30 Delightfully Pissed Off ‘F— You’ Rock Songs

No insult cuts fairly like a “fuck you.”

Its that means is unambiguous and common, its affect blunt-force. That’s why it has been the proper software for rockers since time immemorial.

Whether instantly utilizing the profanity or cloaking it in extra subtle wordplay, these 30 rock and steel songs make their message abundantly clear. Their inspirations vary from heartache to enterprise falling-outs to easy disdain for an additional particular person. The outcomes are all the identical.

As Emperor Palpatine famously mentioned, let the hate stream by means of you and scroll by means of this far-from-exhaustive checklist of “fuck-you” songs.

Aerosmith, “Sweet Emotion”
From: Toys within the Attic (1975)

Steven Tyler was no fan of Joe Perry’s first spouse, Elyssa, which he made abundantly clear within the lyrics to Aerosmith’s first Top 40 hit.

Alanis Morissette, “You Oughta Know”
From: Jagged Little Pill (1995)

May God have mercy on the ex-boyfriend (lengthy presumed however by no means confirmed to be Full House‘s Dave Coulier) who impressed the scorched-earth lead single off Alanis Morissette’s diamond-selling Jagged Little Pill. You’ll by no means see Uncle Joey the identical manner once more.

Billy Joel, “Laura”
From: The Nylon Curtain (1982)

Billy Joel has written loads of songs about his romantic hang-ups. On “Laura,” he supposedly went straight to the supply by detailing his dysfunctional relationship together with his mom, Rosalind.

Bob Dylan, “Positively 4th Street”
From: Single (1965)

Suspected to be Dylan’s response to being booed on the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, “Positively 4th Street” is six consecutive verses of bitter disappointment and righteous rage.

Carly Simon, “You’re So Vain”
From: No Secrets (1972)

Carly Simon impressed certainly one of music’s most heated debates with this enigmatic kiss-off track. The proven fact that so many ex-lovers had been fast to take credit score for it’s proof of its vicious efficiency. 

Dead Kennedys, “Nazi Punks Fuck Off”
From: In God We Trust, Inc. (1981)

Dead Kennedys had been sick of seeing neo-Nazi punks and posers at their exhibits. The relaxation is self-explanatory.

Don Henley, “Dirty Laundry”
From: I Can’t Stand Still (1982)

Police arrested Don Henley in 1980 for drug possession and contributing to the delinquency of a minor after they discovered a 16-year-old prostitute affected by the aftereffects of cocaine and Quaaludes at his home. Furious that his actions had penalties, Henley expressed his contempt for the media on this scathing Top 5 hit.

Eagles, “The Long Run”
From: The Long Run (1979)

As disco and punk exploded within the late ’70s, the press pegged Eagles as lifeless within the water. They spun these jabs into the title monitor of The Long Run, asking, “Who is gonna make it? We’ll find out in the long run.” They broke up lower than a 12 months later.

Fear, “I Don’t Care About You”
From: The Record (1982)

Fear’s Lee Ving is a punk-rock road poet, documenting a number of examples of life within the gutter on this blistering hardcore anthem. Instead of inspiring empathy, although, these observations solely strengthened his misanthropy.

Fleetwood Mac, “Go Your Own Way”
From: Rumours (1977)

Devastated by his breakup with bandmate Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham wrote this bitter Top 10 hit, then pressured his ex to sing it onstage with him each evening — ugly “Packing up, shacking up’s all you wanna do” lyric and all.

Green Day, “Platypus (I Hate You)” 
From: Nimrod (1997)

When Green Day signed to a serious label, 924 Gilman Street founder Tim Yohannan banned them from the DIY venue and trashed them in his Maximum Rocknroll zine. When Yohannan obtained sick with lymphatic most cancers, Billie Joe Armstrong delighted in his misfortune on this livid Nimrod monitor.

Guns N’ Roses, “Get in the Ring”
From: Use Your Illusion II (1991)

Critics rightly bashed Guns N’ Roses for his or her unprofessionalism and draconian media insurance policies within the early ’90s. Axl Rose, in flip, singled them out by title on “Get in the Ring” and graciously invited Spin founder Bob Guccione Jr. to “suck my fucking dick.”

Harry Nilsson, “You’re Breakin’ My Heart”
From: Son of Schmilsson (1972)

This power-pop gem is so relentlessly catchy that it is virtually straightforward to overlook the bare fury within the opening lyrics: “You’re breakin’ my heart / You’re tearing it apart / So fuck you.”

Heart, “Barracuda”
From: Little Queen (1977)

Ann Wilson wrote “Barracuda” to air her grievances towards Heart’s former label Mushroom Records, which concocted a heinous rumor that the singer was in an incestuous relationship together with her singer and bandmate Nancy to drum up publicity. It grew to become a Top 20 hit and certainly one of their signature songs, proof that success is the most effective revenge.

