"Bawitdaba" is a song by American singer Kid Rock from his fourth studio album, Devil Without a Cause (1998). Serviced to US rock radio in February 1999, "Bawitdaba" helped push the success of the album. It has since become one of Kid Rock's most popular songs, receiving critical praise and entering the top 10 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, as well as on the New Zealand Singles Chart.

Background

"Bawitdaba" has been described as having a nu metal sound. Its chorus has been described as a "neo-gregorian drone"; this chorus was derived from hip hop chants, such as the refrain from the Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight". The lyrics of the song are dedicated to "the shots of Jack", "chicks with beepers", as well as "all the crackheads, the critics, the cynics / And all my heroes in the methadone clinic." On the demo recording of the song, Kid Rock shouts, "Now get in the pit and try to kill someone!" For the album version, he replaced "kill" with "love." Kid Rock told The Baltimore Sun that he was glad he had changed the lyric, explaining that mosh pits are about coexistence.

Reception

Critics and fans consider "Bawitdaba" to be one of Kid Rock's best songs. In 2009, "Bawitdaba" was named the 47th best hard rock song of all time by VH1. The song was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Awards in the Best New Artist and Best Hard Rock Performance categories.

Music video

The song's accompanying video gained regular rotation on MTV as it grew in popularity. The video opens with numerous clips of backstage touring footage featuring members of Korn, in addition Fred Durst and Sam Rivers of Limp Bizkit. The video depicts Kid Rock and his band performing in a trailer park with numerous children playing football with Joe C. in the background. As the video progresses, it features shots of Kid Rock driving a large Cadillac as he is accompanied by numerous women. The video then cuts to the band performing the song's breakdown in a darkened field in front of a large mosh pit.

Track listings

UK CD1 UK CD2 UK CD3 European and Australian CD single

Credits and personnel

Credits are lifted from the UK CD1 and Devil Without a Cause liner notes. Studios Musicians Other personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Release history