Good Mourning/Black Friday Explained

Good Mourning/Black Friday
Type:song
Artist:Megadeth
Album:Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?
Recorded:February–March 1986
Studio:
Genre:Thrash metal
Length:6:41
Label:
Producer:
  • Dave Mustaine
  • Randy Burns

"Good Mourning/Black Friday" is a song by American thrash metal band Megadeth from their 1986 album Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?, written by Dave Mustaine. Despite not being released as a single nor having a music video filmed, the song has become very popular over time.[1]

Music and lyrics

"Good Mourning/Black Friday" is a two-piece song, which begins with an instrumental section called "Good Mourning".[2] The first section starts with a clean intro, highlighted by a melodic guitar solo played by Chris Poland.[3] [4]

Lyrically, Mustaine has described the second part, "Black Friday", as being about "a homicidal madman who goes on a killing spree".[5] With an excessive use of gory language and violent imagery, the song chronicles the acts of a serial killer.[6] [7] It was inspired by Dijon Carruthers, who was one of the band's drummers prior to the hiring of Gar Samuelson. According to Mustaine, Carruthers was hanging out with people who were practicing occultism, and they inspired him to write songs based on spiritual themes.[8]

Abandonment live

Up until 1991, the song was a setlist staple, being played at nearly every known concert, including being played live in 1984 with Kerry King onstage.[9] After 1991, however, the band stopped playing the song, due to Mustaine's Christian beliefs being at odds with its subject matter.[10] Several months before the 25th anniversary of the release of the album Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? in 2011, Mustaine reiterated his reluctance to perform the song.[11]

Accolades

YearPublicationCountryAccoladeRank
2022Louder SoundUnited StatesThe Top 20 Best Megadeth Songs Ranked[12] 9
2018BillboardUnited KingdomThe 15 Best Megadeth Songs: Critic’s Picks[13] 9

Personnel

Production and performance credits are adapted from the album liner notes.[14]

valign=topMegadeth
  • Dave Mustaine – guitars, lead vocals
  • David Ellefson – bass, backing vocals
  • Chris Poland – guitars
  • Gar Samuelson – drums

Additional Personal

  • Casey McMackin - backing vocals[15]

Artwork

  • Edward J. Repka – cover illustration and album design
  • Dave Mustaine, Andy Somers – cover concept
valign=topProduction
  • Dave Mustaine – production
  • Randy Burns – production, engineering
  • Casey McMackin – engineering
  • Paul Lani – mixing
  • Stan Katayama – mixing
valign=top2004 remix and remaster
  • Dave Mustaine – production, mixing
  • Ralph Patlan – engineering, mixing
  • Lance Dean – engineering, editing
  • Scott "Sarge" Harrison – editing
  • Tom Baker – mastering
valign=top

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Waring . Olivia . Twitter has been celebrating the REAL Black Friday — aka, the best Megadeth song ever . Metro.co . 30 August 2022.
  2. Web site: 23 Questions With Dave Mustaine. Metal Sludge. September 4, 2001. November 15, 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131213140143/http://www.metalsludge.tv/?p=28520. December 13, 2013.
  3. Web site: MEGADETH PEACE SELLS…BUT WHO'S BUYING . Metal Nerdery . 30 August 2022.
  4. Web site: Begrand . Adrien . MEGADETH: PEACE SELLS… BUT WHO'S BUYING? (25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION) . Pop Matters . 30 August 2022.
  5. Web site: Matthiew. Parker. Dave Mustaine: "Black magic ruined my life!". Total Guitar. Music Radar. March 18, 2011. November 23, 2013.
  6. Book: Berelian, Essi. The rough guide to heavy metal. 2005. Rough Guides. 1-84353-415-0. 200.
  7. Web site: Waring . Olivia . 2016-11-25 . Twitter is celebrating the real Black Friday — aka, the best Megadeth song ever . 2022-09-18 . Metro . en.
  8. Book: Ellefson . David . My Life with Deth: Discovering Meaning in a Life of Rock & Roll . 2013 . Simon and Schuster . 978-1-4516-9989-0 . 45 . en.
  9. Web site: Metal Hammer . 2022-03-24 . Watch Slayer's Kerry King thrash it up onstage with Megadeth… in 1984 . 2022-09-18 . loudersound . en.
  10. Web site: Dave Mustaine Explains Why He Refuses To Share Stage With His 'Confessed Enemy' – Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunnerrecords.com. May 8, 2007. September 15, 2016. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20101031032008/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=72074. October 31, 2010.
  11. Web site: Matthiew . Parker . Dave Mustaine: "Black magic ruined my life!" . . . March 18, 2011 . September 15, 2016.
  12. Web site: Stewart-Panko . Kevin . The top 20 best Megadeth songs ranked . Louder Sound . 29 August 2022.
  13. Titus . Christina . The 15 Best Megadeth Songs: Critic's Picks . Billboard . 29 August 2022.
  14. Book: Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? liner notes (2004 reissue). 2004. Capitol Records. 4–12.
  15. Web site: Scorpion . The . SCORPION Q+A . Megadeth.com . 30 August 2022.

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