Godzilla (song)

"Godzilla"
Song by Blue Öyster Cult from the album Spectres
Released	1977 2007 (re-release)
Recorded	1977
Genre	Hard rock, heavy metal[1][2]
Length	3:41
Label	Columbia, Legacy
Writer(s)	Buck Dharma
Producer(s)	Murray Krugman Sandy Pearlman David Lucas
Spectres track listing
"Godzilla" (1) "Golden Age of Leather" (2)

"Godzilla" is a song by Blue Öyster Cult from their fifth album, Spectres. The lyrics are a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the popular movie monster of the same name. The song is, along with "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" and "Burnin' for You", one of Blue Öyster Cult's best known songs and has become a staple of their live performances. It has been covered by bands such as Racer X, Fu Manchu, The Smashing Pumpkins, Sebastian Bach and Fighting Gravity.^[3]

Trivia

The spoken words (in Japanese) during the interlude translate to:

"Receiving breaking news! (臨時ニュースを申し上げます！ Rinji nyūsu o mōshiagemasu!)
Receiving breaking news! (臨時ニュースを申し上げます！ Rinji nyūsu o mōshiagemasu!)
Godzilla is headed towards the Ginza area! (ゴジラが銀座の方に向っています！ Gojira ga Ginza no hō ni mukatteimasu!)
Please seek shelter as soon as possible! (大至急、避難してください Daishikyū, hinan shite kudasai!)
Please seek shelter as soon as possible! (大至急、避難してください Daishikyū, hinan shite kudasai!)"

Parodies

In response to the song's absence from the 1998 Godzilla soundtrack, Blue Öyster Cult members Eric Bloom and Buck Dharma created their own parody called "NoZilla",^[4] released only to radio stations.

A parody called "Chinchilla" was sung by fictional character Donnie Baker (played by comedian Ron Sexton), in his familiar Kentuckiana accent, on the Bob & Tom Show.

In other media

• The song can be heard in films such as Detroit Rock City, and Dogtown and Z-Boys.
• It was featured in an episode of Nip/Tuck.
• A cover version was featured in Guitar Hero. The master track is featured in Guitar Hero: Smash Hits, and as downloadable content for the Rock Band series.
• The chorus was used in a car commercial for AutoTrader.com, featuring a giant man grabbing cars out of dealerships to compare them.
• It is included in numerous compilations, including The Heavy Metal Box box set.
• It was sometimes played during New York Yankees home games when then-Yankee Hideki Matsui came up to bat, as his nickname since his days in Japan has been "Godzilla".
• It was used in promos for Godzilla movie marathons on TNT's MonsterVision and the Sci-Fi Channel during the 1990s.
• It is featured on a Paper Jamz guitar.
• Thunderpuss 2000 has remixed the song in several different ways, including a Radio Mix (03:13), Extended Mix (05:25), Atomic Funky Dub (05:27), and Thunderpuss 2000 Club Mix (06:12)
• Akira Yamaoka, featuring vocals by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, covered the song for the closing credits of Julia X 3D, released in 2011.
• American jam band moe. has covered the song in concert numerous times.
• A live cover of the song by heavy metal singer Sebastian Bach, was released on his Bring 'Em Bach Alive! album in 1998.^[5]
• MCM and the Monster did a rap version of the song reusing some of the lyrics and adding new bits. Only released to college radio stations in the early 90's.
• The song was used as the theme song for Robosaurus in 2013 and 2014.
• In 2016, a cover version of the song was featured on the album Unsaved Progress by Canadian nerd rock band Double Experience

References

1. Godzilla at AllMusic
2. Milward, John (December 15, 1977). "Album Reviews: Blue Oyster Cult: Spectres". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner.
3. "Blue Öyster Cult recorded & performed cover versions: OTHER BANDS COVER BÖC". Blue Öyster Cult.
4. NoZilla (rare radio-only single) - Blue Öyster Cult on YouTube
5. http://www.discogs.com/Sebastian-Bach-Friends-Bring-Em-Bach-Alive/release/1567826