Ashwin Lewis
No Sleep Till Brooklyn is a song by the New York hip-hop group the Beastie Boys. It was released in 1987 as the sixth single from their debut studio album, Licensed to Ill. The song combines elements of heavy metal and hip-hop, showcasing the Beastie Boys' unique ability to blend these two genres. The title is a play on the Motörhead album No Sleep 'til Hammersmith, and the song itself is a send-up of heavy metal music, poking fun at the ridiculous costumes, excessive hairspray, and bands that take themselves too seriously. The song describes the exhaustive life of a band on tour, emphasising their determination not to rest until they reach their home base of Brooklyn.
What You'll Learn
Touring life
The Beastie Boys, a New York hip-hop group, released "No Sleep till Brooklyn" as the sixth single from their debut studio album, "Licensed to Ill," in 1986. The song's lyrics paint a picture of their life on tour, with references to travelling by plane and train, performing in different cities, and the relentless pursuit of success.
The line "On location, touring around the nation/Beastie Boys always on vacation" highlights the constant movement and the blurring of boundaries between work and leisure that comes with being a touring musician. The song also mentions their manager, who "always smokes dust/He's got his own room at the back of the bus," adding a touch of humour and personality to their journey.
"No Sleep till Brooklyn" is more than just a song about touring; it's a testament to the Beastie Boys' determination to keep going despite the exhaustion. The title itself suggests that they won't rest until they reach their home base of Brooklyn. This determination is further emphasised in the lyrics, "Ain't no faking, your money I'm taking/Going coast to coast to watch all the girlies shaking/While you're at the job working nine-to-five/The Beastie Boys at the Garden cold kicking it live."
The song also showcases the group's versatility as artists. While they are primarily known as a hip-hop act, "No Sleep till Brooklyn" combines elements of heavy metal and hip-hop, with a notable guitar riff played by Kerry King of the thrash metal band Slayer. This fusion of genres adds to the unique sound of the song and showcases the Beastie Boys' willingness to experiment and push musical boundaries.
In conclusion, "No Sleep till Brooklyn" serves as a vivid portrayal of the touring life of musicians, capturing the excitement, challenges, and relentless pursuit of success that comes with being on the road. The song's popularity and cultural influence have endured, with the track becoming a staple of the Beastie Boys' live performances and a favourite among fans.
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Determination to reach Brooklyn
"No Sleep Till Brooklyn" is a song by the New York hip-hop group, the Beastie Boys, from their debut studio album, "Licensed to Ill", released in 1986. The song is a narrative of the group's experiences while on tour, parodying the glam and metal rockers of that time and earlier eras.
The title "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" is a play on the Motörhead album "No Sleep 'til Hammersmith", and the song itself is a send-up of heavy metal music, poking fun at the ridiculous costumes, excessive hairspray, and bands taking themselves too seriously. The Beastie Boys put the lyrics together by hanging out with their producer, Rick Rubin, and throwing out lines to make each other laugh.
The song describes the band's determination to get back to their home base of Brooklyn, despite the exhaustive nature of their tour. They are always on the move, going from city to city, running their rhymes, and performing live. Their manager is described as crazy, and the band members themselves are always on vacation, trashing hotels, and getting paid along the way.
The song's chorus emphasizes their determination to keep going until they reach Brooklyn:
> No sleep 'til Brooklyn
> No sleep 'til Brooklyn
> No sleep 'til Brooklyn
The Beastie Boys' determination to reach Brooklyn is further highlighted in the bridge of the song, where they reflect on how they haven't "seen the light" since they started the band, and their wish for band member MCA to get on the mic.
> Ain't seen the light since we started this band
> So, MCA, get on the mic, my man!
The song "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" captures the band's exhaustion from constant touring and performances, but also their perseverance and determination to make it back to their home base of Brooklyn.
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Heavy metal music spoof
"No Sleep Till Brooklyn" by the Beastie Boys is a hip-hop song that spoofs heavy metal music. The title itself is a play on the Motörhead album "No Sleep 'til Hammersmith". The Beastie Boys' song combines elements of heavy metal and hip-hop, poking fun at the former genre's ridiculous costumes, excessive hairspray, and bands that take themselves too seriously.
