Bad Company (song)

For the ASAP Rocky song, see Bad Company (ASAP Rocky song).
"Bad Company"
Song by Bad Company
from the album Bad Company
Released1974
RecordedNovember 1973
Genre
Length4:50
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Bad Company

"Bad Company" is a song by the hard rock band Bad Company that was released on their debut album Bad Company in 1974. Co-written by the group's lead singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke, the song's meaning comes from a book on Victorian morals.[1] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Matt Wardlaw described the song as having a "western vibe" and Rodgers has said that it has "an almost biblical, promise-land kind of lawless feel to it."[2]

Reception

Ultimate Classic Rock critic Matt Wardlaw rated it as Bad Company's all-time best song, particularly praising the "legendary piano opening."[2] Classic Rock critic Malcolm Dome also rated it as Bad Company's best song, praising the "dusty atmosphere [as well as] Rodgers’ almost enigmatic vocals and [Mick] Ralphs’ haunting guitar chime."[3] Classic Rock History critic Janey Roberts rated it as Bad Company's 4th best song, praising the "haunting piano riff that oozed around Paul Rodgers silk vocal line" at the start of the song as well as the "powerhouse chorus."[4]

Covers

Five Finger Death Punch released a cover of the song as a single in 2009.

Tori Amos performed the song at a number of concerts in 1994 and 1996.[5]

Bill Champlin did a cover of the song that was featured in season two, episode nine of The Young Riders (1990). The title of the episode is "Bad Company".

In the beginning of The Dark Tower, Stephen King quotes the lines "I was born 6-gun in my hand, Behind a gun I'll make my final stand".

Garth Brooks covers the song on his box set Blame It All on My Roots: Five Decades of Influences.

The South African trio of Mark Haze, Dozi and Ghapi (from Idols South Africa VII) recorded a cover version on their album Rocking Buddies in 2013.[6]

Personnel

Five Finger Death Punch cover

"Bad Company"
Single by Five Finger Death Punch
from the album War Is the Answer
Released17 May 2010
Recorded2009
Genre
Length4:22
LabelProspect Park
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Kevin Churko
Five Finger Death Punch singles chronology
"No One Gets Left Behind"
(2010) 		"Bad Company"
(2010) 		"Far from Home"
(2010)

Five Finger Death Punch frequently performs a cover of this song live, and recorded the song for their second album War Is the Answer.[7][8] The song has a significantly heavier tone to it, along with several lyrical edits ("I was born a shotgun in my hands", "the death punch sound is our claim to fame"). The song has been used as entrance music by pitchers Drew Storen, Jake Arrieta and Madison Bumgarner.[9][10][11]

Track listing

UK digital download
No.TitleLength
1."Bad Company"4:22
2."The Devil's Own" (live)4:54
Promo CD
No.TitleLength
1."Bad Company (radio edit)"3:57
2."Bad Company (album version)"4:23

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2010–2011) Peak
position
Canada Rock (Billboard)[12] 17
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[13] 6
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[14] 26
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[15] 2
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[16] 7

Year-end charts

Chart (2010) Position
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[17] 29

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[18] Gold 45,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[19] Platinum 30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[20] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[21] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Band members

References

  1. ^ "Bad Company by Bad Company Songfacts". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  2. ^ a b Wardlaw, Matt (December 17, 2011). "Top 10 Bad Company Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  3. ^ Dome, Malcolm (July 13, 2016). "The Top 10 Best Bad Company Songs". Classic Rock. Louder Sound. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  4. ^ Roberts, Janey (October 19, 2022). "Top 10 Bad Company songs". Classic Rock History.
  5. ^ "Tori Amos Song Summary". Toriset.org. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  6. ^ "Rocking buddies, dozi, ghapi, Mark Haze, Album Info, Tracks, Lyrics". Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  7. ^ "FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH Scores With 'Bad Company'". Blabbermouth.net. 28 June 2010.
  8. ^ HARSHCORE, ROD (19 January 2011). "Five Finger Death Punch – Bad Company, Is It As Good As The Original?". yellmagazine.com. Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  9. ^ Tinsman, Brian. "Drew Storen Discusses Politics of Pitcher Entrance Songs in Baseball". CBS.
  10. ^ "Pitcher Jake Arrieta". The Baltimore Sun. 3 July 2023.
  11. ^ "In a season of some necessary transition, Bumgarner, Posey and the Giants' new puzzle pieces are beginning to come together". Times-Standard. 28 June 2015.
  12. ^ "Five Finger Death Punch Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  13. ^ "Five Finger Death Punch Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  14. ^ "Five Finger Death Punch Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  15. ^ "Five Finger Death Punch Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  16. ^ "Five Finger Death Punch Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  17. ^ "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  18. ^ "Danish single certifications – Five Finger Death Punch – Bad Company". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  19. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Five Finger Death Punch – Bad Company". Radioscope. Retrieved January 2, 2025. Type Bad Company in the "Search:" field.
  20. ^ "British single certifications – Five Finger Death Punch – Bad Company". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  21. ^ "American single certifications – Five Finger Death Punch – Bad Company". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 27, 2021.