," he said. "It's no excuse, but I was fu---d about and had to move studios twice. I'm in a different place now - I had somewhere built; I'm in The Tileyard in Kings Cross - I've got my own room and it's great."
  • Vocalist Keith Flint explained the lyrical content to Q magazine: "A friend of mine had called me Mr. Nasty."

    "Because he heard me going on about somebody I wanted to stab in the throat," he added. "You get the vibe. There is an inner timebomb that can be triggered. And I think that's when people get shocked by who I am."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Julian Lennon

Julian LennonSongwriter Interviews

Julian tells the stories behind his hits "Valotte" and "Too Late for Goodbyes," and fills us in on his many non-musical pursuits. Also: what MTV meant to his career.

Intentionally Atrocious

Intentionally AtrociousSong Writing

A selection of songs made to be terrible - some clearly achieved that goal.

Arrested For Your Art - The Story Of 2 Live Crew's "Obscene" Album

Arrested For Your Art - The Story Of 2 Live Crew's "Obscene" AlbumSong Writing

In the summer of 1990, you could get arrested for selling a 2 Live Crew album or performing their songs in Southern Florida. And that's exactly what happened.

Janet Jackson

Janet JacksonFact or Fiction

Was Janet secretly married at 18? Did she gain 60 pounds for a movie role that went to Mariah Carey? See what you know about Ms. Jackson.

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?Song Writing

Katy Perry mentions McDonald's, Beyoncé calls out Red Lobster, and Supertramp shouts out Taco Bell - we found the 10 restaurants most often mentioned in songs.

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.