The band's debut album was Say Uncle, released in 1988 on Caroline Records. Five years passed until the band released their second album, Will Work for Food, in 1993 on Restless Records. Smith departed the band afterwards and was replaced by another former Suicidal Tendencies member, R. J. Herrera. With the lineup of Moyer, Oliver, and Herrera, the band recorded and released their third and final album, When God Dies, released in 1995 on Medusa Records. The band has been inactive since 1996.
After Smith's departure from Uncle Slam, he resurfaced in two bands, the [artisti]Beastie Boys and BS 2000. He is now in AgainST, formed by Excel singer Dan Clements and former Suicidal Tendencies members Grant Estes, Amery Smith and Louiche Mayorga.
Executioner
Uncle Slam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Planning all his life to fill his one desire
So hurt he prayed to die
Feeling hurt and battered but afraid to cry
Fear the executioner
His blood runs cold
Vigilante on the streets
In life revenge is sweet
That's the law he lived by it was his greatest need
He had to burn the cross
And sum up all his evils giving life to his cause
On the prowl
His vengeance increased with every breath
Seeking them out
His gun is the judge the sentence death
He died a violent death
The kids out on the street just did away with his head
The rest was burnt to a crisp
The gruesome executioner was a fitting end
They killed the executioner
His blood ran red
Now every night they walk in fear
And every night they fear the dead
The song "Executioner" by Uncle Slam tells the story of a man who has been through a lot of trauma and pain in his life, leading him to seek revenge as his only course of action. The lyrics describe him as a child who was beaten, and his desire to fill the void created by that pain by seeking revenge on those he feels have wronged him. He prays for death, but is too afraid to cry, feeling hurt and battered. The man becomes the "executioner," a vigilante on the streets who is feeding on the city heat.
Revenge becomes his only way of life, living by the belief that "in life revenge is sweet." He burns crosses to sum up his evils and give life to his cause. Seeking vengeance with every breath, he becomes the judge with his gun, and his sentence is death. His violent life ends in a fitting way with his head removed and his body burnt to a crisp. The people who once feared him have now killed him, but they still fear the dead and walk in fear every night.
Overall, "Executioner" is a tragic story of a man who couldn't break free from his past and who, in turn, became a monster himself. The song describes the path of destruction that he left behind, as well as the fear that he instilled in the hearts of the people around him.
Line by Line Meaning
He was a beaten child
He grew up experiencing abuse and violence.
Planning all his life to fill his one desire
He lived with a single-minded focus on his goal.
So hurt he prayed to die
He was in so much emotional and physical pain that he wished for death.
Feeling hurt and battered but afraid to cry
Despite the pain he endured, the fear of showing vulnerability prevented him from crying.
Fear the executioner
The violent actions of the person known as the executioner should inspire fear.
His blood runs cold
The executioner is unfazed by the violence they commit.
Vigilante on the streets
The executioner operates outside of the law in their quest for justice.
Feeding on the city heat
The chaotic and violent nature of the city fuels the executioner's actions.
In life revenge is sweet
For the executioner, revenge is the ultimate goal in life.
That's the law he lived by, it was his greatest need
Revenge was the guiding principle of the executioner's life.
He had to burn the cross
The executioner felt the need to inflict suffering on those they believed to be guilty.
And sum up all his evils giving life to his cause
The executioner rationalized their violent actions by demonizing their targets.
On the prowl
The executioner is actively and aggressively pursuing their targets.
His vengeance increased with every breath
The executioner became more and more consumed by the desire for revenge.
Seeking them out
The executioner actively searches for their targets.
His gun is the judge the sentence death
The executioner acts as judge, jury, and executioner with their weapon.
He died a violent death
The executioner met his end through violent means.
The kids out on the street just did away with his head
His violent actions led to his own gruesome end.
The rest was burnt to a crisp
His body was destroyed as a final act of violence against him.
The gruesome executioner was a fitting end
His violent actions led to a fittingly violent end.
They killed the executioner
Society ultimately punished the executioner for his violent actions.
His blood ran red
His death was violent and resulted in significant loss of blood.
Now every night they walk in fear
The community continues to be impacted by the executioner's violent actions.
And every night they fear the dead
The legacy of the executioner's violence continues to haunt the community.
Contributed by James R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.