Killing in the Name
Producers
Killing in the Name Lyrics
Killing in the name of
[Verse]
Some of those that work forces
Are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces
Are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces
Are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces
Are the same that burn crosses
Uh!
[Refrain]
Killing in the name of
Killing in the name of
[Pre-Chorus]
Now you do what they told ya
Now you do what they told ya
Now you do what they told ya
Now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
But now you do what they told ya!
Well now you do what they told ya
Those who died are justified
For wearin' the badge, they're the chosen whites
You justify those that died
By wearin' the badge, they're the chosen whites
Those who died are justified
For wearin' the badge, they're the chosen whites
You justify those that died
By wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
[Verse]
Some of those that work forces
Are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces
Are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces
Are the same that burn crosses
Some of those that work forces
Are the same that burn crosses
Uh!
[Refrain]
Killing in the name of
Killing in the name of
[Pre-Chorus]
Now you do what they told ya
Now you do what they told ya
Now you do what they told ya
Now you do what they told ya
And now you do what they told ya
(Now you're under control)
And now you do what they told ya
(Now you're under control)
And now you do what they told ya
(Now you're under control)
And now you do what they told ya
(Now you're under control)
And now you do what they told ya
(Now you're under control)
And now you do what they told ya
(Now you're under control)
And now you do what they told ya
(Now you're under control!)
And now you do what they told ya
Those who died are justified
For wearin' the badge, they're the chosen whites
You justify those that died
By wearin' the badge, they're the chosen whites
Those who died are justified
For wearin' the badge, they're the chosen whites
You justify those that died
By wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
Come on!
[Guitar Solo]
Ugh!
Yeah!
Come on!
Ugh!
[Outro]
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me
Motherfucker!
Ugh!
About
A searing protest song against police brutality, “Killing in the Name” was the lead single from Rage Against the Machine’s self-titled debut album, initially only reaching #25 on the UK charts in 1993 after being released in November 1992. It was written six months following the Rodney King beating in 1991, which resulted in the L.A. riots.
17 years later, after a Facebook campaign (in response to manufactured artists from a TV show releasing a Christmas single), the single reached #1 on the UK, #2 on the Scottish, #2 on the Irish and #4 on the European Singles Charts. In addition, the song became the Fastest-selling digital track (UK), according to Guinness World Records, with 502,672 downloads.
A little dose of anarchy for the Christmas holidays is good for the soul. I love the independent spirit of the British rock fans. Your country has a great rich history of cutting-edge, exciting rebel music. Whether it’s the early Stones and The Who, or The Clash and Sex Pistols, or Prodigy and Muse, I think that people are just fed up with being represented every Christmas holiday, being spoon fed some overblown, sugary ballad that sits at the top of the charts
– Tom Morello
Additionally, the album cover depicts a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, self-immolating in 1963 in protest of then President Ngô Đình Diệm’s oppression of the Buddhist religion. This is fitting to the anti-establishment message of the song.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
As recently as January 7, 2020, guitarist Tom Morello referenced the song on Twitter in response to revelations that numerous off-duty police officers were among the insurrectionists who staged the attempted coup on the US Capitol the previous day.
When Spin Magazine asked the group about the report that the song was used to torture prisoners at Guantanamo, Morello said they unsuccessfully sued the State Department.
It was very hurtful that a song that was written about liberation of body and spirit to be used as a Medieval flogging device.
