Rebel Yell (song)

"Rebel Yell"
Single by Billy Idol
from the album Rebel Yell
Released	October 24, 1983
Format	Vinyl (7" and 12")
Recorded	1983 at Studio A, Electric Lady Studios, New York City
Genre	Hard rock, New Wave
Length	4:47
Label	Chrysalis Records
Writer(s)	Billy Idol, Steve Stevens
Producer	Keith Forsey
Billy Idol singles chronology
"White Wedding" (1982) "Rebel Yell" (1983) "Eyes Without a Face" (1984)
Audio sample file info · help

"Rebel Yell" is the first song on the Billy Idol album of the same name. When first released in 1983, it charted outside the UK Top 40, but a re-issue in 1985 reached #6. It did not fare as well in the US, only reaching #46. The song was named the 79th best hard rock song of all time by VH1.

Writing

According to Billy Idol at a televised performance of VH1 Storytellers, the idea of a song thus entitled came to him at an event he once attended, where Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones were taking swigs of a "Rebel Yell" bottle of bourbon whiskey, a brand unknown to him, the name of which he liked; Billy decided and stated that he would set off to write a "Rebel Yell" song.

The song was co-written by guitarist Steve Stevens. The instrumental introduction, which sounds like a combination of electric guitar and electronic keyboard, is performed by Stevens on guitar alone, who intended it to sound this way. Stevens states that he was inspired by acoustic guitarist Leo Kottke's style.

Formats and track listings

• UK 7" vinyl single

1. "Rebel Yell"
2. "Crank Call"

• UK 12" vinyl single

1. "Rebel Yell"
2. "Crank Call"
3. "White Wedding"

• (1985 re-issue) UK 7" vinyl single

1. "Rebel Yell"
2. "(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows♱"

♱Recorded live at Hollywood Palladium Los Angeles, California, March 1984.

• (1985 re-issue) UK 12" vinyl single

1. "Rebel Yell (Extended Version)"
2. "(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows♱"
3. "Blue Highway♱"

♱Recorded live at Hollywood Palladium Los Angeles, California, March 1984.

Charts

Chart (1984/1985)	Peak position
New Zealand Singles Chart	3
UK Singles Chart	621, 62
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	46
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	9

Notes:

• ¹ – Original release in 1984
• ² – Re-release in 1985

Other versions

The song has been covered by HIM, Children of Bodom, Kill Hannah, Dope, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Pipedown, Quintaine Americana, Bullets & Octane, Scooter, Dog Fashion Disco, and several other artists / bands. Drowning Pool have frequently played it live on their 2007 tour, and is featured on their CD, Full Circle. Rock Star: Supernova contestants Lukas Rossi and Toby Rand also sang the song. In one of the memorable moments of the competition, Rand invited several random women from the audience up onto the stage to sing and dance with him. As an interesting note, there is also a version for marching band.

In 2007, Finnish symphonic power metal band Northern Kings consisting of singers and musicians from four well known bands including Nightwish, Sonata Arctica and Charon covered the song on their debut album Reborn.

The song was satirised by Sesame Street with a Muppet version called "Rebel L".

Dope also covered this song. They made a demo version for it in 2003. They played the song live since 2007. Also featuring on No regrets album.

In 2011, Sum 41 has covered the song live during their European leg of Screaming Bloody Murder Tour.

Black Veil Brides have also covered the song during their 2011 Set the World on Fire Tour, and later recorded it on their Rebels EP.

In popular culture

• It was presented in the Knight Rider Season 3 Episode Dead of Knight originally aired on 2 December 1984.
• It appears in Sixteen Candles.
• It appears in The Legend of Billie Jean.
• It appears in The Wraith.
• It appears in Big,when Josh and Billy are in their apartment hanging out,the song's music video is playing.
• It appears in Coyote Ugly.
• It appears in the 1990 Christmas Special episode of Only Fools and Horses, Rodney Come Home, when Rodney walks into the living room and wakes up Uncle Albert because of the song playing loudly on his radio.
• It appears in a 2004 Blockbuster commercial promoting no late fees.
• It is referenced in the 2007 Against Me! single Thrash Unreal,from the album New Wave.
• It appears in a 2008 Comcast commercial where the family is having an outside reunion and when the man's wife asks him something,the husband responds with the song playing the lyrics "More, More More".
• In 2008, Twisted Sister Frontman, Dee Snider's son, Jesse Blaze Snider sang this song in the Reality show, "Rock the Cradle".
• It appears in Guitar Hero World Tour.
• It is a downloadable track for Rock Band.
• The CJFL's Victoria Rebels play the song to open their games and after every touchdown.

Scooter cover

"Rebel Yell"
Single by Scooter
from the album Our Happy Hardcore
B-side	"Euphoria"
Released	9 May 1996
Format	CD single CD maxi 12" maxi
Recorded	1996
Genre	Happy hardcore
Length	3:40
Label	Club Tools Scorpio Music
Writer(s)	Billy Idol Steve Stevens
Producer	H. P. Baxxter Rick J. Jordan Jens Thele Ferris Bueller
Scooter singles chronology
"Let Me Be Your Valentine" (1996) "Rebel Yell" (1996) "I'm Raving" (1996)

In 1996, the song was covered by the German dance band Scooter. It was released in May 1996 as the third single of their second album, Our Happy Hardcore.

Track listings

CD-Maxi – Germany

1. "Rebel Yell" (Radio Edit) (3:40)
2. "Rebel Yell" (Extended Mix) (4:44)
3. "Euphoria" (3:57)

12"-Maxi – Germany

1. "Rebel Yell" (Extended Mix) (4:44)
2. "Stuttgart (4:52)
3. "Euphoria" (3:57)

CD-Single – France

1. "Rebel Yell" (Radio Edit) (3:40)
2. "Euphoria" (3:57)

12-Maxi – France

1. "Rebel Yell" (Extended Mix) (4:44)
2. "Rebel Yell" (Radio Edit) (3:40)
3. "Euphoria" (3:57)

CD-Maxi – Australia

1. "Rebel Yell" (Radio Edit) (3:40)
2. "Let Me Be Your Valentine" (Edit) (3:47)
3. "Rebel Yell" (Extended mix) (4:44)
4. "Euphoria" (3:57)
5. "Let Me Be Your Valentine" (The Complete Work) (5:42)
6. "Eternity" (5:19)
7. "Silence of T.1210 MKII" (1:31)

Charts

Chart	Peak position
Austrian Singles Chart	7
Finnish Singles Chart	8
German Singles Chart	8
Swedish Singles Chart	42
Swiss Singles Chart	17
UK Singles Chart	30