Bat Country Explained

Bat Country
Cover:avenged_sevenfold_bat_country.png
Type:single
Artist:Avenged Sevenfold
Album:City of Evil
Released:August 9, 2005[1]
Recorded:January 1 – April 18, 2005[2] [3]
Studio:
  • The Hobby Shop (Los Angeles)
  • Ocean Way (Hollywood)
Genre:Heavy metal
Length:
  • 5:13 (album version)
  • 4:11 (radio edit)
Label:Warner
Producer:
Prev Title:Burn It Down
Prev Year:2005
Next Title:Beast and the Harlot
Next Year:2006

"Bat Country" is a song by American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold, released in August 2005 as the second single from their third album, City of Evil. Avenged Sevenfold won 'Best New Artist Video' at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards for "Bat Country" and on May 4, 2021, the single was certified platinum by the RIAA. For these reasons, "Bat Country" is often believed to be the band's most commercially successful song.

Background and content

The song's main influence comes from Hunter S. Thompson's 1971 novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, with the title itself being a direct quote from the book in which Raoul Duke (the alter-ego pseudonym of Thompson) is on his way to Las Vegas while being affected by various drugs. The character hallucinated huge bats and manta rays in the sky, and gasps to his companion Dr. Gonzo, "We can't stop here. This is bat country."

The following quote, also included at the beginning of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, is referred to twice throughout the song (at the beginning and the bridge before the last chorus) and is shown at the beginning of the music video.

"He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man." – Samuel Johnson

Also referenced in the song is a lyric derived from the final words spoken about Dr. Gonzo at the end of the film adaptation. The lyric is used at the end of the second breakdown of the song, as the final lyric of the song.

"There he goes. One of God's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die." – Raoul Duke

Shortly after the writing of the song, Thompson committed suicide.[4]

Chart performance

Throughout 2008, "Bat Country" was in the top 40 of the UK Rock Chart,[5] and shared the chart with up to three of the band's other songs (including but not limited to: Afterlife, Burn It Down and Dear God).[6] The song was on and off the charts throughout 2008, and eventually peaked at number 9 in December of that year.[7]

In other media

The song appeared in the video games Madden 06,[8] NHL 06, SSX On Tour, Saints Row 2,[9] , and Rocksmith 2014. It also appeared in the movie Big Momma's House 2 and both the TV shows Bones and About a Boy.[10] [11]

Legacy

The song was ranked at number 20 on Loudwires Top 21st Century Hard Rock Songs.[12] It also was rated as number 9 on Ultimate Guitar's list of Top 25 Best Songs With Guitar Duels.[13] In 2020, Louder Sound and Kerrang! both rated it as the fifth greatest Avenged Sevenfold song.[14] [15]

Personnel

Personnel listing as adapted from album liner notes.[17]

Avenged Sevenfold

Production

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FMQB Airplay Archive: Modern Rock . Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Incorporated . July 7, 2021 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130322142732/http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16771 . March 22, 2013 .
  2. Web site: December 30, 2004. Avenged Sevenfold website. September 16, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20041230165405/http://www.avengedsevenfold.com/. December 30, 2004.
  3. Web site: News . Avenged Sevenfold.com . April 26, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20050425004910/http://www.avengedsevenfold.com/ . April 25, 2005 . April 18, 2005.
  4. Web site: Wiederhorn . Jon . Avenged Sevenfold Salute Dimebag, Shun Metalcore On 'Evil' . https://web.archive.org/web/20221028030804/https://www.mtv.com/news/mkvx71/avenged-sevenfold-salute-dimebag-shun-metalcore-on-evil . dead . October 28, 2022 . MTV News . MTV . October 28, 2022.
  5. Web site: Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40 . Official Charts . April 19, 2023 . March 30, 2008.
  6. Web site: Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40 . Official Charts . April 19, 2023.
  7. Web site: Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40 . Official Charts . April 19, 2023 . December 28, 2008.
  8. Web site: Montgomery . James . Fall Out Boy, Foo Fighters Lend Songs To 'Madden NFL 06' . https://web.archive.org/web/20221027200537/https://www.mtv.com/news/6iuvsk/fall-out-boy-foo-fighters-lend-songs-to-madden-nfl-06 . dead . October 27, 2022 . MTV/News . MTV . October 27, 2022.
  9. Web site: Saints Row 2 Music . IGN . October 26, 2022 . October 6, 2008.
  10. Web site: Avenged Sevenfold Music Artist, Actor, Composer . December 12, 2023 . IMDb . en-US.
  11. Web site: June 12, 2024 . Avenged Sevenfold - Tunefind . Tunefind.
  12. Web site: No. 20: Avenged Sevenfold, 'Bat Country' – Top 21st Century Hard Rock Songs . June 28, 2012 . Loudwire.
  13. Web site: Friday Top: 25 Best Songs With Guitar Duels - Music News @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com. March 11, 2017.
  14. Web site: The 20 best Avenged Sevenfold songs ever. Merlin. Alderslade. Louder Sound. February 5, 2020. March 29, 2022.
  15. Web site: The 20 greatest Avenged Sevenfold songs – ranked. Sam. Law. Kerrang. May 29, 2020. March 29, 2022.
  16. Web site: Top Canada Rock Songs. Radio & Records. January 9, 2024.
  17. Book: City of Evil liner notes. 2005. Warner Bros. Records. 4, 10, 11.