Breadline

Album: Risk (1999)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is about homelessness and poverty in America:

    Ain't got no job, ain't got no smoke
    Aint got a car, his life's a joke


    The subject of the song has apparently lost his job ("Used to call the shots, now he can't connect the dots"), and while he grows despondent looking for a new one, he spends what money he has left on drugs:

    He's about to lose his lifeline
    He's looking for the headlines
    Sniffin' up the white lines


    Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine could relate: He lived an itinerant youth in poverty and struggled with drug addiction. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Nicholos - Farmville, VA
  • Megadeth made a video for "Breadline" using footage of actual homeless people and their hardscrabble environments. Directed by John Richards, they debuted it on their official website, which was a technical challenge in 2000 due to bandwidth restrictions.

    Footage from the video was later used in a public service announcement for the National Homeless Coalition.
  • Megadeth did their part to help the hungry by supporting America's Second Harvest. They contributed the song "Insomnia" to a compilation called Music 4 Food that was distributed on college campuses in 1999 in exchange for food donations.
  • By Megadeth standards, "Breadline" is pretty chill. They mellowed out a bit on the Risk album, getting more melodic, in line with the prevailing sound of modern rock. This didn't go over well with many of their fans.
  • Dave Mustaine wrote the song with Megadeth's other guitarist, Marty Friedman, and with their manager, Bud Prager, who helped with the lyrics. Prager was Foreigner's longtime manager before taking on Megadeth.

Comments: 1

  • Dan Gillespy from Courtenay BcIt might not be as heavy like the classic Megadeth songs but I still like it.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Dar Williams

Dar WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

A popular contemporary folk singer, Williams still remembers the sticky note that changed her life in college.

The Fratellis

The FratellisSongwriter Interviews

Jon Fratelli talks about the band's third album, and the five-year break leading up to it.

American Hits With Foreign Titles

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?

Rupert Hine

Rupert HineSongwriter Interviews

Producer Rupert Hine talks about crafting hits for Tina Turner, Howard Jones and The Fixx.

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie Combination

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie CombinationSong Writing

In 1986, a Stephen King novella was made into a movie, with a classic song serving as title, soundtrack and tone.

Christmas Songs

Christmas SongsFact or Fiction

Rudolf, Bob Dylan and the Singing Dogs all show up in this Fact or Fiction for seasonal favorites.