The Fat of the Land is the third studio album by English electronic music group the Prodigy, released on 30 June 1997 through XL Recordings. The album received critical acclaim and topped the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200. It has sold over 10 million copies worldwide as of 2019.
because of the album cover all i could think of was crab rave.
The Fat of the Land by The Prodigy (1997) Presented with a British electronic punk album having an opening track entitled “Smack My Bitch Up” and with ‘lyrics’ that simply repeat the phrase “Smack My Bitch Up” eight times (and “Change My Pitch Up” only six times), what’s a stunned but serious listener to do? The phrase “Smack My Bitch Up” is clearly the central, attention-grabbing focus of the song. Well, in the first place, I had to turn it down so my wife couldn’t hear it. Even with headphones, the ladies would be able to tell that “Smack My Bitch Up” was being played (again and again, apparently, since this album hit #1 in the weekly charts in the US, UK, and, well, pretty much throughout the world). In 1997, a lot of women were aware that their men were listening to “Smack My Bitch Up”. If I were playing “Smack My Bitch Up” loud in the car in my driveway, my wife, daughter, and son could have heard what I was playing from inside the house. If I had been playing “Smack My Bitch Up” while pulling in to a gas station, everyone, male and female, would know. I’m sure this happened millions of times, as this album was so popular. Now, writing as one who has never “Smack[ed] My Bitch Up”, I should perhaps merely confess that I can’t relate and move on. But that wouldn’t be fair to the art. “Smack My Bitch Up” does have a pretty cool groove. And the wailing, non-verbal Asian female vocal in the last half of “Smack My Bitch Up” by Shahin Badar is very nice, but it makes me wonder if she was aware of the ‘lyrics’ when she laid down her non-verbal contribution to “Smack My Bitch Up” (or whether she was even given a choice by the artists who were laying down “Smack My Bitch Up”—she might have been somewhat intimidated). Now to be fair, in response to the obvious outcry over “Smack My Bitch Up” (by the National Organization for Women and many others), I read on Wikipedia that the men comprising this band persistently interpreted the phrase “Smack My Bitch Up” as “doing anything intensely”. Think about that. It seems disingenuous, if not outright deceptive. No, let’s call a spade a spade: That’s bullshit. I mean, “Smack My Bitch Up” should pretty well be interpreted as “Smack My Bitch Up”, right? On the other hand, I might have been tempted defend “Smack My Bitch Up” by claiming ‘at least it doesn’t say “Smack My Bitch Down”’. There’s a huge irony in the fact that the phrase “Smack My Bitch Up” is not even performed by the band members. It is sampled from “Give the Drummer Some” by Ultramagnetic MCs (1988), where it goes: “Smack My Bitch Up, like a pimp”. I suppose The Prodigy understood that the pimping in question was being done “intensely”, as in “Smack My Bitch Up? You must be doing some pretty intense pimping there, dude”. This is an intensity that eludes me, and I join with the National Organization for Women in challenging the toxic masculinity that is evident in this work. But we should not be surprised that notoriety is lucrative if it is adroitly monetized. I understand there are other tracks on this album, but we’re out of time. 1/5
OH MY GOD THAT’S THE FUNKY SHIT
Little-known fact: the biggest single event in history to contribute to climate change was the Great Co2 Emission of 1997, in which every angsty, rebellious teenage girl in the world burned her Nine inch Nails and Type O Negative posters to make room for Prodigy ones. haha fuck, can you imagine being the parent of a shitty teenage kid and seeing this come on TV on a saturday morning? Imagine that sinking feeling in your stomach as you listened to this scungy UK techno dog shit and watched Keith Flint jump around like the degenerate he was, just knowing that your horrid adolescent turd is going to latch straight onto this and start looking like it by the end of the week. And you're helpless to stop it, you can only watch and silently scream. Wouldn't you just want to kill yourself there and then? 3/5 though, cause I was one of those shithead teenagers who thought the Prodigy was pretty rad haha. The album goes for too long, all scungy UK rave techno does, but the singles are still bangers.
Seminal big beat album that would influence electronic music for years to come. Tracks are among the most impressive pieces of electronic music I've ever heard, succeeding in making such a hard abrasive sound work so well. The three top hits are masterpieces. "Narayan" and "Climbatize" are just as impressive in demonstrating Liam's immense talent. The other songs are all great, with plenty of variation to keep anyone engaged in any song. The tracks are spread out in a way to keep the flow going uninterrupted. There are no out-of-place or drawn-out tracks. There's no way I could give this album anything less than a perfect score.
