My opinion of the meaning is this: everyone wants peace, but no one is taking the steps to achieve it. Basically the whole song is one side accusing the other of all these things, while the other side is saying it's not true, which is causing conflict. And there is no compromise so no one is buying.
I like your interpretation of the song bkpickell. I’ve been listening to Megadeth since they first formed and met them on several occasions but I hadn’t thought of this song that way, well put!
It is about War Profiteering. I see it as Peace is a great idea - but it doesn't make anyone any money. There is no profit there. War creates opportunities and generates massive profits and boosts economies.
too much fighting for him to stay glad he went off and did his own mad about Jason though James talks about band loyalty wtf dude? and hey let your bassist do his thing he's very good ya know
Paused at 6:26 'cause... The whole time in this song, Dave's talking to someone that is antagonistic, if not actively hostile, towards him, and he's throwing this person's prejudice, platitudes, propaganda, and hypocrisy _right_ back in their face. I think 'Peace sells, but who's buying?' is a rhetorical device saying everybody talks that good shit in public about wanting to get along and looking forward to a quiet future, but out of the public's view, they never let an opportunity pass to harrass, insult, and obstruct other people just trying to live their lives. They push your buttons, they step on your toes, _they fuck with you all the time,_ and when you've finally had enough and confront them, they make like _you're_ the asshole. Modern american culture, where _everyone's_ fine with nice things happening, as long as it doesn't cost _them_ anything, but they'll gladly throw _all_ the resources at awful things on the agenda, as long as those awful things are happening to specific people. In other words: "Everybody* should be nice to each other!" _*else (not me)_
I agree with your synopsis. I've always felt like another interpretation of this song is "us vs them". Back in the 80's, if a person liked heavy metal, they were looked down upon by society as degenerates and scum. So I think the back and forth questions are accusations and a person replying "You say these things about me, but they aren't true".
Society wants peace but yet we keep fighting against each other, the government and the system....has nothing to do with war. This song is fitting for today's chaos 🙏✌🤟🤘😎🤘
Definitely. Songs like The Conjuring that start out a little slow for the first minute, then a huge earful of riffs and Chris Poland going nuts on a sick guitar solo, change of riffs again, only to have the song punch you in the face with brand new riffs 3 minutes into the song. Incredible stuff.
There is no doubt Lex truly gets into metal. I'm waiting for the reaction for the hat to come off, and see the headbanging and hair flying. Thx for all of these old Rock/Metal reactions, takes me back to my younger years.
Yes! I remember that! They had two versions. One was a rap DJ scratching a record and the other was a sample of the opening bass line on “Peace Sells.” It was in between the announcer saying “MTV News. You hear it” and “first.”
My favorite Megadeth song and album. 🤘This song in particular is very punk in spirit. The phrase “Peace sells” is rhetorical meaning that people do want peace and it would sell if it were actually marketed to them. The verses are sarcastic and ironic responses to criticisms thrown at people who are struggling in the current political/economic system.
Dave Mustaine said he tried Christianity just in case he was wrong about Heaven & Hell. When he noticed a drastic improvement in his life, he realized what he was looking for & decided to sick with it and live in God's word.
Hey Lex you have got to check out Testament "Return to Serinity" studio version. The guitar work and solos are completely beautiful, would love a reaction but either way you should check it out. By the way he is one of the guitarists that formed Trans Siberian Orchestra, I think you have mentioned them before in a past video.
Yessss! The riffs n Melodies n solos in that song and the legacy really hit the heart n soul its brought tears to my eyes in rough times great songs by Testament
So weird to see people experience these great bands and songs after so many years. This was my 20s, with big hair, endless touring live metal and rock shows, live bands laying it down in the bars - it was so fun!
Lex, never stop bouncing around. If you could see inside my soul while I’m listening to music, it would look like you lol. Please do Deliverance from Opeth 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
When this album came out I was instantly hooked, this being my favorite. It's a progressive metal epic, from start to finish. The lyrics are about how yes, peace 'sells' to the masses, but meanwhile the politicians keep the war industry in business with kickbacks, lobbying, etc., so in the end...who's really 'buying' peace? I'm betting it can be interpreted in many ways, as good art can be. This song, and their "High Speed Dirt" are my 2 favs. Thanks!
“It’s Beetlejuicy” is a great quote. Never thought of this song that way but love the movie and Megadeth and will always remember it. Keep exploring and appreciating or criticizing one of the best metal bands!
Want lyrics from megadeth. Hook in mouth. Really resonates with the times even though it was about censorship back in the eighties. PMRC and Tipper Gore. Funny how that gore name still relevant and the idea of censoring extremely relevant. I promise lyrics are so appropriate for today.
I feel y’all about the remaster thing, just with certain records and songs. It’s really just like the first 3, JUST NEVER LISTEN TO REMASTERED RUST IN PEACE.
I've been listening to this song for 35 years and to me it's always seemed the message is that it starts off with that those of us who live in the Western world at least are slaves to the system. We work hard and pay our taxes but we get little in return. Then it asks the question about warmongering. War makes money, big money for weapons manufacturers. Peace makes little money.
Not sure if anyone has recommended anything from Motorhead except "Ace of Spades" but I would love to see a reaction to Motorhead's "God was never on your side". It's a great tune and it was used in the TV show "Supernatural" in the last episode of season 14 if you ever watched that show. It's a great tune and not many people review it because maybe it is somewhat controversial, but whatever.
There are two things I really enjoy about these reaction videos: The first is seeing people light up hearing these songs for the first time. I've listened to this song for over 30 years and it's neat to see other people disovering it. The second is the marvelling at the musicianship and creativity. of these songs. New listeners can't believe the writing and how people play instruments to make those sounds. A lot of the members of these bands were in the their early/ mid 20's when they wrote these songs. Dave Mustaine was probably 24 at the oldest when he wrote and recorded this.
