"Overkill" is a song by English rock band Motörhead. It was released in 7" and 12" vinyl pressings in 1979. It is backed with B-side "Too Late Too Late" which appears on the CD re-issues of the Overkill album. Early copies came with an "Overkill" badge. The single reached number 39 on the UK Singles Chart.
On 9 March 1979, the band played this song on the BBC TV show Top of the Pops to support the release of the single.[4] The song was a live favourite and was frequently featured at Motörhead concerts, often in an extended version.
The artwork on the sleeve was created by Joe Petagno, based on his design for the album's cover.
"Overkill" is widely considered one of Motörhead's best songs. In 2012, Loudwire ranked the song number three on their list of the top 10 Motörhead songs,[5] and in 2021, Louder Sound ranked the song number one on their list of the top 50 Motörhead songs.[6]
"Overkill" was used as the closing song for Motörhead's final tour, making it the last song the band ever played live.
On 13 April 2019, Motörhead re-released the original single edit of Overkill along with "Bomber" on picture disc as a celebration of the album's 40th anniversaries on Record Store Day. The single edit was made available digitally on 8 March 2019.[7]
In 1995, during the recording of the album Load, "Overkill", "Damage Case", "Stone Dead Forever" and "Too Late Too Late" were covered by Metallica, as a birthday gift for Lemmy, and released in 1996 on their "Hero of the Day" single. The single was released as a two-CD single; "Overkill" is the second track on the first CD single, and was also used on the second disc of their 1998 cover album Garage Inc.. The single reached No. 60 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks, and No. 17 on the UK Singles Chart. Some of the songs were played live on a brief tour along with other tracks from Garage Inc. in 1998 which concluded at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City. The songs would finally be played again during the 2009 World Magnetic Tour.
The song was covered by Overkill, who took their name from the Overkill album by Motörhead, and appears as the first track on their 1999 album Coverkill.[8]
In 2008, German heavy metal band Grave Digger included a cover version of the song on their EP Pray.
^Krovatin, Chris. "The 50 Best Album Openers In Metal". Kerrang!. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
^Rivadavia, Eduardo (25 April 2018). "10 Pioneering Speed Metal Songs Released Before Thrash's Birth". Loudwire. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
^Burridge, Alan Illustrated Collector's Guide to Motörhead Published: 1995, Collector's Guide Publishing ISBN0-9695736-2-6.
^Sciarretto, Amy (24 December 2012). "10 Best Motorhead Songs". Loudwire. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
^Hobson, Rich (4 November 2021). "The 50 best Motorhead songs". Louder Sound. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
^. Metaltalks. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
^. Second Hand Songs sub-entry. Archived from the original on 13 September 2007. Retrieved 26 June 2007.
^"Song: METALLICA, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX, SLAYER Perform 'Overkill' At 'Big Four' Show In NYC (Video)". Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
overkill, motörhead, song, overkill, song, english, rock, band, motörhead, released, vinyl, pressings, 1979, backed, with, side, late, late, which, appears, issues, overkill, album, early, copies, came, with, overkill, badge, single, reached, number, singles, . Overkill is a song by English rock band Motorhead It was released in 7 and 12 vinyl pressings in 1979 It is backed with B side Too Late Too Late which appears on the CD re issues of the Overkill album Early copies came with an Overkill badge The single reached number 39 on the UK Singles Chart Overkill Single by Motorheadfrom the album OverkillB side Too Late Too Late Released16 February 1979 UK 1 RecordedDecember 1978 January 1979 Roundhouse Studios Sound Development StudiosGenreHeavy metal 2 speed metal 3 Length5 12LabelBronzeEMISongwriter s Eddie ClarkeIan KilmisterPhil TaylorProducer s Jimmy MillerMotorhead singles chronology Louie Louie 1978 Overkill 1979 No Class 1979 On 9 March 1979 the band played this song on the BBC TV show Top of the Pops to support the release of the single 4 The song was a live favourite and was frequently featured at Motorhead concerts often in an extended version The artwork on the sleeve was created by Joe Petagno based on his design for the album s cover The song is featured as a track in the video game SSX on Tour and was re recorded by Motorhead to be a playable track in the rhythm game Guitar Hero World Tour The track is notable for Phil Philthy Animal Taylor s use of two bass drums Overkill is widely considered one of Motorhead s best songs In 2012 Loudwire ranked the song number three on their list of the top 10 Motorhead songs 5 and in 2021 Louder Sound ranked the song number one on their list of the top 50 Motorhead songs 6 Overkill was used as the closing song for Motorhead s final tour making it the last song the band ever played live On 13 April 2019 Motorhead re released the original single edit of Overkill along with Bomber on picture disc as a celebration of the album s 40th anniversaries on Record Store Day The single edit was made available digitally on 8 March 2019 7 Contents 1 Personnel 2 Covers 3 References 4 External linksPersonnel EditLemmy bass vocals Fast Eddie Clarke guitars Phil Philthy Animal Taylor drumsCovers Edit Overkill Song by Metallicafrom the album Garage Inc Released24 November 1998RecordedMay 1995 February 1996GenreHeavy metalspeed metalLength4 04LabelElektraSongwriter s Eddie ClarkeLemmy KilmisterPhil TaylorProducer s Bob RockJames HetfieldLars UlrichIn 1995 during the recording of the album Load Overkill Damage Case Stone Dead Forever and Too Late Too Late were covered by Metallica as a birthday gift for Lemmy and released in 1996 on their Hero of the Day single The single was released as a two CD single Overkill is the second track on the first CD single and was also used on the second disc of their 1998 cover album Garage Inc The single reached No 60 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No 1 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and No 17 on the UK Singles Chart Some of the songs were played live on a brief tour along with other tracks from Garage Inc in 1998 which concluded at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City The songs would finally be played again during the 2009 World Magnetic Tour The song was covered by Overkill who took their name from the Overkill album by Motorhead and appears as the first track on their 1999 album Coverkill 8 In 2008 German heavy metal band Grave Digger included a cover version of the song on their EP Pray On 14 September 2011 members of Metallica Slayer Megadeth and Anthrax collectively known as the big four of thrash metal covered the song live at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx 9 References Edit Motorhead singles Krovatin Chris The 50 Best Album Openers In Metal Kerrang Retrieved 25 September 2019 Rivadavia Eduardo 25 April 2018 10 Pioneering Speed Metal Songs Released Before Thrash s Birth Loudwire Retrieved 25 September 2019 Burridge Alan Illustrated Collector s Guide to Motorhead Published 1995 Collector s Guide Publishing ISBN 0 9695736 2 6 Sciarretto Amy 24 December 2012 10 Best Motorhead Songs Loudwire Retrieved 6 April 2022 Hobson Rich 4 November 2021 The 50 best Motorhead songs Louder Sound Retrieved 6 April 2022 MOTORHEAD TO RELEASE OVERKILL BOMBER SPECIAL DOUBLE 7 SINGLE Metaltalks Archived from the original on 6 March 2019 Retrieved 2 March 2019 Song Overkill Second Hand Songs sub entry Archived from the original on 13 September 2007 Retrieved 26 June 2007 Song METALLICA MEGADETH ANTHRAX SLAYER Perform Overkill At Big Four Show In NYC Video Archived from the original on 10 September 2012 Retrieved 15 September 2011 External links EditSample of the song at the Motorhead Official Site RealPlayer required Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Overkill Motorhead song amp oldid 1081221020, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
