The 1992 song Tom Morello wanted to be remembered for: “I still hear it everywhere”
Tom Morello says Rage Against the Machine’s 1992 breakthrough, ‘Killing in the Name’, is the song he is proudest of and hopes to be remembered for. Its lasting visibility reflects how the band’s forceful sound and political lyrics carried their protest message to a broad audience.
The song returned to number one in the UK Christmas chart in 2009, 17 years after its release, during a campaign against The X Factor’s dominance of the festive chart. Morello told Total Guitar that he still hears it around the world. The article highlights its enduring association with protest against police brutality, corruption and misuse of power.
- Morello wants ‘Killing in the Name’ to be his lasting legacy.
- The 1992 song topped the UK Christmas chart in 2009.
- Its protest message continues to resonate.
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Rage Against the Machine are an American rock band whose music combines heavy guitar riffs with lyrics about politics and power. Tom Morello, the band’s guitarist, helped shape their sound, while “Killing in the Name” became one of their best-known songs after its release in 1992.
The song’s lyrics challenge racism and abuses of authority, including police brutality. It reached a new audience in Britain in 2009, when a campaign to stop The X Factor winner topping the Christmas chart helped return it to number one.