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- Boastful Rap in general.
- The song "Space Lord" by Monster Magnet can be read, at least in part, as a somewhat surreal badass boast:
I left my throne a million miles away |
- Monster Magnet are defined by that description; it would be easier to list the songs that don't fit this trope (usually, some kind of put-down song), and they almost always combine it with some kind of drug/sexual innuendo or comic book reference. And even their songs that don't fit this trope sound as if they do, because of Dave Wyndorf's "A God Am I" vocal delivery:
"Bummer": I need a fistful of medication just to keep it in my pants |
- Motorhead's "Orgasmatron" is a badass boast by the personification of religion, politics, and war. Part of the war stanza includes: "I hold a banner drenched in blood, I urge you to be brave / I lead you to your destiny, I lead you to your grave / Your bones will build my palaces, your eyes will stud my crown / For I am Mars, the god of war, and I will cut you down."
- Quite a few Motorhead songs count as this, especially "You Better Run", including lines like "I'm iron and steel, I'm bad to the bone/If you come looking for trouble honey, don't you come alone."
- The Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil" is one long badass boast by Satan, beginning: "Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a Man of Wealth and Taste / I've been around for a long long year / stolen many man's soul and faith".
- Listen again. That there's God talking. "Just as every cop's a criminal/ And all the sinners saints/ As heads is tails, just call me Lucifer/ 'Cos I'm in need of some restraint".
- Say what? Lucifer is the name of Satan, not God. And Mick Jagger has stated very plainly in a Rolling Stone interview that the song is told from the point of view of Lucifer.
- Listen again. That there's God talking. "Just as every cop's a criminal/ And all the sinners saints/ As heads is tails, just call me Lucifer/ 'Cos I'm in need of some restraint".
- Manowar's "The Crown and the Ring" is a long, Norse-flavored badass boast, including the stanza: "High and mighty alone we are kings / Whirlwinds of fire we ride / Providence brought us the crown and the ring / Covered with blood and our pride".
- King of Kings.
- As with Monster Magnet, pretty much every flippin' song, only letting up when they tackle "serious" subjects like Vietnam Veterans' Syndrome or the Guyana massacre. They think they're the house band at Valhalla, what else would one expect?
- Blind Guardian's "And then there was silence" with
"We have been betrayed by the wind and the rain |
"We don't regret it |
Mare or stallion |
- "I Am Murloc" is basically one long badass boast on behalf of the murlocs. This makes it a parody, since murlocs in the game are just humorous and annoying Goddamn Bats.
- The same band has also done "Power of the Horde" which is one long serious badass boast on behalf of a Farseer of the Horse.
I feel the fire burning in my veins |
- "Princes of the Universe" by Queen. Sword-wielding immortals are just that badass.
I am immortal! |
- Another song from Queen's soundtrack to Highlander, "Gimme The Prize (Kurgan's Theme)".
Here I am! |
- "The Queen's Rebuke" from a concept album by The Decemberists features the hero's fae foster mother, boasting her immortality and power over the forest:
I'm made of bones of the branches the boughs and the brow-beating light |
- "Indestructible" by Disturbed is one long boast. And it works.
No hesitation / When I am commanded to strike |
- "Divide," off the same album, though it doesn't go to nearly the same extreme:
You might say that I'm the last man standing now, |
- "Warrior" from the next album takes this to a stupidly extreme level, sounding as if Dave Draiman watched multiple episodes of Dragonball Z for reference.
I am an instrument of violence / I am a vessel of invincibility |
- And then there is their theme song for Stone Cold Steve Austin.
- Flogging Molly is rather fond of these too. One of my favorites:
For green is the heart of your greed |
But you won't |
- Voltaire's "When You're Evil" is one long boast by a goofy Card-Carrying Villain. Or so it seems. The first few verses describe pretty silly cartoon villainy. And then...
I pledge my allegiance, to all things dark |
I'm the fear that keeps you awake |
- Chris Cornell's James Bond theme "You Know my Name" is basically one long one. Sample:
I've seen angels fall from blinding heights |
- Although this is less a Badass Boast than a chilling prophesy about how Bond will inevitably change into a cold-blooded killer.
- Mirdautas Vras by Summoning. Translated excerpt:
Northwards ride on a thousand orcs, |
- Also Farewell:
Who can, who can find you clear springs of water? But I — but I can! |
- AND it includes an audio sample from a second example of the trope:
- Ozzy Osbourne's "Not Going Away" has a good one, short and sweet.
Try so hard to break me, |
- Given that Rage Against the Heavens is pretty much The Crown's raison d'etre, these are pretty common in their lyrics. One particularly memorable one is from the song "Deathexplosion" (no, really)
All legends tell of me |
- The Finisher by Oh, Sleeper is, pretty much in its entirety, one of these from God to Satan. And, within Christian doctrine, a deserved one since, well, He's God:
Do you mean to challenge me? Because your speech is threatening |
- Dio era Black Sabbath had "I", another boast-in-song-form, this one from the point of view of an Anti-Hero. The end of the last verse, however, outbadasses the rest of the song.
I'll smash your face in |
- The White Stripes — "Seven Nation Army"
- Flobots' "Handlebars" is one giant Badass Boast.
