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

Interaction
Mail to a friend Send Lyrics to a Friend
Share on Facebook

Stumble It
Add to Del.icio.us Add to Del.icio.us




  • 203 Comments
  • Printer Friendly Lyrics
newest first     Expand All
deadpocketss
11-14-2009

Rated 0 
Some of those that were enforcers are the same that burn crosses.

It's about police brutality and hate crimes.

Log in to reply
Dust2dust
10-06-2009

Rated 0 
This rather aggressive song captures the Led Zeppelin classic rock mode while allowing the ventilation of frustration in general. Like most RATM lyrics, the government is an issue, but such a precisely performed, incredibly well composed tune allows anyone, including this writer, to gain inspiration and feel more comfortable rejecting the lying liars that try to use their roles as supervisors/bosses to oppress me and generally rape all of their subordinates (except the chosen few).

I think that anyone who feels suicidal should listen to this song. It will help them channel their energies in a better direction. Seriously.

Log in to reply
spanishrock
06-09-2009

Rated 0 
this song is saying so no to the gov, and how the white man controls. you think gov as our best intrest think again, because behine close doors there ploting evil. destorying or civil rights. ( fuck you i won't do what you tell me).

Log in to reply
Stickyddevil
05-27-2009

Rated 0 
This song is about how we kill and we don't know what we are killing for

Log in to reply
Stickyddevil
05-27-2009

Rated 0 
This song is about how we kill and we don't know what we are killing for

Log in to reply
hemi41102
03-25-2009

Rated -1 
this is a great white power song.... i love it cause i'm chosen white

Log in to reply
2 Replies
bassmastajay
01-27-2009

Rated 0 
its not police or neo-nazi's, its about....... CHRISTIANS. thats right, i said it. the crusades happened. what the fuck happened to "thou shalt not kill"? was there a part after that i missed? like, "unless they're brown people, then hack away." i think not.

Log in to reply
noisy ninja
12-17-2008

Rated 0 
Im sorry dude but racism and other forms of ignorance are just not socially ethical or acceptable.



Log in to reply
spitfir4
12-14-2008

Rated 0 
To everyone insulting racest. they are entitled to their belief system and you attacking it is just as bad as them attacking other races and cultures so congratz you are as bad as the people you so strongly seem to hate

as for police brutality im jusrt pointing this out there are more black arrest in America than other cultures. this may not be racist just the truth as blacks do seem to have number of druug abusers, petty criminal and murders. Now this is what i call logic that when there are so many arrests that surely some may use excessive force. and then people think well its always to black people. That could have something to do with more blacks being arrested so by odds the chances of a black being beaten are higher

Log in to reply
1 Reply
noisy ninja
12-10-2008

Rated 0 
I agree with the general consensus that this song is about racism in the form of police brutality.
I'd hate to over think this, but who are they killing in the name of? God?
I believe he intentionally left this detail out; they are killing in the name of no one.(perhaps self alternatively)
This would portray the act of killing as an unnecessary product of ignorance.
Anyone have any better ideas?



Log in to reply
1 Reply
Faballion
10-02-2008

Rated 0 
Two words: Subliminal Advertising!

Awsome song though

Log in to reply
ChickenGoujons
08-17-2008

Rated 0 
This song fucking sexy

Log in to reply
maxalotl
07-08-2008

Rated 0 
In my opinion, this song is expressing no regret at white police officers and members of the KKK that died as a result of violence, that their deaths were justified. In the 'Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium' DVD Zach introduces the song by talking about all the police brutality at the nation democratic convention not long before

Log in to reply
jellybum-inc
06-03-2008

Rated 0 
This song (as many have already said in here) is about racism. About police brutality against the "blacks" as you can tell from the line about the badge..
If you listen to the version of this song "Live At The Grand Olympic Auditorium" the
"Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses"
at the start is the same.. but in the middle of the song the verse is changed to
"Some of those burned crosses are the same that hold office" which is about back in the day the white supremists that burned crosses.. some of them work in the governments offices.

