Better By You, Better Than Me
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| “Better By You, Better Than Me” | |||||
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| Single by Judas Priest from the album Stained Class |
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| Released | 1978 | ||||
| Format | 45 RPM | ||||
| Recorded | October-November 1977 | ||||
| Genre | Hard Rock | ||||
| Length | 3:24 | ||||
| Label | CBS, Inc. (UK) & Columbia Records (US) | ||||
| Writer(s) | Gary Wright | ||||
| Producer | James Guthrie Judas Priest |
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| Judas Priest singles chronology | |||||
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| Killing Machine track listing | |||||
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Better By You, Better Than Me is a song by British heavy metal band Judas Priest. The song was originally performed by the band Spooky Tooth and written by its keyboardist Gary Wright.
The song was the subject of the infamous 1990 "subliminal message trial" in which Judas Priest was involved in a civil action that alleged they were responsible for the suicide attempts of 2 young men in Reno, Nevada.
The mens' parents and their legal team, headed by Nevada attorney Ken McKenna (attorney), alleged that a subliminal message of "do it" had been included in the song. They alleged the command in the song triggered the suicide attempt. The suit was eventually dismissed. One of the defense witnesses, Dr Timothy E. Moore, wrote an article for Skeptical Inquirer chronicling the trial.
[edit] Trial
In 1990, the Judas Priest was involved in a civil action that alleged they were responsible for the suicide attempts in 1985 of 20-year old James Vance and 19-year old Ray Belknap in Reno, Nevada, USA.[1] On December 23, 1985 Vance and Belknap got intoxicated then went to a playground at a Lutheran church in Reno. Belknap shot a 12 gauge shotgun under his chin, dying instantly, and Vance followed, but survived with a severely disfigured face. He died three years later after a suicidal overdose of painkillers.[2]
The mens' parents and their legal team, headed by Nevada attorney Ken Mckenna, alleged that a subliminal message of "do it" had been included in the song. They alleged the command in the song triggered the suicide attempt.[1] The suit was eventually dismissed.[1] One of the defense witnesses, Dr Timothy E. Moore, wrote an article for Skeptical Inquirer chronicling the trial.[1]
The trial was covered in the 1991 documentary Dream Deceivers: The Story Behind James Vance Vs. Judas Priest. In the documentary Halford commented that, if they wanted to insert subliminal commands in their music, killing their fans would be counterproductive and they would prefer to insert the command "Buy more of our records". Regarding the prosecution's assertions that the statement "do it" was a command to commit suicide, Halford pointed out "do it" had no direct message.
In popular culture, comedian Bill Hicks referred to the case in his stand-up routines, asking "What musician wants his audience dead?" He performed an apocryphal sketch in a British accent mimicking Judas Priest being sick of their immense wealth, power, and fame and coming up with the subliminal message as a solution to their problems. Comedian Denis Leary also commented on the trial on his album No Cure For Cancer, saying heavy metal bands should put more subliminal messages in their records: "Kill the band, kill your parents, then kill yourself". Jay Leno also made fun of the trial.
The trial is still referenced by people inside and outside of the music community. The Bloodhound Gang song "Lift Your Head Up High" includes an extended reference to the Subliminal Message trial, which parodies the concept of playing a song backwards to extract hidden messages. As well, the Mr. Show episode "The Return of the Curse of the Creature's Ghost" has a sketch in which a fictional band "Titannica" is sued by a fan who tries to commit suicide after listening to their hit song "Try Suicide".
[edit] Personnel
- Rob Halford: Lead Vocals
- K.K. Downing: Guitars
- Glenn Tipton: Guitars, Backing Vocals
- Ian Hill: Bass Guitar
- Les Binks: Drums
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