This album was pretty great. Ultimate example of the rave sound of the 90s. Not really my thing musically so I didn't want to give this 5 stars but I have to. It's as good as anything I've heard so far.
This album held up well. I actually gave it 2 listens. I remember being more drawn to the aggro tracks like Firestarter as a younger man, but I enjoyed the others more this time around. Also got way more of the sample references and the strong Kool Keith influence this time. Probably still more partial to Jilted Generation (2nd album) but damn Breathe is a killer track.
They blended electronic with rock not the first to do it but the first to do it well. Every song here is a banger. Every song something new and exciting sounds as awesome as it did at the time and blows a lot of contemporary music up.
I bought this on the day of release and loved it immediately. This album easily makes its way into my personal all time top ten, and is unlike any of the other nine. I still get chills listening to this today, it puts me into something of a daze like I'm hypnotised. There are very few albums that can take me out of my mind and make me lost amid the sounds. This does it effortlessly, no matter how many thousands of times I've listened.
Got a long drive to do through the night? This will keep you going. From the halcyon days of acid house and all night parties in unknown locations. This will take you back there.
Wow, so all those came from this album? It is a headbanger. This took me way back.
One of the best The prodigy albums. Music is driven, fast and enjoyable.
Psycho-somatic addict-insanely good!
There's an enjoyable song on this album. The problem is that they play it 10 times with different names.
Singles like Firestarter and Breathe evoke really pleasant memories of 1997 and being a teenager etc etc. But beyond the nostalgia, this is a really good album. Techno and electronics are not a genre I would normally listen to, but messrs Howlett, Flint and Maxim recorded some timeless music. Catchy tunes, great vocals superb production and arrangements plenty of gusto. Love it. Also, hadn't played this in ages, so was nice to hear it again!
Hit after hit, sound of the 90s
An immense album of beats and aggressive electronica. "Breathe" is the nearest "dance" has got to the Sex Pistols...brilliant stuff. Play it loud, ignore the neighbours, destroy a room.
Great
To me, the prodigy has always seemed like joke music for speed freaks. Giving it a chance, I found that it actually slaps pretty hard. Some of the vocals are still embarassing to me though. Strong 3.
Packed with interesting synths and samples. Relentless, banging, and kind of wearing after a while. EVERYONE IS SHOUTING and ALL THE SOUNDS WANT TO BE IN THE FOREGROUND and HERE'S ANOTHER ANGRY MAN SHOUTING WITH A FIZZING SYNTHESIZER
Oh Yes.
Energizing music to rave to
Feel like I am watching a 90s piracy ad while listening to this. Wasn’t all that impressed but it is nice to turn on to get work done.
A whirlpool of mind bending rocket fuel that spins you inside out and leaves you dripping with an urgent sense to fuck anything in front of you. A crunched up volcano at the point of climax, pulsating and throbbing, ready to culminate all over your brand new shoes. It's the entire Chelsea first team and backroom staff jizzing all over your chest on a Tuesday afternoon.
I had this CD... In the late 90's early 2000's that meant a lot...
Banging basslines which are hard to resist doing firestarter-esque head bangs throughout.
Great one
I was obsessed with this album for about two weeks in 1999.
Awesome album. Loved the way the tracks flow into each other.
Still ridiculously exciting, energetic and fun. Nobody is condoning beating up women - it’s a song title. Great mid 90s electronic music and mixed with rock instruments for the indie/alternative rock crowd - real electro-punk. They were a truly awesome live act. A brilliant experience and memory of seeing them at Park Des Princes in Paris in 1997.
This is definitely phat. This is such a brilliant album - big, aggressive, moody. It’s a great techno album that throws in influences from metal, hip hop, jungle and makes a massive sound. Back in the day, you could drop Firestarter or Breathe into the set of any club night - indie, house, rock, whatever - and the place would go nuts. RIP Keith.
I must have absorbed this record by osmosis in 1998, because I knew every single one of these songs. (Does math) …so that means I’m good on listening to this album again until 2048.
If getting stoned and going to clubs is your thing, then this is the album for you. I don't enjoy either, so that's it for that.
This album was crap but the five stars is to remind myself I have brat a perfect score
Bangers
Okay now this I really dig. Haha surprise surprise I like the electronic-y album and band. I dunno who these dudes are and maybe that’s stupid of me bc they have 4mil monthly Spotify listeners it seems! But I liked this. made me think of the film scores I like by Trent reznor and Atticus Ross combined with the soundtrack to ATV Offroad Fury 2 on the ps2 which I played a lot as a child.
Part of my childhood!
