Lyrics for Killing in the Name as interpreted by piesupreme

Killing in the Name Lyrics
Killing in the name of

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

Killing in the name of
Killing in the name of

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
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 wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
You justify those that died by wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
Those who died are justified, for wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
You justify those that died by wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites

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

Killing in the name of
Killing in the name of

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, 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 wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
You justify those that died by wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
Those who died are justified, for wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
You justify those that died by wearing the badge, they're the chosen whites
Come on!

Yeah! Come on!

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

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Nicodemus
01-14-2002

Rated 0 
The name of this song is actually "Killing in the Name" and the lyrics posted here are all wrong..
"Some of those that were forces, are the same that burn crosses"

This song is about police brutality.

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2 Replies
cbennett
01-20-2002

Rated 0 
It's actually, some of those that RUN forces, are the same that burn crosses but yeah you're right.

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deltajoy
01-25-2002

Rated 0 
the song is about how people condemn others for differences in color, religion and so on; it is a song about bigotry. the 'burn crosses' line refers to a ritual performed by the anti-color radical group the Ku-Klux Clan. this also explains the 'chosen whites' part. yes, it also refers to police brutality, as evidenced by teh 'badge' part. cops have had a long history of deiscrimination and violence too, as seen in the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal.

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1 Reply
Mermaidtree
04-10-2002

Rated 0 
Actually, the line a few of you are referring to says:

"Some of those that WORK forces, are the same that burn crosses".

Like deltajoy said, it's not just about police brutality either. White supremists are everywhere including the police force, the military, etc etc.

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Jigokusabre
04-12-2002

Rated 0 
I think it's about how cops ignore and even cover-up hate crimes, because they either agree with, or collaborate with, the murderers.

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LiveUrLife
04-19-2002

Rated 0 
delta joy i agree with you on the idea of what the song is about, but on a rather political note, what the fuck are you talking about... with mumia abu jamal, he is a convicted cop killer, there is nothing else to it, where was the police brutality or discrimination in that?

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LiveUrLife
04-19-2002

Rated 0 
delta joy i agree with you on the idea of what the song is about, but on a rather political note, what the fuck are you talking about... with mumia abu jamal, he is a convicted cop killer, there is nothing else to it, where was the police brutality or discrimination in that?

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LiveUrLife
04-19-2002

Rated 0 
delta joy i agree with you on the idea of what the song is about, but on a rather political note, what the fuck are you talking about... with mumia abu jamal, he is a convicted cop killer, there is nothing else to it, where was the police brutality or discrimination in that?

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KOOLKRIS
04-25-2002

Rated 0 
I completely agree with Mermaidtree on the meaning of this song...very well put...and the lyrics you can clearly hear him say those lyrics in the song
thanks


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randygophr
04-30-2002

Rated 0 
The song appears under two different names. Depending on whether you look at the album tracklist, the single or compilations etc, it is either Killing in the Name, or Killing in the Name Of.

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staleph1sh
05-14-2002

Rated 0 
i think delta joy was referring to the case of amadu dialo (sp?). that would seem logical.

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LiveUrLife
05-14-2002

Rated 0 
the guy from New york? yea that makes sense, i didnt mean to get hot headed about mumia abu jamal but i live in philly and we all hate the man and his supporters.

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hammbone
05-15-2002

Rated 0 
It is about a couple of things that were listed above, but i also think it involves not settling into the conformity of society. I may be wrong but that's what i get from hearing FUCK YOU i wont do what ya tell me! anyone agree

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KOOLKRIS
05-21-2002

Rated 0 
I AGREE WITH YOU HAMMBONE...DEFINITELY JUST ABOUT SAYING "FUCK YOU" TO THE GOVERNMENT....THAT'S WHY I LOVE THE ENERGY AND THE MEANINGS OF THIS SONG...I ALWAYS JUMP UP AND DOWN WHEN I HEAR THIS SONG I DON'T CARE WHERE I AM...IT'S EVEN BETTER IN CONCERT.

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X.kRystLe.X
05-21-2002

Rated 0 
Yeah, im with ya

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nerdypunkchick
05-24-2002

Rated 0 
um...LIVEURLIFE.....there was police brutality and discrimination agaist Mumia. His brother was getting the shit kicked out of him by cops. Therefore Mumia jumped in to save his brother. (hence the police brutality) the discrimination comes in when the cops singled out a former Black Panther. Mumia was a blacl ativist.....i dont see how you dont see how theres no police discrimination or brutality in Mumia's case......

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bdm56
05-24-2002

Rated 0 
I agree with the meanings posted here about police brutality, white supremicy, and non-conformity. An interesting note, when this song came out many people took the Fuck you I wont do what you tell as a kind of anarchy call to disobey everything. This was not the bands intention and Zach has been extra carefull about his lyrics ever since.

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staleph1sh
05-28-2002

Rated 0 
really bdm? that's kinda interesting. i always considered RATM to be anarchists, or at least super leftist and extremely anti capitalism. also, hell yeah to jumpin around. this song gets me so damn amped. i was headbangin to this once... my neck was sore for 2 days =) i really have to see rage live.

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bdm56
05-30-2002

Rated 0 
staleph1sh, you are right about them being super leftist and anti capatalist but they are not anarchist. And you will have a tough time seeing them live because they broke up over a year ago.......sorry.

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cheesepuff2001
06-05-2002

Rated 0 
F**k the police is basically what the this song is about and how the Police is run by a buch of K.K.K members!


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Nothingface555
06-05-2002

Rated 0 
i like how everyone makes a big deal out of the kkk. do you really think racism only comes from whites? it's funny how the ACLU doesn't give a fuck about reverse-racism directed at whites.

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KOOLKRIS
06-07-2002

Rated 0 
FIRST OF ALL THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS REVERSE RACISM, IT'S CALLED REVERSE DISCRIMINATION,
AND SECOND, HEY GIVE IT UP, NOBODY GIVES A FUCK ABOUT REVERSE-DISCRIMINATION NOW WE'RE SUFFERING FROM WHAT OUR ANCESTORS DID OR DIDN'T DO ...

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Nothingface555
06-07-2002

Rated 0 
same difference... there's nothing we can do about what our ancestors did... the damage is done, for better or for worse.

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hednirvana
06-09-2002

Rated 0 
Before I knew it was "the chosen whites", I thought it was "the chose ones", so I thought this song to be killing in the name of God or a god. But that doesn't matter now. I also see this song as about police brutality, and about cross-burners being police, but whose name are they killing in the name of now?


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MKPunk
06-11-2002

Rated 0 
yes, the lyrics here are wrong, as is the title of the song itself. it's also clearly about racial discrimination, as the "chosen whites" and burning crosses parts prove. and as to whose name, probably god, the KKK and racists in general believing themselves to be the chosen ones, a superior strain of human.

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