Devil Without a Cause
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Devil Without a Cause is Kid Rock's breakthrough album and his fourth overall. It was released in 1998 by Atlantic Records and produced by Kid Rock with John Travis. The album was certified 11 times Platinum and by the RIAA by April 2003.[citation needed] In 2007, the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame named Devil Without a Cause the 68th best album of all time. At the time it was refreshing sound mixing hardcore rap with metal guitars with a gospel chorus, this album along with Limp Bizkit's "Significant Other" inspired the rap metal movement of the late 90s and early 2000's. The most glaring thing about the album that separated it from the other bands is that it contained country and blues elements to the raps in songs such as "Cowboy","Wasting Time" and "I Got One For Ya".
Success on radio
The albums lead single was the rap anthem "Welcome 2 The Party". It failed to find a market and Devil Without A Cause failed to do anything until March of 1999. In March of 1999 he released " I Am The Bullgod" a country metal number with a catchy Alice N Chains inspired chorus. It would peak at #31 on the mainstream rock tracks, and gain MTV's attention. The third single proceded to blow up with MTV's exposure. In May of 1999 Kid Rock released "Bawitdaba" a non sensical rap metal song that's chorus used an old school rap chant. The MTV crowd and radio ate it up. It peaked outside of the Hot 100 at #104 and was #10 on mainstream rock and #11 modern rock. It also charted at #45 in the UK and #84 in Sweden and Denmark. "Cowboy" would be the next released single it threw elements of country music to the mix. It would be his first pop hit charting at #82 on the Hot 100 and #34 on the Top 40. It was #5 on Modern Rock and #10 on Mainstream Rock charts. It would chart in the UK at #34. The next single was the southern rock power ballad "Only God Knows Why". It would chart at #19 on the Hot 100 and #6 on the Top 40. It would peak on the rock charts at #13 on modern rock and #5 on mainstream rock. The song would become Kid Rock's first AC hit at #23 and peaked at #96 in Denmark. The album's final single was "Wasting Time" it was a minor mainstream rock hit at #35.
Musical analysis
Before Kid Rock released the "Devil" album, he was marketed early on as a white rapper. It is well known that his earliest influences were hip hop and r&b, however, what many fans and critics fail to realize is that Kid Rock never intended to remain a rap artist. Throughout the entire album, we get a glimpse of the future through subtle hints that he's always been country. In the song "I am the Bullgod," there is a brief lyric that states "...and I feel a little Hank flowing through my blood..." Also, the most obvious single on the record, "Cowboy," is a daring "country" flavored rap anthem. Many people give Kid Rock the credit for creating the new rap metal sound, however, it is a highly misunderstood concept. In reality, he had created early on the new country music revolution known as "country metal" by a select group of fans. This idea was not openly promoted until 2001's "Cocky."
In the song "Where U At Rock," Kid Rock specifically announces that nobody "...knows where I'm comin' from, or where I'm going to..." This may not exactly prove his daring move into "country metal," however, it clearly gives a subtle hint as to his true musical direction.
After "Fuck Off" ends, there are a series of messages from Kid Rock's answering machine that introduce the next track. These are actually part of track 13, but the CD labels the start of the actual song as the skip-to point for the track.
There is a clean version of the album, which removes most of the profanity and innuendo, as well as the songs "Fuck Off", and "Black Chick, White Guy". Both versions feature a techno rock remix of "I Am the Bullgod" as a hidden track. However, on the album's explicit version there is still profanity and innuendo censored out on "Cowboy", the first part of "Welcome 2 the Party", and "I Got One For Ya'". Also, in "Fuck Off", the words "Cancer" and "Homo" were censored out in the second verse.
