We're Not Gonna Take IT (Twisted Sister Song)

We're Not Gonna Take It (Twisted Sister Song)

"We're Not Gonna Take It" is a 1984 hit song by the American heavy metal band Twisted Sister from their album Stay Hungry. The song was first released as a single (with "You Can't Stop Rock & Roll" as the B-side) on April 27, 1984. The Stay Hungry album was released two weeks later, on May 10, 1984. The single reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, making it Twisted Sister's only Top 40 single. The song was ranked number 47 on 100 Greatest 80's Songs and number 21 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s.

The song premiered in San Bernardino in 1984, along with many other songs from Stay Hungry.

The song was written by vocalist Dee Snider. As influences for the song, he cites the glam rock band Slade, the punk band Sex Pistols, and the Christmas carol, "O Come, All Ye Faithful".

The song is notable for its popular music video directed by Marty Callner, with its emphasis on slapstick comedy, where a parent gets the worst of the band's mischief. Controversy arose when the depiction of the family in the video caused a public outcry long before the "explicit lyrics" warning was placed on records, cassettes, and CDs. This led to the formation of the Parents Music Resource Center, co-founded by Tipper Gore (who later became Second Lady of the United States). Mark Metcalf, the actor portraying the father in the video, had previously played Neidermeyer, the ROTC student commander in National Lampoon's Animal House (1978). In a reference to his role in the film, Metcalf says "A Twisted Sister pin? On your uniform?!" in the video which also features excessive bowel movements. Snider himself can also be heard cursing and swearing the question "A pledge pin? On your uniform?" at the end of the song.

In 1999, the US rock band Lit parodied the opening scene in their video for "Zip Lock".

The song is the theme song of the American reality comedy television series Betty White's Off Their Rockers.

2012 Republican vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan's camp used the song in their campaign, until Dee Snider asked Ryan not to play it anymore; Snider stated that he does not support Ryan.