Hey Man Nice Shot
{{Short description|1995 single by Filter}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Hey Man Nice Shot
| cover = Hey Man, Nice Shot (Filter single - cover art).jpg
| alt =
| border = yes
| type = single
| artist = Filter
| album = Short Bus
| released = 1995
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre =
- Industrial rock{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/505919/song-of-the-week-filters-hey-man-nice-shot/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904200255/http://www.mtv.com/news/505919/song-of-the-week-filters-hey-man-nice-shot/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 4, 2017 |title=Song Of The Week: Filter's "Hey Man Nice Shot" |publisher=MTV |last=May 6, 1995 |access-date=May 10, 2017}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/list/8505742/greatest-songs-of-1999-top-99|title=The 99 Greatest Songs of 1999: Critics' Picks|magazine=Billboard|date= April 8, 2019 |first=Andrew |last=Unterberger |archive-date=April 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190408194543/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/list/8505742/greatest-songs-of-1999-top-99}}{{cite web|url=http://rock.about.com/od/reviews/fr/anthems.htm |title=Filter Anthems for the Damned Review - Review of Filter Album Anthems for the Damned |publisher=Rock.about.com |date=2008-05-13 |access-date=2011-08-28| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110716035826/http://rock.about.com/od/reviews/fr/anthems.htm| archive-date= 16 July 2011 | url-status= dead}}
- post-grunge{{cite web|url=http://stylusmagazine.com/articles/staff_top_10/top-ten-mediocre-post-grunge-alternative-bands.html|title=Top Ten Mediocre Post-Grunge / Alternative Bands|work=Stylus Magazine|first=Andrew|last=Unterberger|date=August 6, 2004|access-date=April 28, 2020|archive-date=September 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927001432/http://stylusmagazine.com/articles/staff_top_10/top-ten-mediocre-post-grunge-alternative-bands.html|url-status=dead}}
- electronic rock{{cite web|url=https://loudwire.com/best-hard-rock-albums-1995/|title=10 Best Hard Rock Albums of 1995 |website=Loudwire |first=Jeff |last=Cornell |date=May 22, 2015 |access-date=April 29, 2020}}
| length = 5:16
| label = Reprise
| writer = Richard Patrick
| producer =
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Dose
| next_year = 1995
| misc = {{external music video|type=single|{{YouTube|o9mJ82x_l-E|"Hey Man Nice Shot"}}}}
}}
"Hey Man Nice Shot" is a song by American rock band Filter, released in 1995 as the lead single from their debut studio album, Short Bus. The guitar line in the chorus was previously used in the Stabbing Westward song "Ungod" in 1994. Stuart Zechman, who was also playing guitar for Stabbing Westward at the time, took the riff and showed it to Stabbing Westward, who ended up using it as well.[http://www.musicfanclubs.org/stabbingwestward/faq.html Stabbing Westward FAQ Version 2.0], musicfanclubs.org
Lyrics and music
The song was written about the public suicide of Pennsylvania state treasurer R. Budd Dwyer on January 22, 1987, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Dwyer had been convicted of bribery charges in December 1986, and was expected to receive a lengthy sentence from U.S. District Court Judge Malcolm Muir. Professing his innocence and decrying the legal system, Dwyer shot and killed himself with a .357 Magnum revolver during a live televised press conference.[http://klaq.com/richard-patrick-of-filter-talks-about-hey-man-nice-shot-and-kurt-cobain/ "Richard Patrick of Filter Talks About 'Hey Man Nice Shot' and Kurt Cobain"]. KLAQ, June 29, 2012.