Firestarter was my first introduction to the Prodigy as they were active in the period from my marriage to the birth of the third of 3 children up to this. Although quite up to date with music in the 90s I wasn’t a dancer or rave attender so completely missed this type of music up to about 1997 when it sort of had its mainstream moment. Only bought Jilted in the noughties (which still took a bit of getting in to for me) and never owned tFotL. So? Well this is a wonderful album, such energy and verve. So much of it has been assimilated into the mainstream since then that it maybe doesn’t sound quite so so extraordinary but it really is such a tour de force. I don’t give many 5/5, but this is one of those.
Some good music for programming. This genre is the reason Hackers is so fun.
Fav: Narayan Least Fav: Diesel Power
Buzzy british dj album. Reall good
Not ahead of its time - the dominator of its genre and era. Albums mixing is world class, and the pacing is a masterclass in how to keep you hooked and hyper with a breather or two when needed. Just when you think it might be in 8 out of 10 as narayan (not a filler song, but not a star like most the others on the track) fades out, firestarter kicks in at full blast and reminds you that it will kick your teeth in if you even think of giving this album less than a 9/10 or 5star.
already listened
10 Years old when this came out and I saw the Firestarter video on MTV, I still want that reverse mohawk haircut. This is a good record, very unique in the way it is electronic/dance style music but feels more punk than anything.
If this album doesn't make you want to pull a rail of the dirtiest coke/meth you can find in the worst part of England, I don't know what's wrong with you. I'm gonna give this one 5 stars, because for it is the platonic ideal of what it is. There's no making an album more this than this--if that makes sense. It feels like the future in which the worst has happened. So it seems like we're all on track to living in a Prodigy soundtrack. This from start to stop relentlessly executes its near singular visual. But, for real this fucks. It kicks all kind of ass. Breakbreaks, disgusting synths, high BPM, thrusting, violent dance songs. It feels like an album to fuck or to kill to. Maybe both. Heaven help us.
Score: 90 Album art: 100 Ocean man Kind of crazy to think a song called smack my bitch up that sounded like this was ever a hit song. This music was ahead of its time and not very many people were ready for it. The dark and industrial grooves are more mainstream now, and im sure this album helped usher in those types of sounds. Not every single moment of every track is perfect but it's super fun to listen to. The production is insane too. Also there's a crab
Raveros y rompedor, es uno de los discos de mi pandilla, forma parte de nuestra historia. Y además es muy bueno.
This is the album that I think of when someone mentions "industrial-electronica". One of the best and deserving to be on the list.
A perfect blend of danceable rhythms and aggressive energy. The Prodigy hits a lot of the same great points as The Chemical Brothers on Dig Your Own Hole, but The Fat Of The Land is distinctly more hardcore with it's occasional acid basslines and industrial influence. Starts strong and ends strong, with a strong middle to boot. Basically this is a strong album, nothing else can beat that damn crab.
Smack my bitch up, firestarter and breath are absolutely great tracks in the genre. The rest of the album was decent. Will probably give it another listen and come back round to it. Mindfields i enjoyed. I think i would have said this was a solid 3 or high 3. But ive heard some very crap or average albums on the list recently. It makes me think the 3 classics pull this album up to a low 4 in comparison to what ive had.
English? Own a trench coat? Been on the wrong side of a few drug deals? This album is for you.
I'd never really listened to this album all the way through before for some reason, despite loving 'Music for the Jilted Generation' as a kid. There's plenty of banging tracks outside of the big singles, although they don't all hit. In terms of quality and consistency I think someone like the Chemical Brothers were way better, but this is still decent and I'm pretty there for it. 3.5 rounded up.
Go on, Bort, you big raving crab. Episode 7. Scott books flights to Thailand in a desperate attempt to try and find an animal sanctuary that he's still allowed to visit.
great. i forgot how much energy it contains.
Nostalgia maybe? There are some really good tracks in there.
In contrast to other 90s dance albums we've had, this is very listenable probably because it follows traditional rock formats pretty closely. Not a million miles from a clattery, electro heavy metal at times. There's a huge dose of nostalgia at play here, but Breathe, Firestarter, Smack My Bitch Up and, especially, Diesel Power (adding another Kool Keith appearance to recent listening on this app) absolutely rule.
Two lead man suicide bands in a row... I checked out some Prodigy when Keith Flint killed himself a few years ago and I liked it. Dangerous, edgy 90s shit. Industrial, dirty, but still some polish to it. It may sound like you're in a club in the Matrix but it's cool.
Started good, but I am definitely not into Narayan, which is nine minutes long and in the middle.
