AK47 Lyrics

Lyric discussion by SouthPhillyHooligan 

Cover art for AK47 lyrics by UK Subs

This song is about the Avomat Kalashnikova 1947 or AK-47, the most popular assault rifle in the world. Designed by an enlisted Red Army tanker, Mikhail Kalashnikov, while recuperating from wounds sustained in WWII (Great Patriotic War in USSR/Russia), , the AK-47 quickly became the world's most used assault rifle due to its simple design, ease of use, cheap manufacture, robustness, effectiveness and legendary reliability. It is believed that the AK-47 has killed more people than any other single model of rifle, and almost three times as many AKs have been produced as its next closest competitor, the AR-15 (M-16).

Due to the ubiquitousness of the AK and its immediately recognizable, unique design, the weapon has taken on an almost legendary status in global culture. The venerable rifle has come to symbolize many things to many people-- civil strife, guerilla warfare, Communism, crime and, yes, even freedom-- sometimes many or all these things at once. It has even found itself incorporated into Mozambique's flag and coat of arms.

Long before Ice Cube and other rappers spit about AKs, this UK Subs song seems to focus primarily on the civil strife and criminal symbolism of the AK-47, and perhaps, even the freedom-fighter aspect (from the description of the prophet with the AK-47, but this is certainly debatable).

Song Meaning

yep. whats amazing about this song is that it was written probably 30 years ago, and yet it sounds like it was written 3 years ago. I feel the same way about "Warhead", these guys had much more insight than your typical "political punk" band