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
Huh!

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
Uggh!

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!
Uggh!



Lyrics submitted by piesupreme

Track duration: 05:14

"Killing in the Name" as written by De La Rocha/commerford/morello/wilk

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Killing In The Name song meanings
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210 Comments

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  • -1
    General Comment:Angry little dwarfs strutting and having tantrums onstage, spewing inarticulate rage against authority. Useful idiots propagandizing on behalf of the same power structure that would liquidate them without a second thought.

    Communism sucks. Deal with that.
    Flagged NomadMonadon April 30, 2013   Link
  • -2
    General Comment: Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me>

    Absolutely brilliant. Well-articulated. Rage on.

    connecthook.wordpress.com/2013/02/16/%E2%98%AD-a-chicken-in-ever-pol-pot/
    Flag NomadMonadon April 05, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:hypocrisy at it's finest people. This never gets old to me.
    Flagged rooied1on January 11, 2013   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:Did anyone hear this song for the first time, stop, and go 'Whoa. What/who the fuck is that ?'. (I was in a record store during my lunch hour in early 1993). This song had a bigger impact on me the first time I heard it than any other song I've ever heard (and it's not even close to my favourite song, even tho it's a great one & I do like it a lot).

    It just made you stop & listen. So much simmering anger at the start, culminating in a definitive & defiant "No".

    Powerful.
    Flag MistahBungleon December 18, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:lol wow some of you are hard of hearing. The political message is simple. Don't trust authority since it's derived from corrupt practices.

    Deeper meaning is that this song is about police brutality. It's also about racism.
    Flag PTCGAZon December 12, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I advise anyone who is trying to figure out lyrics to listen half speed before jumping to conclusions. Another good trick is to watch some live video of the song and actually read their lips. Not always correct, as they sometimes change lyrics live, but useful. An example. The lyric is definitely "Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses". Live, he sometimes says "Some of those that burn crosses, are the same that hold office". "Wearing the (also "a" and "you're") badge and you've chosen white". "Wearing a badge and you're clothed in white".

    My interpretation... be wary of authority. It can be immoral. Bigots can be anywhere. In political office, in the fire and police departments, schools, etc. Wearing a badge, of course, denotes authority (police, FBI, DEA, whatever). Clothed in white alludes to the cross-burning Ku Klux Klan. Chosen white is a metaphor for choosing the "good guys" or societal norms. Engaging in bigotry because you embrace the laws and rules which are inherently bigoted, without questioning their morality. The protagonist announces he can see through the deception. He's enlightened, and disagrees with the injustice he sees. He's going to play by his own rules.
    Flag twistedcrosson June 18, 2012   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:those who die are justified for wearing the badge of there chosen whites....

    Have you ever looked at this form a different point of view.

    I came back from Afghanistan in 2001 i seen my best friends head get blown off

    I think this song is about wearing the badge of your chosen whites is how the government gets vulnerable young people to join something they no nothing about and then when you die you are justified in the eyes of the government. WHAT A P.SS TAKE
    Flag gunman32on February 02, 2012   Link
  • -1
    My Interpretation:I think this song is about the emotional process of dealing with corrupt authority. While in this song, this processes is expressed through the example for southern police corruption (KKK), it could be anything e.g. a parental figure, god etc.:

    "Some of those that work forces are the same that burn crosses"
    This is first finding out about that the authority you trusted is corrupt.

    "And now you do what they told ya"
    This is continuing to obey that authority out of habit and maybe necessity, but starting to question what you have always accepted out of blind faith.

    "Those who died...the chosen whites"
    This is hearing constant justification or the corrupt authority by the blind society that you were once a part of.

    "Some of those that work forces...ugh! Killing in the name of..!"
    This is when the knowledge of the authority's corruptness begins to turn from realization to acknowledgement, and then to disgust, primarily with the authority and the society that so willingly accepts it (but also with yourself for having been a part of that society).

    "And now you do what they told ya...Now you're under control.."
    This is continuing to obey the authority out of necessity, and realizing that you are not in secure standing if you don't continue to obey (now you're under control). It's realizing that they have you right where they want you.

    "Those who died...the chosen whites"
    This is, again, more justification from society and the authority.

    "Come on! Yeah, come on!"
    This is attempted coercion from the authority, which leads to:

    "Fuck you I won't do what you tell me...Motherfucker!"
    The final rejection of corrupt authority. The End.
    Flag Ohsoscatteredon January 02, 2012   Link
  • -1
    Song Meaning:Some of those that work forces - Police (working the force of the government)

    Are the same that burn crosses (the KKK burnt crosses in public)

    So as you can see it's saying that the police are no better than the KKK as some police were even in the KKK
    Flag sbrankon July 19, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:So last night while at dinner some friends and I were discussing this song and I had always thought he said "Some of those that work forces are the SAINTS that burn crosses" so I had to come on here and look. Guess I've been wrong all these years! :/

    I saw Tom Morello perform on the back of a pick up truck at a union rally protest at Disneyland a couple of years back. It was pretty amazing. Can't wait to see them next month!!
    Flag Kaleid0scopeyeson June 22, 2011   Link

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