Cult of Personality (song)
| "Cult of Personality" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Living Colour | ||||
| from the album Vivid | ||||
| Written | 1987 | |||
| Released | 1988 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:54 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Ed Stasium | |||
| Living Colour singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Bravo | [6] |
"Cult of Personality" is a song by American rock band Living Colour, featured as the opening track and second single from their debut studio album Vivid (1988). The song was released in 1988, and reached No. 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 9 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. It won the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 32nd Annual Grammy Awards. Its music video won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video and MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist.
The band's guitarist and founder, Vernon Reid, described the song as very special for the band not just for its commercial success but because it was essentially written in just one rehearsal session. The riff was stumbled upon while practicing something else and by the end of the session they had written what was to become their best known song. The title comes from a psychological phenomenon called cult of personality, and the lyrics contain many political references.
The song was ranked No. 69 on VH1's "100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs".[3] The solo was ranked No. 87 in Guitar World's "100 Greatest Guitar Solos" list and No. 23 on their list of the "25 Greatest Wah Solos of All Time".[7][8]
Background and composition
The title comes from Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev's 1956 anti-Stalin report, "On the Cult of Personality and Its Consequences". During rehearsals at the band's loft in Brooklyn in 1987, lead singer Corey Glover was humming some notes. Guitarist Vernon Reid opened his small notebook of quotes and phrases for lyrical inspiration, and turned to a page where he had scribbled, "Look in my eyes, what do you see? The cult of personality."[9]
In 2018, Reid said, "The whole idea was to move past the duality of: That's a good person and that's a bad person. What do the good and the bad have in common? Is there something that unites Gandhi and Mussolini? Why are they who they are? And part of it is charisma."[9] In 2016, he also said, "'Cult of Personality' was about celebrity, but on a political level. It asked what made us follow these individuals who were larger than life yet still human beings. Aside from their social importance, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King both looked like matinee idols. That was a strong part of why their messages connected. Even now it's why Barack Obama has that certain something."[10]
The signature riff was improvised at the same rehearsal. Reid said, "That cool riff had a Zeppelin-ish vibe, but also a Mahavishnu Orchestra thing going on. It was based on a series of notes that Corey had sung – my attempt to repeat that [on guitar]. I already had the lyrics, but with the music in place it very quickly took on a life of its own."[10]
Political figures referenced
"Cult of Personality" includes several audio samples of speeches from 20th-century political leaders.
The song begins with an edited quote from the beginning of "Message to the Grass Roots", a speech by Malcolm X: "... And during the few moments that we have left, ... We want to talk right down to earth in a language that everybody here can easily understand."[11]
During a rest in the music at 4:35, John F. Kennedy's inaugural address is heard ("Ask not what your country can do for you ...").
The song ends with Franklin D. Roosevelt saying "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself", from his first inaugural address.
The lyrics mention Kennedy, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, and Mahatma Gandhi. According to Vernon Reid, Adolf Hitler was originally also in the lyrics but was pulled due to fear that referring to him would be misconstrued and too controversial.[10]
Track listings
|
US and Canadian 7-inch single, US cassette single[12][13]
UK 7-inch single[14]
UK CD single (1988)[15]
|
UK CD single (1989)[16]
European 7-inch single[17]
Australian 7-inch single[18]
|
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[29] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Release history
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 1988 |
|
Epic | |
| United Kingdom | May 1, 1989 |
|
[30] |
In popular culture
- Professional wrestler and former mixed martial "artist" CM Punk has used the song as his entrance music in WWE,[31] Ring of Honor, Ultimate Fighting Championship,[32] and All Elite Wrestling.[33] The band performed the song live during Punk's entrance at WrestleMania 29, and again 12 years later at WrestleMania 41.[34] The 2023 remastered version of the 2007 re-recorded version that originally appeared in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock was used for CM Punk's WWE return at Survivor Series: WarGames in November 2023 and has been using it since then.[35][36] As a result of Punk's return, the English football club Arsenal who frequently play wrestling entrance themes at their home games at the Emirates Stadium[37] played the remake before their UEFA Champions League match against RC Lens.[38]
- Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber uses the song as one of his walk-up songs.[39]
References
- ^ Terich, Jeff; Blyweiss, Adam (October 3, 2012). "10 Essential Alternative Metal Singles". Treblezine. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
- ^ Grierson, Tim. "Top 10 Essential Alt-Metal Songs". About.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
- ^ a b Stosuy, Brandon (January 5, 2009). "VH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs". Stereogum. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Super Hits - Living Colour | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
- ^ Sendra, Tim. "Rockin' 80's [Sony] - Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
- ^ Riemann, Hannsjörg (December 29, 1988). "Review: Living Colour — "Cult of Personality" (Epic)". Bravo (in German). No. 1. Munich: Heinrich Bauer Zeitschriften Verlag KG. p. 55. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
- ^ Cross, Dan (May 24, 2019). "These Are Fifteen of the Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time". LiveAbout. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
- ^ "The 25 greatest wah solos of all time". Guitar World.
