Wake Up Dead

Last updated
"Wake Up Dead"
Wake Up Dead.jpeg
Single by Megadeth
from the album Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?
Released1986, 1987 [UK]
Recorded1986
Genre Thrash metal
Length3:38
Label
Songwriter(s) Dave Mustaine
Producer(s)
  • Dave Mustaine
  • Randy Burns
Megadeth singles chronology
"Wake Up Dead"
(1986)
"Peace Sells"
(1986)
Music video
"Wake Up Dead" on YouTube

"Wake Up Dead" is a song by American thrash metal band Megadeth, and was the lead single from their 1986 album Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? , written by Dave Mustaine. It has since become a staple at their concerts, being their sixth most played song. [1]

Contents

Lyrics

"Wake Up Dead" features lyrics which describe a man who has been cheating on his wife or girlfriend and is sneaking into his house, knowing that if his wife finds out about his other lover, she will kill him. [2] Mustaine said that "Wake Up Dead" was written about him cheating on a girl with whom he was living. He stayed with her because he was homeless at the time and needed a place to stay. Unfortunately, he was in love with another girl and thought the one he lived with would be mad because he was cheating on her. He had to leave her because he thought she had intentions to kill him. [3]

Music video

A music video was produced for the song, directed by Penelope Spheeris. The video begins with a shot of the stage surrounded by a metal wire fence. A group of fans gather around and rush at the stage, and the band begins to play. [4] Fans crowd surf and climb the fence while the band plays. The video has a blue hue throughout. The video was released on April 28, 1987. [5]

Accolades

YearPublicationCountryAccoladeRank
2022Louder SoundUnited StatesThe Top 20 Best Megadeth Songs Ranked [6] 7
2018 Billboard United KingdomThe 15 Best Megadeth Songs: Critic’s Picks [7] 3

Track listing

7-inch edition

  1. "Wake Up Dead"
  2. "Good Mourning/Black Friday"

12-inch edition

  1. "Wake Up Dead"
  2. "Black Friday (Live)
  3. "Devils Island (Live)

Cassette edition

  1. "Wake Up Dead"
  2. "Black Friday (Live)
  3. "Devils Island (Live)

Charts

Chart (1986)Peak
position
UK Singles [8] 65

Lamb of God version

"Wake Up Dead"
Wake Up Dead Lamb of God.jpg
Single by Lamb of God featuring Dave Mustaine
ReleasedApril 1, 2022 (2022-04-01)
Recorded2022
Genre Thrash metal
Length3:43
Label Epic Records
Songwriter(s) Dave Mustaine
Lamb of God singles chronology
"Memento Mori"
(2020)
"Wake Up Dead"
(2022)
"Nevermore"
(2022)

American heavy metal band Lamb of God covered the song alongside Dave Mustaine in 2022. Released on April 1, 2022, the recording features contributions from all four then-current Megadeth members although only Mustaine is credited as a featured artist. [9] [10]

Background

In 2021 and 2022, Megadeth and Lamb of God toured together as part of the "Metal Tour of The Year". [11] To celebrate, the bands decided to record a song together. However, this is not their first collaboration. Former Lamb of God drummer Chris Adler, brother of guitarist Willie Adler, played drums on Megadeth's 2016 album, Dystopia. [12] Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine commented, "We had a blast playing with Lamb of God on their cover of 'Wake Up Dead,' almost as much fun as we're going to have playing every night on 'Metal Tour of the Year.' I'm looking forward to seeing everyone!", while Lamb of God singer Randy Blythe said, "What better way to kick [the tour] off than a little inter-band jam session? All nine members of Megadeth and Lamb of God are on the thrash classic 'Wake Up Dead'—turn it up, and we'll see you on the road!" [13]

Music video

The music video for the song shows each musician recording his part of the song from their houses. [14]

Personnel

Lamb of God

Guest musicians

Other covers

Related Research Articles

<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>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 25, 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 Megadeth's 2004 album The System Has Failed. The title track, noted for its politically conscious lyrics, was released as the album's second single and was 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Mustaine</span> American musician (born 1961)

David Scott Mustaine is an American musician. He is the co-founder, frontman, primary songwriter and sole consistent member of the thrash metal band Megadeth. 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.

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David Warren Ellefson is an American musician, best known for his long tenure as the bassist and backing vocalist for thrash metal band Megadeth across two stints.

<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.

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Lamb of God is an American heavy metal band from Richmond, Virginia. Formed in 1994 as Burn the Priest, the group consists of bassist John Campbell, vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, and drummer Art Cruz. The band is considered a significant member of the new wave of American heavy metal movement.

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References

  1. "Megadeth Tour Statistics". setlist.fm. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  2. Konow, David (2009). Bang Your Head: The Rise and Fall of Heavy Metal. Crown Publishing Group. p. 244. ISBN   978-0-307-56560-0.
  3. Popoff, Martin (2002). The Top 500 Heavy Metal Songs of All Time. ECW Press. p. 134. ISBN   978-1-55022-530-3.
  4. "Megadeth: Wake Up Dead". IMDb . Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  5. "Megadeth: Wake Up Dead". IMDb. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  6. Stewart-Panko, Kevin (14 July 2022). "The top 20 best Megadeth songs ranked". Louder Sound. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  7. Titus, Christina. "The 15 Best Megadeth Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  8. "Megadeth". Official Charts Company . Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  9. "Lamb of God Releases Music Video For Cover Of Megadeth's 'Wake Up Dead' Featuring Dave Mustaine". Blabbermouth.net. April 1, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  10. "LAMB OF GOD release 'Wake Up Dead' feat. MEGADETH". Metal Planet Music. April 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  11. "Megadeth & Lamb of God 2022". Metal Tour Of The Year. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  12. Childers, Chad (March 29, 2015). "Megadeth Reveal Lamb of God's Chris Adler as Their New Drummer". Loudwire . Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  13. Hadusek, Jon (April 2022). "Heavy Consequence New Music Releases Lamb of God and Megadeth Join Forces for New Version of Megadeth's "Wake Up Dead": Stream". Consequence Heavy. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  14. Grow, Kory. "Lamb of God, Megadeth Pledge Allegiance to the Riff on Megajam 'Wake Up Dead'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  15. "EXODUS And OVERKILL Members Join Forces For Quarantine Cover Of MEGADETH's 'Wake Up Dead'". Blabbermouth.net. May 26, 2020. Retrieved 20 September 2021.