Beastie Boys - Sabotage
I can't stand it. You know I planned it. I'ma set it straight this Watergate.
Recorded: Los Angeles, California
Genre: Rap Rock
Album Release: May 31st 1994
Single Release: January 28th 1994 [lead single]
Length: 2.58
Producer: Beastie Boys & Mario Caldato Jr.
Vocalist: Ad-Rock, Mike D & MCA
Label: Capitol Records & Grand Royal Records
Music Video
Live in 1994 on Letterman
Charts, Streams & Sales
Spotify: Over 350 million
YouTube Music: Over 175 million
Credits
Bass, drums, guitar
Details
- The track doesn't feature any samples and is made up entirely of vocals and live instrumentation.
- The band almost released the track as an instrumental as they couldn't think of any lyrics. The song was the last to be finished for 'Ill Communication' and came in just two weeks before the deadline.
- The songs lyrics are an in-joke between the band and their producer Mario Caldato. The Beasties were in the studio but they were having doubts about the direction they wanted to go in musically. They kept staring songs but had nothing finished and Caldato was pushing hard for them to get something done. The joke was that he was trying to sabotage their great works of art.
Lines such as "you'll shut me down with a push of your button" and "I've got a fucking thorn in my side" are direct references to Caldato. The Beastie Boys also reference Mario Caldato on their 1998 track 'Intergalactic' when they say "Mario C likes to keep it clean." - The music video is directed by Spike Jonze. Jonze would go on to direct feature films such as Being John Malkovich. A part of Jonze's reputation as a highly creative director came from the high octane 1970's detective style video for 'Sabotage' which featured prominently on MTV.
- The album cover for Paul's Boutique (1989) by the Beastie Boys features an corner in Manhattan, New York that has now officially been renamed as Beastie Boys square. The city passed an ordinance in 2022.
Artwork
