Editing Die for the Government

{{Infobox album
| name       = Die for the Government
| type       = studio
| artist     = [[Anti-Flag]]
| cover      = Anti_Flag-Die_for_the_Government.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = August 20, 1996
| recorded   =
| venue      =
| studio     =
| genre      = * [[Hardcore punk]]<ref name="mcelhiney">{{cite news |last1=McElhiney |first1=Brian |title=Punk & Politics: Anti-Flag remains angry band, but uses music to unite fans |url=https://dailygazette.com/2010/01/30/0130_antiflag/ |access-date=September 18, 2022 |work=Daily Gazette |date=January 30, 2010}}</ref>
| length     = 44:51
| label      = [[New Red Archives]]
| producer   = Joe West, [[Anti-Flag]]
| prev_title = [[Kill Kill Kill]]
| prev_year  = 1995
| next_title = [[Reject (EP)|Reject]]
| next_year  = 1997
}}
{{Album ratings
| rev1      = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rabid |first=Jack |title=Die for the Government - Anti-Flag |website=[[AllMusic]] |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r279649|pure_url=yes}} |access-date=2024-03-04}}</ref>
| rev2      = ''[[Maximum Rocknroll]]''
| rev2score = (favorable)<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Lujan |first=Ray |title=Anti-Flag - "Die for the Government" CD |magazine=[[Maximum Rocknroll]] |date=March 1997 |issue=166 |url=https://archive.org/details/MaximumRocknrollNo.166march1997/mode/2up |via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
| rev3      = ''[[Maximum Rocknroll]]''
| rev3score = (favorable)<ref>{{Cite magazine |author=Greta S |title=Anti-Flag - "Die for the Government" LP |magazine=[[Maximum Rocknroll]] |date=March 1998 |issue=178 |url=https://archive.org/details/mrr_178/mode/2up |via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
| rev4      = PunkNews.org
| rev4score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{Cite web |author=Iridox |title=Anti-Flag - Die for the Government |website=PunkNews.org |date=2002-08-03 |url=https://www.punknews.org/review/1097/anti-flag-die-for-the-government |access-date=2024-03-04}}</ref>
}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2022}}
'''''Die for the Government''''' is the debut studio album by the U.S. [[punk rock]] band [[Anti-Flag]], released in 1996. After this album, bassist Andy Flag played with Anti-Flag on their [[extended play|EP]] ''North America Sucks'', but left soon after as they couldn't get along as a band. The CD booklet bids farewell to Andy Flag.

The front cover gives the title "Die for the Government", but side of the CD reads "Die for Your Government".

== Background ==
Some members of the local community accused the band of selling out for signing with a national label.

== Song Information ==

"Fuck Police Brutality" was inspired by events at a [[The Queers|Queers]] show Justin Sane once attended.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Masley |first=Ed |title=More than a Mohawk |newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |date=1997-01-24 |location=Pittsburgh |url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/more-than-mohawk-justin-sane-anti-flag-on-what/docview/391578755/se-2 |url-access=subscription |access-date=2024-03-04 |via=ProQuest |quote="This cop actually pulled a gun on me," says Sane... "The cops were, like, bashing this kid for no reason"}}</ref>

Many of the songs on the record were written about the local punk scene, and included condemnation against the [[Nazi punk|Nazi Punks]] that were infiltrating the music scene at the time, accusing them of ruining concerts and committing violent acts against other fans. The rest of the album features social-political songs heavily influenced by the [[Gulf War|Persian Gulf War]] back in 1991.

You'd Do the Same, Kill the Rich, and No More Dead are all the same versions that were featured on the [[Kill Kill Kill|Kill Kill Kill EP]]. Davey Destroyed the Punk Scene was also featured on the ep, although it was rerecorded for the album.

Summer Squatter is a more ska-influenced track than the rest of the album. The album's liner notes described the song as being against punks who came into the scene, ruined it for other fans, then left, and not being against the practice of [[squatting]]. Go-Go Dancer describes the protagonist falling in love with a girl who works at a punk show as a [[Go-go dancing|go-go dancer]], and is unique among the Anti-Flag catalogue as being their only love song.

==Track listing==
{{Tracklist
| extra_column = Lead vocals
| title1 = You'd Do the Same
| length1 = 2:23
| extra1 = A. Flag
| title2 = Die for the Government
| length2 = 3:33
| extra2 = J. Sane
| title3 = Drink, Drank, Punk
| length3 = 1:42
| extra3 = A. Flag
| title4 = Rotten Future
| length4 = 2:00
| extra4 = A. Flag
| title5 = Safe Tonight
| length5 = 2:44
| extra5 = J. Sane
| title6 = Red, White and Brainwashed
| length6 = 1:53
| extra6 = A. Flag
| title7 = Davey Destroyed the Punk Scene
| length7 = 2:20
| extra7 = A. Flag
| title8 = Summer Squatter Go Home
| note8 = Bridge sung by J. Sane
| length8 = 3:03
| extra8 = A. Flag
| title9 = She's My Little Go-Go Dancer
| length9 = 2:24
| extra9 = A. Flag
| title10 = Police State in the USA
| length10 = 2:39
| extra10 = J. Sane
| title11 = Punk by the Book
| length11 = 2:15
| extra11 = J. Sane
| title12 = Fuck Police Brutality
| length12 = 2:22
| extra12 = A. Flag
| title13 = I'm Being Watched by the CIA
| note13 = Intro sung by J. Sane
| length13 = 2:14
| extra13 = A. Flag
| title14 = Kill the Rich
| length14 = 3:05
| extra14 = J. Sane
| title15 = No More Dead
| length15 = 3:51
| extra15 = J. Sane
| title16 = Confused Youth
| length16 = 4:15
| extra16 = A. Flag
| title17 = Your Daddy Was a Rich Man, Your Daddy's Fucking Dead
| length17 = 2:08
| extra17 = J. Sane
}}

== Personnel ==
*[[Justin Sane]] – [[Electric guitar|guitar]]s, [[Lead vocalist|lead vocals]]
*Andy Flag – [[Bass guitar|bass]], [[Backing vocalist|backing vocals]], mixing on tracks 4,6,7,8,12,13,16, and 17
*[[Pat Thetic]] – [[Drum kit|drums]]
* Andy "Reagan" Wheeler, Ricky "Reagan" Wright, Anne Flag, Mike Poisel, Mike Armstrong, Dan D. Lion, Jason DeCosta, and the band Disco Crisis all provided back up vocals.
*Joe West and Anti-Flag – production

== References ==
{{Reflist}}{{Anti-Flag}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1996 debut albums]]
[[Category:Anti-Flag albums]]
[[Category:New Red Archives albums]]