Musicians have a certain ear. They hear things the average person does not. Simple, everyday objects can become an instrument if put in the right hands. Find three stellar, yet extremely random samples used in hit songs below.
Videos by American Songwriter
Anvil — “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” Metallica
For a hill, men would kill, why? They do not know
Stiffened wounds test their pride
Men of five, still alive through the raging glow
Gone insane from the pain that they surely know
The anvil is one of those tools that seems resigned to a particular era. They don’t seem to be quite as popular as Looney Toons suggest. Nevertheless, Metallica seemed to have found a use for the object while recording “For Whom the Bell Tolls.” Despite the title, the band felt they needed a more robust sound to relay the foreboding tolling. They opted for the anvil and, judging by the end result, it was an apt choice.
Dental Drill — “Bury a Friend,” Billie Eilish
What do you want from me?
Why don’t you run from me?
What are you wondering?
What do you know?
Why aren’t you scared of me?
Why do you care for me?
When we all fall asleep, where do we go?
Billie Eilish‘s music is anything but conventional. She has never been afraid to push the envelope. One of the best examples of that is the sample of a dental drill that she uses in “Bury a Friend.” Never has that shrill instrument sounded so appealing. She and her producer/brother FINNEAS spliced together an enticing rhythmic element with the most unlikely of sources.
Sex Noises — “Rocket Queen,” Guns N’ Roses
If I say I don’t need anyone, I can say these things to you
‘Cause I can turn on anyone just like I’ve turned on you
I’ve got a tongue like a razor, a sweet switchblade knife
And I can do you favors but then you’ll do whatever I like
Guns N’ Roses proved they were true hedonistic and volatile rockers on many occasions, but one moment that sticks out in the band’s history is the inclusion of sex noises in “Rocket Queen.” The NSFW noises that can be heard in the song are the product of a union between Axl Rose and drummer Steven Adler’s girlfriend, Adriana Smith.
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