The band released their Swedish Grammi-winning debut album "Supershitty to the Max!" in 1996. Just before a tour opening for Kiss, the band recruited keyboardist and percussionist Anders Lindström (also known as Boba Fett or Boba) on a part-time basis; he would become a full-time member in 1999. After the album "Payin' the Dues" in 1998, Dregen left the band to return to Backyard Babies full-time, and Mattias Hellberg and Danne Andersson were recruited to complete the band's touring responsibilities. After the release of "Grande Rock", which featured additional guitar playing from both Lindström and Hellberg, Robert Dahlqvist was hired as a full-time lead guitarist in 1999. With the lineup now solidified, the band released three more studio albums and a cover album, with many EPs and limited-edition releases as well. The Hellacopters disbanded amicably in 2008 so the members could move on to other projects. Eight years later, the band reassembled in 2016, initially for an exclusive performance at Sweden Rock Festival to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of their award-winning debut album "Supershitty to the Max!".
In October 2021, the band announced that they had signed with the record label Nuclear Blast to release a new album in the spring of 2022. The album, "Eyes of Oblivion", was released on April 1, 2022.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hellacopters
Discography
Supershitty to the Max! (1996)
Payin' the Dues (1997)
Grande Rock (1999)
High Visibility (2000)
By the Grace of God (2002)
Rock & Roll Is Dead (2005)
Head Off (2008)
Eyes of Oblivion (2022)
Bullet
The Hellacopters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Johnny, Johnny ride
Kennedy's shattered head hits concrete
Ride, Johnny ride
Johnny's wife is floundering
Johnny's wife is scared
Run, Jackie run
Texas is an outrage when your husband is dead
Texas is an outrage when they pick up his head
Texas is the reason that the president's dead
You gotta suck, suck, Jackie suck
President's bullet-ridden body in the street
Ride, Johnny ride
Kennedy's shattered head hits concrete
Johnny, Johnny ride
refrain
Arise Jackie O, Jonathon of Kennedy
Well, arise and be shot down
The dirt's gonna be your dessert
My cum be your life source
And the only way to get it
Is to suck or fuck
Or be poor and devoid
And masturbate me, yeah masturbate me
Then slurp it from your palm
Like a dry desert soaking up rain
Soaking up sun
Like a dry desert soaking up rain
Soaking up sun
The Hellacopters' song "Bullet" has a strong political message, as it talks about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, his wife's reaction, and the surrounding outcry of the American people. The lyrics are quite graphic and describe in detail the tragic event when the President was shot in the head and his body was left on the street, bleeding. The song invites the listener to imagine what Jackie Kennedy must have felt in those moments, running scared, after seeing her husband's head hit the concrete.
The chorus "Ride, Johnny, ride" can be interpreted as a call to action for the American people, especially young people, to wake up and fight against political corruption and violence. The lyrics "Texas is an outrage when your husband is dead/ Texas is the outrage when they pick up his head/ Texas is the reason that the president's dead" refer to the fact that Kennedy was assassinated in Texas, and how this single act of violence affected the entire nation. The repetition of the phrase "you gotta suck, suck, Jackie suck" implies a deeper meaning, as if the American people were being forced to submit to a corrupted government that has no respect for human life.
The last verse of the song, "Arise Jackie O, Jonathon of Kennedy/ Well, arise and be shot down/ The dirt's gonna be your dessert/ My cum be your life source" is quite controversial, as it seems to suggest sexual violence against the former first lady. However, the use of these extreme images may be interpreted as an artistic device that aims to shock the listener and make them think about the seriousness of the events that led to Kennedy's death.
Line by Line Meaning
President's bullet-ridden body in the street
The gruesome aftermath of a political assassination in the streets.
Johnny, Johnny ride
Perhaps a call to arms, a rallying cry or an incitement to push back against the powers that be.
Kennedy's shattered head hits concrete
The brutal image of a beloved leader's violent demise.
Ride, Johnny ride
See above; a repetition of the earlier call to action.
Johnny's wife is floundering
Johnny's soulmate is lost and drifting without their other half.
Johnny's wife is scared
A reflection of the fear that grips so many when the world seems to be spinning out of control.
Run, Jackie run
Jackie O, Jackie Kennedy, must flee for her life in the aftermath of her husband's murder.
Texas is an outrage when your husband is dead
The unfairness of an entire state being associated with the death of a husband and leader.
Texas is an outrage when they pick up his head
The macabre image of Kennedy's head being lifted up off of the pavement and the anger that it stirs.
Texas is the reason that the president's dead
A pointed accusation that Texas, and by extension certain political factions in the region, are responsible for Kennedy's death.
You gotta suck, suck, Jackie suck
A vulgar and, frankly, disgusting suggestion that Jackie must perform oral sex or similar demeaning acts in order to get ahead, stay relevant, or avoid a similar fate to that of her fallen husband.
refrain
A musical refrain, perhaps intended to emphasize the song's central themes or conjure emotional responses in the listener.
Arise Jackie O, Jonathon of Kennedy
An invocation to the ghost of the Kennedy clan and the powerful emotions (both good and bad) that his legacy evokes.
Well, arise and be shot down
A reminder that the Kennedy legacy is one of powerful and tragic symbols, that building up something great opens the door for someone to tear it down again.
The dirt's gonna be your dessert
A dismissive and insulting commentary on the ultimate fate of anyone who dares to rise above their humble beginnings.
My cum be your life source
A crude and offensive interjection, essentially conveying something like 'I am in control of your life.'
And the only way to get it
Implying that to get what you want in life you have to play the game and 'pay your dues'.
Is to suck or fuck
Another vulgar suggestion that the only way to get what you want is to engage in sexual acts of a degrading nature.
Or be poor and devoid
Alternately, you can stay broke and powerless, living a life of quiet despair.
And masturbate me, yeah masturbate me
A callous disregard for the dignity of the listener, as if to say 'nothing you do really matters, you might as well just focus on pleasing me'.
Then slurp it from your palm
If you're going to perform such acts, you might as well embrace it wholeheartedly - this is the only 'reward' you'll get.
Like a dry desert soaking up rain
A comparison between a sexual act and the metaphorical parched earth, savoring every drop of moisture it can get.
Soaking up sun
A continuation of the above comparison, drawing attention to the idea of needing to absorb energy and life from others in order to thrive.
Contributed by Elliot J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.