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“11 Wickedly Thrilling Songs About Weapons” features songs courtesy of Bruno Mars, Ice Nine Kills, Jack White, Maggie Rogers and Sam Fender.

“We’re killing strangers / We’re killing strangers, so we don’t kill the ones that we / Love…” Fair enough Marilyn Manson.  Adding more toughness, Manson brings some weapons into the mix. He asserts on the bridge of malicious sounding “Killing Strangers” (The Pale Emperor), “And we got guns, we got guns / Motherfuckers better, better run.” Wow.

This playlist, ladies and gents, is all about weapons, or rather, songs that reference weapons.  Most of the songs on 11 WICKEDLY THRILLING SONGS ABOUT WEAPONS feature the weapon explicitly in the title of the song and go on to further mention it within the lyrics. There is one slight exception, with the emphasis being on slight. 11 WICKEDLY THRILLING SONGS ABOUT WEAPONS features songs courtesy of Bruno Mars (“Grenade”), Ice Nine Kills (“Merry Axe-Mas” and “Stabbing in the Dark”), Jack White (“Blunderbuss”), Maggie Rogers (“The Knife”), and Sam Fender (“Hypersonic Missiles”) among others. Prepare to be blown away by this weapon-centric list – not literally of course!

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1.Sam Fender, “Hypersonic Missiles”

Hypersonic Missiles • Polydor • 2019

Weapon: Missiles 

British singer/songwriter Sam Fender is pretty rad.  So is the British singer/songwriter’s entire debut album, Hypersonic Missiles.  What makes Hypersonic Missiles the ‘cat’s meow?’ Excellent musicianship from Fender in regard to vocal performances and colorful, creative, and poetic songwriting.  One of the best moments from Hypersonic Missiles arrives at the onset – “Hypersonic Missiles.”

“Cities lie like tumors all across the world / A cancer eating mankind hidden in our blindside.” “Hypersonic Missiles” kicks off Hypersonic Missiles superbly.  Sam Fender delivers a number of politically charged, socially conscious lyrics.  Even with the ‘chaos’ referenced during the song, he tells Vents Magazine:

“In many ways, ‘Hypersonic Missiles’ is an unorthodox love song… Amongst all the chaos is love and celebration, there is this glimmer of hope that runs through the song  little notion that no matter what happens, these two people are gonna have a fucking good time regardless of the tyrants that run their world, and regardless of the imminent doom from these ‘Hypersonic Missiles’.”

Fender’s explanation explains the optimism conveyed in the chorus lyrics, “And when the bombs drop, darling / Can you say that you’ve lived your life?”

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2. Maggie Rogers, “The Knife”

Heard It in a Past Life • Capitol • 2019

Weapon: Knife

“Hit me up if you’re feeling down / Give a little, oh, we’ll figure this out / Keep me up, keep my mind turned ‘round / After dark, after light.” Maggie Rogers’ time finally came in 2019. How? Rogers, the New York University student who caught Pharrell Williams’ attention for her hit record, “Alaska”, released her highly anticipated debut album, Heard It in a Past Life, in January 2019.  Heard It in a Past Life follows independent projects, as well as an EP, Now That the Light is Fading, which originally featured “Alaska” and “On + Off.” For this weapon-themed playlist, we look to “The Knife,” the third track from Heard It in a Past Life.

The chorus, excerpted above, actually fails to mention to the knife – WTF? No fears, as Maggie Rogers references the knife on the first verse, second verse, and the bridge.  On the first verse, she sings, “The knife of insight tore its way in me / A brash collision without sympathy.” Damn.  On the second verse (pretty much like unto it), Rogers sings, “Oh the knife of insight brought me to my knees / Brought me down and taught me how to seek.” So, this is ultimately a metaphorical knife, not a legitimate one.  Still, it certainly seems to be cutting Maggie deeply. Sleek production work, including a sensational groove, on-point bass line, and exquisite keyboards give Rogers quite the backdrop to work with. Additionally, the backing vocals provide masterful support as well.

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3. YG, “Handgun”

Ft. A$AP Rocky

Stay Dangerous • Def Jam • 2018

Weapon: Axe 

Does YG ‘Stay Dangerous’ on his single “Handgun”? You bet he does! “Handgun” commences with sketchy, seedy-sounding, mysterious synths at the onset. YG drops a loosely, pop-rapped hook on this rhythmic joint, which grows catchier with successive listens.  On the verses, his rhymes are repetitive at times, yet still ‘amped-up’ as he raps about sex and, you guessed it, shooting. Hey – both of those things can get you in serious trouble!

