There are a lot of layers to this song but one thing I think y'all missed: The cult of personality is one of the most dangerous, and powerful, things in the world. It's why they always list two leaders (either of a country or a movement): one was "evil," one was "good," but they exercised the same control. It's the situation that arises when people follow someone no matter what; hence, the lines "I exploit you, you still love me" and "I tell you one and one makes three." The leaders of these cults control their followers, even when it means doing things that harm the followers. They speak lies and their followers accept them, convincing themselves it is best for them no matter what. Anyway, love the reactions guys, and the fact that y'all are constantly repping Louisiana.
Wow great interpretation. I had not given it much though back in the day until just now when I heard Brandon react to it. Your explanation reminds me of someone a couple of years ago who has many followers and they believe all of his lies. still relevant.
MUCH RESPECT!!! You guys have been watching things from my generation. THAT is the EXACT reaction I had when this song came out. I like that you guys homage to all the old school clips. Keep it up and I'll keep watching.
This song started my journey into unpacking/understanding hero narratives and realizing that all cults of personality required scapegoats as much as they needed followers.
This brought tears to me, to see young brothers become WOKE.....I am 60 and have been rocking all my life. These are my brothers from Brooklyn, I went to high school with the lead singer Corey Glover...they are all beautiful souls and ALL their songs rock...and say SOMETHING. Will is a master drummer...one of my favorites and very cool people. There are dozens of great songs you need to hear, right up to today.
Just saw a recent live video of them a Corey sounds AMAZING! Sounds like he's maybe even improved as he's aged?!? Scary vocalist! Musta been a trip to see them rise to fame. cheers!
He was basically singing about the evils of blind, unquestioning worship of leaders. From becoming their tools and weapons to being lulled into a false sense of security or state of fear. Talk about nostalgia, I listened to them all through my junior high and high school years
This was and still is a banger with a very deep message. Scary that 30+ years later it is even more relevant to our climate! Love yall sooooo much! Keep going on this amazing journey you have begun! Blessings!
It makes me so happy to see young people discovering this amazing band. Living Colour were 30 years ahead of their time and back then, admittedly, most of us didn't have the social awareness to appreciate what they were saying. The world is ready now. Seeing young people internalize the powerful message of this song honestly brings tears to my eyes. Please listen to the rest of their catalogue; they are such fantastic musicians and their social commentary is so relevant and important. Thank you for sharing your reaction to this song with us. You're doing my old Gen Xer heart good!
These guys were instrumental in waking us up. How society has reverted into such blind following the so-called-leader, I'll never understand (well... it's spiritual warfare - just didn't think our gen would see it) - - -
Fun Fact: Living Colour was discovered by Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger when they were performing at CBGB's. He produced their early demos and got them a record contract and set them as the Stones' opening act on the next tour.
I was 18 when this came out, and I was a total metal head. No one cared the color of these guys' skin, this song was the jam! One of those tunes you sang to while driving. :)
Metal is one of if not the only style of music is inclusive and welcoming no matter ur race,religion,lack of religion,sexual orientation if ur a metal fan ur a member of the family
Metal fans are only assholes to other metal fans... they'll have bitter arguments over the 11 different genres of Norwegian Death Metal with each other... But when it comes to welcoming new fans? it's open arms until your initiation is over... then YOU will likely want to join the argument over Norwegian Death Metal genres... and it's a glorious mess.
It sounds familiar not only from guitar hero 3 and CM punk but also GTA San Andreas!! These guys are rock n roll legends and continue influencing kids still, mad respect on their name coming from a metal guy..
that solo was so impossible to play in gh3 😄 that game still intruced me to many bands i didnt know when i was young and the songs i had to play in the game got somehow printed in my memory forever, the power of music i guess
I'm glad y'all found this! Definition: "A cult of personality is the result of an effort which is made to create an idealized and heroic image of a leader by a government, often through unquestioning flattery and praise."
@@revelgirl1742 How's your gas prices doin, inflation, crime, open border... Wars everywhere - Afghanistan failure leaving Billions of weapons and cash for the Taliban and killing innocent allies and families, Ukraine slowly getting billions of $$$ and weapons from the US prolonging the war instead of providing what necessary months ago, N. Korea launching missiles over Japan and Japan having to use Air Raid sirens and their citizens running scared taking cover, Russia threatening the use of Nuclear weapons... Yeah, you stay focused on maga you turtle.
@@revelgirl1742 actually, no. More like Joe Biden. The media and the rest of the govt were never on DT's side -- they only vilified him. I'm not making a political statement, just a definitional one -- DT is not a cult of personality because the system has to be on that leader's side.
One of my favorite songs. Vernon Reid was the truth. A cult of personality is EXACTLY what the influencer culture is. These guys were 30 years ahead of the curve, because that's what life is today. A series of cults of personality...all live on social media.
And they saw what was happening in politics, certain families like the Bushes, Clintons, became like royalty and now the Trumps and their supporters wave flags with his name as they storm the Capitol building while wearing branded merchandise and hoping for that family to become royalty. A textbook cult of personality.
Yeah... no... The current day social media influencers provide next to no positive social influence... They are strictly fame parasites who give back practically nothing to society.
Vernon Reid is one of the most underrated lead guitarists... he's technically perfect.. He's also a top blues guitarist Corey ,lead singer, climbed up to the second level of Hammer jacks in Bmore during this sing and i was the guy that helped him over the railing. ... got to duet on "cult of personality " with him! He hugged me quick and rocked on... I'll never forget that
I'm lucky my speakers survived when this came out in '88, my junior year! When it came on my volume always went as high as possible and STILL does! Vernon Reid shredded the hell out of his guitar solo! He's so underrated in my opinion. Amazing band! Amazing lyrics! Powerful meaning of blindly following! Living Colour killed it! Beast mode still 💪🏼 34 years later.
Same time period for me and my stock speakers in my 1980 Olds Omega did not survive, not that anyone expected them to. Love seeing kids love what we loved when we were kids.
Actually, he shredded a bunch of notes, and not particularly well, most guitarist have always thought Vernon Reid was overrated and dare I say, terrible lead player. Back in the 80's there were no black metal bands, metal musicians, just not full bands. So, in the mad dash to promote this band with everything they had, they ran over great musicians like Tony Mcalpine, Dean Pleasants and Doug Pinnick.... and many more. To some people, its color first, to me it's all about what you do.
@@Brutalgruve Vernon Reid is a very good lead guitar player. Your opinion notwithstanding. Tony, Dean and Doug are all freaking awesome and successful. Color first? 35 years of quality production is what he "did." Terrible guitarists don't record and play with Santana, Public Enemy, Bernie Worrell and many other legit perfectionists.
You guys were saying it sounded familiar. If you’ve watched pro wrestling in the last several years, this is CM Punk’s entrance music. Might be where you heard it. Phenomenal track. Have loved it since I heard it as a kid. Leader speaks/leader dies gets me every time too.
The lead singer Cory Glover is related to the actor Danny Glover from the movies Lethal Weapon. Guitarist Vernon Reid is one of the best modern guitarists and the band was seriously underrated. Leaders that have followers that worship them are deemed to have a “cult of personality.”
Everything Vernon Reid (guitarist and writer of all the songs) touches is gold. This whole album (Vivid) was incredible, and it's criminal that more people haven't heard anything but this song. Those of us who were just into hard rock that picked it up got our first taste for other genres, because Reid was so eclectic in his own musical influences. (I'm guessing this is what ultimately hurt the band's popularity, because they weren't easily slotted into a specific music category). He's a real musician's musician, and he's recorded with just about everybody under the sun.
Preach! I was around middle school age for this one and I agree! They should've blew up so much bigger. And yes I'm guilty of jumping around my room (back then) pretending to sing Glamour Boy any day of the week lol
To be honest, it wasn't until the wrestler CM Punk started playing it at the WWE shows back in 2012 or 2013. A lot of people didn't know that these artists were Black. Look the Arsenio Hall performances the crowd made of non-black people and their faces, they didn't know what or how to take them. Them and the group Fishbone and Ice T Body Count.
