Undead (song)
Encyclopedia
"Undead" is a song by American
rap rock
band Hollywood Undead
, the first track and third single from their debut full-length album, Swan Songs
.
"Undead" was released as a 7" single in the United Kingdom on HMV with "Circles" as a second track.
During Super Bowl XLIII
, a trailer aired for G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra which featured "Undead". The song is also featured in the video game UFC 2009 Undisputed
from THQ
and is part of the soundtrack for Madden NFL 2009.
MMA fighter Josh Neer
used this song as his entrance music during UFC 101
.
The song was used in the New York Knicks 2009-2010 intro video.
The song was used in the NBC telecast of WrestleMania XXV
, highlighting the match between The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels
. Most recently, the song was used in a a TV spot trailer for the 2011 remake film Conan the Barbarian. The song was also used for Shiima Xion
during his run in the indy circuit.
For the 2011 - 2012 season, the Milwaukee Admirals
of the American Hockey League
used the song for their pre-game player introductions.
" by Ozzy Osbourne
, played on a synthesizer rather than a guitar and transposed into a different key. As with all songs from the bands debut, Deuce sings the chorus. Johnny 3 Tears raps the first verse, Charlie Scene raps the second verse, and J-Dog raps the third. The original version of the song was entitled "Out the Way" and featured additional lyrics during J-Dog's verse. Although it is unknown why these words were cut out on the final track, these lyrics are performed by the band at live shows.
Production
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rap rock
Rap rock
Rap rock is a cross-genre fusing vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop with various forms of rock. Rap rock is often confused with rap metal and rapcore, subgenres that include heavy metal-oriented and hardcore punk-oriented bands, respectively....
band Hollywood Undead
Hollywood Undead
Hollywood Undead is an American rap rock band from Los Angeles, California. They released their debut album, Swan Songs, on September 2, 2008, and their live CD/DVD Desperate Measures, on November 10, 2009. Their second studio album, American Tragedy, was released April 5, 2011...
, the first track and third single from their debut full-length album, Swan Songs
Swan Songs (Hollywood Undead album)
Swan Songs is the debut album by Hollywood Undead, released through Octone Records. The album was released on September 2, 2008. "Everywhere I Go" was the first single to be released, it was a web single and was available for download only on iTunes...
.
Reception
The song peaked at #10 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks, #12 on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks, and #4 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100."Undead" was released as a 7" single in the United Kingdom on HMV with "Circles" as a second track.
During Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009,...
, a trailer aired for G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra which featured "Undead". The song is also featured in the video game UFC 2009 Undisputed
UFC 2009 Undisputed
UFC 2009 Undisputed is a mixed martial arts video game featuring Ultimate Fighting Championship properties and fighters developed by Yuke's Osaka and published by THQ. The game was released in the US on May 19, 2009, for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3...
from THQ
THQ
THQ Inc. is an American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989 in the United States, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices...
and is part of the soundtrack for Madden NFL 2009.
MMA fighter Josh Neer
Josh Neer
Joshua Martin Neer is an American mixed martial artist from Des Moines, Iowa who is currently under contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championships. He trains at The LifeLine Youth Foundation and The Des Moines Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Des Moines, Iowa. Neer is formerly an MFS Elite fighter...
used this song as his entrance music during UFC 101
UFC 101
UFC 101: Declaration was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on August 8, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
.
The song was used in the New York Knicks 2009-2010 intro video.
The song was used in the NBC telecast of WrestleMania XXV
WrestleMania XXV
WrestleMania XXV was the twenty-fifth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on April 5, 2009 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas...
, highlighting the match between The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
. Most recently, the song was used in a a TV spot trailer for the 2011 remake film Conan the Barbarian. The song was also used for Shiima Xion
Shiima Xion
Michael Paris is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Shiima Xion. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he competes as Zema Ion, while also working both on the American independent circuit and in Mexico.-Early career:Michael Paris claims that...
during his run in the indy circuit.
For the 2011 - 2012 season, the Milwaukee Admirals
Milwaukee Admirals
The Milwaukee Admirals are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA at the Bradley Center.-History:...
of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
used the song for their pre-game player introductions.
Arrangement
The main riff of the song is the same as that from "Crazy TrainCrazy Train
"Crazy Train" is a song written by Ozzy Osbourne, Randy Rhoads and Bob Daisley. It was released as the first single in 1980 on Osbourne's first solo studio album, Blizzard of Ozz. The song was recorded in 1980, a year after leaving Black Sabbath, and later included on the live album Tribute,...
" by Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
, played on a synthesizer rather than a guitar and transposed into a different key. As with all songs from the bands debut, Deuce sings the chorus. Johnny 3 Tears raps the first verse, Charlie Scene raps the second verse, and J-Dog raps the third. The original version of the song was entitled "Out the Way" and featured additional lyrics during J-Dog's verse. Although it is unknown why these words were cut out on the final track, these lyrics are performed by the band at live shows.
Chart performance
| Chart (2010–2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Alternative Songs (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
12 |
Personnel
Hollywood Undead- Charlie Scene - vocalsRappingRapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
, 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... - J-Dog – keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, 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...
, vocals, screamsScreaming (music)Screaming is a vocal technique that is most popular in subgenres of heavy metal, punk and hard rock, including metalcore, deathcore, post-hardcore, groove metal, black metal, and grindcore... - Deuce - clean vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Da Kurlzz – 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...
, screamsScreaming (music)Screaming is a vocal technique that is most popular in subgenres of heavy metal, punk and hard rock, including metalcore, deathcore, post-hardcore, groove metal, black metal, and grindcore...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Funny Man – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Johnny 3 Tears – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
Production
- Don Gilmore - executive producer, recording, programming
- Danny LohnerDanny LohnerDaniel Patrick "Danny" Lohner , frequently known as Renholdër, is an American rock musician who plays bass guitar, electric guitar, and keyboards. He worked with Trent Reznor on numerous occasions, both with Nine Inch Nails and on the now defunct Tapeworm project...
- producer - Deuce - producer
- Ben Grosse - mixing