I think I'll call you two, Champagne and Bourbon. Brad, you're Bourbon because you go down smooth and warm. Lex you're a good Champagne because you are bubbly and a glass full of party and fun, popping all over the place making us smile, yet still complex after the first sip. And you both make us feel good.
I'm stoked you checked this song out finally. This is the song that sold me on Megadeth YEARS ago. The band name came from a pamphlet by California senator Alan Cranston that Mustaine found on the floor of a bus after being fired from Metallica. It read: "The arsenal of megadeath can't be rid no matter what the peace treaties come to." Dave always felt pushed aside and not wanted in life dealing with a bad family life. I always felt this song was about his disdain for the negativity that surrounded his life and the judgement people had on him.
The video to this song cuts to a kid watching Megadeth on TV when his dad walks in the room to change the channel and says to his kid, "What r u watching? I want to watch the News!". The kid changes it back to Megadeth and says to his Dad, "This is the News!". Then cuts to Peace Sells but who's Buyin chorus line. Great scene.
Saw them live in '89 for the first time ( my first concert ). When they get to the point that Dave sings " You mean you put a price on Peace!" The whole place went into nitrous fed berserker overdrive. It was fucking great 🤟🤟🤟
Its not meant to specify one certain idea , but it does lean toward the can man live in peace within the reality of surrendering his weapons . The song also uses focal scenarios to build up the questions of peace and personal sacrifices .
The funniest thing about Peace Sells is that Dave Mustaine saw it as a head line in a Readers Digest. That's literally where the idea for the song came from.
I'll leave you something that Dave said about the name of the song/album in a recent interview with Gibson. “‘Peace Sells’ lyrics were actually written with a very fat felt pen on the wall in the rehearsal studios in Vernon, California. I had been living there because we were all homeless, and I was living at the rehearsal building, which was dreadful. There was no fridge, no food, no nothing, no showers, and one day there was a magazine on the coffee table in the front room, and it was Reader’s Digest, and it had a story from Patti Smith - Patti Smith’s cool, right? So, she was talking about how ‘peace sells, but nobody’s buying it,’ and I went, ‘Wow, that’s a really cool statement. Peace Sells, but nobody’s buying…’ and then I changed it to ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?'” In my opinion the meaning of the lyrics has nothing to do with the name of it, i see the lines like a way of dispelling many of the stereotypes about the band and metal fans in general. More specifically, that they are lazy, anti-government, and anti-religion.
Killing is my business- Mechanix, Killing is my business Peace sells- Devil's island, conjuring So far, so good, so what- Set a world afire, hook in mouth Rust in peace- Five magics, take no prisoners CTE- Architecture of aggression, Sweating bullets Youthanasia- The Killing Road, Youthanasia Cryptic writings- Trust, She wolf Risk- nothing lol WNAH- Return to hangar, Dread and the fugitive mind The system has failed- Back in the day, Tears in a Vial United abominations- Never walk alone, Washington is next Thirteen- Sudden Death, Deadly Nightshade Super Collider- Dance in the rain, Kingmaker Dystopia- Poisonous Shadows, Conquer or die
If you need your mind completely distracted and shocked in an epic sort of way, then you need some THERION in your life! "To Mega Therion" - "In the Desert of Set" And pretty much any one of their 500 songs or so!
Rolling Stone Magazine: Frontman Dave Mustaine recalled the writing of this song to Rolling Stone: "I WAS HOMELESS at the time, and I was living in a rehearsal place in Vernon, California. I was seeing a girl, Diana - there were a lot of songs I wrote about her. I actually wrote the lyrics to that song on the wall, in that building. I didn't have any paper in the studio, but I had a Sharpie, so I just wrote on the wall. Whoever inherited our rehearsal room after I moved out, saw the original lyrics to 'Peace Sells' on the wall. They probably painted right over it and didn't even know it." Mustaine also penned the opening bassline, which became famous for being used as the theme for MTV News. He told Rolling Stone that he never received any royalties for their usage of it. Said Mustaine: "They didn't give me a penny. They cut it off right before they'd have to pay me, which was very clever. I don't think anybody with a conscience at MTV did that - it was probably somebody in their legal department." RollingStone
Hook in Mouth and then Architecture of Aggression and then Breadline just to see how much their sound changed before becoming thrash metal again in the 2000s.
The song speaks to the frustrations of the common people. No money no justice, little opportunity. Meanwhile, those in power stoke war for profit...and guess who fights those wars...the common people. Peace is a great brand, but no one in power is buying.
The way I always understood it was that it was a condemnation of the military industrial complex. That the idea of "Peace" is very marketable, but the only ones who can do something to achieve it are not interested because it would upset the system and cut their profits. This was also on Guitar Hero at some point. Another Megadeth song Brad can sink his teeth into is "A Tout le Monde". One of the more misunderstood songs of 80s metal. I recommend the original by Megadeth and then I also recommend the one featuring Cristina Scabbia from Lacuna Coil.
Peace sells is a cold war anthem. Tons of peace, nuclear treaties but always on the brink of war in spite of those treaties. The common people are always doing what is required of them but they are always the ones who have to worry about the consequences
having lived through the 80's lol yes i am old.....there was a lot of talk of arms dealers, military trade conventions, illegal arms trades etc. in the media during this time...movies, songs ya name it. also artistic censorship was at it height during the 80's so an artist's character was put under the microscope; so in short, the title actual means what it means peace sells but no one is buying it. second, yeah everyone speculates what would have happen if Dave never left Metallica along with Cliff not getting killed in that bus wreck makes people wonder what would have happened.