Memorable Songs Featuring Firearms
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Guns have long been a topic of conversation among songwriters. Every genre of music can produce a well-known, weapon-centered piece of work, and guns show no sign of fading out of the music scene anytime soon.
Just take a look at how many songs are familiar to you. Here is a quick list of a few popular songs featuring firearms that will remind you just how commonplace the subject is in the world of music.
16 Shells From A Thirty-Ought-Six – Tom Waits
The imagery and sounds used in the creation of this song can come off pretty busy to an unassuming ear. This song started out to feature a farmer who shoots sixteen rifle shells into the belly of a scarecrow. Frustration building from a lasting drought is enough to drive any farmer to scarecrow-acide.
Bible And A .44 – Ashley McBryde
If you’re a country music fan, then you’re likely familiar with Ashley McBryde’s, “Bible And A .44”. The song has a good ol’ fashioned story about it.
Reportedly, McBryde wrote the song about her dad; a man who always carried a .44 pistol and a bible with him wherever he went. Stars like Eric Church and Trisha Yearwood gave the song its thrust into the limelight through an enriched cover recording and a guest spot on tour.
Big Gun – AC/DC
The well-known song, ‘Big Gun’, got its fame from starring in the ending credits of The Last Action Hero soundtrack. Fun fact: System of a Down bass player, Shavo Odadjian, was actually in the music video for ‘Big Gun’.
The song is worth a listen, even if you’re not a big AC/DC fan. It’s a piece of music history, and it’s not a bad listen.
Bullet In The Head – Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against The Machine is a notoriously political band, so it’s not surprising to hear a song that speaks about the dangers of blindly accepting authority. In true “Rage” fashion, ‘Bullet In The Head’ is more than a song, it’s a loud and proud political statement.
The violence of the song is in the message that those who blindly follow religion, gang mentality, or government are just as bad off as a person with a bullet in their head. The spark of the song was ignited by the first Iraq War.
Janie’s Got A Gun – Aerosmith
Millions of music lovers are more than familiar with Aerosmith’s, ‘Janie’s Got A Gun’, and rightfully so. The message of the song is far from forgettable. Steven Tyler was on a mission to induce emotion about a very real issue in the release of this tune, as the subject was a girl who shoots her sexually abusive father.