Welcome to 1988 boys, I was 20 years old when this song came out that you are just hearing now 35 years later! Sounds just as brand new today as it did 35 years ago. I first saw them on Arsenio Hall, and I was blown away that there was a Black Heavy Metal Band out and they were this good! I never tire of hearing this song or watching this video! Song is probably more relevant today than it was 35 years ago, unfortunately! People are slow to listen and slower to change!
Amen george!.. I was early 20s when these guys hit..saw them 4 times live, once in Raleigh N.C. took my best friend (he's black) he thought he would hate it, ended up changing his view on how he heard and saw things) love this band, and their mssg!!.. people both black and white ....to quick to judge, to slow to understand!!.. only when this changes will REAL change begin to happen!!
i was 17 in 1988 and i was in cuba when i heard this song for the first time from a key west's radio station and the first thing I thought was the dictator I've known all my life , In my country there is a cult of personality to Fidel Castro that is still there despite the fact that the dictator has already died. An influence that has lasted 4 decades.
Absofuckinlutely underrated...... shame too, I can't even imagine just how great this band would've been had they gotten the respect they so richly deserve from the start.
seems like it is now unfortunately.........thats their (cult of personality) its sick! if you know of more rock bands that are black or brown or purple or green please let me know......i love rock and would like to hear it from all walks of life.
@Zach Doughty my man, killswitch engage, sevendust, sepultura is Brazilian, seether is south African, rock and metal has always simply been about sticking it to the man and being yourself regardless of your demographic
I've watched so many people react to this video, because as a kid it was hands-down my favorite song. Vernon Reid will always be one of my top guitar heroes. You guys are the only reactors that I've seen yet that IMMEDIATELY recognized that it was Malcolm X speaking in the intro. As an old guy it makes me so happy to see young dudes so knowledgeable. Gives me hope in this era that's so consumed by our current fight against a dangerous "Cult of Personality."
This song was before it's time. A perfect description of social media. And influencers now with their fan base. Song means that some people will do for a specific personality.... That they may not do even for themselves...... This is a legendary band.....
It wasn't before it's time though. The 1980s were all about building brands and presence to influence through the media we had. The internet (which was also a thing, just not in everyone's house at the time) has only exacerbated that effect. But they knew what they were talking about in the contexts of 1988 for sure.
This song talks about something as old as time--how some people will follow a leader, as long as he promises them what they want. Even if he never follows through, as long as he tells them what they wants to hear. The term "cult of personality" has been around for well over a hundred years, and that's exactly what it means.
Real musicians, real instruments, real meaning! Take notes kids, these guys are seriously underrated and among the best in rock music. Black people actually invented rock and would love to see more of this. Needs to make a comeback! I get to see them with Extreme next month which is another band similar to Living Color as far as lyrical content and talent. The two bands are tight friends so take a look at extreme next please.
I saw them open for The Rolling Stones in 1989. They blew them off the stage! Phenomenal performance I’ll never forget. Vernon Reid is one of the most accomplished explosive guitarists I’ve seen and I’ve seen so many. So glad you guys found this. Love seeing you take in their incredibly deep strong message! They did not hold back and I’m here for it!
Vernon Reid...a master of his instrument. I remember reading about him in one of my guitar magazines years ago so I checked out his solo stuff. He is immensely talented.
I saw Living Colour in 1991 and then again in 2021. Still an amazing live band! Glad you've discovered them! Other black bands you might be surprised to see. 24-7 Spyz, Bad Brains, and The Chambers Brothers
The entire band is extremely talented! The singer! The drummer! The bassist! Mr. Vernon Reid DESTROYING that guitar!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 The little girl throughout the video IS KEY! You see her watching TV, as the band plays the song, she becomes mesmerized, completely engrossed. Just as the song comes to a close, she leans forward to shut off the TV. This song is an indictment of the industrial complex that is the mainstream media.....ALL platforms of media. It is the 'Cult of Personality' that you can not take at face value. This song is around 30 years old... Relevant then...even more so now. ✌️✌️
I'm a white dude who's 57 years old. Played the s*** out of this cassette. When I had it when it originally came out. Actually saw them live in New York City. At the time of this release. Touring for this album. No matter what someone's skin color is. If they play the genre of music you like. You will at least give them an initial listen. These guys were great ! Wish they had more of a run !
I was the same way! I am 52 and must have wore out 4 or 5 cassettes playing this song and other songs. I really liked all their songs. Helluva band that faded away a little too quick!
I was in high school when this came out. Back when MTV actually played music videos. I remember the first time I saw this. I was blown away from the lyrics, imagery, and the intensity of the guitar playing. Such a powerful song that is timeless. And still relevant to this day.
I remember the first time I heard this song and saw the video. I literally got chills down my spine. I saw that real rock was not dead. Very underrated band.
I saw them live , as part of lollapalooza, alongside RED Hot Chili Peppers, Minstry, Front 242, Alice in Chains, Jane's Addiction, Ice Cube and Ice T with his heavy metal band, Body Count, ... the 90s were the last great years for music, fusion of everything. It was a real thing... musically and culturally.
Living Color were ahead of their time: they were amazing musicians, song-writers, and artists, delivering hard rock songs about ideology, pathos, and empathy, in a time dominated by hair-bands. They were criminally underrated.
One of the greatest guitar players of all time. Back in the day we didn’t see color. We could care less what they looked like, they rocked the hell out, that’s all we cared about!
Absolute masterpiece. Love Living Colour. It is a shame they're criminally underrated. Maybe, we should get them inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Glad to see you engaging with the lyrics. I’ve seen a number of reactions that only pay attention to the music, which is a real shame. I’ve always seen the song as being about people’s unfortunate tendency to turn over their thinking (and their wallets) to charismatic figures, whether heroes or villains, preachers or professors, lifestyle coaches or politicians, you name it. Doesn’t even matter if that figure is right on every count, you still need to think for yourself, reason things through for yourself.
This song was released the summer going into my senior year in high school. This song was EVERYWHERE, and we couldn't get enough. It was played at every party, in every car, and all through the next few years after it was released. Vernon Reid is amazing - that guitar solo still amazes me. This song brings back so many fond memories. It's one of my all-time favorites. So glad you guys found it.
First off, love your show. Living Colour is a fantastic band. Vernon Reid is a great guitar player. He is a jazz musician & has been on a ton of albums. You asked for other black bands like them. Here's 2 that are ferocious - Bad Brains & Fishbone. Songs- Bad Brains - "I against I" & Fishbone - "Freddie's dead", " Everyday Sunshine", "Sunless Saturday" or "Lyin' A** Bitch". Again thank you for doing this stuff. Love it
I just listened to Bad Brains and Fishbone never knew but that's probably because I didn't listen to punk rock that much but liked your suggestions. Two 👍
Big Takeover by the Bad brains would be dope. Sick song and the live performance from the 1981 CBGB's video is amazing. Crowd is going crazy and HR doing flips and shit.
The most popular song by Living Colour, "Cult of Personality" opens and closes with famous quotes: And in the few moments we have left, we want to talk right down to earth in a language that everybody here can easily understand. This is Malcolm X from his "Message To The Grass Roots" speech in 1963. The point was to unify African Americans. The ending quotes start with John F. Kennedy's famous: Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country. This is from his inaugural address in 1961. Both quotes are from men who were assassinated. Most of the song seems to be denouncing idolatry, but there is the one stanza containing the line, "A leader speaks, a leader dies." Living Colour also seem to make no distinction between good and evil, as each time they mention a hero, they pair him with an enemy: Mussolini and Kennedy; Stalin and Gandhi. The final words are: The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. This is a quote from Franklin D. Roosevelt's first inaugural address on March 4, 1933. Roosevelt used the address to announce his "New Deal" program and encourage the citizens of the United States to overcome their economic problems as they emerged from the depression.
