"Rebel Yell" is a song by English-American rock musician Billy Idol. It is the title track of his second album Rebel Yell (1983), and was released as the album's lead single in January 1984 by Chrysalis Records. Initially, it only reached No. 62 in the UK and No. 46 in the US upon its release. However, a 1985 re-issue proved to be a big hit, peaking at no. 6 in the UK. The song received wide critical acclaim and in 2009 was named the 79th best hard rock song of all time by VH1 based on a public vote.[3][4]
The song was co-written by guitarist Steve Stevens. The instrumental introduction, which sounds like a combination of electric guitar and electronic keyboard, is performed by Stevens on guitar alone, who intended it to sound this way. Stevens states that he was inspired by acoustic guitarist Leo Kottke's style.[6]
Reception
In 1984, music magazine Cash Box wrote that the song "combines the tough swagger and high-powered drive of 'White Wedding' with the decadent dance focus of 'Dancing With Myself.'"[7]
The song was also adopted by English Association football club Worthing FC as an unofficial anthem. Idol went to secondary school in the town of Worthing, with one of Worthing FC's nicknames also being "the Rebels", prompting the decision to affiliate.
Formats and track listings
UK 7" vinyl single
"Rebel Yell"
"Crank Call"
UK 12" vinyl single
"Rebel Yell"
"Crank Call"
"White Wedding"
(1985 re-issue) UK 7" vinyl single
"Rebel Yell"
"(Do Not) Stand in the Shadows♱"
♱Recorded live at Hollywood Palladium Los Angeles, California, March 1984.
(1985 re-issue) UK 12" vinyl single
"Rebel Yell (Extended Version)"
"(Do Not) Stand in the Shadows♱"
"Blue Highway♱"
♱Recorded live at Hollywood Palladium Los Angeles, California, March 1984.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
Acoustic version
In 1994 Idol released the single "Speed", a song from the box office hit movie of the same name, with a live acoustic version of "Rebel Yell" accompanying the lead song on the UK CD single release.
In 1996, "Rebel Yell" was covered by German dance music band Scooter, released on 9 May by the labels Club Tools and Scorpio Music as the third single of their second album, Our Happy Hardcore (1996). It was a top-10 hit in Austria, Canada, Finland, Germany and the Netherlands. In the UK, the song reached number 30 on the UK Singles Chart. The B-side was "Euphoria".
Critical reception
Daniel Booth from Melody Maker wrote, "Scooter subvert the reverence of rock and the pomposity of heavy metal, then shatter them in the blink of a maquillaged eye. This, unless you're asleep at the back, you'll realise is Billy Idol's 'Rebel Yell', technofied and amplified into dance oblivion. It is incessant and addictive, exhilarating and infectious, just like those Europopped-up versions of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', 'Wonderwall' and (sodding) 'Zombie'."[16]
^Warren, Craig A. (7 September 2014). The Rebel Yell: A Cultural History. University Alabama Press. p. 141. ISBN978-0817318482. ... Idol explained that he came to use the title 'Rebel Yell' ... not because of any knowledge of the Confederacy but because of his enthusiasm for Rebel Yell bourbon.