Buzzbomb

Album: Plastic Surgery Disasters (1982)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Not all Dead Kennedys songs are about politics or civil unrest. "Buzzbomb," a track from their second album, is about a car, a "macho-mobile" that can do some serious speed. The guy in the song gets it up to 110 on Highway 50 in Nevada before police come and shoot out the tires.
  • Dead Kennedys lead singer Jello Biafra wrote this with the group's guitarist, East Bay Ray, who describes it as a "California car song."

    "We were in California, we had cars and sunshine," he explained to Songfacts. "I guess that's kind of our tribute to California."

    Ray added that while there a shades of surf rock in the guitar part, the sound was most influenced by Scotty Moore, who was Elvis Presley's guitarist.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Chris Tomlin

Chris TomlinSongwriter Interviews

The king of Christian worship music explains talks about writing songs for troubled times.

Trans Soul Rebels: Songs About Transgenderism

Trans Soul Rebels: Songs About TransgenderismSong Writing

A history of songs dealing with transgender issues, featuring Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Morrissey and Green Day.

Phone Booth Songs

Phone Booth SongsSong Writing

Phone booths are nearly extinct, but they provided storylines for some of the most profound songs of the pre-cell phone era.

Ramones

RamonesFact or Fiction

A band so baffling, even their names were contrived. Check your score in the Ramones version of Fact or Fiction.

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s EditionMusic Quiz

You know the scenes - Tom Cruise in his own pants-off dance off, Molly Ringwald celebrating her birthday - but do you remember what song is playing?

Bryan Adams

Bryan AdamsSongwriter Interviews

What's the deal with "Summer of '69"? Bryan explains what the song is really about, and shares more of his songwriting insights.