Bullet in the Head (song)

Bullet in the Head is a song by American rock band Rage Against the Machine, released as the second single from their 1992 eponymous debut album. A fan favorite and one of the album's heaviest tracks, "Bullet in the Head" refers to the band's belief that the government uses media to control the population, drawing comparisons between typical residences and Alcatraz. The track was transferred intact from the band's demo, also titled Rage Against the Machine.[1]

"Bullet in the Head"
A classroom with students and a teacher facing to the American flag with their right hand over their hearts. In red letterbox is white text "rage against the machine" with red text at the bottom of the cover "Bullet In The Head".
Single by Rage Against the Machine
from the album Rage Against the Machine
ReleasedDecember 29, 1992
GenreRap metal · funk metal
Length5:07
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)Tim Commerford, Zack de la Rocha, Tom Morello, Brad Wilk
Producer(s)Garth "GGGarth" Richardson, Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine singles chronology
"Killing in the Name"
(1992)		 "Bullet in the Head"
(1992)		 "Bombtrack"
(1993)

Both front and back images for the single's artwork were by the French photographer Marc Riboud.[2]

"Bullet in the Head" is mentioned in the lyrics to Pennywise's "I Won't Have It", from their 1995 album About Time. In the booklet of the album, Zack de la Rocha's name is also mentioned next to the "Bullet in the Head" part.

This song was to be the second performance on Rage Against the Machine's set during an April 1996 episode of Saturday Night Live. However, the band was kicked out after only one song for hanging inverted American flags from their amplifiers.[3]

Music video

A video clip was recorded in a warehouse in New York. While not often cited, this isn't a mimed video, but a live performance recorded for the BBC's program The Late Show. In the words of Tom Morello, "The tour bus pulled up in front of the BBC studio, we ran through the song once in front of the cameras, then left to play a club that night." The video appeared on the band's self-titled DVD, released November 25, 1997 on Epic Records.[4]

Track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Bullet in the Head" (Album Version)5:11
2."Bullet in the Head" (Remix)5:39
3."Bullet in the Head" (Live)5:46
4."Settle for Nothing" (Live)4:58
Total length:21:34
  • Remix done by Sir J Jinx.

Charts
Chart (1993) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[5] 53
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[6] 47
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[7] 19
UK Singles (OCC)[8] 16

References
  1. Robbins, Ira (1997). The Trouser Press Guide to '90s Rock. New York: Fireside. p. 591. ISBN 0-684-81437-4.
  2. ""Bullet In The Head" at". Discogs.com. February 7, 1993. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  3. "Saturday Night Live Incident". Musicfanclubs.org. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  4. "Rage Against the Machine Video". Musicfanclubs.org. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  5. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 228.
  6. "Rage Against the Machine – Bullet in the Head" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  7. "Rage Against the Machine – Bullet in the Head". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  8. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
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