Don't Need a Gun
| "Don't Need a Gun" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Billy Idol | ||||
| from the album Whiplash Smile | ||||
| B-side | "Fatal Charm" | |||
| Released | January 1987 (US)[1] 16 February 1987 (UK)[2] | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | Chrysalis | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Billy Idol | |||
| Producer(s) | Keith Forsey | |||
| Billy Idol singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Don't Need a Gun" on YouTube | ||||
"Don't Need a Gun" is a song by English rock musician Billy Idol, released in 1987 as the second single from his third studio album Whiplash Smile. It was a #37 pop hit in the United States on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.
Composition and lyrics
[edit]"Don't Need a Gun" is a rock song with elements of punk and hard rock,[3] written by Billy Idol.[4] The verses have an atmospheric, "new wave-ish" sound, making use of synthesizers, giving way to more rocking choruses.[5] The song has a clear content about the risk of using firearms.
The chorus of the song includes references to "Tutti Frutti", "Flip, Flop and Fly" and "Lawdy Miss Clawdy". The final verse name-checks Elvis Presley, Johnnie Ray and Gene Vincent.
Music video
[edit]The music video, directed by Julien Temple, features Idol and Stevens performing the song at a liquor store crime scene in Hollywood.[5]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Don't Need a Gun" | Billy Idol | 4:30 |
| 2. | "Fatal Charm" | 3:51 |
Personnel
[edit]Credits adapted from Whiplash Smile liner notes.[6]
- Billy Idol – vocals, guitars, bass
- Steve Stevens – guitars, keyboards, programming, bass
- Phillip Ashley – keyboards
- Harold Faltermeyer – keyboards
- David Frank – keyboards
- Richard Tee – keyboards
- Marcus Miller – bass
- John Regan – bass
- Keith Forsey – producer
Charts
[edit]| Chart (1987) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Germany[7] | 36 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[8] | 27 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[9] | 29 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[10] | 26 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[11] | 37 |
| US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[12] | 10 |
References
[edit]- ^ Strong, Martin Charles (1995). Great Rock Discography. Canongate Press. p. 405. ISBN 978-0-86241-541-9.
- ^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 13.
- ^ Peacock, Tim (October 20, 2024). "'Whiplash Smile': Billy Idol's Confident Third Album". uDiscover Music. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ Echazabal, Gabe (May 6, 2018). "Review: 34 years after their first encounter, Billy Idol and an obsessed fanboy meet again at Clearwater's Capitol Theatre". Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ a b Reesman, Bryan (April 4, 2024). "8 Diverse Deep Cuts from Billy Idol". American Songwriter. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ "Whiplash Smile". Discogs. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
- ^ "spanishcharts.com - Billy Idol - Don't Need A Gun". Retrieved October 19, 2017.
- ^ "Billy Idol – Don't Need a Gun". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
- ^ "Billy Idol – Don't Need a Gun". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
- ^ "Billy Idol Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
- ^ "Billy Idol Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
External links
[edit]- "Don't Need a Gun" at Discogs