It is a great song. You should really listen to the words he's singing. Very strong, and true message. Hm the mainstream media will get away with telling you one and one makes three.
I trace my love of both alt metal and punk back to THIS song, when it blew up in the late 80's. Still one of my favorite jams of all time. Amazing lyrics. Amazing guitar work. Amazing everything.
This song fits the world today. Outstanding lyrics and outstanding musicians. Perfection. To me he's saying we're easily fooled and will follow the good and bad at times if we don't think for ourselves. Yup, it fits the world today. Social media, influencers etc. All can be dangerous. StaySafe&BlessingsAll🦋
'Bad Brains' would be another great band to check out. 80s Rasta Punk/hardcore, really influenced Living Color's sound. 'I Against I' and 'Quickness' are both awesome albums start to finish, I'm still jamming those whole albums 30+ years later..
Cory, Doug, Vernon and Will....Living Colour were members of the Black Rock Coalition. Bad Brains, Fishbone, 24/7 Spyz, Kings X...all bands to check out....music is a world language. Keep at it fellas.
What is unfortunate, Vernon was hailed as a "great guitarist". He was average at best, while GREAT black metal guitarist like Tony Mc Alpine were never hailed. I do not give a rat's ass about the color of one's skin, and even less when it comes to sheer talent. Vernon was a poster boy, tony was the sh!t, and that my friends is how the world works.... Unfortunately
I'm so glad you guys reviewed this! I loved your reactions and how you dived into the meaning of the lyrics I'm 62 and when their video first came out on MTV, I had the biggest crush on Corey. Damn,he is still fine ❤
Back when music was more open ...nowadays If you are black you can only play rap or What is deemed "black music" Rock music is for white people. Its sad .
Not in Houston. I expected a better show from them especially being great musicians. Could have been just an off night for them. Being a musician myself, I know you can have off nights and can't be great every night.
"ONLY YOU CAN SET YOU FREE!" Still the most intelligent line I've ever seen written in a song. This song is saying that weather it looks like that popular powerful person is good or evil it doesn't matter. Follow your own way, be your own person ❤️
I first heard this song while playing GTA San Andreas, and I loved it so much I searched for the song and ended up loving the band. Finding out the band is so criminally underrated was heartbreaking 💔😢
U2 pride is written about Martin Luther King. Awesome song, phenomenal message. They are Irish. However if you want to check out ground breaking POC check out Bad Brains. Wow, just wow. They were a huge influence to the error of Grunge and 90’s rock/punk. They were pioneers of Hardcore.
Can we talk about the Body Glove outfit? All the rage during that era!!! One of the most iconic guitar solos from generation. Constant play on MTV back in the day. 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼
Mentioning the Body Glove outfit. Living Color played here in NYC a couple of days ago on Halloween (10.31.2022). Lead singer Corey Glover a few songs in took off the clothes he was wearing to reveal a Body Glove underneath and performed the rest of the show that way. Said he decided to for Halloween to dress up as...himself.
These guys were ahead of their time, awesome group. I remember these guys taking the world by storm with their sound. Vernon was a beast on the guitar!
Vernon Reid is one of my favorite Lead Guitarists EVER ! Had his own distinctive sound at a time when so many other guitarists were derivative of others. And the lyrics are deep on so many levels. LOVE this song !
@@Thebipolarbowler Yeah....I think a lot of that has to do with a lot of Metal / Rock fans despite hearing how great they were...feeling like they were a "Gimmick" band...because what they did back then was very rare...most of the record buying metal public just assumed that if you're black you're gonna do Pop, Soul, R &B, Jazz, Hip Hop or Rap...and I think that hurt their sustainabilty.
"Open Letter to A Landlord" or "Love Rears It's Ugly Head" are really great songs that show their versatility. Please consider reacting to more of them! You won't be disappointed. As far as black singers, check out King's X, their singer is Dug Pinnick. They are from Katy, TX and have the distinct honor of being the band that opened Woodstock '94. "Over My Head", "Dogman" or basically anything you can find on RUclips is worth a listen. Thank you for your great reactions of music I love!
First off, amazing song then AND now !!! Second, rewatching a lot of these groups now as an adult it’s so obvious that even 25-35 years ago they were screaming at us to WAKE UP!!! We just sadly didn’t hear it 🥺…. Luv u guys ❤
This band is truly a genius band. Their entire discography hits. Dont let anyone tell you theyre a one hit wonder because the radio corporations are cults of personality. And its also CM PUNK's entrance music thats why it sounds familiar
This just made my day. My new favorite thing is watching us discover all the black rock that's out there. You fellas need to listen to Fishbone "Everyday Sunshine".
I had the chance to see Living Colour play at a club in Carrboro, NC. The whole band made a point to stick around and meet everyone after the show. These four guys are truly a class act.
I saw them live in 1989 when they opened for The Rolling Stones. The concert was held in a large college football stadium, which was sold out. When they played THIS song, all 70,000 people in that stadium went nuts! It was an awesome show!
You guys made me tear up! The same reaction you had at the opening, I had when I saw this video when it originally aired. It was awesome and on point! These guys were light years ahead of their time.
34 years after reading it, I still grin at Corey Glover's answer in one of those fluffy summer pieces in Rolling Stone or SPIN. The question was "Who would you want to be with on a desert island?" and his answer was "Someone who knows first aid." It was such a smart, practical response to a provocative question that I kinda fell in love with him a bit for it.
This is a masters class on intelligent song writing. I first heard it long before Google so had to spend hours in a library trying to get a handle on the lyrics. This may not mean much from an old white guy but this reaction demonstrates the power of representation in all walks of life. Seeing how pumped you guys got was purely beautiful.
These cats were way ahead of their time. Socially aware, and brilliant musicians to boot. Their first album was fire!!! I highly suggest getting it! Also look up a punk band called Death...all brothas from 1976.
Remember seeing this in 1988. My thought then as a young, white, Scottish person..."this is one of the best things I've ever heard, I WISH I COULD PLAY GUITAR LIKE THAT", and damn, those lyrics! Amazing. This would be on my top 10 desert island discs.
A white kid from Salt Lake City, I didn’t care that this band was black, I only cared that they were amazing! I went out and bought a body glove shirt immediately 😂. A great band, and they had tons of great songs, and several great albums
Same here, @johnnysic. Never knew they were black, didn’t care they were black. They were insanely talented and profoundly underrated, not only in their sound but in their message. Since these guys seem so hung up on race, they should listen to Jimi Hendrix. He was the Godfather of Rock and BLACK!
White black didn't matter back then music and hanging out together and peace I have the album cassette of this group called living colour .It was on MTV all the time and on the radio. listen to the whole album it all good
GenX didn’t separate music based on the color of the band. We listened to everything which is why our Generational Soundtrack is unmatched. We are all connected by our music not the color of our skin.
If you haven't heard it, check out "Fast Car" by Tracey Chapman.. absolutely incredible. Also, you've probably heard it, but "It Ain't Over Till It's Over" by Lenny Kravitz.... also, "Let Her Cry" by Hootie and the Blowfish... all these are black artists in the rock genre who were HUGGEEE in the 90's!! Going back to the 70's "September" by Earth Wind and Fire, one of the best songs ever. :)
So glad yall did this song! When I first heard them back in the late 80s I was blown away. Another great one by them is "An Open Letter to a Landlord".
both cult of personality and open letter to a landlord are as relevant today as 30 years ago when they wrote these songs. awesome music with social messages that ring true with importance...
I met these guys after a concert they did at my college back in 1991. They were really cool and down to earth. They talked to everyone who approached them. No inflated egos, very humble. Plus they sound great live.
Song was a banger when it cam out and remains a banger-timeless. Every, every civics/government class needs a lesson based off this song. Love the reactions. "Elvis is dead" is another one that hits you in the gut and head.