John Fogerty, “Zanz Kant Danz”
From: Centerfield (1985)

John Fogerty’s first album in a decade, 1985’s Centerfield, featured this thinly veiled barb in opposition to Fantasy Records proprietor and former Creedence Clearwater Revival supervisor Saul Zaentz, with whom he’d been locked in a protracted authorized battle. Future releases of the album modified the track title to “Vanz Kant Danz” in an unsuccessful try to keep away from a defamation lawsuit.

John Lennon, “How Do You Sleep?”
From: Imagine (1971)

The Beatles’ breakup sparked a legendary feud between Paul McCartney and John Lennon. McCartney launched the primary volley with Ram‘s “Too Many People,” to which Lennon responded with “How Do You Sleep?”, criticizing McCartney for his false modesty and maintaining firm with sycophants.

Joni Mitchell, “That Song About the Midway”
From: Clouds (1969)

Joni Mitchell wields the pen like a knife, so her ex-boyfriend David Crosby will need to have been quaking in his boots when she performed him this track about his a number of infidelities.

Judas Priest, “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'” 
From: Screaming for Vengeance (1982)

Judas Priest staked their declare as die-hard disciples of heavy steel from day one, and on this signature track, they made it clear they weren’t going to sit down round and let life cross them by simply because others did not approve.

Metallica, “Dyers Eve”
From: … And Justice for All (1988)

Metallica’s knottiest album ends with the thrashiest monitor they ever made — a livid screed from James Hetfield in opposition to his Christian Scientist mother and father, whom he felt sheltered him as a baby and left him ill-equipped to take care of the true world.

Motley Crue, “Knock ‘Em Dead Kid”
From: Shout on the Devil (1983)

After getting arrested throughout a brawl with bikers and undercover cops and spending two nights in jail, Nikki Sixx walked residence simply in time to prepare for a Motley Crue gig on the Whisky and wrote this bloodstained battle anthem.

Motorhead, “Go to Hell”
From: Iron Fist (1982)

Hell hath no fury like a Lemmy Kilmister jilted by a fickle lady. At least the frontman was diplomatic sufficient to confess “you’re a fair screw.”

Misfits, “Attitude”
From: Single (1978)

“I can’t believe what you say to me, you’ve got some attitude,” Glenn Danzig sneers on this Misfits basic. Some listeners in all probability felt the identical manner once they heard his ultra-crude lyrics and threats of violence.

Nirvana, “In Bloom” 
From: Nevermind (1991)

Kurt Cobain had lifelong disdain for jocks, bullies and hangers-on. The irony is all of them sang alongside in blissful ignorance to this Nevermind single aimed toward them.

Paul & Linda McCartney, “Too Many People”
From: Ram (1971)

Lennon had loads of grievances with McCartney, however McCartney additionally resented Lennon for initiating the Beatles’ breakup and (in his view) forcing his ideologies down listeners’ throats.

Pantera, “Fucking Hostile” 
From: Vulgar Display of Power (1992)

Phil Anselmo is an equal-opportunity hater on this brutal Pantera monitor, taking intention at corrupt establishments, hypocritical moralists, do-nothing cops and anyone and the rest inside spitting distance.

Pink Floyd, “Have a Cigar”
From: Wish You Were Here (1975)

Pink Floyd was on prime of the world by 1975 — and all too aware of bloodsucking music business execs who would sooner suck them dry than give them a second’s relaxation. They channeled these frustrations into the scathing, darkly satirical “Have a Cigar.”

Rage Against the Machine, (*30*)
From: Rage Against the Machine (1992)

Written within the wake of the Rodney King riots, (*30*) explicitly equates the police to the Ku Klux Klan. Any lingering doubt about Rage Against the Machine’s politics ought to disappear by the larynx-shredding “fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me” chorus.

Queen, “Death on Two Legs (Dedicated to …)”
From: A Night on the Opera (1975)

Queen had develop into bonafide hitmakers by 1975, but that they had no cash to indicate for it. Freddie Mercury positioned the blame squarely on unique supervisor and Trident Studios proprietor Norman Sheffield on “Death on Two Legs,” which shocked even his bandmates with its viciousness.

Skid Row, “Get the Fuck Out”
From: Slave to the Grind (1991)

Nobody would accuse a younger Skid Row of being feminists after listening to this filthy, groupie-bashing Slave to the Grind monitor. Sebastian Bach fortunately refused to sing the unique lyrics on the album’s Thirtieth-anniversary tour.

Steely Dan, “Show Biz Kids”
From: Countdown to Ecstasy (1973)

Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen and Walter Becker had been dyed-in-the-wool New Yorkers, and their contempt for nepo-baby Angelenos is palpable on this slinky rocker, which options scrumptious slide guitar from Rick Derringer.