My Last Words (song)

Last updated
"My Last Words"
Song by Megadeth
from the album Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?
ReleasedSeptember 19, 1986 (1986-09-19)
RecordedFebruary–March 1986
Studio
Genre Thrash metal
Length4:57
Label
Songwriter(s) Dave Mustaine
Producer(s)
  • Dave Mustaine
  • Randy Burns
Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? track listing
8 tracks
  1. "Wake Up Dead"
  2. "The Conjuring"
  3. "Peace Sells"
  4. "Devils Island"
  5. "Good Mourning/Black Friday"
  6. "Bad Omen"
  7. "I Ain't Superstitious"
  8. "My Last Words"

"My Last Words" is a song by American thrash metal band Megadeth from their 1986 album Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? , written by Dave Mustaine.

Contents

Music and lyrics

"My Last Words" is about a game of Russian roulette and the fear one goes through when playing the game. [1] [2] Despite being one of the lesser known tracks on the record, music journalist Martin Popoff said that the song was an example of the band's "fast thrashers" and an evidence why Megadeth were dubbed as the "fearless speed progenitors". [3] The end section features shouted gang vocals. [4]

Live performance

"My Last Words" is rarely performed live by Megadeth nowadays. The song was a setlist staple through the eighties, having been played at many shows, including their first (where it appeared under the title "Next Victim"). [5] After Nick Menza and Marty Friedman joined the band, however, it was mostly dropped from setlists. It has popped up sporadically for the past three decades.

In 2010, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich requested that the band played the song at a concert at the Cow Palace on August 31, 2010. [6] The song is reportedly his favorite Megadeth song. [7]

Well, last night was fun. Lars asked us to play 'My Last Words' two minutes before we went onstage and being as we have never even rehearsed that tune with this lineup and Megadeth hasn't played that tune since 2005 in the land of OZ. I think we pulled it off rather well... That was actually really fun to just wing it and enjoy the moment. I hope the crowd did enjoy it as well.

— Shawn Drover - September 1st, 2010. [8]

In June and July 2018, Megadeth played the song at a few shows in dedication to Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul, who died on June 22, 2018. [9] The performance at Hellfest was professionally shot and later uploaded to YouTube. [10] Mustaine announced the song by saying it was the first time the band played it in 20 years, although it had been played in 2005 [11] and 2010. [12]

Accolades

YearPublicationCountryAccoladeRank
2022Louder SoundUnited StatesThe Top 20 Best Megadeth Songs Ranked [4] 15
2018 Billboard United KingdomThe 15 Best Megadeth Songs: Critic’s Picks [2] 10

Personnel

Production and performance credits are adapted from the album liner notes. [13]

Megadeth

Additional personnel

Production

2004 remix and remaster

Related Research Articles

<i>Ride the Lightning</i> 1984 studio album by Metallica

Ride the Lightning is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on July 27, 1984, by the independent record label Megaforce Records. The album was recorded in three weeks with producer Flemming Rasmussen at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark. The artwork, based on a concept by the band, depicts an electric chair being struck by lightning flowing from the band logo. The title was taken from a passage in Stephen King's novel The Stand, in which a character uses the phrase to refer to execution by electric chair.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Megadeth</span> American thrash metal band

Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along with Metallica, Anthrax, and Slayer, responsible for the genre's development and popularization. Their music features complex arrangements and fast rhythm sections, dual lead guitars, and lyrical themes of war, politics, religion, death, and personal relationships.

<i>Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!</i> 1985 studio album by Megadeth

Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! is the debut studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth, released on June 12, 1985, by Combat Records. At the beginning of 1985, the band was given $8,000 by Combat to record and produce its debut album. The band was forced to fire their original producer and produce the album by themselves, after spending half of the album's budget on drugs, alcohol, and food. Despite the poor production, the album was a well-received effort that obtained strong reviews in various music publications. Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! played an essential role in establishing thrash metal as an authentic subgenre of heavy metal music. It explores themes of death, occultism, and violence.

