Cult of Personality (song)
| "Cult of Personality" | |
|---|---|
| Song |
"Cult of Personality" is a song by funk metal band Living Colour. It was the first single from their debut album, Vivid, released in 1989. "Cult of Personality" reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 9 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. It also won the Grammy award for "Best Hard Rock Performance" in 1989. Its music video earned two MTV Video Music Awards for Best Group Video and Best New Artist. The song was ranked #69 on VH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs.[1] The solo was ranked #87 in Guitar World's "100 Greatest Guitar Solos" list.[2] In 2007, the song was re-recorded and released for the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.In 2011 WWE Superstar CM Punk adopted this song as his theme song based on his straight edge status in WWE.
The band's founder, Vernon Reid described the song as very special for the band not just for its commercial success but because it was essentially written in just one rehearsal session. The riff was stumbled upon while practicing something else and by the end of the session they had written what was to become Living Colour's best known song.[3]
The song contains many political references, and shares its name with a phenomenon involving psychology and politics.
Political figures referenced
"Cult of Personality" prominently includes several audio samples of speeches from twentieth-century political leaders.
The song begins with an edited quote from the beginning of "Message to the Grass Roots", a speech by Malcolm X. As it appears in the song, the quote is:
". . . And during the few moments that we have left, . . . We want to talk right down to earth in a language that everybody here can easily understand."
The unabridged beginning of the speech is:
"...And during the few moments that we have left, we want to have just an off-the-cuff chat between you and me -- us. We want to talk right down to earth in a language that everybody here can easily understand."[4]
During a rest in the music at 4:35, John F. Kennedy's inaugural address is heard ("Ask not what your country can do for you..."). The song ends with Franklin D. Roosevelt saying "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself", from his first inaugural address.
Along with the above quotes, the following political leaders are mentioned in the lyrics:
Charts
| Chart | Peak | |
|---|---|---|
| RIANZ Singles Chart | 3 | [5] |
| U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock | 9 | [6] |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 13 | [7] |
| UK Singles | 67 | [8] |
In other media
- It is featured in the soundtrack of the Cameron Crowe movie Say Anything...
- It was performed live during the April 1, 1989 edition of Saturday Night Live with host Mel Gibson.
- It was performed on The Arsenio Hall Show in 1989.
- In August 1995, the song was featured prominently in the opening scene of "High on the Hog", the second season premiere of the FOX police drama television series New York Undercover.
- In 2004, a shortened version was featured in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas soundtrack on Radio X.
- In 2007, Living Colour re-recorded the song for the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock because the original master recordings could not be located. The new version benefits from modern equipment and the re-recorded guitar solos are packed more densely with notes than the original solos. This version was also included in Guitar Hero: Smash Hits.
- It was featured in the 2008 video game Shaun White Snowboarding.
- The New York Islanders use this song for home games at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
- Several Rutgers Scarlet Knights athletics teams use this song when starting lineups are introduced.
- In 2009, the song was used by the WWE in a video promoting Stone Cold Steve Austin's induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.
- Professional wrestler CM Punk used this song as his entrance theme during his time in Ring of Honor and again in WWE. The latter usage was introduced with CM Punk's surprise return to the company after winning the WWE Championship at the end of his contract. His popularity during this time brought the song to #111 on iTunes' Singles Top 200 in July 2011.[citation needed]
References
- ^ "spreadit.org music". Retrieved February 5, 2009.
- ^ 100 Greatest Guitar Solos
- ^ "Vernon Reid - Guitar World interview (part 3) Cult Of Personality". youtube. 2010-02-15. Retrieved 2011-05-02.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Malcolm X: "Message to the Grass Roots": http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/malcolmxgrassroots.htm
- ^ [1], New Zealand charts for Living Colour
- ^ Billboard.com single charts for Living Colour
- ^ Billboard.com billboard chart history for Living Colour
- ^ [2], an archive containing all UK charting singles