Brad's success as the drummer of Rage Against the Machine came from the failure of a different band; he once auditioned for a band called Lock Up, who released one album (titled Somethin' Bitchin' This Way Comes) through Geffen records in 1989 and broke up when the album received little media attention upon release. Former Lock Up guitarist Tom Morello was looking to pick up where Lock Up left off and start a new band, and called up Brad to see if he was interested in playing the drums. A short while after, the duo met Zack de la Rocha, a rapper, and through de la Rocha met bassist Tim Commerford (a childhood friend of Zack's) and Rage Against the Machine was born.
When Zack De La Rocha left Rage Against the Machine in late 2000, Brad and the two remaining members, Tom Morello and Tim Commerford, opted to stay together to form a new rock band. Producer Rick Rubin suggested they have a jam session with former Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell. The meeting was an immediate success and they subsequently formed a band called Civilian, which was later renamed Audioslave. Brad Wilk has been the drummer of Audioslave since its formation in 2001.
Calm Like a Bomb
Brad Wilk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Feel the funk blast)
Feel the funk blast
Feel the funk blast
Feel the funk blast
I be walkin' god like a dog
My narrative, fearless
Like Baldwin home from Paris
Like steel from a furnace
I was born landless
This is the native son
Born of Zapata's guns
Stroll through the shanties
And the cities' remains
Same bodies buried hungry,
But with different last names
These vultures robbin' everything
Leave nothing but chains
They pick a point on the globe
Yes the pictures the same
There's a bank, there's a church
A myth and a hearse
A mall and a loan
A child dead at birth
There's a widow pig parrot
A rebel to tame
A white hooded judge
A syringe and a vein
And the riot be the rhyme of the unheard
Whatcha say, whatcha say, whatcha say, what!
Whatcha say, whatcha say, whatcha say, what!
Whatcha say, whatcha say, whatcha say, what!
Whatcha say, whatcha say, whatcha say, what!
Calm like a bomb
(Ignite, ignite, ignite, ignite....)
Calm like a bomb
(Ignite, ignite, ignite, ignite....)
This ain't subliminal
Feel the critical mass approach horizon
The pulse of the condemned
Sound off America's demisin'
The anti-myth rhythm rock shocker -
Yes I spit fire.
Hope lies in the smoldering rubble of empires.
Yes, back through the shanties
And tha cities' remains
The same bodies buried hungry
But with different last names
The vultures robbin' everyone
Leave nothing but chains
Pick a point here at home
Yes the picture's the same
There's a field full of slaves
Some corn and some debt
There's a ditch full of bodies
The check for tha rent
There's a tap, the phone
The silence of stone
The numb black screen
That be feelin' like home
And the riot be the rhyme of the unheard
Whatcha say, whatcha say, whatcha say, what!
Whatcha say, whatcha say, whatcha say, what!
Whatcha say, whatcha say, whatcha say, what!
Whatcha say, whatcha say, whatcha say, what!
Calm like a bomb
(Ignite, ignite, ignite, ignite....)
Calm like a bomb
(Ignite, ignite, ignite, ignite....)
Calm like a bomb
(Ignite, ignite, ignite, ignite....)
Calm like a bomb
(Ignite, ignite, ignite, ignite....)
Calm like a bomb
(Ignite, ignite, ignite, ignite....)
Calm like a bomb
(Ignite, ignite, ignite, ignite....)
Calm like a bomb
(Ignite, ignite, ignite, ignite....)
Calm like a bomb
(Ignite, ignite, ignite, ignite....)
Calm like a bomb
There's a mass without roofs, a prison to fill
There's a country's soul that reads, "Post no bills."
There's a strike and a line of cops outside of the mill
There's a right to obey and there's the right to kill
There's a mass without roofs, there's a prison to fill
There's a country's soul that reads, "Post no bills."