Patrick has said that the song was inspired by a videotape containing raw footage of Dwyer's suicide that he picked up from a bookstore on the 1991 Lollapalooza tour, while touring with Nine Inch Nails.{{cite book|last1=Bienstock|first1=Richard|last2=Beaujour|first2=Tom|date=March 2025|title=Lollapalooza: The Uncensored Story of Alternative Rock's Wildest Festival|chapter=A Brief History of the Village|publisher=St. Martin's Press|isbn=978-1250283702}} The bridge of Marilyn Manson's "Get Your Gunn" (1994) includes audio from the press conference where Dwyer shot himself, including the sound of the gunshot that killed him.{{cite web| url=http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/music/marilyn-manson-i-like-to-smoke-and-hang-out-with-the-gangsta-rappers-6615701| last=Louvau| first=Jim| title=Marilyn Manson: "I Like To Smoke and Hang Out With The Gangsta Rappers"| website=Phoenix New Times| date=May 30, 2013| access-date=January 17, 2018| url-status=live| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319044000/http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/music/marilyn-manson-i-like-to-smoke-and-hang-out-with-the-gangsta-rappers-6615701| archive-date=March 19, 2016}}{{cite book |first=Kurt |last=Reighley |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rFd0xYYNSGcC |title=Marilyn Manson |publisher=Macmillan Publishers |date=Apr 15, 1998 |page=52 |isbn=9780312181338 |access-date=2013-03-23}} When Marilyn Manson sampled the audio of Dwyer's suicide, Manson claimed that Patrick heard the sample and was excited by it. Despite the inconsistencies of the timeframe ("Get Your Gunn" was recorded in late 1993), Manson believes that this interaction inspired Patrick to write "Hey Man Nice Shot". Reflecting on the sample, Manson said "He wouldn't have even heard it if I didn't play it.... I don't like him very much. He bothers me."
Although Patrick frequently clarified this in interviews, as well as the fact that he had first written the song in 1991 before the band even had a record deal, the song's popularity was augmented by a widespread perception that it was about the 1994 suicide of Kurt Cobain.{{cite news|title=Quick Fix|work=CMJ New Music Monthly|date=October 1995|author=Janovitz, Bill|page=8|issn=1074-6978}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/504481/hey-man-very-nice-shot/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116163331/http://www.mtv.com/news/504481/hey-man-very-nice-shot/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 16, 2016 |title=Hey Man Very Nice Shot|work=MTV|date=July 9, 1995|access-date=April 28, 2020}}
Musically, the verses of the song feature a "bed of ambient guitar" made with looped feedback{{cite web|url=http://filterpage.tripod.com/archive/b.txt |format=TXT |title=Interview |publisher=Filterpage.tripod.com |access-date=January 12, 2021}} as well as a distinctive palm-muted bass line, contrasting with the louder, guitar-heavy choruses and ending.
Music video
There are at least two versions of the music video for "Hey Man Nice Shot". The first version uses the album mix of the song and the second uses the promo-only remix later heard in The Cable Guy. Both of these versions feature footage with color effects being added in during the post-production of the video.
Track listing
US promotional 12-inch vinyl
- "Hey Man Nice Shot" (1/4 Pound) – 5:00
- "Hey Man Nice Shot" (1/4 Pound Instrumental) – 4:59
- "Hey Man Nice Shot" (Nickel Bag) – 3:42
- "Hey Man Nice Shot" (Big Mac) – 8:41
- "Hey Man Nice Shot" (Big Mac Instrumental) – 8:43
German maxi-single
- "Hey Man Nice Shot" (Bud Gets the Lead Out) – 5:14
- "Hey Man Nice Shot" (Sawed Off Edit) – 5:20
- "Hey Man Nice Shot" (Nickel Bag) – 3:43
- "White Like That" (Dictaphone Version) – 2:12
'US maxi-single
- "Hey Man Nice Shot" (Sober) – 5:14
- "Hey Man Nice Shot" (Nickel Bag) – 3:42
- "Hey Man Nice Shot" (1/4 Pound) – 5:00
- "Hey Man Nice Shot" (Big Mac) – 8:41
- "White Like That" (Dictaphone Version) – 2:12
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
!scope="col"|Chart (1995) !scope="col"|Peak |
| scope="row"|Canadian RPM Alternative 30{{cite journal | url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.8504&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=c6btf3r8hs459qqt5ln3o3dcv5 | title=Rock/Alternative | journal=RPM | publisher=Walt Grealis | volume=61 | issue=27 | date=August 7, 1995 | access-date=October 5, 2012}}
|align="center"|14 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|76|artist=Filter|rowheader=true|accessdate=August 7, 2017}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|10|artist=Filter|rowheader=true|accessdate=August 7, 2017}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|19|artist=Filter|rowheader=true|accessdate=August 7, 2017}} |