These guys r amazing, They were such an awesome surprise for the time and we loved every minute of it...Its an idealized and heroic image of a leader by a government, often through unquestioning flattery and praise. Historically, it has developed through techniques of mass media, propaganda, fake news, spectacle, the arts, patriotism, and government-organized demonstrations and rallies. Thanx guys, Peace
Time is always the best judge of music. These cats were creating with expression and masters of their instruments like none had done before. Vivid and Times Up are INCREDIBLE albums with stirring songs.
Fellas I still remember seeing the video for the first time when I was a senior in high school ('88) and feeling that shock, excitement and awe of a black rock band rocking hard and with precision. That songs still rocks and the message is still so very relevant. If you like Living Colour, give their albums Vivid ("Cult of Personality") and Time's Up a listen. I'd also recommend the bands Bad Brains and Fishbone (who both influenced Living Colour) and 24-7 Spyz and (if you can find them) Follow For Now. Those two bands should've been so much bigger. Glad you were into that and thanks for sharing your journey of discovery new things with all of us!
![Jack Harlow - Hello Miss Johnson [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Q86_nlRoIGw/mqdefault.jpg)
There are a lot of layers to this song but one thing I think y'all missed: The cult of personality is one of the most dangerous, and powerful, things in the world. It's why they always list two leaders (either of a country or a movement): one was "evil," one was "good," but they exercised the same control. It's the situation that arises when people follow someone no matter what; hence, the lines "I exploit you, you still love me" and "I tell you one and one makes three." The leaders of these cults control their followers, even when it means doing things that harm the followers. They speak lies and their followers accept them, convincing themselves it is best for them no matter what. Anyway, love the reactions guys, and the fact that y'all are constantly repping Louisiana.
Wow great interpretation. I had not given it much though back in the day until just now when I heard Brandon react to it. Your explanation reminds me of someone a couple of years ago who has many followers and they believe all of his lies.
still relevant.
@@maryewilson2009 Yep 100%
MUCH RESPECT!!! You guys have been watching things from my generation. THAT is the EXACT reaction I had when this song came out. I like that you guys homage to all the old school clips. Keep it up and I'll keep watching.
Thank you for articulating that so well. Its such a revolutionary tune!
This song started my journey into unpacking/understanding hero narratives and realizing that all cults of personality required scapegoats as much as they needed followers.
This brought tears to me, to see young brothers become WOKE.....I am 60 and have been rocking all my life. These are my brothers from Brooklyn, I went to high school with the lead singer Corey Glover...they are all beautiful souls and ALL their songs rock...and say SOMETHING. Will is a master drummer...one of my favorites and very cool people. There are dozens of great songs you need to hear, right up to today.
Just saw a recent live video of them a Corey sounds AMAZING! Sounds like he's maybe even improved as he's aged?!? Scary vocalist! Musta been a trip to see them rise to fame. cheers!
Hello, Michael, I have always enjoyed rock too. My friends and I had a little rock band in the '60s. We lived in the South Bronx.
One of the best rock bands ever, for real.
Corey played the part of Judas in the 2000s revival of Jesus Christ Superstar. He killed it.
We all still need to Keep Your Eyes on the Prize.
One of the best documentaries I've seen in my life
Criminally underrated band. That groove, the lyrics and Vernon Reid shreds.
always thought the same .
Fair
So Damn true. Teenage me knew WTF was up listening to these musical magicians
agreed, great band. vernon reid is not human. 🙂
Veron Reid=Genius
He was basically singing about the evils of blind, unquestioning worship of leaders. From becoming their tools and weapons to being lulled into a false sense of security or state of fear. Talk about nostalgia, I listened to them all through my junior high and high school years
And the video ends, as it should, with the young girl shaking her head to clear it...and shutting the TV OFF.
This was and still is a banger with a very deep message. Scary that 30+ years later it is even more relevant to our climate! Love yall sooooo much! Keep going on this amazing journey you have begun! Blessings!
My thoughts exactly!!
This 💯💯
This was one of my favorite songs in college! We loved loved loved this. Dragging main st with this cranked in my firebird!
if you think this song is still relevant you should check out the lyrics to Sacred Reich's The American Way the title track to their 2nd studio album
Well, it's always going to be relevant. It pretty much any leader that made their own way to the top.
This band was so ahead of its time. This song still hits today not just the way it sounds, but the message as well.
i think that cult of personality is arround earth a lil bit longer than the band, you know
A timeless track
Trump
@@georgea8298Joe Biden 😂
Real talk
It makes me so happy to see young people discovering this amazing band. Living Colour were 30 years ahead of their time and back then, admittedly, most of us didn't have the social awareness to appreciate what they were saying. The world is ready now. Seeing young people internalize the powerful message of this song honestly brings tears to my eyes. Please listen to the rest of their catalogue; they are such fantastic musicians and their social commentary is so relevant and important. Thank you for sharing your reaction to this song with us. You're doing my old Gen Xer heart good!
Amen!
Nothingness is a masterpiece!
These guys were instrumental in waking us up. How society has reverted into such blind following the so-called-leader, I'll never understand (well... it's spiritual warfare - just didn't think our gen would see it) - - -
Agreed. I wish everyone could go back and listen to a lot of older music. A lot of it wasn't just song and dance but had much deeper meaning!
Fun Fact: Living Colour was discovered by Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger when they were performing at CBGB's. He produced their early demos and got them a record contract and set them as the Stones' opening act on the next tour.
Nice info
I remember seeing them open for the Stones!
Wow, that's fucking awesome!!! 😮😮
@@AutumnPheonix Shea Stadium - Steel Wheels Tour. They came out and rocked the place. We are Living Colour and We are here! 🤘🏻🇬🇧🖤
@@russellhamilton8903they're American lol
YEEAAAHHHH! This song still holds true!
P.S. This band is criminally underrated and didn't get near the airplay it deserved.
I was 18 when this came out, and I was a total metal head. No one cared the color of these guys' skin, this song was the jam! One of those tunes you sang to while driving. :)
Metal is one of if not the only style of music is inclusive and welcoming no matter ur race,religion,lack of religion,sexual orientation if ur a metal fan ur a member of the family
I was about 22 and a rocker. It shocked me that they never really built on what they had.
There was definitely a market for their music.
Same. Summer of 1989. It was a very good year.
Metal fans are only assholes to other metal fans... they'll have bitter arguments over the 11 different genres of Norwegian Death Metal with each other... But when it comes to welcoming new fans? it's open arms until your initiation is over... then YOU will likely want to join the argument over Norwegian Death Metal genres... and it's a glorious mess.
@@control_the_pet_population 🤣🤘🏻🖤🤘🏾
"You gave me fortune, you gave me fame, you gave me power in your God's name" still gives me goosebumps and I've heard this song at least 200 times.
Me2Bro and I've heard it probably 500times
Just 200? lol. Maybe more like 20k since 1989. That opening riff is STILL kill-lurr.
It sounds familiar not only from guitar hero 3 and CM punk but also GTA San Andreas!! These guys are rock n roll legends and continue influencing kids still, mad respect on their name coming from a metal guy..
San Andreas had classics in all genres
that solo was so impossible to play in gh3 😄 that game still intruced me to many bands i didnt know when i was young and the songs i had to play in the game got somehow printed in my memory forever, the power of music i guess
sly cooper 2 is goated
I'm glad y'all found this!
Definition:
"A cult of personality is the result of an effort which is made to create an idealized and heroic image of a leader by a government, often through unquestioning flattery and praise."
Like the Magas…scary!!!!
@@revelgirl1742 How's your gas prices doin, inflation, crime, open border... Wars everywhere - Afghanistan failure leaving Billions of weapons and cash for the Taliban and killing innocent allies and families, Ukraine slowly getting billions of $$$ and weapons from the US prolonging the war instead of providing what necessary months ago, N. Korea launching missiles over Japan and Japan having to use Air Raid sirens and their citizens running scared taking cover, Russia threatening the use of Nuclear weapons... Yeah, you stay focused on maga you turtle.
