Patton has earned critical praise for his diverse vocals, which touch on crooning, falsetto, death growls, rapping, chanting, mouth music, beatboxing and scatting, among other techniques; critic Greg Prato writes, "Patton could very well be one of the most versatile and talented singers in rock music."
He has many producer or co-producer credits with artists such as John Zorn, The Melvins, Melt-Banana, Kool Keith, and Björk. He co-founded Ipecac Recordings with Greg Werckman in 1999, and has run the label since.
Patton grew up in Eureka, California, where he and his friends (including long-time members Trey Spruance and Trevor Dunn) formed Mr. Bungle circa 1984. During the late 80s they recorded the cassette-only demos "The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny", "Goddammit I Love America", "Bowel of Chiley" and "OU818" (featuring tracks that would appear on their first Warner Brothers album), and earned a modest local following. Patton joined Faith No More in January 1989 and filled the vocal void left by the unreliable and recently-fired Chuck Mosely, who moved on to the band Cement. Faith No More's The Real Thing was released later the same year. The album reached the top ten on the charts thanks largely to MTV's heavy rotation of the Epic music video (which featured Patton in a Mr Bungle t-shirt).
In the United States, Faith No More would never again match the commercial success of "The Real Thing" but their music continued to evolve into new and sometimes stranger areas of rock music. After three more studio albums ("Angel Dust", "King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime", and Album of the Year") Faith No More officially disbanded in 1998.
During his time as a member of Faith No More, Patton continued to collaborate with Mr. Bungle. His success in mainstream rock and metal ultimately helped secure Mr. Bungle a record deal with Warner Bros. The band released a self-titled album (produced by John Zorn) in 1991, and the highly surreal "Disco Volante" in 1995. Their final album was "California".
Patton's other projects have included two solo albums in the Composer Series on John Zorn's Tzadik]/label] label ("Adult Themes for Voice" in 1996 and "Pranzo Oltranzista" in 1997). He is a member of Hemophiliac where he does voice effects along with John Zorn on saxophone and Ikue Mori on laptop electronics. This group is billed as "improvisational music from the outer reaches of madness". He has also guested on Painkiller and Naked City recordings. He's appeared many times on other Tzadik releases with Zorn and others.
There have also been several projects over the years that have not seen an official release, although some live bootlegs do circulate. These projects include House of Discipline (with Bob Ostertag and Otomo Yoshihide), Moonraker (with Agata Ichirou of Melt-Banana, Buckethead and DJ Eddie Def), Christian Fennesz (Fennesz) and Mike Patton, and Mike Patton & Rahzel. Patton contributed vocals to the Team Sleep song "Kool-Aid Party", but the song did not make it onto the final album. This is likely due in part to the unfinished album having been leaked very early onto the internet.
In 2007, Mike Patton played the voice of the eponymous possessive primeval force in the video game The Darkness, working alongside Kirk Acevedo, Lauren Ambrose and Dwight Schultz. He also had a minor role in Valve Corporation's 2007 release, Portal as the voice of the Anger Sphere in the final confrontation with the insane supercomputer, GLaDOS. He has another role in the Valve title, Left 4 Dead. In October, 2007 it was announced that he would be voicing the main character in Capcom's remake of their classic title, Bionic Commando. Mike also provided the voices of the monsters in the 2007 film I Am Legend starring Will Smith. Patton is known to be an avid video game player.
In February 2006, Mike Patton performed an operatic piece, composed by Eyvind Kang, at Teatro di Modena in Italy. Patton sang alongside vocalist Jessika Kinney, and was accompanied by the Modern Brass Ensemble, Bologna Chamber Choir, and Alberto Capelli and Walter Zanetti on electric and acoustic guitars. Of the experience, Patton remarked that it was extremely challenging to project the voice without a microphone.
In 2005, Patton signed on to compose the soundtrack for the upcoming independent movie Pinion, marking his debut scoring an American feature-length film. However, this has been held up in production and may be on the shelf permanently. His other film work includes portraying two major characters in the Steve Balderson film Firecracker. He has also expressed his desire to compose for film director David Lynch.
