Hook in Mouth
Encyclopedia
"Hook in Mouth" is a song by the American
thrash metal
band Megadeth
, written by Dave Mustaine
and David Ellefson
. It is the eighth and last on their So Far, So Good... So What!
album, which was released on January 19, 1988. The song is about revisionism and censorship, specifically aimed at the P.M.R.C., the Parents Music Resource Center, which forced the band to put "Parental Advisory/Explicit Lyrics
" warnings on both Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?
and So Far, So Good... So What!.
Dave Mustaine described the song as his favorite of his band's songs, and it remains as a semi-regular staple of Megadeth's live setlist, appearing on their 2001 live album Rude Awakening
, as well as being played at The Big 4 Live from Sofia, Bulgaria
, featured on a live performance DVD which also featured Metallica
, Slayer
and Anthrax
, and which debuted at number one with 22,000 sales. The song was on the Warchest
box set released in 2007. Lastly, it was also featured on Megadeth's first promotional EP
Maximum Megadeth
.
committee formed in 1985 with the goal of increasing parental control over the access of children to music deemed to be violent or sexually suggestive. The committee was founded by four women: Tipper Gore
, wife of Senator
and later Vice President Al Gore
; Susan Baker, wife of Treasury Secretary
James Baker
; Pam Howar, wife of Washington realtor Raymond Howar; and Sally Nevius, wife of Washington City Council
Chairman John Nevius
. They were known as the "Washington wives" – a reference to their husbands' connections with the federal government. As a method of combating this alleged problem, the PMRC suggested a voluntary move by the RIAA
and the music industry to develop "guidelines and/or a rating system" similar to the MPAA film rating system
. Additional suggestions from the PMRC that appeared in an article in the Washington Post included: printing warnings and lyrics on album covers, forcing record stores to put albums with explicit covers under the counters, pressuring television stations not to broadcast explicit songs or videos, "reassess[ing]" the contracts of musicians who performed violently or sexually in concert, and creating a panel to set industry standards.
Megadeth was one of the bands first affected by the establishment of the Parental Advisory
warning, having their 1986 album Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?
be one of the very first albums to bear the warning. This however did very little to reduce the album's sales, as Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? was declared Platinum
in 1992. Nontheless, this deeply affected and annoyed the members of Megadeth, and motivated Dave Mustaine
to write a song, "about censorship and the way that people try and tell us what we can and can't listen to". In addition, in the music video for the song "In My Darkest Hour
", from the same album, as well as the Megadeth
portion of the 1988 rockumentary The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years, bassist David Ellefson
can be seen with a sticker on his bass that says "Fuck The P.M.R.C". Ultimately, So Far, So Good... So What!
was branded with the Parental Advisory
warning. As Megadeth's follow-up album, Rust in Peace
, was free of the warning, it is possible that "Hook in Mouth" simply annoyed and insulted the PMRC enough to earn the album the warning on its own.
, Nineteen Eighty-Four
which has been described as another major inspiration for this song. In the book, the government
employs and organization
called the Ministry of Truth
to alter every piece of literature
, especially newspaper articles, in order the make the government look good. The book describes people being created and erased, statistics
and figures being changed, all to eliminate any negative feelings or opposition towards the government. Many of the workers for this organization are described just as Dave describes them; little, beady-eyed, bug-like men. Dave felt that the organization overstepped the bounds of what the government could do by putting warning labels
on albums or forcing artists to compromise
their integrity in any way.
"Hook in Mouth" is perhaps most famous for its chorus, which creates an acronym
spelling freedom through insults at the PMRC.
Production
Remix
and Remaster
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
, written by Dave Mustaine
Dave Mustaine
David Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
and David Ellefson
David Ellefson
David Warren "Dave" Ellefson is a bassist and founding member of the American thrash metal band Megadeth. He also goes by "Junior." He currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona...
. It is the eighth and last on their So Far, So Good... So What!
So Far, So Good... So What!
