Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

To Be or Not to Be (The Hitler Rap)

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Released
  
1983

Genre
  
Classic hip-hop

Format
  
12", 7"

Label
  
Island (UK 12IS 158)

Length
  
7:43 (extended version) 4:35 (single version)

Writer(s)
  
Mel Brooks, Pete Wingfield

"To Be or Not to Be" (also known as "The Hitler Rap") is a song recorded by Mel Brooks in 1983 for Island Records. The song appeared on the soundtrack album for the movie with the same name. It was derived from the burlesque show within the film but did not appear within it. It also echoes Brooks' 1968 film The Producers, with the lines "Don't be stoopid, be a smarty. Come and join the Nazi Party" taken from the song Springtime For Hitler.

In the accompanying music video, Mel Brooks is dressed like Adolf Hitler and raps about the key events in Hitler's life in Third Reich.

While having limited success in the United States, the song managed to "score" in Australia and the United Kingdom, peaking at #12 on the UK Singles Chart.

Track listing

  • 12" single
    1. "To Be Or Not To Be (The Hitler Rap) (Part 1)" – 7:43
    2. "To Be Or Not To Be (The Hitler Rap) (Part 2)" (Instrumental Mix) – 7:51

    References

    To Be or Not to Be (The Hitler Rap) Wikipedia