@@revelgirl1742 actually, no.
More like Joe Biden. The media and the rest of the govt were never on DT's side -- they only vilified him. I'm not making a political statement, just a definitional one -- DT is not a cult of personality because the system has to be on that leader's side.
Like I said , Donald Trump is the epitome!
@@kevinsmith4429Hunter, is that you.
One of my favorite songs. Vernon Reid was the truth.
A cult of personality is EXACTLY what the influencer culture is. These guys were 30 years ahead of the curve, because that's what life is today. A series of cults of personality...all live on social media.
Exactly!
And they saw what was happening in politics, certain families like the Bushes, Clintons, became like royalty and now the Trumps and their supporters wave flags with his name as they storm the Capitol building while wearing branded merchandise and hoping for that family to become royalty. A textbook cult of personality.
Or like in the lyrics and the video, the current state of politics and government.
Yeah... no... The current day social media influencers provide next to no positive social influence... They are strictly fame parasites who give back practically nothing to society.
Beautifully said. Maybe 40 years ahead.
“An Open Letter to a Landlord “ is a must reaction! Another banger from this band!
Yes! That is a great song too!
"Glamour Boys" is another good one
Definitely my favorite from that album.
You beat me to it! This song will touch your very soul.
Yes, "...Landlord" is my favorite. "Why You Wanna Give that (Funky Vibe)" also great.
Vernon Reid is one of the most underrated lead guitarists... he's technically perfect..
He's also a top blues guitarist
Corey ,lead singer, climbed up to the second level of Hammer jacks in Bmore during this sing and i was the guy that helped him over the railing. ... got to duet on "cult of personality " with him! He hugged me quick and rocked on... I'll never forget that
I'm lucky my speakers survived when this came out in '88, my junior year! When it came on my volume always went as high as possible and STILL does! Vernon Reid shredded the hell out of his guitar solo! He's so underrated in my opinion. Amazing band! Amazing lyrics! Powerful meaning of blindly following! Living Colour killed it! Beast mode still 💪🏼 34 years later.
Same time period for me and my stock speakers in my 1980 Olds Omega did not survive, not that anyone expected them to. Love seeing kids love what we loved when we were kids.
I was 11 when this dropped and was an instant fan the moment I heard it.
Actually, he shredded a bunch of notes, and not particularly well, most guitarist have always thought Vernon Reid was overrated and dare I say, terrible lead player. Back in the 80's there were no black metal bands, metal musicians, just not full bands. So, in the mad dash to promote this band with everything they had, they ran over great musicians like Tony Mcalpine, Dean Pleasants and Doug Pinnick.... and many more. To some people, its color first, to me it's all about what you do.
@@Brutalgruve Vernon Reid is a very good lead guitar player. Your opinion notwithstanding. Tony, Dean and Doug are all freaking awesome and successful. Color first? 35 years of quality production is what he "did." Terrible guitarists don't record and play with Santana, Public Enemy, Bernie Worrell and many other legit perfectionists.
@@patrickorourke2369 K, it does not change my opinion.
You guys were saying it sounded familiar. If you’ve watched pro wrestling in the last several years, this is CM Punk’s entrance music. Might be where you heard it. Phenomenal track. Have loved it since I heard it as a kid. Leader speaks/leader dies gets me every time too.
You guys crack me up. The look on Brandon's face when he realized the band is black was priceless.
There should be more black hard rock bands!
@@markdouglas9182 There are plenty if take time to look.
Cult of Personality is a statement on human society as a whole. This is one of my alltime FAVORITE songs!
The lead singer Cory Glover is related to the actor Danny Glover from the movies Lethal Weapon. Guitarist Vernon Reid is one of the best modern guitarists and the band was seriously underrated. Leaders that have followers that worship them are deemed to have a “cult of personality.”
I heard he was his nephew. He has a small part in Platoon too
@@dbenn5314
Platoon scene:
ruclips.net/video/8RBBk3sXDmo/видео.html
Corey is in no way related to Danny Glover..... completely false.
Their drummer punched axel rose lol I loved them. Vernon is very underrated
no hes not
Everything Vernon Reid (guitarist and writer of all the songs) touches is gold. This whole album (Vivid) was incredible, and it's criminal that more people haven't heard anything but this song. Those of us who were just into hard rock that picked it up got our first taste for other genres, because Reid was so eclectic in his own musical influences. (I'm guessing this is what ultimately hurt the band's popularity, because they weren't easily slotted into a specific music category). He's a real musician's musician, and he's recorded with just about everybody under the sun.
Preach! I was around middle school age for this one and I agree! They should've blew up so much bigger. And yes I'm guilty of jumping around my room (back then) pretending to sing Glamour Boy any day of the week lol
To be honest, it wasn't until the wrestler CM Punk started playing it at the WWE shows back in 2012 or 2013. A lot of people didn't know that these artists were Black. Look the Arsenio Hall performances the crowd made of non-black people and their faces, they didn't know what or how to take them. Them and the group Fishbone and Ice T Body Count.
You pair the lyrics with the guitar and the way Coery Glover sings like he is giving a sermon, the song resonates, even decades later.
I love their cover of "Back in Black", and how hard they still rock on "Bless Those"
AND he's a beautiful human. Met him, talked for 5-10 minutes, and he asked me for MY autograph. All the guys are humble and real.
Welcome to 1988 boys, I was 20 years old when this song came out that you are just hearing now 35 years later! Sounds just as brand new today as it did 35 years ago. I first saw them on Arsenio Hall, and I was blown away that there was a Black Heavy Metal Band out and they were this good! I never tire of hearing this song or watching this video! Song is probably more relevant today than it was 35 years ago, unfortunately! People are slow to listen and slower to change!
Amen george!.. I was early 20s when these guys hit..saw them 4 times live, once in Raleigh N.C. took my best friend (he's black) he thought he would hate it, ended up changing his view on how he heard and saw things) love this band, and their mssg!!.. people both black and white ....to quick to judge, to slow to understand!!.. only when this changes will REAL change begin to happen!!
@@dannyadams7180 an Adams from NC? You're probably my cousin 😂😂 I'm near W-S.
@@cindy844, not originally from N.C., just happened to be at the right place at the right time kinda thing!!
i was 17 in 1988 and i was in cuba when i heard this song for the first time from a key west's radio station and the first thing I thought was the dictator I've known all my life , In my country there is a cult of personality to Fidel Castro that is still there despite the fact that the dictator has already died. An influence that has lasted 4 decades.
I was with you for that broadcast!! 🤯🥰
a banger is a banger, the colors dont matter, and this shit always hits.
Always felt this band was BADLY underrated. Wanted to see and hear more from them back in the 80's!
Absofuckinlutely underrated...... shame too, I can't even imagine just how great this band would've been had they gotten the respect they so richly deserve from the start.
DISGUSTINGLY UNDERRATED! Letter to a landlord is an absolute AMAZING SONG BY THEM!!!
They are inconsistent live.
“I’m every person you need me to be” “ I’m the cult of personality “
I grew up listening to Living Colour amongst other rock bands. They were the bomb!!! Rock is not limited by skin color
seems like it is now unfortunately.........thats their (cult of personality) its sick! if you know of more rock bands that are black or brown or purple or green please let me know......i love rock and would like to hear it from all walks of life.
*Morris Day and Prince have entered the chat*
@Zach Doughty my man, killswitch engage, sevendust, sepultura is Brazilian, seether is south African, rock and metal has always simply been about sticking it to the man and being yourself regardless of your demographic
It's kind of interesting considering how it was once dominated by black musicians but in the 60s it changed
I've watched so many people react to this video, because as a kid it was hands-down my favorite song. Vernon Reid will always be one of my top guitar heroes.