 

A$AP Rocky arrives on the second verse, exhibiting gimmicky as well, while adding a couple more topics to his ‘arsenal’ – shooting, lux, money, sex. Still, he doesn’t serve up a surprise rap lyric gourmet… Ultimately, “Handgun” is a respectable listen that’s DEFINITELY dangerous.  “Handgun” previously appeared on 11 Songs That Are Dangerous, Violent, or Otherwise.

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4. Ice Nine Kills, “Merry Axe-Mas”

The Silver Scream • Fearless • 2018

Weapon: Axe

“T’was the night before Christmas / At just five years old / My parents were butchered / In the blistering cold.” Yeah, metalcore collective Ice Nine Kills don’t exactly establish the most exuberant, jolly holiday spirit on “Merry Axe-Mas,” the 11^th track from their totally dark fifth studio album, The Silver Scream.  Honestly, the opening lyrics are totally messed up.  Regardless, “Merry Axe-Mas” fits the over-the-top, dramatic nature of the horror-laden LP, transforming a highly anticipated, beloved annual holiday into total, murderous, and morbid hellishness.

The specific villain of “Merry Axe-Mas” is Santa Claus of all people (“In his suit stained with red”), while the inspirational source is likely 1984 horror film, Silent Night Deadly Night. Safe to say, Christmas is totally ruined, whether it’s the brutal, coarse nature of the music (those guitars man) or the totally unforgiving lyrics.

“You will believe in me
Slaughtered under the tree
And I won’t leave a witness
So much for a ‘Merry Christmas’
Now Santa’s claws are out
The sinners scream and shout
I made sure the noose was yuletide tight
So much for a ‘Silent Night’
A ‘Silent Night!’”

“Merry Axe-Mas” previously appeared on the playlist, 11 Totally Merry, Mary, Marry Songs.

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5. Ice Nine Kills, “Stabbing in the Dark”

The Silver Scream • Fearless • 2018

Weapon: Knives

“Your kids won’t make it home tonight / With a madness void of reason / I kill with every strike / I’ll haunt you day after day / Knife after knife…”  What’s better than one Ice Nine Kills song on a playlist? Why two, of course! Clearly, murder is on the minds of Ice Nine Kills on “Stabbing in the Dark,” which precedes the aforementioned “Merry Axe-Mas” on The Silver Scream. “Stabbing in the Dark” may not explicitly feature the ‘weapon of choice’ in its song title, but boy, oh boy, does it mention those knives within the lyrics.

As the aforementioned lyrics from the second verse suggest, the songwriting is creepy and ‘killer’ to the nth degree.  Furthermore, the dramatic music matches the unsettling nature of the lyrics, flourishing in a most damned minor key.  After a relatively slow, enigmatic start, the beginning with a breakdown following the chorus, Ice Nine Kills grow utterly hellish, chocked-full of aggression that is far removed from heaven.  Originally appearing on the playlist 13 Songs About and/or Associated with Nighttime, the connection with the nighttime is darkness and murder, which often occurs during the nighttime hours.  The chorus is a big-time selling point.

“When the hands of fate
Fall on the midnight hour
Behind the mask of hate
I don the devil’s power
If there’s life in the shadows
Let the knife leave its mark
When the certainty of safety feels like stabbing
Stabbing in the dark.”

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6. YUNGBLUD, “Machine Gun (Fuck the NRA)”

21st Century Liability • Geffen • 2018

Weapon: Machine Gun

“They tried to put me on Ritalin / Visions of calming me down / They tried to put me on Ritalin / Hopin’ I don’t make a sound.” YUNGBLUD (Dominic Harrison) may be a self-described 21^st Century Liability on his 2018 debut album, but the tortured soul is no liability when it comes to making cool music. What stands out about him is how eclectic, unique, and unapologetic he is. Luckily, we are able to feature him on this weapon-centric playlist thanks to “Machine Gun (Fuck the NRA),” the fifth track from 21^st Century Liability.  