Agree with me, disagree with me.. whatever. But the above is the way I interpret the song, and it is a very logical interpretation

Log in to reply
SmD 85
05-06-2008

Rated 0 
Fuck you juggalos and fuck you racially oversensative people
It is about racial, and religious persecution though

Log in to reply
lord.of.TEA!
05-05-2008

Rated 0 
realy? I thought that was too litteral . writing a rock song about the crucades is like doing a stand-up routeen and cracking jokes about columbus.
"how `bout that columbus? i heard that he thinks the earth is round!" (gets hit in the face with a pineapple)

Log in to reply
whitephoenix72
04-30-2008

Rated 0 
...it's about the Crusades.

come on.

Log in to reply
lord.of.TEA!
04-12-2008

Rated 0 
i agree with most of you, but i thought the badge stood for the ones the jews had to wear just befor the hollocost. read anne frank. not an easy read.

Log in to reply
AnOldTree
03-21-2008

Rated 0 
I think the songs about how Governments and The Police Force are filled with people you should hate (Racists, White Supremists etc.), but people obey them because they are in positions of power.

Police Brutality also makes sense.

Log in to reply
anonymous86
02-07-2008

Rated 0 
this is RAGM's best song. very catchy, different as well, but it's the type of song that you just want to jump around to. this song must be anti-white supremacist and even a counter attack on white supremacist groups, in other words, you've spread your hate and hurt so many people of many races, well you know what, how about have some of your own medicine, how do you like people singing i hate white racists and their stupid, pointless political propaganda? and it could also be saying that people who work in not just the government jobs, but in the community "helping" out and people who seem like family people were once supporters of white supremacists or even did worser criminal acts like burning crosses, churches and builidngs, murdering other races and that some people have gotten away with it. and with the "now they do what they told you, now you're under control", could mean you were or are being manipulated and taken advantage of, or that i feel sorry for you because you were brought up this way by your father, which many race haters have.

Log in to reply
chip and the frosty
01-31-2008

Rated -1 
wow, rage against the machine sucks really bad, the best thing that ever happened with ratm is when they split up and formed audioslave, they shouldn't've called themselves rage against the machine, it should've been rage against good music

Log in to reply
thedon1234
01-26-2008

Rated 0 
@randir14
Perhaps you did not notice the word "some" in the 2nd line, or the pointed reference to racist "law enforcement" in particular. Or maybe it's just that your racist vitriol has no grounding in reality. Anyway, fantastic song: the explicitly anti-racist imagery and combative and impassioned lyrics convey its message very well.

Log in to reply
randir14
01-23-2008

Rated 0 
Crying about racism and then claiming all cops are white and racist. Typical hypocritical niggers.

Log in to reply
Carmelover727
12-18-2007

Rated 0 
everyone marks this off as a historical/political basis..

why can't he just be expressing sarcastic contradictions.
'some who work forces burn crosses' when the idealistic stereotype of the forces would be caring white men who do their job under the oath of God;
seriously when you hear police what else comes to mind?
i wouldn't know anyway.

i was thinking that different religious views+politics = bad mix. whenever i see 'in the name of...' im usually thinking God follows close after?


just because you appear to stand up for a country doesn't clear up your history in the past or the now.

does it promote having a mind of your own?: i think yes c:
+i love that.

Log in to reply
chicadla
11-27-2007

Rated 0 
Zack de la Rocha sometimes changes the lyrics in the second verse from "Some of those that work forces are the same that burn crosses" to "Some of those that burn crosses are the same that hold office" when playing live. It is also sometimes changed to "Some of those that work forces are the same that burn churches."

Log in to reply




  • Add Your Comments
What does this song mean to you?

You must be logged in to post your comments.

Feel free to create an account with us, or log in with your existing account, to start adding your comments to songs.





Popular
Top:   Lyrics, Artists, Albums
Random:   Lyric, Artist, Album

Your Ad Here