California Über Alles
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| "California Über Alles" | ||||
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| Single by Dead Kennedys | ||||
| from the album Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables | ||||
| B-side | "The Man with the Dogs" | |||
| Released | June 1979 | |||
| Format | 7" | |||
| Genre | Hardcore punk | |||
| Length | 3:26 | |||
| Label | Optional Music | |||
| Writer(s) | Jello Biafra & John Greenway | |||
| Producer | Dead Kennedys | |||
| Dead Kennedys singles chronology | ||||
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"California Über Alles" was the first single by the Dead Kennedys. The record was released in June 1979 on Optional Music with "The Man with the Dogs" as the b-side. The title track was re-recorded for the band's first album, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (1980), and the version that appeared on this single, as well as the single's b-side, are available on the rarities album Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death (1987).
The lyrics were written by Jello Biafra and John Greenway, and Biafra composed the music[1] in one of his rare attempts at composing directly on guitar.[2]
This song was featured in video game Tony Hawk's American Wasteland and as a downloadable song in the Rock Band series.
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[edit] Meaning
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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2006) |
The title is an allusion to the first stanza of the national anthem of Germany, which used to begin with the words "Deutschland, Deutschland über alles." The word-for-word translation of this line is "Germany, Germany above all," which the author intended to mean that a unified Germany was more desirable than division of the Germanophonic countries (Sprachraum) into independent states. During the Third Reich, anti-German political propaganda claimed the anthem was a Nazi expression of racial superiority.
The song focuses on Jerry Brown, the Governor of California between 1975 and 1983, and is sung from his perspective. An imaginary Brown outlines a hippie-fascist vision for America, in which his "suede denim secret police" kill un-cool people with "organic poison gas" chambers. The song illustrates lead singer Jello Biafra's concern with left-wing politicians mandating liberal ideas to the point of authoritarianism or fascism. Other lines, such as "Serpent's egg already hatched" (a reference to a line from William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar), comment on the corrosive nature of power. The line "Now it is 1984" references the totalitarian regime of George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.
The song is an early example of the Kennedys' trademark use of menace and musical tension. It fades in with sinister military-styled drums, joined by an ominous bass riff. Biafra paints the scene in low, sneering tones before bursting in manic chanting chorus: "California Über Alles[x2], Über Alles, California[x2]". After two verses and choruses, the song shifts into a slower middle eight section set to a martial drum beat over which Jello Biafra imagines the nightmarish actions of Brown's SS-styled secret police ("Come quietly to the camp; you'd look nice as a drawstring lamp," a reference to the lampshades made by Nazi concentration camp guards from tatooed human skin'). The pace speeds up as it approaches the last iteration of the chorus, closing with a repeated proto-Thrash metal chord sequence accompanied by a final burst of explosive drums.
German-American author Gero Hoschek was inspired by the song to title a 1988 magazine piece about the "Golden State" in the prestigious German "Zeit Magazin" weekly titled "Kalifornia Über Alles!" (sic), as well as a never produced screenplay. Biafra complained, got and liked a copy of the movie script, understood that there was no copyright violation, and used the same spelling for the song's 2004 remake with Melvins, "Kalifornia Über Alles, 21st Century".
Jello Biafra later said in an interview with Nardwuar that he now feels differently about Brown, as it turned out he wasn't as bad as he thought he would be.[3]
[edit] Alternative versions
There is a faster version of "California Über Alles" on Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, with more strident Biafra vocals and a more garage-like mix.
On their EP In God We Trust, Inc., they recorded an updated version of the song, titled "We've Got a Bigger Problem Now," about then-President Ronald Reagan, including a lounge-jazz introduction, different lyrics, and several verses set at a much slower pace. A live version of the song was recorded with the instrumentals of the original version of the song.
Jello Biafra has made satirical references to the song in his political advocacy. A speech of his appears on the spoken word album Mob Action Against the State that is entitled "We've Got a Bigger Problem Now: War, Terrorism & Beyond." After the election of Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor of California, Biafra commented, "California Über Alles indeed."
Another updated version of this song about Governor Schwarzenegger, called "Kali-Fornia Über Alles 21st Century", was performed live (among a few other Dead Kennedys classics) when Biafra toured with the band Melvins to support their collaboration album in 2004. A live recording of this new version appears on their second collaborative effort, Sieg Howdy (2005).
During a show in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, the Jeff Penalty led Dead Kennedys sang a different version of the song, entitled "Pennsylvania Über Alles". Jerry Brown was replaced by then Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, parodying his conservative politics and calling for fans to vote him out of office next election.
[edit] Cover versions
In the 1990s, the song was updated by The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy. They replaced references to Jerry Brown with references to Pete Wilson.
The song was also widely known in Poland (as "Kalifornia Ponad Wszystko") thanks to the cover by Polish rocker Kazik Staszewski with his band Kazik Na Żywo ("Na Żywo Ale W Studio" album 1994)l style and incidents of police brutality during his tenure.
The Delgados cover the song in their Peel Sessions CD set.der (band)|Six Feet Under]] also cover the song in their Graveyard Classics album. The black metal band Mayhem also cover the song in first demo. Deceased (band) also covered the song on their punk covers album "Rotten to the Core".
Current hardcore band Ceremony has covered the song.
The Who Boys have done a mashup ofRevolution Will Not Be Televised]]" by Gil Scott-Heron called "Revolution Über Alles".
John Linnell and hi Dramarama has recorded a version, updated in 2003 about current California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger..."You will lift weights in school"
A 1986 live focused on Ronald Reagan on the album "On The Bay" with live recordings from '82 and '86.
[edit] References
- ^ Jello Biafra and The Melvins. Liner notes. Sieg Howdy! San Francisco: Alternative Tentacles. 2005.
- ^ Johnson, Heather. "Dead Kennedys' 'California Uber Alles'". Mix Online. October 1, 2005.
- ^ Ruskin, John (2002). "Nardwuar the Human Serviette vs Jello Biafra". Nardwuar. http://www.nardwuar.com/vs/jello_biafra/jello-2002_page-2.html. Retrieved 2009-04-21.
[edit] External links
- Jello Biafra discusses the history of "California Über Alles" on KQED's The California Report, July 14, 2006.
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