- 2004 bonus tracks :† The intro makes use of a sample from The Ink Spots' 1941 song "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire"- Personnel :- Charts :-RIAA Certifications:- External links :*...
album, which was released on January 19, 1988. The song is about revisionism and censorship, specifically aimed at the P.M.R.C., the Parents Music Resource Center, which forced the band to put "Parental Advisory/Explicit Lyrics
Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory is a message affixed by the Recording Industry Association of America to audio and recordings in the United States containing excessive use of profane language and/or sexual references. Albums began to be labeled for "explicit lyrics" in 1985, after pressure from the Parents...
" warnings on both Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?
Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?
-25th Anniversary 2-CD reissue:-25th Anniversary box set:Disc 5 contains both the original album, and the above listed 1987 show in hi-resolution audio....
and So Far, So Good... So What!.
Dave Mustaine described the song as his favorite of his band's songs, and it remains as a semi-regular staple of Megadeth's live setlist, appearing on their 2001 live album Rude Awakening
Rude Awakening (Megadeth album)
Rude Awakening is a live album by American heavy metal band Megadeth. The album was released by Sanctuary Records in 2002, the last release before the band broke up in 2002...
, as well as being played at The Big 4 Live from Sofia, Bulgaria
The Big 4 Live From Sofia, Bulgaria
The Big 4 Live from Sofia, Bulgaria is a DVD/Blu-ray featuring live concert performances by Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax, collectively known as "the big four" of thrash metal. The event took place on June 22, 2010 at the Sonisphere Festival at Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia,...
, featured on a live performance DVD which also featured Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
and Anthrax
Anthrax (band)
Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
, and which debuted at number one with 22,000 sales. The song was on the Warchest
Warchest
Warchest is a box set from the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Warchest features five discs and features studio tracks, demos and live recordings of a number of the band's songs from its previous eleven studio albums and rarities EP...
box set released in 2007. Lastly, it was also featured on Megadeth's first promotional EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Maximum Megadeth
Maximum Megadeth
*The live tracks were performed live at the Wembley Arena, London on October 14, 1990 during the Clash of the Titans tour.-Personnel:*Dave Mustaine – guitar, lead vocals*Marty Friedman – guitar*David Ellefson – bass, backing vocals...
.
Development
The Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) was an AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
committee formed in 1985 with the goal of increasing parental control over the access of children to music deemed to be violent or sexually suggestive. The committee was founded by four women: Tipper Gore
Tipper Gore
Mary Elizabeth "Tipper" Gore , née Aitcheson, is an author, photographer, former second lady of the United States, and the estranged wife of Al Gore...
, wife of Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and later Vice President Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
; Susan Baker, wife of Treasury Secretary
United States Secretary of the Treasury
The Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United...
James Baker
James Baker
James Addison Baker, III is an American attorney, politician and political advisor.Baker served as the Chief of Staff in President Ronald Reagan's first administration and in the final year of the administration of President George H. W. Bush...
; Pam Howar, wife of Washington realtor Raymond Howar; and Sally Nevius, wife of Washington City Council
Council of the District of Columbia
The Council of the District of Columbia is the legislative branch of the local government of the District of Columbia. As permitted in the United States Constitution, the District is not part of any U.S. state and is instead overseen directly by the federal government...
Chairman John Nevius
John Nevius
John A. Nevius was a lawyer and politician who served as the last head of Washington, DC's pre-Home Rule city council. Nevius was first appointed to the council by President Lyndon Johnson from 1967 to 1969. In 1972, President Richard Nixon appointed him as president of the council...
. They were known as the "Washington wives" – a reference to their husbands' connections with the federal government. As a method of combating this alleged problem, the PMRC suggested a voluntary move by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
and the music industry to develop "guidelines and/or a rating system" similar to the MPAA film rating system
MPAA film rating system
The Motion Picture Association of America's film-rating system is used in the U.S. and its territories to rate a film's thematic and content suitability for certain audiences. The MPAA system applies only to motion pictures that are submitted for rating. Other media may be rated by other entities...
