Bad Company (song)
"Bad Company" is a song by the hard rock band Bad Company. It was released as the third single from their debut album Bad Company in 1974, although it did not chart (in America). Co-written by the group's lead singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke, the song's meaning comes from a book on Victorian morals.[1] The song uses the same chords and piano figure as Joni Mitchell's song "Woodstock" from 1970.
"Bad Company" | ||||
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Single by Bad Company | ||||
from the album Bad Company | ||||
Released | 1974 | |||
Recorded | November 1973 | |||
Genre | Hard rock | |||
Length | 4:50 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Bad Company | |||
Bad Company singles chronology | ||||
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In popular culture
Tori Amos performed the song at a number of concerts in 1994 and 1996.[2]
Bill Champlin did a cover of the song that was featured in season two, episode nine of The Young Riders (1990). The title of the episode is "Bad Company".
In the beginning of The Dark Tower, Stephen King quotes the lines "I was born 6-gun in my hand, Behind a gun I'll make my final stand".
Garth Brooks covers the song on his box set Blame It All on My Roots: Five Decades of Influences.
The South African trio of Mark Haze, Dozi and Ghapi (from Idols South Africa VII) recorded a cover version on their album Rocking Buddies in 2013.[3]
In the fourth part of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure manga, Keicho Nijimura's stand, Bad Company is named after the band.
Rickie Lee Jones covered the song on her 2019 Kicks album.
Five Finger Death Punch released a cover of the song.
Personnel
Five Finger Death Punch cover
"Bad Company" | ||||
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Single by Five Finger Death Punch | ||||
from the album War Is the Answer | ||||
Released | May 17, 2010 | |||
Recorded | 2009 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:22 | |||
Label | Prospect Park | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Kevin Churko | |||
Five Finger Death Punch singles chronology | ||||
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Five Finger Death Punch frequently performs a cover of this song live, and recorded the song for their second album War Is the Answer.[4][5] The song has a significantly heavier tone to it, along with several lyrical edits ("I was born a shotgun in my hands", "the death punch sound is our claim to fame"). The song has been used as entrance music by Washington Nationals closer Drew Storen, Chicago Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta and San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner.[6][7][8]
Track listing
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Bad Company" | 4:22 |
2. | "The Devil's Own" (live) | 4:54 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Bad Company (radio edit)" | 3:57 |
2. | "Bad Company (album version)" | 4:23 |
Chart performance
Chart (2010) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Mainstream Rock Songs (Billboard) | 2 |
US Rock Songs (Billboard)[9] | 7 |
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[9] | 26 |
US Heatseekers Songs (Billboard)[9] | 11 |
Band members
- Zoltan Bathory – guitars
- Jason Hook – guitars
- Ivan Moody – vocals
- Matt Snell – bass
- Jeremy Spencer – drums
References
- "Bad Company by Bad Company Songfacts". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
- "Tori Amos Song Summary". Toriset.org. Retrieved 2011-11-10.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2014-05-24.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH Scores With 'Bad Company'". Blabbermouth.net. 28 June 2010.
- HARSHCORE, ROD (19 January 2011). "Five Finger Death Punch – Bad Company, Is It As Good As The Original?". yellmagazine.com.
- Tinsman, Brian. "Drew Storen Discusses Politics of Pitcher Entrance Songs in Baseball". CBS.
- "Pitcher Jake Arrieta". Baltimore Sun.
- "In a season of some necessary transition, Bumgarner, Posey and the Giants' new puzzle pieces are beginning to come together". Times-Standard. June 28, 2015.
- "Bad Company - Five Finger Death Punch". Billboard. Archived from the original on 1 November 2010. Retrieved November 1, 2010.
External links
- Lyrics of live cover by Queen + Paul Rodgers from Live in Ukraine, from Queen official website
- Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics