Upon its release, "Tribute" failed to make a commercial impact in the United States, but it became a hit in Australia and New Zealand, peaking at number four on the Australian Singles Chart and number nine on the New Zealand Singles Chart. In Europe, the single charted in the Netherlands, reaching number 25 on the Dutch Top 40, and in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number 84 in May 2012. The song is certified Platinum in Australia and Gold in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
History
"Tribute" was the first song Black and Gass played live as Tenacious D. The song, like many other songs that were recorded on Tenacious D, was originally performed on their short-lived HBO TV series. During earlier performances of this song Kyle Gass played the opening to "Stairway to Heaven". The two songs are both in A minor and have very similar chord progressions, and critics have said the songs sound alike.
Synopsis
The song chronicles the band members' encounter with a demon who demands the duo play "the best song in the world" or have their souls eaten. Having nothing to lose from trying, they play "the first thing that came to [their] heads", which "just so happened to be the best song in the world."
Given the "Stairway to Heaven" interlude in the original TV series version, along with the similarity of the chord progression in both songs, "Tribute" at first implies that the best song in the world is indeed that song. However, the lyrics make clear that "Tribute" sounds nothing like the song they came up with to please the demon; as Black describes: "And the peculiar thing is this, my friends: The song we sang on that fateful night — it didn't actually sound anything like this song."
In an interview, the band claimed that the inspiration from the song came after Jack Black played Metallica's "One" for Kyle Gass, describing it as "the best song in the world", leading to a failed attempt to themselves write an even better song, and a discussion of the meaninglessness of labeling any song that way. "Tribute" was written as a paean to the impossibility of reaching musical perfection, making the claim that the greatest song in the world had in fact been theirs, but that they had forgotten it.
In Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny, it is implied that the climax of the movie, a rock-off challenge between Satan and Tenacious D told through the song "Beelzeboss (The Final Showdown)", is the incident chronicled in "Tribute", and that the portion of "Beelzeboss" performed by Tenacious D is the song receiving tribute. After defeating Satan, Jack and Kyle recall the incident once more, describing it as, "the greatest song in the world". Unfortunately, they are unable to remember how it went. Also in the song "Beelzeboss", they mention that they know the demon's weakness, referred to as their "rocket sauce", which is what they use in their HBO television series to defeat the demon. However, unlike the demon in the television episode, Satan says they are "Fuckin' lame" and tries to take Kyle Gass to hell after all, while the demon asks if they are angels. However, considering that they do not remember the song, they may have forgotten this as well. This was confirmed in a commentary with Jack Black for the movie.
Music video
The music video for "Tribute", directed and edited by Liam Lynch, features Jack Black and Kyle Gass, in a cheap shopping mall karaoke booth, rewired to record their song.
As they sing, the video cuts between footage of the pair walking down the "long, lonesome road" and the encounter with the demon played by Dave Grohl. The demon also performs the electric guitar solo in the music video. After the solo, Black and Gass jump out of the booth and start shouting the lyrics at mall shoppers and dancing flamboyantly. Passersby include cameos from Lynch and Ben Stiller. While most pay no attention, an old lady, played by Linda Porter, assaults Black with her purse after he grabs her while singing. A policeman, played by JR Reed, who played "Lee" in the band's television series, takes Black and Gass away. At the end, the same old lady who was frightened by the duo picks up the now-recorded CD, eyes glowing red, and cackles demonically.
Although the video had huge success on UK television, the song was never actually released there as a single. "Tribute" was nominated for two Music Video Production Association Awards: "Alternative Video of the Year" and "Directorial Debut of the Year". In addition, it was a nominee for best video in the 2002 Kerrang! Awards.
Reception
Some critics described the plot of the song as being similar to the song "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" by the Charlie Daniels Band.
Tribute
Tenacious D Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We was hitchhikin' down a long and lonesome road
All of a sudden, there shined a shiny demon
In the middle of the road
And he said
"Play the best song in the world, or I'll eat your souls" (soul)
Well me and Kyle, we looked at each other
And we played the first thing that came to our heads
Just so happened to be
The best song in the world, it was the best song in the world
Look into my eyes and it's easy to see
One and one make two, two and one make three
It was destiny
Once every hundred-thousand years or so
When the sun doth shine and the moon doth glow
And the grass doth grow
Needless to say, the beast was stunned
Whip-crack went his whippy tail
And the beast was done
He asked us: "be you angels?"
And we said, "nay, we are but men"
Rock
Ah, ah, ah-ah-ah
Oh, whoa, ah-whoa-oh!
This is not the greatest song in the world, no
This is just a tribute
Couldn't remember the greatest song in the world, no, no
This is a tribute, oh, to the greatest song in the world
All right! It was the greatest song in the world
All right! It was the best motherfuckin' song, the greatest song in the world
And the peculiar thing is this my friends
The song we sang on that fateful night it didn't actually sound
Anything like this song
This is just a tribute! You gotta believe it!