. Additional suggestions from the PMRC that appeared in an article in the Washington Post included: printing warnings and lyrics on album covers, forcing record stores to put albums with explicit covers under the counters, pressuring television stations not to broadcast explicit songs or videos, "reassess[ing]" the contracts of musicians who performed violently or sexually in concert, and creating a panel to set industry standards.
Megadeth was one of the bands first affected by the establishment of the Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory is a message affixed by the Recording Industry Association of America to audio and recordings in the United States containing excessive use of profane language and/or sexual references. Albums began to be labeled for "explicit lyrics" in 1985, after pressure from the Parents...
warning, having their 1986 album Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?
Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?
-25th Anniversary 2-CD reissue:-25th Anniversary box set:Disc 5 contains both the original album, and the above listed 1987 show in hi-resolution audio....
be one of the very first albums to bear the warning. This however did very little to reduce the album's sales, as Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? was declared Platinum
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...
in 1992. Nontheless, this deeply affected and annoyed the members of Megadeth, and motivated Dave Mustaine
Dave Mustaine
David Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
to write a song, "about censorship and the way that people try and tell us what we can and can't listen to". In addition, in the music video for the song "In My Darkest Hour
In My Darkest Hour
"In My Darkest Hour" is a song by American thrash metal band Megadeth. It was the second single from Megadeth's third album, So Far, So Good...So What! . According to the liner notes of the remastered album, band leader Dave Mustaine wrote "In My Darkest Hour" in one sitting after learning of the...
", from the same album, as well as the Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
portion of the 1988 rockumentary The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years, bassist David Ellefson
David Ellefson
David Warren "Dave" Ellefson is a bassist and founding member of the American thrash metal band Megadeth. He also goes by "Junior." He currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona...
can be seen with a sticker on his bass that says "Fuck The P.M.R.C". Ultimately, So Far, So Good... So What!
So Far, So Good... So What!
- 2004 bonus tracks :† The intro makes use of a sample from The Ink Spots' 1941 song "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire"- Personnel :- Charts :-RIAA Certifications:- External links :*...
was branded with the Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory is a message affixed by the Recording Industry Association of America to audio and recordings in the United States containing excessive use of profane language and/or sexual references. Albums began to be labeled for "explicit lyrics" in 1985, after pressure from the Parents...
warning. As Megadeth's follow-up album, Rust in Peace
Rust in Peace
Rust in Peace is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth. Released on September 24, 1990, it was the third Megadeth album distributed through Capitol Records. The album was the band's only collaboration with record producer Mike Clink who was the first producer to...
, was free of the warning, it is possible that "Hook in Mouth" simply annoyed and insulted the PMRC enough to earn the album the warning on its own.
Lyrics
Other than being inspired by the PMRC, several parts of this song are similar to the dystopian novel by George OrwellGeorge Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist...
, Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is a dystopian novel about Oceania, a society ruled by the oligarchical dictatorship of the Party...
which has been described as another major inspiration for this song. In the book, the government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
employs and organization
Organization
An organization is a social group which distributes tasks for a collective goal. The word itself is derived from the Greek word organon, itself derived from the better-known word ergon - as we know `organ` - and it means a compartment for a particular job.There are a variety of legal types of...
called the Ministry of Truth
Ministry of Truth
The Ministry of Truth is one of the four ministries that govern Oceania in George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four...
to alter every piece of literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
, especially newspaper articles, in order the make the government look good. The book describes people being created and erased, statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
and figures being changed, all to eliminate any negative feelings or opposition towards the government. Many of the workers for this organization are described just as Dave describes them; little, beady-eyed, bug-like men. Dave felt that the organization overstepped the bounds of what the government could do by putting warning labels
Warning Labels
"Warning Labels" is the title of a song written by Kim Williams and Oscar Turman, and recorded by American country music artist Doug Stone. It was released in June 1992 as the lead single from the album From the Heart. The song reached #4 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.-Chart...
on albums or forcing artists to compromise
Compromise
To compromise is to make a deal where one person gives up part of his or her demand.In arguments, compromise is a concept of finding agreement through communication, through a mutual acceptance of terms—often involving variations from an original goal or desire.Extremism is often considered as...
their integrity in any way.
