''I'm the Man'' is the second EP by American metal band

Anthrax Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium '' Bacillus anthracis''. It can occur in four forms: skin, lungs, intestinal, and injection. Symptom onset occurs between one day and more than two months after the infection is contracted. The s ...

, released in 1987 by Megaforce Worldwide/

Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, anothe ...

(although the song was supposedly written three years before). The band, along with

Eddie Kramer Edwin H. Kramer (born 19 April 1942) is a British recording producer and engineer. He has collaborated with several artists now in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, including Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin ...

and Paul Hammingson, produced the EP, which includes the single "I'm the Man". The single is considered among the first

rap metal Rap metal is a subgenre of rap rock and alternative metal music which combines hip hop with heavy metal. It usually consists of heavy metal guitar riffs, funk metal elements, rapped vocals and sometimes turntables. History Origins and e ...

songs. The title track is a comedy/novelty song that parodies the style of the

Beastie Boys Beastie Boys were an American rap rock group from New York City, formed in 1978. The group was composed of Michael "Mike D" Diamond (vocals, drums), Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (vocals, guitar, programming) ...

, and its main guitar

riff A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music (also known as an ostinato figure in classical music); it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or acc ...

is based on the melody of the Jewish folk song " Hava Nagila" (guitarists Scott Ian and Dan Spitz, as well as all the members of the Beastie Boys, are Jewish). For live performances,

Joey Belladonna Joey Belladonna (born Joseph Bellardini; October 13, 1960) is an American singer, best known as the vocalist for thrash metal band Anthrax. He is also the vocalist and drummer of the cover band Chief Big Way. Belladonna has six Grammy Award no ...

and

Charlie Benante Charles Lee Benante (born November 27, 1962) is an American musician best known as the drummer for thrash metal band Anthrax, and crossover thrash band Stormtroopers of Death. Alongside rhythm guitarist and band leader Scott Ian, Benante has co ...

would switch places, Benante performing some of the raps and Belladonna drumming. A

7" single In music, a single is a type of release, typically a song recording of fewer tracks than an LP record or an album. One can be released for sale to the public in a variety of formats. In most cases, a single is a song that is released separat ...

was also released, containing only the second and fifth tracks.

Samples and borrowed material

The beginning of "I'm the Man" features an electric guitar riff of the Jewish folk song " Hava Nagila", which can also be heard in the chorus. The chorus' lyrics are borrowed from one of Taylor Negron's lines in the

Rodney Dangerfield Rodney Dangerfield (born Jacob Rodney Cohen; November 22, 1921 – October 5, 2004) was an American Stand-up comedy, stand-up comedian, actor, screenwriter, and producer. He was known for his self-deprecating one-line joke, one-liner humor, his c ...

film '' Easy Money''. Rather than using a sample, the song's lines are performed by Frank Bello. Anthrax also used one of

Sam Kinison Samuel Burl Kinison ( ; December 8, 1953 – April 10, 1992) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. A former Pentecostal preacher, he performed stand-up routines that were characterized by intense sudden tirades, punctuated with his distinc ...

's famous primal screams for the song. At about 1:55, a sample of the

Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...

song "

Master of Puppets ''Master of Puppets'' is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on March 3, 1986, by Elektra Records. Recorded in Denmark at Sweet Silence Studios with producer Flemming Rasmussen, it was the band's last albu ...

" from the 1986 album ''

'' can be heard. A few times after "I'm The Man" is said, a sample of "shut up" from

Run-DMC Run-DMC (also spelled Run-D.M.C.) was an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York City, founded in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. Run-DMC is regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history ...

's "You Talk Too Much" from the 1985 album '' King of Rock'' can be heard. Additionally, the "yeah" that begins the song "

(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!) "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)" (shortened to "Fight for Your Right" on album releases) is a song by American hip hop group the Beastie Boys, released as the fourth single released from their debut album '' Licensed to Ill'' (1986) ...

" by the Beastie Boys on their 1986 debut, ''

Licensed to Ill ''Licensed to Ill'' is the debut studio album by American rap rock group Beastie Boys. It was released on November 15, 1986, by Def Jam and Columbia Records, and became the first rap LP to top the ''Billboard'' album chart. It is one of Columbia ...

'', is sampled.

Track listing

Personnel

– lead vocals, drums * Frank Bello – bass guitar, vocals *

– drums, vocals * Scott Ian – rhythm guitar, vocals *

Dan Spitz Daniel Alan Spitz (born January 28, 1963) is an American musician best known for his work as the lead guitarist of the thrash metal band Anthrax from 1983 to 1995 and from 2005 to 2008. Spitz also founded the Christian music group Red Lamb, whi ...

– lead guitar, rhythm guitar

Additional personnel

Mark Weiss Mark Weiss is an American rock music photographer. His most widely recognized photographs capture the look and aesthetic of music and celebrity personalities of the 1980s. His work with publications such as ''Circus'' magazine and ''FACES'' hel ...

– photographer, album photography

Charts

;EP ;Song

Certifications

References

{{Authority control 1987 EPs Comedy songs Anthrax (American band) EPs Island Records EPs Albums produced by Eddie Kramer Rap metal EPs