<i>Peace Sells... but Whos Buying?</i> 1986 studio album by Megadeth

Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? is the second studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth, released on September 19, 1986, through Capitol Records. The project was originally handled by Combat Records, resulting in the original mix of the album being co-produced by Randy Burns. Capitol Records then bought the rights to the album and hired another producer named Paul Lani to mix it himself. The recording of the album was difficult for the band, because of the ongoing drug issues the members had at the time. Drummer Gar Samuelson and guitarist Chris Poland were fired shortly after the album's promotional tour for drug abuse, making Peace Sells Samuelson's last Megadeth album. Poland reappeared as a session musician on The System Has Failed, 18 years later. The title track, noted for its politically conscious lyrics, was released as the album's second single, but the band's first music video. The album's cover art, featuring the band's mascot Vic Rattlehead in front of a desolated United Nations Headquarters, was created by Ed Repka.

<i>Rust in Peace</i> 1990 studio album by Megadeth

Rust in Peace is the fourth studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth, released on September 24, 1990, by Capitol Records. It was the first Megadeth album to feature lead guitarist Marty Friedman and drummer Nick Menza. The songs "Hangar 18" and "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" were released as singles. A remixed and remastered version of the album featuring four bonus tracks was released in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Mustaine</span> American musician

David Scott Mustaine is an American musician. He is the co-founder, frontman and primary songwriter of the thrash metal band Megadeth, as well as their sole consistent member. Mustaine has released sixteen studio albums with Megadeth, sold over 38 million records worldwide, with six albums platinum-certified, and won a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2017 at the 59th Grammy Awards, for the title track of their fifteenth studio album, Dystopia.

<i>Kill Em All</i> 1983 studio album by Metallica

Kill 'Em All is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on July 25, 1983, through the independent label Megaforce Records. Metallica began by playing shows in local clubs in Los Angeles. They recorded several demos to gain attention from club owners and eventually relocated to San Francisco to secure the services of bassist Cliff Burton. The group's No Life 'til Leather demo tape (1982) was noticed by Megaforce label head Jon Zazula, who signed them and provided a budget of $15,000 for recording. The album was recorded in May with producer Paul Curcio at the Music America Studios in Rochester, New York. It was originally intended to be titled Metal Up Your Ass, with cover art featuring a hand clutching a dagger emerging from a toilet bowl. Zazula convinced the band to change the name because distributors feared that releasing an album with such an offensive title and artwork would diminish its chances of commercial success.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peace Sells</span> 1986 single by Megadeth

"Peace Sells" is a song by American thrash metal band Megadeth from their 1986 album Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?, written by Dave Mustaine. The song was released as the band's second ever single in November 1986. "Peace Sells" was the group’s breakthrough hit, and is regarded as one of the best songs in the history of heavy metal. Since 1985, the song has since been a constant at Megadeth concerts. According to David Ellefson, it became quickly apparent when playing the song live prior to recording the album that "Peace Sells" would be a hit. In 2006, VH1 ranked "Peace Sells" at number 11 on their list of the "40 Greatest Metal Songs" of all time. In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked the song number nineteen on their list on the 100 greatest heavy metal songs.

<i>The System Has Failed</i> 2004 studio album by Megadeth

The System Has Failed is the tenth studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth, released on September 14, 2004. It was the band's second and final studio album to be distributed by Sanctuary Records. The System Has Failed was the first album to be released after Dave Mustaine recovered from his arm injury sustained in 2002. It is also the first of four Megadeth studio albums not to include original bassist and co-founder David Ellefson. The album features former Megadeth member Chris Poland (guitar), who previously performed on Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! (1985) and Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? (1986), and session musicians Vinnie Colaiuta (drums) and Jimmie Lee Sloas (bass).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gears of War (song)</span> 2006 promotional single by Megadeth

"Gears of War" is a song by the American thrash metal band Megadeth. It was released as a promotional single off of their tenth studio album United Abominations (2007). It was the first song from the album released. An instrumental of the song is featured in the 2006 video game of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">99 Ways to Die (song)</span> 1993 single by Megadeth

"99 Ways to Die" is a song by the American thrash metal band Megadeth. The song was recorded for the soundtrack to The Beavis and Butt-head Experience, and was released as a single and a music video. The song was nominated in the "Best Metal Performance" category at the 1995 Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Ain't Superstitious</span> Blues song written by Willie Dixon

