Top 10 Songs About Killing

Don Jamieson is a guest contributor to Loudwire. He is the co-host of That Metal Show, which recently completed its 14th season on VH1 Classic. You can also catch Jamieson on the stand-up comedy circuit. Keep up with him at his official website or his Twitter page. Please note that Don Jamieson’s opinions do not necessarily reflect those of Loudwire. Check out his picks for the Top 10 Songs About Killing below:

There are more rock and metal songs about killing than there are Mike Portnoy side projects (love ya MP)!

Killing, murdering, slaying, butchering, exterminating … at the end of the day I always have murder on my mind. No, not because I’m a closet serial killer (or even an out of the closet serial killer) but because I watch WAY too much Discovery ID. In fact, the other day I saw my neighbor struggling to load a huge suitcase into the trunk of his car and instead of wishing him a good vacation, I called the cops suspicious that he murdered his wife and stuffed her in his luggage.

And since these songs are so numerous, I had to limit them to tunes with the actual word “killing” in them. So much like a Led Zeppelin reunion: Iron Maiden’s ‘Murders in the Rue Morgue’, Manowar’s ‘Kill With Power’ or Body Count’s ‘Cop Killer’ will not be seen. Honorable mention to my crazy, acoustic death-metal band Gunfire-N-Sodomy’s ‘Killing Disease’ (Super-cheap plug. Available super-cheap on iTunes).

So join me on the killing floor and check out these 10 carnage-filled classics:

10
"Killing for a Living"
Overkill
Album: Ironbound
Killing Chorus: “Killing just to live, killing for a living, living just to kill…”
East Coast thrash at its finest! Although I don’t know about actually killing for a living. I find it much more enjoyable as a hobby.
9
"Gematria (The Killing Name)"
Slipknot
Album: All Hope Is Gone
Killing Chorus: “America is a killing name, it doesn’t feel or discriminate, life is just a killing field…”
A song about how our world stinks worse than the inside of Corey’s mask. You can always count on Slipknot for a positive, upbeat tune and this one doesn’t disappoint. Pair this with ‘People = S--t’ for a double-shoot of doom and gloom.
8
"The Art of Killing Poetry"
Sodom
Album: In War and Pieces
Killing Chorus: “The art of killing poetry, created by misanthropy…”
Thrash metal at its German finest. This band name has two of my favorite words in it: Sodomy and Sod (I used to be in landscaping).
7
"Life Is Killing Me"
Type O Negative
Album: Life Is Killing Me
Killing Chorus: “Doctors and thieves they both wear masks, modern day meat magicians…life is killing me”
The late Pete Steele put his tortured soul into every bass note, lyric and vocal take. This tune along with "Kill All the White People" and "Kill You Tonight" are the best killing trilogy since Creepshow.
6
"Killing Time"
Metallica
Album: Garage, Inc.
Killing Chorus: “Killing time, you left from the line. Killing time, your turn to kill…”
A sweet Sweet Savage cover with then unknown guitarist, Vivian Campbell and one of the best Metallica covers ever. Now that Viv is in Def Leppard I double-dare Metallica to cover "Pour Some Sugar on Me."
5
"Killing in the Name"
Rage Against the Machine
Album: Rage Against the Machine
Killing Chorus: “Killing in the name of…and now you do what they told ya”
Pure metal mayhem from one of the most fast and furious bands of the '90s. Unfortunately, in the last 10 years they’ve been less active than Honey Boo Boo’s mama.
4
"Killing Is My Business ... And Business Is Good"
Megadeth
Album: Killing Is My Business…And Business Is Good!
Killing Chorus: “It gives me great pleasure, to say my next job is you, don’t you know that killing is my business…and business is good.”
Idea for the next Kayne West album title: Killing Music Is My Business…And Business Is Good!
3
"Killing Machine"
Judas Priest
Album: Hell Bent For Leather / Killing Machine
Killing Chorus: “I got no face no name, I’m just a killing machine. I cut the population down, if you know what I mean…”
A killing klassic! Killing Machine: Because serial killers need a favorite song, too.
2
"Killing the Dragon"
Dio
Album: Killing the Dragon
Killing Chorus: “Something’s taken a child and it all must end, time to be killing the dragon again…”
First he killed the king and now the dragon. A murderous melody from Ronnie James Dio: the original Dragonslayer since 1942. RIP RJD.
1
"Killing Yourself to Live"
Black Sabbath
Album: Sabbath, Bloody, Sabbath
Killing Chorus: “It’s not the way that the world was meant, it’s a pity you don’t understand…killing yourself to live.”
Our numero uno on this list was written by Geezer Butler while in the hospital for kidney problems caused by heavy drinking. They sold their souls for rock ‘n’ roll and sacrificed a vital organ!