You guys are the only reactors that I've seen yet that IMMEDIATELY recognized that it was Malcolm X speaking in the intro. As an old guy it makes me so happy to see young dudes so knowledgeable. Gives me hope in this era that's so consumed by our current fight against a dangerous "Cult of Personality."
This song was before it's time. A perfect description of social media. And influencers now with their fan base. Song means that some people will do for a specific personality.... That they may not do even for themselves...... This is a legendary band.....
Has nothing to do with social media.
It wasn't before it's time though. The 1980s were all about building brands and presence to influence through the media we had. The internet (which was also a thing, just not in everyone's house at the time) has only exacerbated that effect. But they knew what they were talking about in the contexts of 1988 for sure.
This song talks about something as old as time--how some people will follow a leader, as long as he promises them what they want. Even if he never follows through, as long as he tells them what they wants to hear. The term "cult of personality" has been around for well over a hundred years, and that's exactly what it means.
It was definitely before its time and the general public agreed. It was that rare hard rock Top 10 hit from an unknown band.
@@ericvonharding3421 I wouldn't say it was really.
One of the most under rated bands of the 80s, or ever honestly. The message is timeless.
I’m so happy these guys have discovered Living Color! Please see this band live - they still tour, and their live shows are🔥🔥🔥
Hold the fuck up, they still tour???? I've gotta find a show
@@Alex-dh2cx Yes!!! I saw them play a smallish club in Manhattan, and they were more than fantastic! Enjoy!!
You are 100% correct. I have seen them twice in the past 4 years and they are fantastic live
Cory Glover has one of the best voices in rock, hands down. Go see them. Still rock so hard. Vernon Reid… phew.
In Living Color was the Wayans Bros. sketch comedy show🤣.. the band is ‘Living Colour’
Real musicians, real instruments, real meaning! Take notes kids, these guys are seriously underrated and among the best in rock music. Black people actually invented rock and would love to see more of this. Needs to make a comeback! I get to see them with Extreme next month which is another band similar to Living Color as far as lyrical content and talent. The two bands are tight friends so take a look at extreme next please.
I saw them open for The Rolling Stones in 1989. They blew them off the stage! Phenomenal performance I’ll never forget. Vernon Reid is one of the most accomplished explosive guitarists I’ve seen and I’ve seen so many. So glad you guys found this. Love seeing you take in their incredibly deep strong message! They did not hold back and I’m here for it!
he made me pick up a guitar
Same here...Shea Stadium. Living Colour was the reason and The Stones were an added bonus.
Same, saw them in Foxboro, MA and they were fantastic.
Yes, I saw the same concert at the Superdome in New Orleans.
@@Drumming_Dad_NJ remember it well
Vernon Reid...a master of his instrument. I remember reading about him in one of my guitar magazines years ago so I checked out his solo stuff. He is immensely talented.
I saw Living Colour in 1991 and then again in 2021. Still an amazing live band! Glad you've discovered them! Other black bands you might be surprised to see. 24-7 Spyz, Bad Brains, and The Chambers Brothers
The entire band is extremely talented!
The singer!
The drummer!
The bassist!
Mr. Vernon Reid DESTROYING that guitar!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
The little girl throughout the video IS KEY!
You see her watching TV, as the band plays the song, she becomes mesmerized, completely engrossed.
Just as the song comes to a close, she leans forward to shut off the TV.
This song is an indictment of the industrial complex that is the mainstream media.....ALL platforms of media.
It is the 'Cult of Personality' that you can not take at face value.
This song is around 30 years old...
Relevant then...even more so now.
✌️✌️
Vivid and Time's Up are masterpieces, but Fishbone and Faith No More though
I've been a Living Colour fan since I saw them supporting Anthrax way back in 1988 in London. Great live band, and still going strong.
I'm a white dude who's 57 years old. Played the s*** out of this cassette. When I had it when it originally came out. Actually saw them live in New York City. At the time of this release. Touring for this album. No matter what someone's skin color is. If they play the genre of music you like. You will at least give them an initial listen. These guys were great ! Wish they had more of a run !
I was the same way! I am 52 and must have wore out 4 or 5 cassettes playing this song and other songs. I really liked all their songs. Helluva band that faded away a little too quick!
43 here and was glued to to the TV as an 8 year old. Couldn’t wait for mtv to play it again.
I got to see them live in Feb 2020 on a Blues and Rock cruise ship, just before the Covid lockdown. ❤
47 here, loved this tape
When I finally transitioned from vinyl/cassettes to CD's this was the first CD that I bought.
I was in high school when this came out. Back when MTV actually played music videos. I remember the first time I saw this. I was blown away from the lyrics, imagery, and the intensity of the guitar playing. Such a powerful song that is timeless. And still relevant to this day.
Same! I’ve loved this song and band since I first heard them back in the day.
I remember the first time I heard this song and saw the video. I literally got chills down my spine. I saw that real rock was not dead. Very underrated band.
CM Punk! CM Punk!
I saw them live , as part of lollapalooza, alongside RED Hot Chili Peppers, Minstry, Front 242, Alice in Chains, Jane's Addiction, Ice Cube and Ice T with his heavy metal band, Body Count, ... the 90s were the last great years for music, fusion of everything. It was a real thing... musically and culturally.
Me too!! So great!
Saw that in ATl. Amazing show.
Me to, Same.
The 90's were great.
Living Color were ahead of their time: they were amazing musicians, song-writers, and artists, delivering hard rock songs about ideology, pathos, and empathy, in a time dominated by hair-bands. They were criminally underrated.
They were of their time and they are a hair band.
@@redrick8900 Thanks for taking time off from crying to your Elvis Costello and Kim Gordon records to share your eagerly awaited opinion
@@bobclark6319 So what you are saying is that you are angry about what I said but you can't refute it.
*Colour
@@redrick8900 You nailed it...
I'm about to turn 51, and Living Color was one of my favorite bands in high school. Love seeing a younger generation discover them ♥️
One of the greatest guitar players of all time. Back in the day we didn’t see color. We could care less what they looked like, they rocked the hell out, that’s all we cared about!
Not the greatest guitarist of all time that's for sure
Absolute masterpiece. Love Living Colour. It is a shame they're criminally underrated. Maybe, we should get them inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Glad to see you engaging with the lyrics. I’ve seen a number of reactions that only pay attention to the music, which is a real shame. I’ve always seen the song as being about people’s unfortunate tendency to turn over their thinking (and their wallets) to charismatic figures, whether heroes or villains, preachers or professors, lifestyle coaches or politicians, you name it. Doesn’t even matter if that figure is right on every count, you still need to think for yourself, reason things through for yourself.
Exactly and history repeats itself over and over - hence the situation the US is facing now
Yes! This.
This song was released the summer going into my senior year in high school. This song was EVERYWHERE, and we couldn't get enough. It was played at every party, in every car, and all through the next few years after it was released.
Vernon Reid is amazing - that guitar solo still amazes me.
This song brings back so many fond memories. It's one of my all-time favorites. So glad you guys found it.
The warmed up the Rolling Stones And I Went just to hear them. In Detroit! At the old Pontiac arena!
This band is so slept on. Living Color were pioneers in many ways.
Right ✅
11/7/2022
Every all-Black metal/punk/hard rock band was slept on. Living Color was probably the single-most successful of all of them.
Faith no more had this sound wrapped up
Living Colour was light years ahead of their time. I enjoyed seeing you guys pick apart this song for what it really means.
Right along with Extreme who they are touring with now!