Patton's long-gestating Peeping Tom album was released on May 30, 2006 on his own Ipecac label. The set was pieced together by swapping song files through the mail with collaborators like Norah Jones, Kool Keith and Massive Attack, Odd Nosdam, Jel, Doseone, Bebel Gilberto, Kid Koala, and Dub Trio.
"I don't listen to the radio, but if I did, this is what I'd want it to sound like", Patton says of the project. "This is my version of pop music. In a way, this is an exercise for me: taking all these things I've learned over the years and putting them into a pop format."
Recently, Patton has worked with Björk and the beat boxer Rahzel. He is often featured on new releases, and is regarded as extremely hard working. Faith No More keyboardist Roddy Bottum remarked about Patton "caffeine is the only drug he does", in reference to the Faith No More song Caffeine from the album "Angel Dust", which Patton wrote while in the middle of a sleep-deprivation experiment.
More recently Patton has lent his talents for the Derrick Scocchera short film A Perfect Place for the score/soundtrack, which out-lengths the film itself.
It has been announced that in December 2008 along with Melvins, Patton will co-curate an edition of the All Tomorrow's Parties' Nightmare Before Christmas festival. Patton will choose half of the lineup and also perform the album The Director's Cut in its entirety with Fantômas. Patton will also be appearing as Rikki Kixx in the Adult Swim show Metalocalypse in a special 2 part episode on August 24th.
GI JOE
Mike Patton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your brain's in your palm again
Yay, yay
You'll do no harm, my friend
Yay, yay
Will you be my G.I. Joe?
In the boot camp of my soul
In my boots I've dug a hole
Bow my head and salute the crowd
Together we'll beat this redneck town
Pull the pin and blow me cold
Will you be my G.I. Joe?
Will you be my G.I. Joe?
You've blown mine
Stuck in his heart, yeah
Yay, yay
Don't think too long, my friend
Yay, yay
Yay
Aha
Aha
Shoot my eyes all full of lead
'Cause my liver is thin like bread
And I faint when I see red
Without this camouflage I'm dead
Pull the pin and blow me cold
Will you be my G.I. Joe?
Will you be my G.I. Joe?
Will you be my G.I. Joe?
Will you be my G.I. Joe?
Will you be my G.I. Joe?
Will you be my G.I. Joe?
Will you be my G.I. Joe?
G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe
The lyrics to Mike Patton's song "G.I. Joe" appear to convey a sense of disillusionment and internal conflict. The opening lines, "At easy, men / Your brain's in your palm again," suggest a state of relaxation and detachment from reality. The repetition of "Yay, yay" could be interpreted as a sarcastic or mocking tone towards the idea of being carefree and unbothered. The invitation to be someone's G.I. Joe may symbolize a desire for protection or guidance in a challenging environment, perhaps reflective of a deeper need for security and stability.
The mention of being a "P.O.W. whore" and saluting the crowd hints at a struggle with conformity and submission. The imagery of being stuck in a heart and the reference to a thin liver and fainting at the sight of red paint a picture of vulnerability and fragility. The comparison of the singer's camouflage to their survival emphasizes the importance of maintaining a façade or disguise in order to navigate through difficult circumstances. The repeated question, "Will you be my G.I. Joe?" implies a plea for support and reassurance in the face of uncertainty.
The repetition of the phrase "Aha" interspersed throughout the lyrics adds a sense of resignation or resignation. The lyrics describe a feeling of being overburdened and overwhelmed, as indicated by the reference to eyes full of lead and the singer's impending demise without their camouflage. The act of pulling the pin and blowing cold may symbolize a final act of self-destruction or surrender, highlighting a sense of fatalism or defeat. The repeated questioning of whether someone will be their G.I. Joe underscores a yearning for companionship and protection in a hostile world.
In the final lines, the persistent repetition of "Will you be my G.I. Joe?" echoes a plea for salvation or rescue from the turmoil and anguish depicted throughout the song. The mention of the iconic G.I. Joe character, a symbol of bravery and heroism, may serve as a metaphor for seeking strength and guidance in the face of adversity. The overall tone of the lyrics conveys a mix of desperation, vulnerability, and a longing for connection, underscoring the complexities of navigating personal battles and seeking solace in a tumultuous world.