"I Ain't Superstitious" is a song written by bluesman Willie Dixon and first recorded by Howlin' Wolf in 1961. It recounts various superstitions, including that of a black cat crossing the pathway. The song has been recorded by a number of artists, including Jeff Beck, whose blues rock adaptation in 1968 was named one of Rolling Stone magazine's "100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Never Walk Alone... A Call to Arms</span> 2007 single by Megadeth

"Never Walk Alone... A Call to Arms", also known simply as "Never Walk Alone", is a song by American thrash metal band Megadeth. It was released as the second official single from their eleventh studio album, United Abominations (2007).

"Set the World Afire" is a song by the American thrash metal band Megadeth. It is the second track from their third studio album, So Far, So Good... So What!, which was released in 1988 by Capitol Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Use the Man</span> 1997 single by Megadeth

"Use the Man" is a song by American thrash metal band Megadeth. It was released as the third single from their seventh studio album, Cryptic Writings (1997). The song was one of the band's biggest hits, at #15 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breadline (song)</span> 2000 single by Megadeth

"Breadline" is a song by American heavy metal band Megadeth and the second single from their eighth studio album, Risk, in late 1999. "Breadline" was also released as its own EP in 2000 in Japan, which featuring several versions of the song, and remixes of other songs from Risk and Megadeth's back catalog. After leaving Megadeth, guitarist Marty Friedman would later cover this song on his solo album Future Addict.

"Post American World" is a song by American thrash metal band Megadeth. It is the sixth track from their fifteenth studio album, Dystopia, which was released on January 22, 2016. The song was released as the album's fourth and final single on July 19, 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackmail the Universe</span> 2004 single by Megadeth

"Blackmail the Universe" is a 2004 song by American thrash metal band Megadeth, written by frontman Dave Mustaine. It was released as a promotional single from their 2004 album The System Has Failed.

"Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!" is a song by the American thrash metal band Megadeth. It is the second track from their debut studio album of the same name, Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!, which was released in 1985 by Combat Records.

References

  1. ↑ Ramirez, Carlos (September 13, 2013). "10 Most Underrated Megadeth Songs". Noisecreep . Retrieved December 12, 2013.
  2. 1 2 Titus, Christina. "The 15 Best Megadeth Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  3. ↑ Popoff 2002, p. 352.
  4. 1 2 Stewart-Panko, Kevin. "The top 20 best Megadeth songs ranked". Louder Sound. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  5. ↑ The Scorpion (3 November 2008). "SCORPION Q+A". Megadeth.com. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  6. ↑ "Metallica's Lars Ulrich Pens Liner Notes for 'Timeless' Megadeth Album 'Peace Sells'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  7. ↑ "Lars On His Favorite MEGADETH Song, Napster, Favorite New Metal Bands & Cutting His Hair; Highlights Of His Reddit AMA". Metal Injection. 31 January 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  8. ↑ "MEGADETH PERFORM 'MY LAST WORDS' IN SAN FRANCISCO; VIDEO AVAILABLE". Brave Words. 1 September 2010. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  9. ↑ "MEGADETH Dedicates 'My Last Words' To VINNIE PAUL (Video)". Blabbermouth. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  10. ↑ Camp, Zoe (25 June 2018). "SEE MEGADETH SALUTE VINNIE PAUL WITH RARE "MY LAST WORDS" PERFORMANCES". Revolver Mag.
  11. ↑ Ustaer, Feyyaz (25 June 2018). "MEGADETH REMEMBERS VINNIE PAUL ON STAGE: HERE'S PERFORMANCE OF "MY LAST WORDS"". Metalhead Zone. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  12. ↑ Davino, Bianca (26 June 2018). "Watch Megadeth perform 'My Last Words in honour of Vinnie Paul". Tine Deaf. The Brag. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  13. ↑ Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? liner notes (2004 reissue). Capitol Records. 2004. pp. 4–12.
  14. ↑ Scorpion, The. "SCORPION Q+A". Megadeth.com. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.