It was a hit. Their highest-selling single in the US, their only song to crack the Billboard Hot 100, and on every “Greatest Hits of the ‘80s” list. And fun fact: its DNA is part glam rock (inspired by Slade) and part… Christmas carol? Yup. If you listen closely, you’ll hear shades of “O Come, All Ye Faithful.”
On April 27, 1984, Twisted Sister dropped the “We’re Not Gonna Take It” single from their Stay Hungry album, giving every rebellious teenager the ultimate battle cry. Tired of being told what to do? Dee Snider had your back.
But Dee was a fanboy, too. That final line, “You’re all worthless and weak!” came straight from Animal House. And who better to scream it in the now-legendary music video than Mark Metcalf, the actor who played the same unhinged authority figure in the movie?
Speaking of that iconic video…
The overbearing dad yells, “What do you wanna do with your life?” and gets catapulted out the window by the kids’ (or Dee’s) defiant response: “I WANNA ROCK!” I mean, dad needed to chill the fuck out.
MTV couldn’t play it enough. Parents hated it. Kids loved it. And the PMRC? Oh, they really hated it. But that only made it more legendary.
Below is the Dee Snider’s PMRC Senate Hearing Speech. This video was gold…Dee walked out like a king.
Anyway, “We’re Not Gonna Take It” wasn’t just a song—it was a movement. Whether you were fighting curfews, teachers, or life itself, Twisted Sister handed you the perfect soundtrack to throw a little rebellion into the mix. And it’s still raising fists decades later—from Trump’s 2016 campaign to protests against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This anthem still blasts through speakers at protests, sports arenas, and anywhere people need a reminder to stand their ground.
So, next time life tries to push you around, crank it up, and remember—we’re still not gonna take it.
Rock on,
Sam ✊
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