Songs with military sounds (jets, helicopters, missles, bombs, gunfire)

[Jon Silberman]

I have a practical reason for asking this. I'll be recording in August, among other things, a new original song about the Russian war against Ukraine. Instead of playing a lead over the break, I want to throw over the chord changes these types of military sounds. I'm looking for models for how to do this well. Recommendations?

 

[Eddie-Applegate]

REM - "Orange Crush"

 

[mbargav]

M.I.A's Paper Planes seamlessly incorporates gunshot sounds into the chorus. Diplo built the song around The Clash's "Straight to Hell."

 

[Nebakanezer]

 

[Bobbyoso]

Assuming you're not talking about recording actual military equipment, between "Machine Gun" and "Star Spangled Banner", Hendrix did a pretty good job of implying bombs bursting in air and the sounds of tearing metal. (Marshall amps for martial sounds?)

In terms of actual sampling of the sounds of war, not many spring to mind--altho the typical Hollywood sound of a shell coming down would certainly get my attention as an intro to the right tune.

 

[Lode Runner]

Def Leppard, “Gods of War”.
Sounds dated and a bit cheesy nowadays but at the time it held up.

 

[LaceSensor1]

One creative method would be using a side-chained compressor to duck the sounds in and out. If I was doing this I would roll off some of the top end and use a short delay and/or reverb to move the sounds very far into the background of the stereo image.

 

[ross1shark]

Extreme's Warheads.

 

[Cactus Bob]

The Jet on The Beatles "Back in the U.S.S.R."

 

[None more black]

Metallica’s Metal Militia does this with marching footsteps but not sure if call it a good example, comes across a bit fascisty

 

[CharAznable]

Sex Pistols - Holidays in the Sun

intro is marching boots

 

[Blanket Jackson]

 

[To The Dawn]

AC/DC - For Those About To Rock

Big cannon booms towards the end.

 

[EndGame00]

Command & Conquer Hell March is a very good example

 

[Lava Lamp]

Boxtops - The Letter

 

[Mark EL]

 

[RG7X]

Megadeth - Blackmail the Universe

 

[jimrockcity]

War Pigs air raid siren intro.

 

[wombat66]

about 2 minutes of warfare (starts ~3:05) in sky pilot by The Animals

 

[RG7X]

Muse - United States of Eurasia (+ Collateral Damage)