It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

~ Release by Public Enemy (see all versions of this release, 28 available)

Annotation

Copyright: ℗ 1988 Def Jam Recordings

Annotation last modified on 2025-04-18 02:43 UTC.

Tracklist

1▼Digital Media
#TitleRatingLength
1Countdown to Armageddon
producer:
Carl Ryder and Hank Shocklee
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
The Island Def Jam Music Group (American holding company, not normally a release label) (in 1988)
recording of:
Countdown to Armageddon
writer:
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, Eric Sadler and Hank Shocklee
1.51:41
2Bring the Noise
producer:
Carl Ryder, Eric Sadler and Hank Shocklee
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
The Island Def Jam Music Group (American holding company, not normally a release label) (in 1988)
samples:
Funky Drummer, Part 1 by James Brown (The Godfather of Soul), Get Off Your Ass and Jam by Funkadelic (original funk band) and It's My Thing, Part 1 by Marva Whitney
part of:
Rolling Stone: The 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs of All Time (number: 90), Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 160) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 397)
recording of:
Bring tha Noize (Original Version) (in 1987)
lyricist:
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour and Hank Shocklee
composer:
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, George Clinton (US funk musician), Eric Sadler and Hank Shocklee
publisher:
Island Music Ltd. and Zomba Music Publishers Ltd. (UK subsidiary of Zomba Music Publishing)
3.853:46
3Don't Believe the Hype
producer:
Carl Ryder and Hank Shocklee
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
The Island Def Jam Music Group (American holding company, not normally a release label) (in 1988)
samples:
I Got Ants in My Pants, Part 1 by James Brown (The Godfather of Soul) and Synthetic Substitution by Melvin Bliss
recording of:
Don’t Believe the Hype (in 1987)
writer:
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, Eric Sadler, Hank Shocklee and William Jonathan Drayton
3.55:19
4Cold Lampin' With Flavor
producer:
Carl Ryder and Hank Shocklee
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
The Island Def Jam Music Group (American holding company, not normally a release label) (in 1988)
recording of:
Cold Lampin’ With Flavor
writer:
Eric Sadler, Hank Shocklee and William Jonathan Drayton
2.654:17
5Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
producer:
Carl Ryder and Hank Shocklee
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
The Island Def Jam Music Group (American holding company, not normally a release label) (in 1988)
samples:
Flash’s Theme by Queen (UK rock group)
music videos:
Terminator X to the Edge of Panic by Public Enemy (US rap group)
recording of:
Terminator X to the Edge of Panic
writer:
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, Norman Lee Rogers and William Jonathan Drayton
2.654:31
6Mind Terrorist
producer:
Carl Ryder and Hank Shocklee
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
The Island Def Jam Music Group (American holding company, not normally a release label) (in 1988)
recording of:
Mind Terrorist
writer:
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, Eric Sadler and Hank Shocklee
1.651:21
7Louder Than a Bomb
producer:
Carl Ryder and Hank Shocklee
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
The Island Def Jam Music Group (American holding company, not normally a release label) (in 1988)
recording of:
Louder Than a Bomb
writer:
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, Eric Sadler and Hank Shocklee
2.753:38
8Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
producer:
Carl Ryder and Hank Shocklee
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
The Island Def Jam Music Group (American holding company, not normally a release label) (in 1988)
recording of:
Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
writer:
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, Eric Sadler and Hank Shocklee
2.654:53
9Show 'em Whatcha Got
producer:
Carl Ryder and Hank Shocklee
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
The Island Def Jam Music Group (American holding company, not normally a release label) (in 1988)
recording of:
Show 'Em Whatcha Got
writer:
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, Eric Sadler and Hank Shocklee
2.351:56
10She Watch Channel Zero?!
producer:
Carl Ryder and Hank Shocklee
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
The Island Def Jam Music Group (American holding company, not normally a release label) (in 1988)
samples:
Angel of Death by Slayer (US thrash metal band) and Funky Drummer by James Brown (The Godfather of Soul)
recording of:
She Watch Channel Zero?!
writer:
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, Richard Griffin, Eric Sadler, Hank Shocklee and William Jonathan Drayton
33:49
11Night of the Living Baseheads
producer:
Carl Ryder and Hank Shocklee
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
The Island Def Jam Music Group (American holding company, not normally a release label) (in 1988)
music videos:
Night of the Living Baseheads (video) by Public Enemy (US rap group)
recording of:
Night of the Living Baseheads
writer:
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, Eric Sadler and Hank Shocklee
3.53:15
12Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
producer:
Carl Ryder and Hank Shocklee
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
The Island Def Jam Music Group (American holding company, not normally a release label) (in 1988)
samples:
Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic by Isaac Hayes
recording of:
Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
writer:
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, Eric Sadler, Hank Shocklee and William Jonathan Drayton
publisher:
Bring the Noize Inc. and Def American Songs, Inc.
3.56:24
13Security of the First World
producer:
Carl Ryder and Hank Shocklee
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
The Island Def Jam Music Group (American holding company, not normally a release label) (in 1988)
samples:
Ashley’s Roachclip by The Soul Searchers (70s US funk group)
recording of:
Security of the First World
composer:
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, Eric Sadler and Hank Shocklee
21:20
14Rebel Without a Pause
producer:
Carl Ryder and Hank Shocklee
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
The Island Def Jam Music Group (American holding company, not normally a release label) (in 1988)
samples:
The Grunt by The J.B.’s
recording of:
Rebel Without a Pause (in 1987)
writer:
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, Norman Lee Rogers, Eric Sadler and Hank Shocklee
3.65:03
15Prophets of Rage
producer:
Carl Ryder and Hank Shocklee
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
The Island Def Jam Music Group (American holding company, not normally a release label) (in 1988)
recording of:
Prophets of Rage
writer:
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, Eric Sadler, Hank Shocklee and William Jonathan Drayton
3.13:19
16Party for Your Right to Fight
producer:
Carl Ryder and Hank Shocklee
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
The Island Def Jam Music Group (American holding company, not normally a release label) (in 1988)
recording of:
Party for Your Right to Fight
writer:
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, Eric Sadler and Hank Shocklee
2.653:26

