Songoftheday 10/15/13 - We'll fight the powers that be just don't pick our destiny 'cause You don't know us you don't belong...

Twisted Sister - "We're Not Gonna Take It"
from the album Stay Hungry (1984)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #21 (two weeks)
Weeks in the Top-40: 7

Today's Song of the Day is by the painted men of metal, Twisted Sister, whom Jay Jay French formed in the 70s, and after a series of band name and personnel changes, recruited singer Dee Snider, and became a local club favorite in the New York area for their live shows. They also were known for their crazy appearance, with women's clothes and makeup  co-opted in the "punk style. After being signed to Atlantic Records in the early 80s, the band released their debut album on the label, You Can't Stop Rock N Roll, which was a hit over in England, where they scored their first top-20 single with "I Am (I'm Me)". Their two followups also made the chart there, but it would take a year before America would catch on.

What did it was the band's "anthem", which was accompanied by a video featuring the nemesis Neidermayer (Mark Metcalf) from Animal House, and the rebellious call to arms was heard by kids all over the country...

"We're Not Gonna Take It" became Twisted Sister's first and only top-40 single in September of 1984, while going a notch higher on the rock radio list. Oddly, the single didn't do as well in the UK where they had their early success, stopping at #58. However, the song remains probably the best-remembered of the metal songs of the time.

While the song's follow-up, "I Wanna Rock", got just as much play on MTV, it missed the top-40, but the third release from the Stay Hungry album, power-ballad "The Price", became their highest-charting rock hit in the US at #19. Their next album tried to recreate the magic of the platinum-selling Stay Hungry with a remake of the 60s girl-group classic "Leader Of The Pack", but it proves way too campy for their own good, and was their last pop single on the chart at #53. After another album only spun off one top-40 rock hit with "Hot Love" in 1987, Twisted Sister split up, with Snider putting together the band Widowmaker. Put in their heydays after "We're Not Gonna Take It", Dee put his mind and voice behind the rock when he was one of the key speakers in Congress against the PRMC (Parents Music Resource Center), otherwise known as the ones behind those "Explicit Lyrics" stickers on albums. Also, he's appeared on TV in reality shows like Gone Country, Celebrity Wife Swap, and The Apprentice. and also, Betty White has even co-opted the song to open her Off Their Rockers prank show.

(Click below to see the rest of the post)


...and here's the band live on TV from the time..

Up tomorrow: The Boss needs some protection. Or blankets.