- Rage Against the Machine's "Sleep Now in the Fire":
Crawl with me into tomorrow |
- Foo Fighters — "Pretender":
I'm the voice inside your head |
- Iron Maiden's "The Trooper"
You'll take my life but I'll take yours too |
- All verses in Judas Priest's "Hard As Iron" is a Badass Boast of some kind. The chorus of "Blood Red Skies" is also a Badass Boast: "You won't break me/You won't make me/You won't take me/Under blood red skies", as are "Tyrant", "The Ripper", parts of "Invader", "Killing Machine", "Electric Eye", "Riding on the Wind" if you assume it's in 1st person, "You've got Another Thing Comin'", possibly "Love Bites", "Heavy Du-" let's just say "a lot".
- Tribute is a Badass Boast by Tenacious D about how they accidentally played "The Best Song In The World" to kill a shiny demon threatening to eat their souls.
- I! AM! AMERICAN BADASS![1]
- What? No mention of Nox Arcana and "Blood of Angels"? That song is basically a long Badass Boast... from the point of view of Fallen Angels! Lyrics include:
We are the twilight and we are the dawn |
- Break You, by Lamb of God. Many of their songs are like this:
You taught me hate, I'll teach you fear. |
- "Devil Went Down to Georgia" by Charlie Daniel Band. Admittedly, it's for a duel by fiddles, but...
My name's Johnnie |
- You mean a badass fiddle duel.
- "A National Acrobat" by Ozzy-era Black Sabbath.
I am the one that hides the universal secret of all time |
- Nile's music, many songs being retellings of old myths, is naturally full of these. Some prominent ones include:
- The Eye Of Ra:
Flee from me, humanity, though it availeth thee not. |
- Permitting The Noble Dead To Descend To The Underworld:
I have gone forth, |
- User Maat Re is a song being sung from the perspective of Ramses the Great, to his father, Seti I, the entirety of which is a series of badass boasts, speaking of the nearly innumerable acts that are the reason he's known as "The Great." The twist is that Ramses has literally been driven insane by his own desire to live up to his father's legacy, which he never felt worthy of, and begins hearing his father's voice in his head, telling him "Thou hast done nothing."
- The one that takes the cake, however, is Those Whom The Gods Detest. The whole song is a screed against the Egyptian gods, as a way of saying, in the words of Karl Sanders: "Oh yeah. Bring it on biatch. Do your worst." The final lyric stands out:
Embraced within the coils of Set, |
- You don't see a lot of female country singers on this list but Miranda Lambert's Gunpowder and Lead certainly counts:
I'm goin' home, gonna load my shotgun |
- Coheed and Cambria's albums are a sci-fi epic about Claudio Kilgannon, prophesied to defeat Supreme Tri-Mage Wilhelm Ryan, the man responsible for his family's deaths. In the song The End Complete, which describes their Final Battle, Ryan boasts:
We are the fate of Hell and |
- One-man acoustic punk troubadour Hamell On Trial's "The Meeting" gives us
I'm rocking like The Clash |
- War is the Answer by Five Finger Death Punch is one long Badass boast..
- The number of ludicrous claims Lil B has made boggles the mind. Here's a sample of what he has claimed about himself:
I'm retired n***a I already ruled the world |
- One of his songs is titled "I'm God"
- His song "Wanton Soup" is about "fuck[ing] your bitch" and then "eat[ing] wanton soup."
- Pretty sure "Look Like Jesus" takes the cake:
Hoes on my dick 'cause I look like Jesus |
I am more powerful than all the armies of the world |
- Eluveitie's Kingdom Come Undone is basically a 03:22 Badass Boast Crowning Music of Awesome consider the chorus:
This is V for vengeance |
- Sabaton has several on behalf of many military units, like Panzer Battalion:
Under this sun no shadows will fall |
- Their ambgiously-non-war songs tends to go into that direction as well, for example Birds of War:
The priesthood is trembling |
- "St. Jimmy" from Green Day's American Idiot is prety much one big Badass Boast:
St. Jimmy's coming down across the alleyway |
- Dr. Steel has one in Lament for a toy factory:
I am the nightmare that crushes your dreams |
- Kanye West's Jesus Walks has:
"Harrasin' arrestors harass and arrest us, |
- He's nicking Adam Sandler jokes now? Ladies and Gentlemen, the voice of a generation.
- It's that kind of generation.
- He's nicking Adam Sandler jokes now? Ladies and Gentlemen, the voice of a generation.
- Clutch has a few.
I got your number |
- Jimi Hendrix: "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)"
Well I'm standing next to a mountain |
- Jen Titus does a brilliant one in "O Death", honoring Death itself
Well I am Death, none can excel, |
- Given their love of fantasy and sci-fi pulp, Purple Prose and use of first person POVs in their songs, Bal-Sagoth's lyrics are positively stuffed with elaborate and original Badass Boasts. Particular credit though, has to go to the song Of Carnage and the Gathering of Wolves:
Yes... I am the scythe in the field at summer |
- The country song "Sixteen Tons", originally performed by Merle Travis and made famous by Tennessee Ernie Ford(and covered by numerous other artists ranging from other country acts such as Johnny Cash to Swedish doom metal bands like Memento Mori) features this segment:
Well if you see me comin' better step aside |