Was already a fan of the first track and the rest of the album held up pretty well
This was fine. Nice to paddle my kayak to.
Newgroundscore
I liked this way too much for something that sounds like the musical equivalent of JNCO jeans with lyrics that read like those memes your unhappy/unsuccessful friends post on Facebook. I’ll probably never listen to this again, but a Solid 3.
Même si j'ai étrangement plutôt apprecié la musicalité offerte par cet album, j'ai en revanche était bien moins conquis par le choix artistique de The Prodigy. Pourquoi avoir choisir un aquarium comme lieu de deroulement de cet album? Et pour cause: on se retrouve très rapidement trempé en lançant l'album, la faute à une immersion des plus totales dès les première secondes. Il devient très vite impossible de respirer. De plus, de multiples animaux marins viennent déranger notre concentration pendant l'écoute, ce qui au bout du 5ème crabe me chatouillant les pieds, a commencé à me taper sur les nerfs. Pour toutes ces raisons, l'album de recoltera qu'un 3/5.
6/10. it got really samey but the production was nice. sounds exactly like it'd be on a Fast & Furious action sequence, which made it kinda funny to listen to while driving around in traffic in Jack's '01 Camry
Eh, not my cup of ramen and I just don't get electronic music with a cockney accent repeating the 3 to 4 lines written for each song.
“You wouldn’t steal a car…”
There were one or two classics that I remember from when I was younger, but the overall sound is not my thing.
The Fat Of The Land est l'histoire d'une romance impossible entre un crabe hypermétrope et un bulot transgenre homosexuel. Cette tragédie sur fond marin nous plonge dans un merveilleux univers aquatique où trahisons et mensonges rythment une histoire d'amour gâchée par de vieilles rivalités familiales. La scène finale dans laquelle le bulot transgenre homosexuel se laisse couler bouche béante vers les abysses sous le regard impuissant du crabe semi-bigleux est à classer parmi les plus émouvantes du genre.
Didn’t like it
nope
Electro punk goodness. Holds up very well indeed.
Excellent. One of my tops.
Fantastic album otherwise. Iconic cover as well. I remember my Dad buying this and only putting it on when Mum was out... Hard to put the misogyny of the lyrics aside, but on the other hand, it's hard to imagine anyone with a straight face arguing that this is some kind of incitement to domestic violence. It does seem a bit... dated nowadays, but I suppose it is coming on for 30 years old now, and every other part of the album still slaps as hard as it did in 1997.
Mític
Great album. More depth then I expected.
Incredible stuff, RIP Keith. This album is just none stop, punch you in the face, adrenaline filled noise and I'm here for it
This album is a musical tightrope act, and while it may be shaky and a bit unstable at times, it never falls. It's repetitive, but always adds a new element or change just before it gets boring or annoying. It's lacking in lyrics, yet still manages to get some meaning across. It's edgy without feeling overly cringe. It's incredibly processed yet still manages to have something organic to it.
My god, The Fat Of The Land was such an awesome album. Never have i heard an electronic album be so of it's time and timeless and versatile at the same time. Not only that but every song was extraordinarily catchy, dark in all the right places while remaining so cool, and always interesting and just blowing me away with how unique every song here is. And did i mention that this album is so versatile as it can fit in so many situations from working out, to having a fun dance party, to even racing in cars. Even the long songs didn't bug me in the slightest as they were all still bangers. This is an absolutely incredible album that i have virtually zero complaints with. Best Song: Fuel My Fire Worst Song: Diesel Power Side note: If i were to make a racing game, Fuel My Fire would absolutely be in it's soundtrack (if i were to have the rights)
A staple
As soon as Smack My Bitch Up kicks in you know this is bringing the aggression. The drum beat and big acid riff pounds into your brain. More excellent drum programming in Breathe. Simple intro melody before the vocal comes in with deep bass and the track really takes off. Funky Stuff brings the energy even higher, a hard driving mostly instrumental cut. Mindfields is another gem, sounding like proto dubstep to me. Narayan takes it deeper still with a trancey melody and tight breakbeat rhythm. Firestarter is the darkest and most frenetic sounding of the singles. Tucked near the end, Climbatize is one of the best tracks, a real floor filler with a driving bassline. Fuel My Fire is the closer, a hyperenergetic cover of a punk song. A late 90s crossover EDM classic that sounds just as good in 2024. Turn the bass up.
