For My Sunday Song #57, I am going with “Renegades of Funk” by Rage Against the Machine. The song was released on election day in 2000 and with George W. Bush winning I am sure RATM had a lot more to “Rage” about. The song is off their ‘Renegades’ album and was produced by the great Rick Rubin.
What I never knew, or had just forgotten, was the song was actually a Cover of a song performed by Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force and released back in 1983. These two songs really sound nothing alike and Rage has turned into a funked up metal song that fits my taste nicely. Not only is it a cover, Rage has included a percussion piece of the song “Apache” by the Incredible Bongo Band.
I had never really listened to Rage Against the Machine as the late 90’s were not a great time for me so had overlooked them. It was playing Guitar Hero or some video game where the song was featured and I was like…WOW!!…how have I missed this song. Ever since then I have been a fan of the band. Tom Morello just absolutely slays it on the guitar and he is one of the best out there. The sounds and riffs he does are so his own style there is no mistaking when he is on lead guitar.
For me, the song itself is about celebrating the renegades of history such as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King and the need for those kind of renegades today. We definitely need somebody to come along and shake things up that we can look up to because we are sorely missing it now. Maybe we should all be the RENEGADE!!
Give the song a listen and make sure to turn it up to 10 because the walls will shake and you will feel it. Enjoy and have a Great Sunday.
“Renegades Of Funk”
No matter how hard you try, you can’t stop us nowWe’re the renegades of this atomic age
This atomic age of renegades
Renegades of this atomic age
This atomic age of renegades
Since the Prehistoric ages and the days of ancient Greece
Right down through the Middle Ages
Planet earth kept going through changes
And then the Renaissance came and times continued to change
Nothing stayed the same but there were always renegades
Like Chief Sitting Bull, Tom Paine
Dr. Martin Luther King, Malcolm X
They were renegades of their time and age
So many renegades
We’re the renegades of funk
We’re the renegades of funk
We’re the renegades of funk
We’re the renegades of funk
From a different solar system many many galaxies away
We are the force of another creation
A new musical revelation
And we’re on this musical mission to help the others listen
And groove from land to land singin’ electronic chants like
Zulu nation
Revelations
Destroy our nations
Destroy our nations
Now renegades are the people with their own philosophies
They change the course of history
Everyday people like you and me
We’re the renegades we’re the people
With our own philosophies
We change the course of history
Everyday people like you and me
C’mon
We’re the renegades of funk
We’re the renegades of funk
We’re the renegades of funk
We’re the renegades of funk
Poppin’, sockin’, rockin’ puttin’ a side of hip-hop
Because where we’re goin’ there ain’t no stoppin’
Poppin’, sockin’, rockin’, puttin’ a side of hip-hop
Because where we’re goin’ there ain’t no stoppin’
Poppin’, sockin’, rockin’ puttin’ a side of hip-hop
‘Cause we’re poppin’, sockin’, rockin’ puttin’ a side of hip-hop
Poppin’, sockin’, rockin’ puttin’ a side of hip-hop
We’re the renegades of funk
We’re the renegades of funk
We’re the renegades of funk
We’re the renegades of funk
We’re teachers of the funk
And not of empty popping
We’re blessed with the force and the sight of electronics
With the bass, and the treble the horns and our vocals
‘Cause every time I pop into the beat we get fresh
There was a time when our music
Was something called the Bay Street beat
People would gather from all around
To get down to the big sound
You had to be a renegade in those days
To take a man to the dance floor
Say jam sucker (jam)
Say jam sucker (jam)
Say groove sucker (groove)
Say groove sucker (groove)
Say dance sucker (dance)
Say dance sucker (dance)
Now move sucker (move)
Now move sucker (move)
[x2]
We’re the renegades of funk
2 Loud 2 Old Music 
I’d forgotten all about this one! Wasn’t a big fan of the album, so haven’t heard it (even the best selections) in quite a while.
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Glad I could remind you.
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I think I’d been told this one was a cover – but like you, I’d forgotten, it sounds like a Rage song!
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They definitely made it their own.
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I overlooked this band for a while too. This was the first one RATM album I bought and went back and grabbed all of their catalog.
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I am only really just getting into them myself. When they first came out, I didn’t care for them.
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She’s a goodie!! 🙂
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Great choice – I love the LP it’s from too. Fits in with my current obsession for Prophets of Rage too.
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RATM FTW!
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