To create a heavy metal spoof, the Beastie Boys needed a heavy guitar riff, which was provided by Kerry King, the guitarist for Slayer. King's guitar part was played intentionally out of tune in parts, adding to the parody. The band's producer, Rick Rubin, who was working with both Slayer and the Beastie Boys, brought King in to contribute to the track.
The song's lyrics were written collaboratively by the band members, throwing out lines to make each other laugh. The narrative highlights the band's experiences while on tour, parodying the lifestyle of glam and metal rockers.
The music video for "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" further spoofs heavy metal, with King appearing in the video, shot from below to make him appear larger. The video also features a club owner who rejects the band, a sexy girl played by B-movie actress Ruth Collins, and actor Vic Noto as an outlaw biker.
In their live performances of the song, the Beastie Boys altered some of the lyrics to downplay their early party-boy reputation. For example, "MCA's in the back 'cause he's skeezin' with a whore" was changed to "MCA's in the back with the mahjong board".
"No Sleep Till Brooklyn" has been described as a "raucous, rambunctious blend of rap, smart-ass and heavy metal" and was a popular concert favourite for the Beastie Boys, often used as their closing song.
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Lyrics and songwriting
"No Sleep Till Brooklyn" is a song by the New York hip-hop group the Beastie Boys. It was released on January 3, 1987, as the sixth single from their debut studio album, Licensed to Ill. The song combines elements of heavy metal and hip-hop, showcasing the Beastie Boys' unique ability to blend these two genres.
The song's lyrics were written by band members Adam "MCA" Yauch, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz, and Michael "Mike D" Diamond, in collaboration with producer Rick Rubin. The songwriting process involved the group hanging out with Rubin and throwing out funny lines to make each other laugh. They collected these lines over time and eventually pared them down to create the final lyrics.
The song's narrative highlights the Beastie Boys' experiences while on tour, including the glamorous and exhausting aspects of life on the road. The lyrics describe the band's determination to keep going despite the tiring nature of touring. This is reflected in the chorus, "No sleep till Brooklyn," emphasising their desire to continue performing until they reach their home base of Brooklyn.
The song also includes references to heavy metal music and culture, parodying the genre's stereotypical elements such as ridiculous costumes and excessive hairspray. The title itself is a play on the Motörhead album "No Sleep 'til Hammersmith," further emphasising the metal influence.
In addition to the band members' songwriting contributions, "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" also benefited from the musical talents of guitarist Kerry King from the thrash metal band Slayer. King provided the heavy guitar riff that drives the song and adds to its metal-inspired sound.
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Music video
The music video for "No Sleep till Brooklyn" was co-directed by Ric Menello and Adam Dubin, who also directed the Beastie Boys' previous single "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)". The video features several notable appearances, including guitarist Kerry King, B-movie actress Ruth Collins as the lead dancer, and actor Vic Noto as an outlaw biker. Menello himself also makes a cameo as a club owner who rejects the band in the video's intro.
The video is a parody of glam metal, playing up the over-the-top costumes, excessive hairspray, and bands taking themselves too seriously. This is reflected in the band's costumes and the set design, with a focus on creating a humorous and satirical portrayal of the heavy metal genre. The video also includes a mix of performance shots and narrative scenes, showcasing the band's energetic stage presence and their unique blend of hip-hop and heavy metal.
The visuals in the music video complement the song's narrative, which describes the band's exhaustive tour experiences and their determination to keep going until they reach their home base of Brooklyn. The video captures the high-energy performance style that the Beastie Boys were known for, making it a popular concert favourite and a staple closing song during their live shows.
The "No Sleep till Brooklyn" music video received more oversight and had a larger production scale compared to their previous work. Despite this, it maintained the band's signature style and sense of humour, showcasing their ability to blend genres and create memorable visuals to match their distinctive sound.
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Frequently asked questions
"Don't Sleep till Brooklyn" is a song by the New York hip-hop group the Beastie Boys.
The song is the sixth single from the Beastie Boys' debut studio album, Licensed to Ill.
The song describes the exhaustive tour life of a band and all the events that make it tiresome. It also emphasizes the Beastie Boys' determination not to rest until they reach their home base of Brooklyn.
The song was written by Beastie Boys members Adam Yauch, Adam Horovitz, and Michael Diamond, in collaboration with producer Rick Rubin.