it's interesting going back-to-back with this album and Sound of Silver. two electronic albums with a punk edge, but with pretty different approaches and affects. The Prodigy is undeniably more aggressive, leaning more on frenetic breakbeats and howling synths than static house grooves and cold bleep-bloops. it definitely feels like I should either be listening to this in a club or, better yet, while soaring down slopes in SSX Tricky. I'd be very surprised if this wasn't an inspiration point for Joey Valence & Brae, one of my favorite recently-broken-out music acts. there's still a lot of repetition at play, but it's less about slow builds and more about subverting your expectations. just when you start itching for things to switch up, The Prodigy does it! sometimes it's in pretty obvious ways, like taking the drums in or out, or introducing a new vocal. but there's also plenty of tiny details and edits that jostle me and keep me attentive, and I appreciate those moments even more. the three big singles ("Smack My Bitch Up", "Breathe" and "Firestarter") are definitely the highlights, but I also came away with this album with a great Kool Keith track I had never heard ("Diesel Power") and the hype-as-hell closer ("Fuel My Fire")! if I could change anything, I'd just take a minute or two off of "Narayan". light 9/10.
Fantastic. Firestarter was *the* song. The Prodigy produce some amazing music, and some really cool videos. Smack My Bitch Up is a video well worth checking out!
The Prodigy's best album in my opinion. That was when they reinvented rave music. Rock and breakbeat are a perfect combination. My favourite song here is "Diesel Power". I can't get enough of this album. 5 stars for "The Fat of the Land".
I don't even know what to say. Wow. What a fucking album. I love every sound, every texture, every hook, every sample. What an apt band name
If an electronic band made a punk record. Literally. Brilliant, exhilarating, mind-melting, and extreme. Amazing singles, and they’re arguably the worst songs on here, or at least the least interesting. Fits my tastes perfectly. Also, maybe the best gym record ever made.
Musically this is simply a stunning record, and it definitely is more than one song repeating 10 times. If you don't believe, take you AI and let it do some analysis. And don't fall for the controversy around "Smack my bitch up", it is a slang reference to drug abuse and the video perfectly illustrates this, and in addition this is nothing about male sexual violence, but about drug abuse leading to violence in consequence (the main character in the video is female btw ..) Nothing to show kids on TV for sure and not a choice of expression that one must like.
Пушка бомба альбом. Просто шедевр
Listened to this on a car trip after an emotional experience and it was perfect. I don't need a ton of albums from this genre in my life, but this one is perfect. My only real criticism is that the attempted rapping in a couple of songs detracted from the songs as a whole
A seminal album for me. The best electronic music has ever been
De esos discos que te hacen querer que tus audífonos pudieran escucharse a un volumen mucho mayor para sentir sus beats hasta el alma. Genial, divertido y súper prendedor.
need them to play this at the club
81%
Brilliant. One of the greats.
I think what I love about The Prodigy and what sets them apart from other electronica is that to me their music has an angry and manic edge that others don’t. That’s honestly the only thing I can think of because based on my feelings about the genre, I really should hate them. But I just can’t, for whatever reason. I’d give this album 5 stars just for “Smack My Bitch Up,” which I always listen to when I’m angry and need to rage. And “Breathe” is still a banger. The whole album is great, though. There’s nothing better in this genre than 90s-era The Prodigy.
The convergence of rave culture and punk culture. What a masterpiece.
Could probably listen to this album a million times. Sooo many good tracks and was listening to these guys before I really knew what "electronic" music was. Big fan of electronic "bands" that incorporate both live instruments with the electronic sound. Smack My Bitch Up and Breathe both still get me so pumped. Then Firestarter is on it too? Get outta here! I hadn't listened to most of the rest of the songs but I enjoyed every one of them - especially Funky Shit and Narayan.
I still remember hearing Breathe for the first time as a naive 10yr old thanks to Big Shiny Tunes 2. It blew my mind. I wish I could say I've been a die hard Prodigy fan ever since but I never really followed up after being consumed by that track. Mostly due to difficulty accessing and buying music at that age. This album goes so hard and will definitely be added to the rotation.
I'd listened to this in the morning, as I usually do with my albums, but that's just not the correct setting for this album. After finishing my day quite a ways from home (like one hour), I decided to listen again. On the road, driving home at midnight. Honestly, perfect setting (also I might have been in a more receptive state of mind). I've bumped the main tracks to death in my youth, they were great for subwoofer beats. But the whole album is a banger. It's raw and explosive, like a thunderstorm you can’t escape. Each track feels like a wild rush of adrenaline, mixing aggression with infectious rhythms. The beats hit hard, and the energy never lets up. It’s chaotic but in the best way.
Woah back to back prodigy albums! This album is full of big fat juicy hooks and solid grooves. Diesel power is great. this album hits so fucking hard.
-Smack my bitch up