In the context of 21^st Century Liability, “Machine Gun (Fuck the NRA)” finds YUNGBLUD continually in a bad state of mind. Interestingly, there’s clearly a political tilt, as Harrison emphasizes the danger of an unstable, crazy teen with a gun.  With the school violence in particular, there’s plenty of discussion about placing more focus on mental health, while gun control is a divisive topic, particularly for conservatives. “Wanna see my machine gun / My new machine gun / You better fuckin’ run.” Safe to say, Dominic Harrison makes quite a bold statement on “Machine Gun (Fuck the NRA).”

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7. Elton John, “Claw Hammer”

Wonderful Crazy Night • Mercury/Island • 2016

Weapon: Hammer

In 2016, the iconic, legendary Elton John released a compelling new studio album entitled Wonderful Crazy Night.  Led by the high-energy title track, Wonderful Crazy Night certainly didn’t move the needle on the musician’s illustrious career but found John ‘flexing’ you might say.  Furthermore, Wonderful Crazy Night arguably surpassed his previous studio album, The Diving Board (2013), a sound affair in its own right.  As awesome as it would be to highlight the ‘wonderful’ “Wonderful Crazy Night,” it just doesn’t fit this weapon-centric playlist.  Dammit! Never fear, “Claw Hammer” does… sort of.

In the context of Wonderful Crazy Night, Elton John doesn’t stop on “Claw Hammer” marks a third consecutive winning cut. John sings spiritedly, “You’re gonna need a claw hammer / Oh my Lord / To bust on through / And break down your walls.”  Thankfully for E.J. fans everywhere, no “claw hammer” is necessary to love Wonderful Crazy Night.  Of course, technically, a hammer is a tool as opposed to a weapon… About that, let’s take a twisted detour, shall we?

In the hands of the infamous Dnepropetrovsk Maniacs, sometimes referred to as The Hammer Maniacs, well, the hammers weren’t for busting through walls as Elton John sings about. Shit certainly got real in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine back in 2007.  That’s when teenagers Viktor Sayenko and Igor Suprunyuk brutally murdered people just for the thrills.  In case you’re even more curious, metal band Oh, Sleeper captures the maniacs’ lust for fame throughout the course of their song, “Dealers of Fame”, from the 2011 album, Children of Fire.

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8. Waka Flocka Flame, “Let Dem Guns Blam”

Ft. Meek Mill

Triple F Life: Friends Fans & Family • Warner Bros. • 2012

Weapon: Guns 

“My chopper filled up, let them things blam / My handguns got extendos, let them things blam… / Let them guns blam, bitch, you know I am / I go Kanye, Jay-Z H.A.M., this the Summer of Sam.” Ah, the chopper comes into play on this violent joint, “Let Dem Guns Blam.” Great song title, right? “Let Dem Guns Blam” appears on the 2012 album Triple F Life: Friends Fans & Family, released by famed “No Hands” rapper, Waka Flocka Flame.  In the context of Triple F Life, “Let Dem Guns Blam” is indeed a standout.

Clearly, as Waka Flocka Flame encourages the guns to ‘blam,’ they are going to fire and hit the intended target.  The Summer of Sam (Son of Sam) reference may be the most notable. The infamous serial killer (David Berkowitz) used a .44, which is referenced in the second verse:

“Won’t stop ‘til I see a body drop…
Strapped up with that tech…
This a 44 bulldog it cannot jam…”

“Let Dem Guns Blam” previously appeared on the playlist, 14 Songs Referencing ‘Shooters’ in Various Contexts. Furthermore, if you want to check out songs that reference David Berkowitz/Son of Sam, look no further than Songs About or Inspired by The Son of Sam.

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9. Jack White, “Blunderbuss”

Blunderbuss • Third Man / Columbia • 2012

Weapon: Blunderbuss

According to Encyclopædia Britannica, a blunderbuss is a “Short, muzzle-loading shoulder weapon, usually a flintlock, with a wide smooth bore flared at the muzzle to a maximum width of about 4 inches.” Encyclopædia Britannica goes on to state that the blunderbuss was a “forerunner of the shotgun, … common in the 18th century.”

According to John Elliott in the article, The Blunderful History of How the Blunderbuss Got Its Name (Guns.com):

“The blunderbuss became a popular weapon way back in the early 1700s. It was used for close-quarter fighting, due to its ease of maneuverability, because of its relatively small size, and its ability to deliver an ear-shattering blast of lead buck or shot, or even a small lead ball, about the size of a large marble all the way up to a ping-pong ball. Indeed, in terms of artillery of the day, its 15-inch barrel, portable 30.5-inch overall length and hole punching .69 caliber round were pretty much unmatched for those close-in battles.”