First off, love your show. Living Colour is a fantastic band. Vernon Reid is a great guitar player. He is a jazz musician & has been on a ton of albums. You asked for other black bands like them. Here's 2 that are ferocious - Bad Brains & Fishbone. Songs- Bad Brains - "I against I" & Fishbone - "Freddie's dead", " Everyday Sunshine", "Sunless Saturday" or "Lyin' A** Bitch". Again thank you for doing this stuff. Love it
Add Death, a band from Detroit - Politician in My Eyes, Freakin Out, The Masks
I'm just replying so this comment gets some attention. I'd LOVE a Sunless Saturday reaction from these guys
@@fataonz YES
I just listened to Bad Brains and Fishbone never knew but that's probably because I didn't listen to punk rock that much but liked your suggestions. Two 👍
Big Takeover by the Bad brains would be dope. Sick song and the live performance from the 1981 CBGB's video is amazing. Crowd is going crazy and HR doing flips and shit.
In the Ring, On the Microphone, Even on Commentary, Nobody Can Touch Me - Pepsi Punk
Proud in Living Colors!
The most popular song by Living Colour, "Cult of Personality" opens and closes with famous quotes:
And in the few moments we have left, we want to talk right down to earth in a language that everybody here can easily understand.
This is Malcolm X from his "Message To The Grass Roots" speech in 1963. The point was to unify African Americans.
The ending quotes start with John F. Kennedy's famous:
Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.
This is from his inaugural address in 1961.
Both quotes are from men who were assassinated. Most of the song seems to be denouncing idolatry, but there is the one stanza containing the line, "A leader speaks, a leader dies." Living Colour also seem to make no distinction between good and evil, as each time they mention a hero, they pair him with an enemy: Mussolini and Kennedy; Stalin and Gandhi.
The final words are:
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
This is a quote from Franklin D. Roosevelt's first inaugural address on March 4, 1933. Roosevelt used the address to announce his "New Deal" program and encourage the citizens of the United States to overcome their economic problems as they emerged from the depression.
This is one of the great songs of all time. Glad you liked it, and enjoyed it.
They have a song call Pride .It goes hard.
Cult of Personality is a great song, one of the greatest from the 90's. Keep rocking, gentlemen!
This is an 80’s song, 1988
It is a great song. You should really listen to the words he's singing. Very strong, and true message. Hm the mainstream media will get away with telling you one and one makes three.
@@bullzeye40 1989. It hit the top 40 in April '89.
@@BillGraper This song dropped in July of 1988. In 1989 it went into the Top 20. If I'm not mistaken, they also got a Grammy that year.
From 1988 !
I trace my love of both alt metal and punk back to THIS song, when it blew up in the late 80's. Still one of my favorite jams of all time. Amazing lyrics. Amazing guitar work. Amazing everything.
This song fits the world today. Outstanding lyrics and outstanding musicians. Perfection. To me he's saying we're easily fooled and will follow the good and bad at times if we don't think for ourselves. Yup, it fits the world today. Social media, influencers etc. All can be dangerous. StaySafe&BlessingsAll🦋
It fits the world at anytime, which is why it is timeless.
Hope and Change. Absolutely.
After 30 years, and this is still one of my favorite songs.
it's one of those songs that you can't help but crank up and blast it!
6:59 Guitar solo was smokin back then....several decades later it's still on fire!
... and that guitar solo is one of my top 10 solos of all time.
'Bad Brains' would be another great band to check out. 80s Rasta Punk/hardcore, really influenced Living Color's sound. 'I Against I' and 'Quickness' are both awesome albums start to finish, I'm still jamming those whole albums 30+ years later..
Seconded. Bad Brains are killer.
Yeah Souldcraft would be a good choice - ruclips.net/video/yrKGmdK5mTU/видео.html
Yep! Thinking bad brains as well..Killer! 🤘☠️🤪
Totally second that. React to Bad Brains, please!
Oh hell ya!
Cory, Doug, Vernon and Will....Living Colour were members of the Black Rock Coalition. Bad Brains, Fishbone, 24/7 Spyz, Kings X...all bands to check out....music is a world language. Keep at it fellas.
yes, king's x
@@danlemyre5803 agreed! There live rendition of Manic Depression was too notch.
Bad Brains was the SHIT! Rest well, H.R.
Ahhh...Kings X... better times....better times.. Best Regards and Best Wishes for 2023!
@@blessedheavyelements8544 no kidding... yet... blessed, indeed. ;) stay strong!
Vernon Reid was a great player. Very respected in the guitar world...
and still is!
Vernon Reid played guitar on Janet Jackson's Black Cat song.
What is unfortunate, Vernon was hailed as a "great guitarist". He was average at best, while GREAT black metal guitarist like Tony Mc Alpine were never hailed. I do not give a rat's ass about the color of one's skin, and even less when it comes to sheer talent. Vernon was a poster boy, tony was the sh!t, and that my friends is how the world works.... Unfortunately
Is he dead?
@@Brutalgruve The guitarist in the Isley Brothers was also impressive - he tears it up on the song Climbing Up the Ladder.
I'm so glad you guys reviewed this!
I loved your reactions and how you dived into the meaning of the lyrics
I'm 62 and when their video first came out on MTV, I had the biggest crush on Corey. Damn,he is still fine ❤
Probably THE most honest rock song ever. They told zero lies!
Not rock. Funk Metal, they were the first all black Metal band to break into the mainstream of both Metal and pop charts at the same time.
@@gerardcote8391 Rock.
@@gerardcote8391 I'm not sure I'd put them in the "metal" category. I'd say Hard Rock with Funk thrown in for good measure....
Back when music was more open ...nowadays If you are black you can only play rap or What is deemed "black music" Rock music is for white people. Its sad .
They called Kennedy a cult of personality. That is a lie.
They opened for the Rolling Stones back in the day and they blew the Stones awaaaaaaaaaay! Freaking love this band!!!!!
I saw that show at Alpine Valley in the late 80s... Stones, The Cult and Living Color
Mick Jagger hired Vernon to play on his solo album after this tour.
Not in Houston. I expected a better show from them especially being great musicians. Could have been just an off night for them. Being a musician myself, I know you can have off nights and can't be great every night.
Yes they did! I saw them at the HHH metrodome in Minnesota
@John Wheeler hahahahaha
"ONLY YOU CAN SET YOU FREE!" Still the most intelligent line I've ever seen written in a song. This song is saying that weather it looks like that popular powerful person is good or evil it doesn't matter. Follow your own way, be your own person ❤️
I thought it was about a manipulation tactic, that the leaders goals are what the public actually wants.
I first heard this song while playing GTA San Andreas, and I loved it so much I searched for the song and ended up loving the band. Finding out the band is so criminally underrated was heartbreaking 💔😢
Same, I got it from GTA and loved it ever since
U2 pride is written about Martin Luther King. Awesome song, phenomenal message. They are Irish. However if you want to check out ground breaking POC check out Bad Brains. Wow, just wow. They were a huge influence to the error of Grunge and 90’s rock/punk. They were pioneers of Hardcore.
Vernon Reid shredding the axe 🎸 and Corey Glover’s vocals 🗣 is one of the best ever rock music has ever witnessed. LC was a great great band
-was- *STILL IS*
Can we talk about the Body Glove outfit? All the rage during that era!!!
One of the most iconic guitar solos from generation. Constant play on MTV back in the day.
🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼
Mentioning the Body Glove outfit. Living Color played here in NYC a couple of days ago on Halloween (10.31.2022). Lead singer Corey Glover a few songs in took off the clothes he was wearing to reveal a Body Glove underneath and performed the rest of the show that way. Said he decided to for Halloween to dress up as...himself.
@@christopherdacunha8636 That’s amazing! Thanks for sharing 🤗❤️
Girl he had my hormones raging back in the day with all that tight spandex! LOL!!! Great song too! Loved them!
These guys were ahead of their time, awesome group. I remember these guys taking the world by storm with their sound. Vernon was a beast on the guitar!
Vernon Reid is one of my favorite Lead Guitarists EVER ! Had his own distinctive sound at a time when so many other guitarists were derivative of others. And the lyrics are deep on so many levels. LOVE this song !
Absolutely UNDERRATED guitarist! Been a fan of these guys since I first heard them in High School. Still hoping to see them live!
