Empire

About Empire

"Empire" is a song by English rock band Kasabian, included as the title track for their second studio album, Empire (2006). It was released 24 July 2006 as the lead single from that album on CD. The single became popular immediately, entering the UK Singles Chart at number nine, its peak position, making it the band's third UK top-10 single. On 21 August 2006, 10-inch and DVD versions of the single were released.

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The song was available as a pre-order on the band's website which also included a free download of their cover of David Bowie's "Heroes", which was used for ITV's coverage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. It was also used during series 9 of Top Gear.

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Background

Guitarist Sergio Pizzorno said,

'Empire' is about disobeying orders; it's about the middle finger to the machine. We are in a rock 'n' roll band; we are outlaws - we are bandits and we are pirates. We earn a living from being musicians - now that to me is amazing and now 'Empire' - we used this as a metaphor in war to disobey the generals when the order was given and the lads said: 'You know what? 'Fuck 'em, I'm not doing what you say anymore'

Notable quotes

“The world is full of the markers of abandoned empires, from Hadrian’s Wall to the Great Wall of China, from the remnants of the one in Arizona to the remnants of the one in Berlin.”
— Elizabeth Bear, The Hand is Quicker— (2014), reprinted in Rich Horton (ed.), The Year’s Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015 (p. 430)
“It was this idea (Be nice!) that fueled liberals' rage at Reagan when he vanquished the Soviet Union with his macho "cowboy diplomacy" that was going to get us all blown up. As the Times editorial page hysterically described Reagan's first year in office: "Mr. Reagan looked at the world through gun sights." Yes, he did! And now the Evil Empire is no more.”
— Ann Coulter, "Are videotaped beheadings covered by Geneva?" (20 September 2006)
“The various modes of worship, which prevailed in the Roman world, were all considered by the people, as equally true; by the philosopher, as equally false; and by the magistrate, as equally useful.”
— Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1776), Volume 1, Chapter 2
“Cultural elites in countries that dominate peoples have adapted subject people’s religion for their own purposes.”
— Richard A. Horsley, Religion and Empire: People, Power, and the Life of the Spirit (2003), p. 12. ISBN 0800636317.
“Empires have no interest in operating within an international system; they aspire to be the international system. Empires have no need for a balance of power. That is how the United States has conducted its foreign policy in the Americas, and China through most of its history in Asia.”
— Henry Kissinger, Diplomacy (1994), p. 21
“Empires are inherently politically unstable because subordinate units almost always prefer greater autonomy, and counterelites in such units almost always act, upon opportunity, to obtain greater autonomy. In this sense, empires do not fall; they rather fall apart, usually very slowly, though sometimes remarkably quickly.”
— Donald J. Puchala, "Theory and History in International Relations", p.56.

Quotes via Wikiquote (CC BY-SA), each with its original source.

Empire

Empire

Article

Background

Notable quotes

Notable quotes

Article

Background

Composition

Music video

Track listings

Personnel