Animal (Fuck Like a Beast)
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"Animal (Fuck Like a Beast)" is a song by Blackie Lawless, released as the first single by W.A.S.P..
[edit] History
Recorded in early 1984, the debut single intended for the self-titled album of W.A.S.P. was close to not being released at all after being dropped from the album. Deemed too controversial, Capitol Records did not want to risk the album being banned from major retail chains.
The record company had subsequent plans to release the single only in Europe, in a black plastic bag and with a warning sticker about the explicit lyrics. Capitol backed out at the last minute and the single was shelved until the band was able to strike a one-off publishing deal with the independent label Music For Nations.
The single was finally released in April 1984, complete with the original sleeve and art depicting a codpiece and a circular saw.
[edit] Story behind the lyrics
For a long time, the song contained nothing but two lines from the opening verse: "I've got pictures of naked ladies, lying on their beds".
Blackie Lawless has stated in interviews (and in an introduction to the song on the live album Sting) he was inspired to complete the song after watching comedian Sam Kinison perform as an opening act for W.A.S.P at the Troubadour in West Hollywood.
In the routine Kinison was ranting and raving about his (alleged) wife, whom he kept calling a beast because of her apparent sexual appetite. After seeing the performance, Lawless put two and two together and wrote the song overnight.