God Is a Bullet (song)

"God Is a Bullet" is a song from American alternative rock band Concrete Blonde, which was released in 1989 as the lead single from their second studio album Free. The song was written and produced by the band. "God Is a Bullet" reached number 15 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.[1]

"God Is a Bullet"
Single by Concrete Blonde
from the album Free
Released1989
Length4:22
LabelI.R.S.
Songwriter(s)Concrete Blonde
Producer(s)Concrete Blonde
Concrete Blonde singles chronology
"Dance Along the Edge"
(1987)		 "God Is a Bullet"
(1989)		 "Happy Birthday"
(1989)
Music video
"God Is a Bullet" on YouTube

Background

Concrete Blonde were inspired to write an anti-gun song after witnessing shootings and other gun-related incidents first-hand as residents of Los Angeles. The song was written in about 1987. Napolitano told The Ottawa Citizen in 1989, "This country has seen too many John Wayne movies. We were rehearsing one day and someone shot all the windows out of my car. Another day I was driving down the street to park it and I saw someone pull a gun on a guy. I had to keep on driving with my head under the dash hoping that he wouldn't come after me because I saw him do it. You hear guns going off all the time. We've become used to it in L.A. which means it's out of hand."[2]

Music video

The song's music video was directed by Jane Simpson. It achieved breakout rotation on MTV,[3] but received some resistance from the channel, who wanted the band to provide a new video for the track. Napolitano revealed to The Ottawa Citizen, "They want us to remake it. MTV won't take the video off, but they won't play it any more either. It's a very strong thing."[2]

Critical reception

On its release, FMQB wrote, "Napolitano sneers and pants the words and by the instrumental break, the band sinks into a wonderful groove and some twisted guitar."[4] Chris Willman of the Los Angeles Times described "God Is a Bullet" as a "hard rocking, pleading lament" with a "'Peter Gunn'-like bass theme [and] a "sirenlike guitar riff".[5] Jim Sullivan of The Boston Globe considered it to be "a fierce, catchy, anti-gun madness song written well before the current sniper madness began [but] coincidentally topical."[6]

In a review of Free, David Okamoto of the St. Petersburg Times wrote, "The standout is 'God Is a Bullet,' a passionate statement that employs chugging 'Peter Gunn' guitars to drive Napolitano's chilling vignettes and remorse for such slain heroes as John Lennon, Martin Luther King Jr. and Harvey Milk."[7] Gene Armstrong of The Arizona Daily Star considered the song to be "sinister" and one which "rides a creepy guitar-bass line that recalls the themes from 'Batman' and 'Peter Gunn'."[8] John Kendle of The Winnipeg Sun stated the song is an "anti-gun reworking of the riff from the Batman theme, marked by Napolitano's throaty, she-cat-on-the-prowl vocals".[9]

Formats
7-inch single (UK, Europe and Australia)[10][11][12]
No.TitleLength
1."God Is a Bullet"4:20
2."Free"3:10
12-inch single (US, UK and Europe) and CD single (Germany)[13][14][15][16]
No.TitleLength
1."God Is a Bullet"4:20
2."Free"3:10
3."Little Wing"4:15
CD single (US promo)[17]
No.TitleLength
1."God Is a Bullet"4:22

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the German CD single liner notes and the Free CD album booklet.[16][18]

God Is a Bullet

Production

  • Concrete Blonde – producers ("God Is a Bullet", "Free", "Little Wing")
  • Earle Mankey – recording ("God Is a Bullet", "Free", "Little Wing"), producer ("Free"), mixing ("Free", "Little Wing")
  • Chris Tsangarides – mixing ("God Is a Bullet")

Other

  • Johnette Napolitano – sleeve
  • Jane Simpson – video stills
  • William Herrón of Los Illegals – original art

Charts
Chart (1989) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA Charts)[19] 146
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[20] 15
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[21] 49

References
  1. "Concrete Blonde - Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  2. Erskine, Evelyn (July 14, 1989). "Concrete Blonde takes aim at gun laws". The Ottawa Citizen. p. B2.
  3. "The Clip List" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 101, no. 24. June 17, 1989. p. 50. Retrieved January 3, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  4. "Hottest New Trax" (PDF). FMQB. No. 638. April 7, 1989. p. 4. Retrieved January 3, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  5. Willman, Chris (May 7, 1989). "Pop Music: Face the video and dance". The Los Angeles Times. p. 66.
  6. Sullivan, Jim (April 24, 1989). "Concrete Blonde back in action". The Boston Globe. p. 11.
  7. Okamoto, David (May 14, 1989). "Concrete Blonde takes flight in 'Free'". St. Petersburg Times. p. 2F.
  8. Armstrong, Gene (May 26, 1989). "Blonde melds rebellion, sensitivity with aplomb". The Arizona Daily Star. p. 11F.
  9. Kendle, John (May 19, 1989). "Solid LP from Concrete Blonde; Lauper's songwriting crumbles". The Winnipeg Sun. p. F13.
  10. God Is a Bullet (UK 7-inch single sleeve notes). Concrete Blonde. I.R.S. Records. 1989. EIRS 121.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. God Is a Bullet (European 7-inch single sleeve notes). Concrete Blonde. I.R.S. Records. 1989. 006-24 1027 7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. God Is a Bullet (Australian 7-inch single sleeve notes). Concrete Blonde. Liberation Records, I.R.S. Records. 1989. LS2070.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. God Is a Bullet (US 12-inch single sleeve notes). Concrete Blonde. I.R.S. Records. 1989. IRS-74001.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. God Is a Bullet (UK 12-inch single sleeve notes). Concrete Blonde. I.R.S. Records. 1989. EIRST 121.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. God Is a Bullet (European 12-inch single sleeve notes). Concrete Blonde. I.R.S. Records. 1989. K 060-24 1027 6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. God Is a Bullet (German CD single liner notes). Concrete Blonde. I.R.S. Records. 1989. CDP 552 24 1027 3.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. God Is a Bullet (US CD promotional single liner notes). Concrete Blonde. I.R.S. Records. 1989. CD45-8201.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. Free (US CD album liner notes). Concrete Blonde. I.R.S. Records. 1989. IRSD-82001.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. "Week commencing 2 October 1989". Bubbling Down Under. October 2, 2020. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  20. "Concrete Blonde Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  21. "Concrete Blonde Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
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