Top 10 Henry Rollins Songs

Photo: aterpeirun [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)]

In our Top 10 Henry Rollins songs, we explore the career of one of underground music’s most prominent figures, who has also left his mark on popular culture through his writing, acting, and political activism. Henry Rollins began his music career with State of Alert before becoming the lead vocalist for the seminal American hardcore band Black Flag. Over the years, Rollins has achieved a cult status that arguably makes him the most recognized artist from the Hardcore Punk genre. While his time with the band is crucial, it’s his post-Black Flag career that has continued to redefine rock music and offer a bold counterpoint to mainstream conventions. This list showcases some of his best tracks, primarily from his solo career and various collaborations, including a reworked Black Flag track.

# 10 – Public Defender (State of Alert)

Opening up our top 10 Henry Rollins songs list is a killer cut from State of Alert, which was Rollins’ first band before he joined Black Flag. SOA was an early and short-lived Hardcore band from Washington, D.C., who were active from 1980 to 1981. During his time with them, Henry had not yet adopted the name Rollins and went by his real surname, Garfield. The original line-up was Rollins, guitarist Michael Hampton, bassist Wendel Blow, and drummer Simon Jacobson.

Their only original release was the EP No Policy from which this track is taken; their first demo was later issued in 2014. No Policy was recorded at Inner Ear Studios in Arlington, Virginia, produced by Skip Groff, and engineered by the studio’s owner Don Zientara. A notable thing about it was that it was the second-ever release through the now-legendary label Dischord Records, co-founded by Rollins’ childhood friend Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson. Their only other released material at the time was three tracks on the compilation album Flex Your Head.

Although the EP contains ten tracks, it clocks in at just 8 minutes and 20 seconds, with most tracks under a minute and played very fast. Although the band’s sound is somewhat generic by hardcore standards, it is evident, even at this early stage in his career, that Rollins’ hoarse voice is unique. Lyrically, this song deals with harassment by the police. Rollins’ lyrics are rather similar to Greg Ginn’s on Black Flag’s “Police Story,” which Rollins would later record vocals on. It is a classic example of early 80s thrash punk, one of the EP’s longer songs at 90 seconds. Although the production is very primitive, the band sounds very tight, which makes for an intense listen.

# 9 – Move Right In (Velvet Underground cover)

The cover of The Velvet Underground is a very different-sounding version. Whereas the original is a bluesy-sounding six-minute instrumental, this is just over two minutes long and showcases Rollins delivering a vocal performance over the riff, played in a heavier rock style. As is always the case when Rollins covers a song, he is doing it to create his interpretation rather than just covering it for the sake of it.

The track was released on Rollins’ first-ever recording after Black Flag’s split titled Hot Animal Machine, which was brought out as a solo album. It was released in 1987 and recorded in England with guitarist Chris Haskett, who would later join him in The Rollins Band, along with drummer Mick Green and bassist Bernie Wandel. The material here could be seen as a continuation of what Black Flag produced in their later years, except it is slower and incorporates elements of jazz and blues.

The record also included other covers of Suicide and Richard Berry. Rollins wrote the lyrics to all the original songs himself. It is now only available as part of a double pack with the Drive By Shooting EP, which was recorded simultaneously.

# 8 – Burned Beyond Recognition

This track is from the Rollins Band’s debut album Life Time, also released in 1987. Once again written by Rollins, it features Haskett on guitar along with bassist Andrew Weiss and drummer Sim Cain. As it is a very early track from the band, traces of Black Flag are still evident, though it is heavier and more metallic-sounding.

Produced by Ian MacKaye, the original pressing included four live bonus tracks recorded in Kortrijk, Belgium. These tracks were not included when it was subsequently re-released and re-mastered in 1999. Instead, the reissue included three session tracks from the Do It EP released the same year. The second reissue in 2014 included the live tracks, not the session tracks.

# 7 – Kick Out The Jams (Bad Brains)

This cover of the MC5 classic by hardcore stalwarts Bad Brains was recorded for the soundtrack to the cult film Pump Up The Volume, released in 1990. Rollins was a guest vocalist on the soundtrack, which featured several prominent alternative artists, including The Pixies and Sonic Youth. The film starred Christian Slater as a high school misfit running a pirate radio station. The soundtrack was released through MCA Records and reached number 50 on the Billboard 200.

Rollins has always been a huge MC5 fan, and he and his peers in Bad Brains are re-recording the song for a new generation. It is a song that has always been synonymous with youthful rebellion and this version successfully maintains its spirit and ethos.

# 6 – Bottom (Tool)

1993’s Undertow was the debut studio album by progressive metal band Tool, and this track features Rollins doing a spoken-word part during the middle section. Although Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan wrote the lyrics, Rollins modified his lines to express himself better. He has been a long-time fan and friend of the band. However, there is a rumor that he made this appearance to pay off a gambling debt. Haskett is also credited with sledgehammer on the album’s closing track, “Disgustipated.”

