Bullet in the Head

## Single by Rage Against the Machine

"**Bullet in the Head**" is a song by Rage Against the Machine, released as the second single from their 1992 eponymous debut album. It talks about our television and media consumption, and how it "brainwashes" people, particularly in this case used as a propaganda tool by the government. Zach de la Rocha once said, "This is a song that I wrote about the blanket of media that's been thrown above our heads and can't enable us to f--king act on situations like this because we don't have the information to do so. This song is about being an individual, about searching and finding new information and using your strength as an individual to attack systems like America who continue to rob and rape and murder people in the name of freedom."

## Credits and personnel

* Andy Wallace – mixer
* Bob Ludwig – masterer
* Brad Wilk – drums, writer
* Garth Richardson – producer
* Tim Commerford – bass guitar, backing vocals, writer
* Tom Morello – guitar, writer
* Zack de la Rocha – lead vocals, writer

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Verse 1]

This time the bullet cold rocked ya

A yellow ribbon instead of a swastika

Nothin' proper about ya propaganda

Fools follow rules when the set commands ya

Said it was blue, when ya blood was red

That's how ya got a bullet blasted through ya head

Blasted through ya head, blasted through ya head

I give a shout out to the living dead

Who stood and watched as the feds cold centralized

So serene on the screen, you was mesmerized

Cellular phones, soundin' a death tone

Corporations cold turn ya to stone before ya realize

They load the clip in, omnicolor

Said they pack the nine, they fire it at prime time

The sleeping gas, every home was like Alcatraz

And mothafuckas lost their minds!

[Chorus]

Just victims of the in-house drive-by

They say jump, you say "how high?" Yeah

Just victims of the in-house drive-by

They say jump, you say "how high?"

Run it

[Instrumental – Guitar Solo]

[Chorus]

Just victims of the in-house drive-by

They say jump, you say "how high?" Yeah

Just victims of the in-house drive-by

They say jump, you say "how high?"

[Verse 2]

Checka, checka, check it out

They load the clip in, omnicolor

Said they pack the nine, they fire it at prime time

The sleeping gas, every home was like Alcatraz

And mothafuckas lost their minds!

No escape from the mass mind rape

Play it again, jack, and then rewind the tape

And then play it again, and again, and again

Until ya mind is locked in

Believin' all the lies that they're tellin' ya

Buyin' all the products that they're sellin' ya

They say jump and ya say "how high?"

Ya braindead, ya got a fuckin' bullet in ya head

[Chorus]

Just victims of the in-house drive-by

They say jump, you say how high, yeah

Just victims of the in-house drive-by

They say jump, you say how high

[Bridge]

Ugh

Yeah

Yeah

Fuck

Ya standin' in line

Believin' the lies

Ya bowin' down to the flag

Ya got a bullet in ya head

Ya standin' in line

Believin' the lies

Ya bowin' down to the flag

Ya got a bullet in ya head

[Outro]

A bullet in ya head

A bullet in ya head

A bullet in ya head

A bullet in ya head

A bullet in ya head

A bullet in ya head

A bullet in ya head

A bullet in ya head

A bullet in the head

A bullet in ya head

A bullet in ya head

A bullet in ya head

A bullet in ya head

A bullet in ya head

A bullet in ya head

A bullet in ya head

Ya got a bullet in ya fuckin' head

Yeah

Yeah

## References

1. ↑ "Bullet in the Head by Rage Against the Machine". *Songfacts*.