And I wish you were there! Just a matter of opinion
Ah, fuck! Good god, gotta love it
So surprised to find you can't stop it
A fiery ring of fire
Rich motherfucker, aw
Alright
Alright
The lyrics to Tenacious D's song "Tribute" tell the story of the encounter between the singer (presumably Jack Black) and his brother Kyle with a shiny demon on a long and lonesome road. The demon challenges them to play the best song in the world, or he'll eat their souls. In response, the two brothers quickly improvise and play "the best song in the world," which turns out to be an incredible rock song that stuns the demon. When the demon asks if they are angels, they respond, "nay, we are but men," and the song ends with them acknowledging that although they can't remember how to play the greatest song in the world again, they've paid tribute to it by composing a new one.
The brilliance of "Tribute" lies in its humorous storytelling and self-aware nature. The song acknowledges that the best song in the world has already been played and that what we're hearing now is a tribute to it. The song also pokes fun at the often-ridiculous demands of the music industry, where artists are expected to create something that is "the greatest" or risk being irrelevant. Ultimately, the song is a celebration of rock music's power to inspire and entertain, not just a particular song.
Line by Line Meaning
Long time ago, me and my brother Kyle here
The singer and his brother Kyle were walking on a lonely road.
We was hitchhikin' down a long and lonesome road
The singer and his brother Kyle were traveling by hitchhiking down a long and lonely road.
All of a sudden, there shined a shiny demon
Suddenly a shiny demon appeared in front of them.
In the middle of the road
The shiny demon appeared in the middle of the road.
And he said
The demon spoke.
Play the best song in the world, or I'll eat your souls
The demon demanded them to play the best song in the world or else he will eat their souls.
Well me and Kyle, we looked at each other
Both the singer and Kyle looked at each other.
And we each said, "okay"
Both agreed to play the song.
And we played the first thing that came to our heads
They played the first thing that came up in their minds.
Just so happened to be
It was just a coincidence that the song they played was
The best song in the world, it was the best song in the world
The song they played was the best song in the world.
Look into my eyes and it's easy to see
The artist is asking the audience to look into his eyes to see
One and one make two, two and one make three
That the basic concepts of maths.
It was destiny
They were destined to play the best song in the world.
Once every hundred-thousand years or so
Playing the best song in the world was expected to happen only once in a very long time.
When the sun doth shine and the moon doth glow
It was expected to happen during the rare celestial event.
And the grass doth grow
It was expected to happen during the right season.
Needless to say, the beast was stunned
The demon was surprised.
Whip-crack went his whippy tail
The demon moved his tail with a whip-crack sound.
And the beast was done
The demon was defeated.
He asked us: "be you angels?"
The demon asked if they were angels.
And we said, "nay, we are but men"
The artist and Kyle denied being angels but mere humans.
Rock
The style of music they played was rock.
Ah, ah, ah-ah-ah
The artist vocalizes with an "Ah" sound.
Oh, whoa, ah-whoa-oh!
The singer vocalizes with an "Oh" and "whoa" sound.
This is not the greatest song in the world, no
The song they are singing at the moment is not the greatest song in the world.
This is just a tribute
They are only paying homage to the greatest song in the world.
Couldn't remember the greatest song in the world, no, no
They cannot remember the greatest song in the world.
This is a tribute, oh, to the greatest song in the world
They are honoring the greatest song in the world through this song.
All right! It was the greatest song in the world
The greatest song in the world was played by them, but they can't remember it.
All right! It was the best motherfuckin' song, the greatest song in the world
The greatest song in the world was the best song that they ever played.
And the peculiar thing is this my friends
The artist is about to share something interesting.
The song we sang on that fateful night it didn't actually sound
The song they played on that fateful night did not actually sound
Anything like this song
Anything like the song they are singing at the moment.
This is just a tribute! You gotta believe it!
The song they are singing is just a tribute to the greatest song in the world.
And I wish you were there! Just a matter of opinion
The artist wished the audience was present when they played the greatest song in the world. It's a matter of opinion whether they will believe the story.
Ah, fuck! Good god, gotta love it
The singer just expressed a vulgar exclamation. This tribute is amazing.
So surprised to find you can't stop it
The singer is amazed that they cannot stop paying tribute to the greatest song in the world.
A fiery ring of fire
The singer is describing something that can be metaphorically fiery and destructive.
Rich motherfucker, aw
The artist is expressing feelings of resentment towards a rich person.
Alright
The singer is expressing his positive feelings over the tribute through an affirmation.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Kyle Richard Gass, Thomas Jacob Black
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MakeSushi1
Gotta love Jack Black!
@ryancleland5628
I do! 😃
@louisequinton423
Who doesnt
@EjDjhahahahaaa
Same
@Atomhaz
And Kyle
@Bif550
No one matches their energy
@puftdank2911
Tribute is the 2nd best song ever, next to whatever they played that night
@jedenzmiliard7607
You gotta believe it
@denizismail3881
This is what they played https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOBKxUT9Da4&ab_channel=glassmadegr
@sinan2456
@@denizismail3881 no