On the edited copy of the CD, the cover of the CD itself is all black with the name "Kid Rock" at the top. The original, un-edited cover of the CD which is photo of a big middle finger. On the vinyl version there is a small demon performing fellatio.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Bawitdaba" | R.J. Ritchie, Mark Shaffer, Jason Krause | 4:27 |
| 2. | "Cowboy" | Ritchie, Shaffer, John Travis, J. Trombly | 4:17 |
| 3. | "Devil Without A Cause" | Kenny Olson, Ritchie, Shaffer, T. Shaw, L. Smith, Jalil "Whodini" Hutchins | 5:32 |
| 4. | "I Am the Bullgod" | Ritchie | 4:50 |
| 5. | "Roving Gangster (Rollin')" | Ritchie, Shaffer, M. Morales, Dave Robinson, Producer #2, Andrew Nehra, Damon Wimbley | 4:24 |
| 6. | "Wasting Time" | Ritchie, Shaffer, Lindsey Buckingham | 4:02 |
| 7. | "Welcome 2 The Party (Ode 2 The Old School)" | Ritchie, Shaffer, Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland, Brian Holland | 5:14 |
| 8. | "I Got One For Ya (feat. Robert Bradley)" | Olson, Ritchie, Shaffer, Travis, J. Williams | 3:37 |
| 9. | "Somebody's Gotta Feel This" | Ritchie, Shaffer, Olson, Travis | 3:09 |
| 10. | "Fist Of Rage" | Ritchie, Shaffer, Travis | 3:23 |
| 11. | "Only God Knows Why" | Ritchie, Shaffer, Travis | 5:27 |
| 12. | "Fuck Off (feat. Eminem)" | Ritchie, Shaffer, Eminem, Krause | 6:13 |
| 13. | "Where U At Rock" | Ritchie | 4:24 |
| 14. | "Black Chick, White Guy" | Ritchie | 7:08 |
| 15. | "I Am The Bullgod Remix (Hidden Track)" | Ritchie | 4:53 |
Atlantic Records Demo Tape
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Somebody's Gotta Feel This" | 3:07 |
| 2. | "I Got One For Ya" | 3:58 |
| 3. | "Bawitdaba" | 4:05 |
| 4. | "Cowboy" | 4:09 |
| 5. | "Wasting Time" | 4:05 |
| 6. | "I Am The Bullgod" | 4:47 |
Demos
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Bawitdaba ( No My Name Is Kid Rock)" | 4:24 |
| 2. | "Cowboy" | 4:25 |
| 3. | "Devil Without A Cause (without Joe C)" | 5:38 |
| 4. | "Wasting Time" | 3:58 |
| 5. | "Only God Knows Why" | 5:44 |
| 6. | "I'm A Dog" | 3:44 |
Samples
- Bawitdaba- "Rapper's Delight" by Sugarhill Gang
- Cowboy-"Midnight Rider" by The Allman Brothers Band "L.A. Women" by The Doors
- Devil Without A Cause- "The Freaks Come Out At Night" by Whotini "Don't Fight The Feeling" by Too Short
- Roving Gnagster (Rollin)- "Stick Em" by The Fat Boys
- Wasting Time- "Second Hand News" by Fleetwood Mac
- Welcome 2 The Party-"Free Your Mind" by The Politicians
- Somebody's Gotta Feel This- "Kick Out The Jams" by The MC5's
- Fist Of Rage-"Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zeppelin
- Black Chick,White Guy- "Ain't No Sunshine"-Bill Withers
Musicians
- Kid Rock- Vocals, Guitar, Banjo, Acoustic Guitar, Synthesizer
- Jimmy Bones - Keyboard, Organ, Piano, Harp, Synth Bass
- Joe C. - Raps
- Stefanie Eulinberg - Drums, Percussion
- Shirley Hayden - Background vocals
- Jason Krause - Metal Guitar, Electric guitar
- Misty Love - Background vocals
- Kenny Olson -Lead Guitar
- Uncle Kracker - Turntables, background vocals
- Eminem - Vocals on Fuck Off
- Kenny Tudrick- Guitar, Drums
- Robert Bradley-Vocals on "I Got One For Ya"
- Thornetta Davis-Vocals on "Wasting Time"