Credits

Release group

associated singles/EPs:Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
Night of the Living Baseheads
Rebel Without a Pause (vocal mix)
included in:2 Original CDs: Yo! Bum Rush the Show / It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
3 Original CDs: Yo! Bum Rush the Show / It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back / Fear of a Black Planet
part of:Q Magazine: 20 Loudest Albums of All Time (number: 3) (order: 3)
Pitchfork: The 200 Best Albums of the 1980s (number: 6) (order: 6)
My Life in Music: Prince Paul (SPIN magazine, 2003-06) (number: J) (order: 9)
Rolling Stone: 100 Best Albums of the Eighties (published November 16, 1989) (number: 12) (order: 12)
Pitchfork: The 100 Best Rap Albums of All Time (number: 14) (order: 14)
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 2020 edition (number: 15) (order: 15)
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 2023 edition (number: 15) (order: 15)
The Guardian 100 Best Albums Ever (number: 20) (order: 20)
Apple Music: 100 Best Albums (number: 34) (order: 34)
Top 50 by Nirvana (number: 43) (order: 43)
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 2003 edition (number: 48) (order: 48)
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 2012 edition (number: 48) (order: 48)
33⅓ (number: 71) (order: 72)
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2005 edition) (number: 623) (order: 624)
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2005 edition) (number: 634) (order: 635)
Discogs:https://www.discogs.com/master/30296 [info]
lyrics page:https://genius.com/albums/Public-enemy/It-takes-a-nation-of-millions-to-hold-us-back [info]
reviews:https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/56gb [info]
other databases:https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/public_enemy/it_takes_a_nation_of_millions_to_hold_us_back/ [info]
Allmusic:https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0000196315 [info]
Wikidata:Q926127 [info]