"We're Not Gonna Take It" is a song by the American band Twisted Sister from their album Stay Hungry. It was first released as a single (with "You Can't Stop Rock & Roll" as the B-side) on April 27, 1984. The Stay Hungry album was released two weeks later, on May 10, 1984. The single reached No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, making it Twisted Sister's only Top 40 single. In addition, it is also the band's highest-selling single in the United States, having been certified Gold on June 3, 2009 for sales of over 500,000 units.
The song was ranked No. 47 on 100 Greatest 80's Songs and No. 21 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s. It also received criticisms when the Parents Music Resource Center included the song to its "Filthy Fifteen" list for alleged violent lyrical content, which has since been proven false by lead singer Dee Snider.
"We're Not Gonna Take It" was written by vocalist Dee Snider. As influences for the song, he cites the glam rock band Slade and the Christmas carol "O Come, All Ye Faithful". The end of the song uses lines from character Douglas C. Niedermeyer in the film Animal House (e.g., "You're all worthless and weak!"). Mark Metcalf, who played Niedermeyer, stars in the video.
Lyrics
We're not gonna take it No, we ain't gonna take it We're not gonna take it anymore We've got the right to choose and there ain't no way we'll lose it This is our life, this is our song We'll fight the powers that be just, don't pick our destiny 'cause You don't know us, you don't belong We're not gonna take it No, we ain't gonna take it We're not gonna take it anymore Oh, you're so condescending, your gall is never ending We don't want nothing, not a thing, from you Your life is trite and jaded, boring and confiscated If that's your best, your best won't do We're right, yeah We're free, yeah We'll fight, yeah You'll see, yeah We're not gonna take it No, we ain't gonna take it We're not gonna take it anymore We're not gonna take it No, we ain't gonna take it We're not gonna take it anymore No way! We're right, yeah We're free, yeah We'll fight, yeah You'll see, yeah We're not gonna take it No, we ain't gonna take it We're not gonna take it anymore We're not gonna take it (no!) No, we ain't gonna take it We're not gonna take it anymore (just you try and make us) We're not gonna take it (come on) No, we ain't gonna take it (you're all worthless and weak) We're not gonna take it anymore (now drop and give me twenty) We're not gonna take it (a pledge pin) No, we ain't gonna take it (on your uniform) We're not gonna take it anymore
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