Thieves (Ministry song) explained

Thieves
Artist:Ministry
Album:The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste
Recorded:1989
Studio:Chicago Trax Studios
Genre:Industrial metal[1]

"Thieves" is a song by American industrial metal band Ministry. It was released as the opening track from the band's fourth studio album, The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste (1989),[2] as well as the B-side from its single, "Burning Inside".[3] The song's lyrics deal mainly with political corruption. The song includes dialogue samples from R. Lee Ermey's drill instructor character in Full Metal Jacket. Ministry's version was featured in the 1992 science fiction film Freejack, also in the 2009 video game Brütal Legend.

Overview

The chorus of "Thieves" is influenced by "Mr. Suit" by the English band Wire.

The song is based on a harmonic stasis. It features the extensive use of E minor chord. 118 out of 138 measures of the song are based on the same E minor chord, while the rest are F minor chords. Al Jourgensen sings only the G note, while the song "shifts gears rhythmically" through its sections and quadruples its tempo.[4]

Tom Moon, the author of 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die, wrote, "At the two minute mark of "Thieves" and several times later in the song, Ministry's pulse is bolstered by what sounds like a whirring pneumatic drill. It's not a gimmick—it almost functions as a solo guitar, adding punctuation."[5]

Personnel

Ministry

Additional personnel

Limp Bizkit cover

Thieves
Cover:limpbizkitthieves.jpg
Type:promotional single
Artist:Limp Bizkit
Recorded:2012–2013
Label:Cash Money
Chronology:Limp Bizkit
Prev Title:Ready to Go
Prev Year:2013
Next Title:Endless Slaughter
Next Year:2014

American rap rock band Limp Bizkit covered parts of this song during Woodstock 99[6] as well as releasing their cover version of "Thieves" as a single via Twitter on November 1, 2013 for free download.[7] [8] Limp Bizkit performed it throughout many of the band's live sets since 1997, but the band did not release a studio version until 2013.[9] Limp Bizkit's version does not include the samples that are on Ministry's version.

Personnel

Limp Bizkit

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Twitched – Ministry. Greg Prato. AllMusic. All Media Network. While nothing here is exactly on par with such industrial metal classics as 'Stigmata' or 'Thieves,' you can certainly see that the seeds for future triumphs are planted on the album-opening 'Just Like You' and the Nine Inch Nails-esque 'We Believe.'. November 4, 2017.
  2. Book: Music of the 1980s . ABC-CLIO . Harrison, Thomas . 2011 . 63 . 978-0-313-36599-7. March 15, 2013.
  3. Web site: Ministry: Rantology. Byrom. Cory D.. January 8, 2006. Pitchfork. October 12, 2018.
  4. Book: Reed, S. Alexandre . Assimilate: A Critical History of Industrial Music . registration . Oxford University Press . 2013 . 257. November 1, 2017.
  5. Book: Moon, Tom . 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die . registration. Workman Publishing . 2008 . 505 . 978-0-7611-5385-6. August 25, 2018. Internet Archive.
  6. Web site: Limp Bizkit – Full Concert – 07/24/99 – Woodstock 99 East Stage (OFFICIAL). youtube. March 9, 2016.
  7. Web site: [Free Download] Limp Bizkit Release Their Cover Of Ministry's "Thieves" ]. . November 1, 2013 . March 20, 2014 . Barkan. Jonathan.
  8. Web site: New Limp Bizkit song "Thieves" is out now!. Marcelo. Túlio. November 1, 2013. March 15, 2013.
  9. Web site: LIMP BIZKIT: Cover Version Of MINISTRY's 'Thieves' Available For Free Download. November 4, 2013. March 15, 2013. Blabbermouth.net.

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