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''Nazi Punks Fuck Off!'' (B-side "Moral Majority") is a single by Punk band Dead Kennedys that was released in November of 1981. It is from their infamous '' In God We Trust, Inc. '' EP. The lyrics and music were composed solely by lead singer and primary songwriter Jello Biafra . A quick listen (very quick, as the song is barely over a minute long) reveals "'' Nazi Punks ''" to be a warp-speed diatribe railing against the glorification of Nazism in the " Punk scene" circa 1981 . The subject of "Nazi punks," however, is wider-ranging than its name implies, as it can be perceived to be a slam not just of nazis, but actually likening the senseless violence that was beginning to infiltrate the underground punk scene at the time to Nazism and to the punks who embraced Nazism. In a way, the song accuses violent punks of being Nazis, and Nazis of being idiots. It is worth noting that the satirical nature of many of the Dead Kennedys' early songs, such as " Kill The Poor " and " California Über Alles ," attracted certain unsavory audiences to early Kennedy's shows. The early West Coast punk scene attracted all sorts, including some (not necessarily a majority by any means) who adopted racist or fascist beliefs, perhaps as an exercise in shock. In any case, some 'fans' (mis)interpreted the Kennedy's early satirical songs, taking them at face value and missing the overwhelming amounts of irony and satire with which the lyrics were delivered. "Nazi Punks Fuck Off!" could have been inspired by these audiences, although it is usually interpreted as a general anti-violence protest piece. The song is similar to many of the numbers on the '' In God We Trust, Inc. '' EP, built around a series of punkish, snarling riffs and a catchy chorus rendered positively scathing by lead singer Jello Biafra 's manic delivery. In fact, Biafra's lyrics and delivery are the most startling things about the song; the words are considerably more detailed than the average hardcore punk screeds that " Nazi Punk " was deliberately aping, and Biafra can barely fit them around East Bay Ray 's frenetic guitar and the slaughterhouse Flouride / Peligro rhythm assault. He almost stumbles with several of the lyrics, as if his furious and defiantly intelligent analysis of his subject matter only barely meshes with the ironically and deliberately simple music. The delivery, if anything, only adds a potent element of chaos when paired with precise musical attack of the backing track. This, combined with the infamous lyrical screed, results in what is widely considered a Kennedys classic. The song was issued as a 7" single (with an alternate take of the song) which included an armband featuring a swastika crossed out, a design which has become a recognisable symbol of the Dead Kennedys and a popular t-shirt design for both fans of the band and anti-Nazis alike. Yet another alternate version appears on the '' Let Them Eat Jellybeans '' compilation. The song was covered by British Grindcore / Death Metal band Napalm Death for their 1993 EP '' Nazi Punks Fuck Off ''. The song has enjoyed popularity in the band's live shows as well. CULTURAL EFFECT The release of "Nazi Punks Fuck Off!" allegedly caused an almost abrupt halt to the use of the Swastika within punk rock culture. Many punks had their swastika tattoos either removed or turned into less racist images. It may not have necessarily been their original intention, but the Dead Kennedys highly contributed to purging a very anti-Semitic symbol from an (admittedly small) segment of society, a symbol which was adopted by some early punks (notably Sid Vicious , who appears in various photographs wearing a Swastika -emblazoned t-shirt) essentially for shock value. TRIVIA
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