Line by Line Meaning
At easy, men
Take it easy, guys
Your brain's in your palm again
You're not thinking straight
Yay, yay
Expressing excitement or approval
You'll do no harm, my friend
You won't hurt anyone, buddy
Will you be my G.I. Joe?
Will you be my protector?
In the boot camp of my soul
In the training ground of my emotions
In my boots I've dug a hole
I've created a mess for myself
And, see, I'm a P.O.W. whore
I'm a prisoner of war, giving into temptation
Bow my head and salute the crowd
Respectfully acknowledge the audience
Together we'll beat this redneck town
We'll overcome the close-mindedness of this town
Pull the pin and blow me cold
Let me go with a bang
You've blown mine
You've impressed me
Stuck in his heart, yeah
Emotionally invested
Don't think too long, my friend
Make a decision quickly, buddy
Shoot my eyes all full of lead
Overwhelm me with visual stimulation
'Cause my liver is thin like bread
Due to my delicate health
And I faint when I see red
I'm sensitive to danger
Without this camouflage I'm dead
I need protection to survive
G.I. Joe
Symbolizing bravery and strength
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sCREAMzye
No one knows better than the king
Life's a filthy dirty game
Very very hard to win
No one knows better than the king
How to disregard the pain
Never, never let it in
No one knows better than the king
That an angry man goes blind
Knocks his head against the wall
No one knows better than the king
How it hurts a man to fight
That he's human after all
No one knows better than the king
What a desperate man may do
When it gets too hard to bear
No one knows better than the king
How to spit on the taboos
As they thought he'd never dare
No one knew better than the king
How to care for number one
How to take and never give
No one knew better than the king
That when all is said and done
That's the only way to live
No one knew better than the king
Just how angry you can be
When they cage you in with laws
No one knew better than the king
That a man who thinks he's free
Knocks his head against a wall
No one knew better than the king
Just how bitter it would be
To be beaten after all
No one knew better than the king
They're the ones who fix the game
They're the ones with loaded dice
No one knew better than the king
That they'd get him all the same
And they made him pay the price
@shawushkafromhattusa5529
No one knows better than McCain
Life's a dirty filthy game
Very very hard to win
No one knows better than McCain
How to disregard the pain
Never, never let it in
No one knows better than McCain
That an angry man goes blind
Knocks his head against the wall
No one knows better than McCain
How he hurts man to fight
That he's human after all
No one knows better than McCain
What a desperate man may do
When it gets too hard to bear
No one knows better than McCain
How to spit on the taboos
As they thought he'd never give
No one knew better than McCain
How to care for number one
How to take and never give
No one knew better than McCain
That when all is said and done
That's the only way to live
No one knew better than McCain
Just how angry you can be
When they cage you with laws
No one knew better than McCain
That a man who thinks he's free
Knocks his head against a wall
No one knew better than McCain
Just how bitter it would be
Be beaten after all
No one knew better than McCain
They're the ones who fix the game
They're the ones with loaded dice
No one knew better than McCain
That they'd get him all the same
And they made him pay the price
@Justdiespawn
R.I.P Ennio Morricone :(
@BastarDog2
Morricone Patton Zorn....the good the good and the good...
@diegolagrost3390
the good the god and the good
@gearoidwalsh8606
<3
@luispatrina7115
Today it's my birthday, nothing better to wake up and listen this amazing song and lyric ..
@cockatoomagnet583
I love the combination of John Zorn and Mike Patton.
@claytongoode5715
Easily one of the greatest covers ever.
@Karvega11
Everytime I watch "The Rifleman" it reminds me of this song. Good show BTW.
@fortieschic
I came across this song a few years ago and couldn't remember what is was called or who Patton had collaborated with.....until tonight...... It's back in my life....I absolutely love it!
@kdom4769
I fucking love Mike Patton!!!! He is AMAZING !!