Aside from Keenan, Tool’s line-up on this album was guitarist Adam Jones, drummer Danny Carey, and bassist Paul D’Amour, who left the band shortly afterward. It was released through Zoo Entertainment. The band produced it themselves, along with Sylvia Massy.

During its original chart run, it reached number 50 on the Billboard 200. The Recording Industry Association of America certified it triple platinum in 2021.

# 5 – Laughing Man (In the Devil Mask) (Tony Iommi)

Rollins is known for being a massive Black Sabbath fan, and this track featuring him on guest vocals is the opening number for Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi’s solo album Iommi, released in 2000. The album was a very long time in the making, being recorded over four years from 1996 until the year of its release. Rollins was one of several high-profile vocalists to guest on the record, including Ozzy Osbourne, Pantera’s Phil Anselmo, and Dave Grohl of Nirvana and the Foo Fighters. Like all guest vocalists on the album, Rollins co-wrote the song with Iommi and producer Bob Marlette. The album charted at 129 on the Billboard 200.

Joining Rollins and Iommi on the track are bassist Terry Phillips and the late Jimmy Copley on drums, known mainly as a session musician who worked with artists ranging from Killing Joke to Seal. The track has a ’90s groove/industrial-metal feel. Iommi makes heavy use of distortion, with a punchy riff and some chaotic-sounding chord structures. Rollins’ shouty vocal style fits this sound well.

# 4 – Rise Above

This next track is a reworked version of the classic Black Flag track featuring Public Enemy frontman Chuck D doing a duet with Rollins. It was recorded for a compilation of Black Flag covers that he put together titled Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three. It was put together to raise funds to help three teenagers who Rollins believed were wrongly imprisoned for the murder of three young boys in 1993. Aside from D, the album featured many other vocalists from well-known names in metal, punk, and hip hop such as Iggy Pop, Slipknot’s Corey Taylor, and Motorhead frontman Lemmy.

This is the first track on the album, and Black Flag guitarist Greg Ginn wrote the lyrics. It gets the record off to a blistering start as D starts the song by “declaring a public announcement” before Rollins quickly joins him in this brilliant dual vocal performance. Rollins sounds appropriately angry given the record’s intent, and the rest of the band, bassist Marcus Blake, Jason Mackenroth, and guitarist Jim Wilson sound as dynamic as ever.

# 3 – Drive By Shooting

At Number 3 on this Top 10 Henry Rollins songs list is this title track from a solo EP released in 1987 under the moniker of Henrietta Collins and the Wifebeating Childhaters. It mixes original songs with versions of other artists’ material. Among the covers is a version of Wire’s “Ex Lion Tamer” and “I Have Come To Kill You,” which is a revision of Queen’s “We Will Rock You.” As previously stated, it was recorded at the same time as Hot Animal Machine and features Haskett on guitar, Bernie Wandel on bass, and Mick Green on drums.

The song is a parody of a 1960s Beach Boys-style number written from the perspective of a violent street gang. Rollins himself penned the lyrics. Like most tracks on this recording, its lyrical content is darkly humorous and not for the easily offended.

# 2 – I Have Come To Kill You

Although many fans of Rollins may be surprised to find this so high on the list, this twisted piece based on the Queen classic is one of his most extreme and boundary-pushing songs, both musically and lyrically. As I mentioned, it is also from the Drive By Shooting EP. Although it may come across as a silly novelty given that it is clearly a spoof, it deserves much more credit than that. As far as cover versions go, it will stick with the listener.

This version of the song sounds similar to lo-fi bands of the era, such as Big Black and the Butthole Surfers. It’s an exciting, original take on one of the most famous rock songs of all time.

# 1 – Liar

The Rollins Band’s most famous song is at the top spot on this top 10 Henry Rollins songs list. The track was taken from their fourth album, Weight, released in 1994. It became the band’s best-known single and reached number nine on Billboard’s Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart, number twenty-six on the Alternative Airplay chart, and number forty on the Mainstream Rock chart.

Two edits of the song were released as CD singles: a short edit (4:19) and a slightly longer “video edit” (4:49). Both releases had outtakes from the album’s recording sessions as bonus tracks, which were later included on the 2004 release Weighting.

The video edit was called that because it accompanies the song’s memorable promo video. It features a different vocal track and slightly altered lyrics in the opening section. Directed by Anton Corbijn, the video features Rollins portraying several different roles. During the melodic verses, he wears glasses and a black T-shirt, while during the heavy chorus, he is painted red and shirtless. Its heavy rotation on MTV led it to be famously lampooned on Beavis and Butthead.

Many years later, in an interview with BBC Hardtalk, Rollins revealed that the song was originally a joke and that the band did not intend to include it on the album. Only when the record company heard it did they push it as the album’s lead single.