So, that’s probably more information than you really ever wanted to know about the blunderbuss. So, where does the blunderbuss and “Blunderbuss,” from the 2012 Jack White album, Blunderbuss, come into play? Well, early on, White sings, “We left your man alone in drag, laughin’ there at us / A romantic bust, a blundered turn, explosive blunderbuss.”

Essentially, Jack White likens this particular, sketchy relationship (cough, cough* affair) to the shot of a blunderbuss.  He’s not literally talking about the weapon, as I spent so much time doing above, but uses it metaphorically, as all accomplished songwriters do, sigh.  How do we know this relationship is sketchy AF? Multiple examples.  Exhibit A:

“You grabbed my arm and left with me, but you were not allowed to
You to me to a public place to quietly blend into.”

Exhibit B:

“I laid you down and touched you like the two of us both needed
Safe to say that others might not approve of this and pleaded
‘So selfish, them’ would be their cry and who’d be brave to argue
Doin’ what two people need is never on the menu.”

Blunderbuss indeed.  Musically, Jack White outdoes himself, as always. This includes use of the pedal steel (Fats Kaplin), which helps gives the record a country feel.  The use of acoustic piano and upright bass line in tandem rhythmically doesn’t hurt the cause either.  Of course, it is the lyrics, and a brief reference to an old-school weapon that makes “Blunderbuss” so awesome.

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10. Bruno Mars, “Grenade”

Doo-Wops & Hooligans • Atlantic • 2010

Weapon: Grenade (knife, gun)

“Gave you all I had and you tossed in the trash / … To give me all your love is all I ever ask..” Hmm, long before “Uptown Funk” and “24K Magic,” pop superstar Bruno Mars asserted, “I’d catch a grenade for ya.” Safe to say, his dedication on the Grammy-nominated “Grenade” is indisputable. From the perspective of the lady, well, she’s definitely not reciprocating.  At the end of the song, Mars explicitly states, “No, you won’t do the same / You wouldn’t do the same.” Pretty clear, right?

Even though the cards are no secret on “Grenade,” it’s quite compelling to hear the emotion and drama that Bruno Mars infuses into this early hit from Doo-Wops & Hooligans. Besides catching that grenade, he’s willing to take all sorts of potential life-ending pain for this woman who “wouldn’t do the same.”  The chorus says it all:

“I’d catch a grenade for ya (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
Throw my hand on a blade for ya (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
I’d jump in front of a train for ya (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
You know I’d do anything for ya (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
Oh, oh-oh oh oh, I would go through all this pain
Take a bullet straight through my brain
Yes, I would die for ya baby
But you won’t do the same.”

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11. Flotsam & Jetsam, “She Took an Axe”

Doomsday for the Deceiver • Metal Blade • 1986

Weapon: Axe

Phoenix thrash metal band Flotsam & Jetsam definitely don’t have kind words to describe purported serial killer Lizzie Borden. In their 1986 song “She Took an Axe,” they characterize Borden as being twisted, deceptive, and in cahoots with the devil.

“A young maiden with a demon in her soul
A twisted mind with secrets to unfold
An innocent face, a deceiving smile
Under no suspicion, servant to Belial.”

An axe was the weapon of choice for Borden, who was acquitted of murdering her parents in 1892. The act of “murdering his or her father, mother, or close relative” is known as parricide. Borden is arguably the ‘flagship’ example of it historically.

“Lizzy Borden took an axe
Gave her mother forty whacks
When she saw what she had done
She gave her father forty-one
Now before the jury with a solemn face
These legendary murders, she left not a trace
Lizzy found it so simple to take their lives
Today she walks free with her axe by her side.”

Notably, “She Took an Axe” also appeared on multiple lists, including the dark, morbid 11 Songs About Painful, Torturous, or Troubling Ways to Die and 13 Unsettling Songs About Female Murderers.  Expanding on the topic of family-related murders, there are specific terms for each. In the case of Borden, she committed patricide (murdered her father) and matricide (murdered her mother). For example, biblically, Cain committed fratricide when he slew his brother Abel in Genesis 4.

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“11 Wickedly Thrilling Songs About Weapons” [Photo Credits: Atlantic, Brent Faulkner, Capitol, Columbia, Def Jam, Fearless, Geffen, Island, Mercury, Metal Blade, The Musical Hype, Polydor, Third Man, Warner Bros.]

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