Peanuts In My Pocket

Welcome back to Top Ten Tuesdays, my weekly series where I rank favorites across music, movies, books, and more. This week, I’m highlighting a band I have a somewhat unexpected connection with: Rage Against the Machine.

I have an odd relationship with Rage. When they hit the scene in the early ’90s, my eldest son was the one listening to them. People like me, raised in the late ’70s, weren’t exactly the target audience. Their aggressive sound, political lyrics, and rebellious attitude weren’t an immediate fit for the music I was used to. I can’t tell you the first time I heard them, or a moment I “fell in love” with their sound.

But I can tell you this: when I heard Rage, something clicked. It wasn’t so much the music pulling me in; it was the message. Rage spoke to something inside me. And I listened.

Eventually, their music became deeply connected to a sport I love: disc golf, alongside other favorites like Bob Marley and the Wailers. I played countless rounds in foursomes with friends who shared a love for music. We’d carry portable speakers and blast tunes while throwing discs through quiet, wooded courses. This was pre-pandemic, when disc golf was still under the radar and the courses were largely empty with no one around to mind the soundtrack.

Things are different now. Disc golf exploded during the pandemic, and playing loud music on crowded courses is considered poor etiquette. So I’ve adapted. I wear headphones now.

Still, every round begins the same: “Pistol Grip Pump.” It’s my ritual. That track gets my head in the game and helps me dial in, even when I’m playing solo. Rage remains a powerful force in my playlists and in the rhythm of my life.

🎧 My Top 10 Rage Against the Machine Songs

1. Pistol Grip Pump – My go-to game starter. Sharp, steady, and confidence-boosting.
2. Renegades of Funk – A fierce anthem with unstoppable groove.
3. People of the Sun – Short, intense, and razor-sharp in message.
4. Killing in the Name – The definitive Rage track. Anger, rebellion, catharsis.
5. Bulls on Parade – That riff. That attitude. A certified adrenaline booster.
6. Take the Power Back – Raw energy meets razor-sharp social commentary.
7. Bombtrack – A slow build into fury. Classic Rage power.
8. Sleep Now in the Fire – Political fire set to a relentless beat.
9. Know Your Enemy – Funk, metal, message—this one has it all.
10. Guerrilla Radio – A battle cry for the disillusioned. Infectious and uncompromising.

🎧 Listen on Spotify: Top 10 Rage Against the Machine