There's a strike and a line of cops outside of the mill
There's a right to obey and there's the right to kill
The song "Calm Like a Bomb" by Brad Wilk is a powerful protest song that explores themes of social injustice and corruption, with lyrics that paint a vivid and sobering picture of the broken state of the world. The song starts with a repeated refrain of "Feel the funk blast", which creates a sense of urgency and energy, before launching into a verse that sees Wilk adopting the persona of a god-like figure who is fearless in his narrative. He continues to paint a picture of a world in turmoil, where people are starving and dying while others profit and prosper.
The second verse sees Wilk returning to the theme of poverty and inequality, pointing out that the same bodies are buried hungry but with different last names. He uses powerful imagery to describe the world around him, from the vultures that rob everything to the riot that is the rhyme of the unheard. The repetition of the phrase "whatcha say" throughout the song serves to engage the listener and encourage them to think deeply about what is being said.
The chorus sees Wilk adopting a more passive tone, calmly repeating the phrase "calm like a bomb" over and over again. This creates a sense of tension and anticipation, as if something explosive is about to happen. The song ends on a somber note, with a repeated refrain that emphasizes the need for change and for people to rise up against oppression.
Line by Line Meaning
Feel the funk blast
Experience the intense, powerful music
I be walkin' god like a dog
I am confident and in control like a god walking a dog
My narrative, fearless
My story is told without fear
My word war returns to burn
My confrontational words come back to cause damage
Like Baldwin home from Paris
Similar to author James Baldwin returning from France to fight for American civil rights
Like steel from a furnace
Strong and unyielding like metal fresh from a blast furnace
I was born landless
I come from a place without any property or land ownership
This is the native son
I am a son of the land with an inherent connection to it
Born of Zapata's guns
My existence is a result of Emiliano Zapata's revolutionary efforts
Stroll through the shanties
Casually walking through poor, rundown neighborhoods
And the cities' remains
Seeing the wreckage and poverty in urban areas
Same bodies buried hungry,
The impoverished continue to suffer even in death
But with different last names
Despite different identities, the poor remain oppressed
These vultures robbin' everything
Those in power taking advantage of and stealing from the poor
Leave nothing but chains
The poor are left with nothing but oppressive restraints
They pick a point on the globe
The powerful choose any location to exert their control
Yes the pictures the same
The oppression and poverty is universal
There's a bank, there's a church
Religion and finance are both used to maintain power structures
A myth and a hearse
The myth of the American Dream portrayed alongside the reality of death and burial
A mall and a loan
Capitalistic consumerism and debt go hand in hand
A child dead at birth
The tragic loss of a new life before it even begins
There's a widow pig parrot
A woman who is financially dependent on her husband and blindly repeats his words
A rebel to tame
Those who fight for change are silenced and controlled
A white hooded judge
A racist judge who wears a KKK hood to conceal his identity
A syringe and a vein
Drug addiction and the means to feed that addiction
And the riot be the rhyme of the unheard
Protest and unrest are the only way for those who have been ignored to be heard
Calm like a bomb
Despite the chaos and oppression, I am peaceful and in control
(Ignite, ignite, ignite, ignite....)
Rapidly and intensely sparking change and revolution
This ain't subliminal
There is no hidden message, the problems are out in the open
Feel the critical mass approach horizon
A sense of urgency as the situation becomes more and more dire
The pulse of the condemned
Feeling the heartbeat of those who are oppressed and facing punishment
Sound off America's demisin'
Calling out the destruction of American society
The anti-myth rhythm rock shocker -
Disrupting the myth and status quo with a powerful beat
Yes I spit fire.
My words are intense and passionate
Hope lies in the smoldering rubble of empires.
From the destruction can come a renewed sense of hope and rebuilding
There's a mass without roofs, a prison to fill
A large group of people without homes and a justice system that punishes rather than rehabilitates
There's a country's soul that reads, "Post no bills."
A country focused on cleanliness and order rather than addressing social issues
There's a strike and a line of cops outside of the mill
Workers striking for better conditions and met with police aggression
There's a right to obey and there's the right to kill
The ability to follow authority or use violence to resist it
Contributed by Hudson M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.