music
May 4, 2026
'We got a drive-by egging in Baltimore': Super Furry Animals on making The Man Don’t Give a Fuck
'The man is the establishment, I suppose, the military industrial complex. A few year later, when we played it live, we added a loop of Bill Hicks saying: “All governments are liars and murderers”'
TL;DR
- The song 'The Man Don't Give a Fuck' originated from a sample of Steely Dan's 'Show Biz Kids'.
- The band members initially experimented with techno sets and home studios before forming Super Furry Animals.
- Alan McGee of Creation Records recognized the song's hit potential despite its explicit content.
- Steely Dan initially denied permission for the sample, demanding 95% of royalties, but later agreed.
- The song became a de facto Christmas single due to its early December release date.
- Live performances of the song evolved, incorporating political commentary and extending to 23 minutes.
- A notable incident during a live performance involved a man attempting to drive a van through the crowd, who ended up dancing on top of it.