I'm the Man (EP)

Last updated

I'm the Man
AnthraxI'mTheMan.jpg
EP by
ReleasedDecember 8, 1987
Recorded1987
Genre
Length28:01
Label Megaforce, Island
Producer Anthrax, Eddie Kramer, Paul Hammingson
Anthrax EP chronology
Armed and Dangerous
(1985)
I'm the Man
(1987)
Penikufesin
(1989)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Christgau's Record Guide B− [2]
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [3]

I'm the Man is the second EP by American metal band Anthrax, released in 1987 by Megaforce Worldwide/Island Records (although the song was supposedly written three years before). [4] The band, along with Eddie Kramer and Paul Hammingson, produced the EP, which includes the single "I'm the Man". The single is considered among the first rap metal songs.

Contents

The title track is a comedy/novelty song that parodies the style of the Beastie Boys, and its main guitar riff is based on the melody of the Jewish folk song "Hava Nagila"[ citation needed ] (guitarists Scott Ian and Dan Spitz, as well as all the members of the Beastie Boys, are Jewish).

For live performances, Joey Belladonna and Charlie Benante would switch places, Benante performing some of the raps and Belladonna drumming. A 7" single was also released, containing only the second and fifth tracks.

A new version titled "I'm the Man '91" would appear on the 1991 b-sides collection Attack of the Killer B's

Samples and borrowed material

The beginning of "I'm the Man" features an electric guitar riff of the Jewish folk song "Hava Nagila", which can also be heard in the chorus. The chorus' lyrics are borrowed from one of Taylor Negron's lines in the Rodney Dangerfield film Easy Money . Rather than using a sample, the song's lines are performed by Frank Bello. Anthrax also used one of Sam Kinison's famous primal screams for the song. At about 1:55, a sample of the Metallica song "Master of Puppets" from the 1986 album Master of Puppets can be heard. A few times after "I'm The Man" is said, a sample of "shut up" from Run-DMC's "You Talk Too Much" from the 1985 album King of Rock can be heard. Additionally, the "yeah" that begins the song "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)" by the Beastie Boys on their 1986 debut, Licensed to Ill , is sampled.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I'm the Man" (Censored Radio version) Joey Belladonna, Dan Spitz, Scott Ian, Frank Bello, Charlie Benante, John Rooney3:03
2."I'm the Man" (Def Uncensored version)Belladonna, Spitz, Ian, Bello, Benante, Rooney3:04
3."Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" (Black Sabbath cover) Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward 5:48
4."I'm the Man" (Live)Belladonna, Spitz, Ian, Bello, Benante, Rooney4:39
5."Caught in a Mosh" (Live) Anthrax 5:34
6."I Am the Law" (Live)Anthrax, Danny Lilker 5:48
Total length:27:56

Personnel

Additional personnel

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [10] Gold50,000^
United States (RIAA) [11] Platinum1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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References

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  2. Christgau, Robert (1990). "A". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s . Pantheon Books. ISBN   0-679-73015-X. Archived from the original on July 12, 2020. Retrieved August 16, 2020 via robertchristgau.com.
  3. Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide . Simon & Schuster. p.  20. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
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  5. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN   978-951-1-21053-5.
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  8. "Anthrax - I'm The Man". Hung Medien. Archived from the original on June 2, 2021. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  9. "Anthrax | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  10. "Canadian album certifications – Anthrax – I'm the Man". Music Canada.
  11. "American album certifications – Anthrax – I'm the Man". Recording Industry Association of America.