The first single from 1992's release, “Killing in the name” arguably the band's most commercially successful song, gained them mass publicity and opened the doorway for the rest of their career as a band, while gathering some controversial attention. Commencing with chaotic down-strikes of low distorted guitar notes accompanied by crashing cymbals on every the first beat of every bar, the opening of the song is striking to say the least. It draws the attention of the listener in right away. The lyrical content of the song is in a simple form. The verses hear the repeated line “Some of those who work forces, are the same who burnt crosses” which is played at notably lower dynamic than the rest of the song. These lines, Rage would have the listener believe, are referring to how the people in power are the same people once associated with religious cult groups such as the Ku Klux Klan. But the most significant part of the whole song does not happen until the end section where De La Rocha intensely builds the aggressive line “Fuck you I won't do what you tell me!” and continues to scream this a total of 17 times. This line addresses the bands direct unwillingness to be controlled by mass government bodies and capitalist ideologies …show more content…
According to David Halberstam, the photographer of the event, “the old Buddhist Monk sat down in the lotus position, was doused in gasoline by assistants and struck a match” (Gronstad & Gustafsson).The striking image catches your attention instantly is an appropriate representation of Rage's politically charged leftwing