@@Thebipolarbowler Yeah....I think a lot of that has to do with a lot of Metal / Rock fans despite hearing how great they were...feeling like they were a "Gimmick" band...because what they did back then was very rare...most of the record buying metal public just assumed that if you're black you're gonna do Pop, Soul, R &B, Jazz, Hip Hop or Rap...and I think that hurt their sustainabilty.
"Open Letter to A Landlord" or "Love Rears It's Ugly Head" are really great songs that show their versatility. Please consider reacting to more of them! You won't be disappointed. As far as black singers, check out King's X, their singer is Dug Pinnick. They are from Katy, TX and have the distinct honor of being the band that opened Woodstock '94. "Over My Head", "Dogman" or basically anything you can find on RUclips is worth a listen. Thank you for your great reactions of music I love!
King's X is amazing!
They performed this live at wrestle mania 29 for CM PUNK and it blew me away that they sounded just as good live all these years later
whats cm punk?
@@soofitnsexy the best wrestler in the world 🫡
@@jovaniolivares3757 he's also a hot head drama queen.
@@jovaniolivares3757 Also the greatest UFC fighter of all time
@@RojoCube welcome to professional wrestling.
This band is absolute LEGEND. So far ahead of the curve! I stop for this song every single time I hear it!
First off, amazing song then AND now !!! Second, rewatching a lot of these groups now as an adult it’s so obvious that even 25-35 years ago they were screaming at us to WAKE UP!!! We just sadly didn’t hear it 🥺…. Luv u guys ❤
It was a banger then and still is now. The lyrics are even more prophetic today.
This band is truly a genius band. Their entire discography hits. Dont let anyone tell you theyre a one hit wonder because the radio corporations are cults of personality. And its also CM PUNK's entrance music thats why it sounds familiar
This just made my day. My new favorite thing is watching us discover all the black rock that's out there. You fellas need to listen to Fishbone "Everyday Sunshine".
I had the chance to see Living Colour play at a club in Carrboro, NC. The whole band made a point to stick around and meet everyone after the show. These four guys are truly a class act.
Damn that's awesome. Lived in NC all of my 38 years. Seen tons of great shows wish they were one of them
I saw them live in 1989 when they opened for The Rolling Stones. The concert was held in a large college football stadium, which was sold out. When they played THIS song, all 70,000 people in that stadium went nuts! It was an awesome show!
I saw them open for the Stones too. They were great.
I saw them open before Guns and Roses and The Rolling Stones at The LA Coliseum in 1989! ❤❤
One of my personal favorites! This Band deserved more recognition. Great musicians.
You guys made me tear up! The same reaction you had at the opening, I had when I saw this video when it originally aired. It was awesome and on point! These guys were light years ahead of their time.
Love this band. I also recommend Sevendust, their music is great.
Sevendust's song "Black" is a must listen to! Amazing song with amazing lyrics.
@@goforit7595 completely agree!!
My personal favorite.
m.ruclips.net/video/ya8dT7oC8qA/видео.html
Yeah sevendust is amazing
All of the yes.
Corey Glover was in the movie Platoon, and was great in that character. I'm surprised he didn't become more famous. True artist.
34 years after reading it, I still grin at Corey Glover's answer in one of those fluffy summer pieces in Rolling Stone or SPIN. The question was "Who would you want to be with on a desert island?" and his answer was "Someone who knows first aid." It was such a smart, practical response to a provocative question that I kinda fell in love with him a bit for it.
Danny glover son
@@bradleyleacock3381Corey Glover is not Danny Glover’s son. 😂 Danny Glover has only a daughter.
This is a masters class on intelligent song writing. I first heard it long before Google so had to spend hours in a library trying to get a handle on the lyrics.
This may not mean much from an old white guy but this reaction demonstrates the power of representation in all walks of life. Seeing how pumped you guys got was purely beautiful.
Saw these guys in the early 90s at a theater. Best rock show I've ever seen. The energy was off the charts. Glad you guys enjoyed it.
I’ve jammed with Vernon before…he’s a fkn amazing guitarist and human being..This song has come full circle ⭕️…
Greatness has no color.
These cats were way ahead of their time. Socially aware, and brilliant musicians to boot. Their first album was fire!!! I highly suggest getting it! Also look up a punk band called Death...all brothas from 1976.
Death is an amazing band - highly recommend giving them a listen.
Remember seeing this in 1988. My thought then as a young, white, Scottish person..."this is one of the best things I've ever heard, I WISH I COULD PLAY GUITAR LIKE THAT", and damn, those lyrics! Amazing. This would be on my top 10 desert island discs.
Look for them here recently on the Howard Stern show playing this. They have NOT missed a single note!!!
A white kid from Salt Lake City, I didn’t care that this band was black, I only cared that they were amazing! I went out and bought a body glove shirt immediately 😂. A great band, and they had tons of great songs, and several great albums
Same here, @johnnysic.
Never knew they were black, didn’t care they were black. They were insanely talented and profoundly underrated, not only in their sound but in their message.
Since these guys seem so hung up on race, they should listen to Jimi Hendrix. He was the Godfather of Rock and BLACK!
White black didn't matter back then music and hanging out together and peace I have the album cassette of this group called living colour .It was on MTV all the time and on the radio. listen to the whole album it all good
I grew up in so cal in the 80's. Day glo, body glove, and biker shorts were the tits
GenX didn’t separate music based on the color of the band. We listened to everything which is why our Generational Soundtrack is unmatched. We are all connected by our music not the color of our skin.
If you haven't heard it, check out "Fast Car" by Tracey Chapman.. absolutely incredible. Also, you've probably heard it, but "It Ain't Over Till It's Over" by Lenny Kravitz.... also, "Let Her Cry" by Hootie and the Blowfish... all these are black artists in the rock genre who were HUGGEEE in the 90's!! Going back to the 70's "September" by Earth Wind and Fire, one of the best songs ever. :)
So glad yall did this song! When I first heard them back in the late 80s I was blown away. Another great one by them is "An Open Letter to a Landlord".
Excellent shout out for Open Letter to a Landlord! That song cuts right to the bone.
YEP!!!💯💯💯💯💯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯
both cult of personality and open letter to a landlord are as relevant today as 30 years ago when they wrote these songs. awesome music with social messages that ring true with importance...
@@stevewatts6008 Truth be told!💯💯🎯🎯
I FOUND MY PEOPLE! lol. Letter to a land lord is such a... I can't even describe how that song is. POWERFUL. Its fucking POWERFUL!!
I met these guys after a concert they did at my college back in 1991. They were really cool and down to earth. They talked to everyone who approached them. No inflated egos, very humble. Plus they sound great live.
Song was a banger when it cam out and remains a banger-timeless. Every, every civics/government class needs a lesson based off this song. Love the reactions. "Elvis is dead" is another one that hits you in the gut and head.
These guys r amazing, They were such an awesome surprise for the time and we loved every minute of it...Its an idealized and heroic image of a leader by a government, often through unquestioning flattery and praise. Historically, it has developed through techniques of mass media, propaganda, fake news, spectacle, the arts, patriotism, and government-organized demonstrations and rallies. Thanx guys, Peace
Time is always the best judge of music. These cats were creating with expression and masters of their instruments like none had done before. Vivid and Times Up are INCREDIBLE albums with stirring songs.
Fellas I still remember seeing the video for the first time when I was a senior in high school ('88) and feeling that shock, excitement and awe of a black rock band rocking hard and with precision. That songs still rocks and the message is still so very relevant. If you like Living Colour, give their albums Vivid ("Cult of Personality") and Time's Up a listen. I'd also recommend the bands Bad Brains and Fishbone (who both influenced Living Colour) and 24-7 Spyz and (if you can find them) Follow For Now. Those two bands should've been so much bigger. Glad you were into that and thanks for sharing your journey of discovery new things with all of us!