Vietnow

Infobox Single | Name = Vietnow


Artist = Rage Against the Machine
from Album = Evil Empire
Released = 10th October 1997
Format = CD, 7", 12"
Genre = Alternative rock, alternative metal, funk metal
Length = 4 min 39 s
Producer = artist
Brendan O'Brien
Last single = "Down Rodeo"
(1996)
This single = "Vietnow"
(1997)
Next single = "No Shelter"
(1998) |

"Vietnow" was the final single for Rage Against the Machine's "Evil Empire" album. Officially it is only the third single from the album, as Down Rodeo was a promo release only.

The cover photograph of an elder lady seen from the back, carrying a boombox radio and walking down a mountain was taken by the Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide in the Sonoran Desert in 1979. The original photograph is called "Mujer Ángel" and has also appeared in the black and white photography book "" as compiled by Erika Billeter.

The song's lyrics concern right-wing AM radio shows, hosted by people such as Rush Limbaugh, G. Gordon Liddy, Oliver North and Michael Reagan. One of the riffs bears a resemblance to "The Wanton Song" by Led Zeppelin, whom Tom Morello has cited as a major influence.

"Vietnow" also contains numerous references to Christianity. Among these are "shut down the devil's sound", "undressed and blessed by the Lord", "evil angel's lists" and "is all the world jails and churches". Part of this is presumably due to the Christian right, and the abundance of right-wing radio show hosts.

The line "comin down like bats from Stacey Koon" is a reference to Sgt. Stacey Koon, one of the 4 LAPD policemen videotaped beating black motorist Rodney King in 1992. He and Laurence Powell were the only two convicted of the four.

Track listing

#"Vietnow"
#"Clear The Lane" - b-side
#"Intro/Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos [Live Version] "
#"Zapata's Blood [Live Version] "

External links

* [http://www.ratm.com/ Official Website]
* [http://www.axisofjustice.org/ Axis of Justice] Tom Morello and Serj Tankian's Activist Website "Axis Of Justice"
* [http://www.vietnow.org/ Vietnow.org] Rage Against The Machine news resource and forum
*
* [http://centrodelaimagen.conaculta.gob.mx/in_diciembre/galeria_graciela.html Graciela Iturbide´s Official Website]