Acronym and initialism
Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations formed from the initial components in a phrase or a word. These components may be individual letters or parts of words . There is no universal agreement on the precise definition of the various terms , nor on written usage...
spelling freedom through insults at the PMRC.
F is for fighting,
R is for red ancestors' blood in battles they've shed
E, we elect them,
E, we eject them in the land of the free and the home of the brave
D, for your dying,
O, your overture
M, they will cover your grave with manure / is for money and you know what that cures
This spells out freedom, it means nothing to me
As long as there's a P.M.R.C.
Personnel
Megadeth- Dave MustaineDave MustaineDavid Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
- lead vocals, lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound... - Jeff YoungJeff YoungJeff Young is an American guitarist. He graduated from Musicians Institute in 1985, and is best known for his time with the thrash metal band Megadeth, appearing on the 1988 album So Far, So Good... So What!...
- lead guitar, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar - Dave Ellefson - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Chuck BehlerChuck BehlerChuck Behler is an American drummer. Behler played drums for the heavy metal band Megadeth from 1987 through 1989, recording the album So Far, So Good… So What! with the group in 1988...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
Production
- ProducedRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Paul Lani and Dave Mustaine - EngineeredAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
by Paul Lani with Matt Freeman - MixedAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
by Michael WagenerMichael WagenerMichael Wagener is a music producer, mixer, and engineer from Hamburg, Germany, best known for his work with many top hard rock and heavy metal bands in the late 80's. Wagener's works have sold over ninetyfour million albums worldwide. Wagener was the original guitarist for the German band Accept... - Executive producedExecutive producerAn executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
by Tim CarrTim CarrTim Carr is an Australian record Producer/Engineer, well known for his passion, eclectic personality and honest production, previous credits include;*Ernest Ellis*Something With Numbers*George Pajon *The Cops*Grey Daturas... - MasteredAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
by Stephen MarcussenStephen MarcussenStephen Marcussen is the founder and chief mastering engineer of Marcussen Mastering in Hollywood, California. Marcussen is one of the most sought-after mastering engineers in the music industry and his expertise has been coveted by a wide range of artists over the years...
Remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
and Remaster
Remaster
Remaster is a word marketed mostly in the digital audio age, although the remastering process has existed since recording began...
- Produced by Dave Mustaine
- Mixed by Ralph Patlan and Dave Mustaine
- Engineered by Ralph Patlan with Lance Dean
- EditedDigital audio editorA digital audio editor is a computer application for audio editing, i.e. manipulating digital audio. Digital audio editors are the main software component of a digital audio workstation.-For use with music:...
by Lance Dean with Scott "Sarge" Harrison - Mastered by Tom Baker
See also
- P.M.R.C.
- Tipper GoreTipper GoreMary Elizabeth "Tipper" Gore , née Aitcheson, is an author, photographer, former second lady of the United States, and the estranged wife of Al Gore...
- So Far, So Good... So What!So Far, So Good... So What!- 2004 bonus tracks :† The intro makes use of a sample from The Ink Spots' 1941 song "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire"- Personnel :- Charts :-RIAA Certifications:- External links :*...
- Nineteen Eighty-FourNineteen Eighty-FourNineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is a dystopian novel about Oceania, a society ruled by the oligarchical dictatorship of the Party...
- CensorshipCensorshipthumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
- Parental AdvisoryParental AdvisoryParental Advisory is a message affixed by the Recording Industry Association of America to audio and recordings in the United States containing excessive use of profane language and/or sexual references. Albums began to be labeled for "explicit lyrics" in 1985, after pressure from the Parents...
External links
- YoutubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhGK1z36veo - MegadethMegadethMegadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
's Official Site http://www.megadeth.com/home.php - Official lyricsLyricsLyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/hook-in-mouth-lyrics-megadeth/c44d7905567befdc482568bf00226ac2