Category Archives: Books Music Movies & Entertainment

Source: New Statesman

It’s no secret that torturing suspects and terrorists with music has become standard practice. Questionable lyrics, silly melodies, and really loud volume can make a man crazy when these tunes are played 4 bazillion times. Here are songs that have proven to assault the senses during FBI standoffs, Guantanamo Bay interrogations, and other situations where torture and intimidation was needed. I was surprised to see that Nickleback was not among them. Maybe that’s busted out for only the most dire circumstances. (via Mental Floss)

1. Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA”– A majority of the songs used in Guantanamo Bay consisted of seemingly patriotic ditties like Springsteen’s most famous American anthem.
2. Christina Aguilera’s “Dirrty” – The “20th hijacker” of the Sept. 11 attacks, got one of two wake-up calls during his stay in Guantanamo Bay: dripping water on his head or an earful of Aguilera’s sexually charged lyrics.
3. Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Were Made for Walking” – In 1993, the FBI blasted this song through loudspeakers during the Waco standoff with cult leader David Koresh. They considered using Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Achy Breaky Heart,” but were afraid the people inside may actually like it.
4. AC/DC’s “Shoot to Thrill” and “Hells Bells” – Hard Rock songs like these are a favorite tool of military to intimidate rebels and small armies in the mid-east and Somalia. Many of them have not heard this type of music, and like our grandparents, it frightens them.
5. Anything by Barry Manilow – The New Zealand town of Christchurch recently blasted the crooner’s tunes throughout their central mall district to drive away the local punks who had been littering the area with graffiti, drinking in public and doing drugs.
6. Barney the Dinosaur’s “I Love You” – If you have a child who was into this evil bastard dinosaur, then I don’t need to say anything more. You are already broken.