Rise (Public Image Ltd song)
| "Rise" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Public Image Ltd | ||||
| from the album Album | ||||
| A-side | "Rise" | |||
| B-side | "Rise (Instrumental)" | |||
| Released | January 21, 1986 (UK) | |||
| Format | 7" & 12" vinyl | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length |
6:05 (album version) 4:27 (7" edit) | |||
| Label | Virgin VS 841 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | John Lydon | |||
| Producer(s) | John Lydon, Bill Laswell | |||
| Public Image Ltd singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 12" cover | ||||
"Rise" is a single released by post-punk group Public Image Ltd in 1986. It was the first single from Album, their fifth studio album.
The song was written by John Lydon and Bill Laswell about apartheid in South Africa, specifically about Nelson Mandela as Lydon stated in a 2013 Glastonbury interview.[1] Lydon also referred to Northern Irish RUC interrogation techniques, such as electric torture, in an MTV interview in 1987.[2] It was one of the group's biggest commercial hits, peaking at #11 on the UK Singles Chart. The song contains the phrase 'may the road rise with you', which is a direct translation of the old Irish blessing "go n-éirí an bothar leat" (usually translated as "may the road rise up to meet you").
"Rise" was featured in the films The Rules of Attraction, The Promotion, and Remarkable Power. It was also played during credits of the seventh episode of the second season of 13 Reasons Why.
Contributors on the song include Steve Vai on guitar, Tony Williams on drums, Bill Laswell on fretless bass, and L. Shankar on violin.
Liam Howlett of The Prodigy included it on his instalment of the Back to Mine mix album series.
Cover versions
The song was covered by:
- Australian industrial metal band Jerk on their debut album When Pure Is Defiled
- Tripping Daisy on the EP Time Capsule (1997)
- Adrian Edmondson's folk band the Bad Shepherds' on the debut album Yan, Tyan, Tethera, Methera! (2009)
- Brazilian rock band Legião Urbana on the MTV Acústico album and DVD
- British band Love Amongst Ruin as a free download in July 2012[3]
Personnel
- John Lydon - lead vocals
- Steve Vai - guitar
- Bill Laswell - fretless bass
- Tony Williams - drums
- L. Shankar - violin
When it was performed on Top of the Pops, Lydon was accompanied by Don Letts, Kevin Armstrong, Hugo Burnham amongst others.
Chart performance
| Chart (1986) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[4] | 35 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[5] | 10 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[6] | 29 |
| UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[7] | 11 |
References
- ↑ Video on YouTube
- ↑ Video on YouTube
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/loveamongstruin/posts/328867733865256
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Public Image Ltd. – Rise" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
- ↑ "The Irish Charts – All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
- ↑ "Charts.nz – Public Image Ltd. – Rise". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
- ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 September 2014.