- ^ a b Siegel, Alan (May 3, 2018). ""Cult" Classic: How Living Colour made one of the most prescient albums of the 20th century, and conquered rock 'n' roll in the process". The Ringer. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
- ^ a b c Ling, Dave (October 9, 2016). "The Story Behind Living Colour's Cult Of Personality". Louder. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
- ^ Malcolm X: "Message to the Grass Roots" http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/message-to-grassroots
- ^ Cult of Personality (US & Canadian 7-inch single vinyl disc). Epic Records. 1988. 34-68611.
- ^ Cult of Personality (US cassette single sleeve). Epic Records. 1989. 34T68611.
- ^ Cult of Personality (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Epic Records. 1989. LCL 5.
- ^ Cult of Personality (UK CD single liner notes). Epic Records. 1988. CDLCL 3, 653021 2.
- ^ Cult of Personality (UK CD single liner notes). Epic Records. 1989. CDLCL 5, 654895 2.
- ^ Cult of Personality (European 7-inch single sleeve). Epic Records. 1988. EPC 653021 7.
- ^ Cult of Personality (Australian 7-inch single vinyl disc). Epic Records. 1988. 653021 0.
- ^ "Chartifacts > Week Ending: 19 May 1991 (from The ARIA Report Issue No. 69)". ARIA. Retrieved August 24, 2016 – via Imgur.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Image 6348". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
- ^ "Living Colour – Cult of Personality". Top 40 Singles.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart on 2/11/1991 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
- ^ "Living Colour Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Living Colour Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles: May 13, 1989". Cash Box. Archived from the original on August 16, 2019. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
- ^ "Living Colour Chart History (Rock Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
- ^ "End of Year Charts 1989". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
- ^ "1989 The Year in Music: Top Album Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 101, no. 51. December 23, 1989. p. Y-58.
- ^ "British single certifications – Living Colour – Cult of Personality". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 8, 2023. Select singles in the Formats field. Type Cult of Personality Living Colour in the "Search:" field.
- ^ "New Singles". Music Week. April 29, 1989. p. 43.
- ^ Lee, Joseph (July 25, 2020). "Living Colour Marks Nine-Year Anniversary of CM Punk Using Their Song". 411 Mania. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
- ^ "Cult of Personality - CM Punk's first ever UFC walkout was something special". UFC on BT Sport. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
- ^ Collins, Joseph (August 20, 2021). "AEW Rampage live results: The First Dance". f4wonline.com. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
- ^ "Living Colour Ignites WrestleMania 41 with "Cult of Personality"". livingcolour.com. Retrieved April 23, 2025.
- ^ McVey, Innes (November 24, 2023). "Cult Of Personality Remastered Amidst CM Punk WWE Return Rumors". Haus of Wrestling. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
- ^ Roling, Chris. "CM Punk Return Shifts the Wrestling Landscape Further in Favor of WWE and Triple H". Bleacher Report. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
- ^ "Why do Arsenal use WWE entry music?". nss-sports.com/en/. March 7, 2024. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
- ^ "'AEW Royalty' in Attendance During Arsenal's Champions League Win over RC Lens". November 29, 2023.
- ^ "'I Really Don't Care How Far They Go': Kyle Schwarber Powers Phillies in Postseason with Mythical 'Schwarbombs'". October 27, 2022.
