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.^[6]

"Hey Man Nice Shot"
Single by Filter
from the album Short Bus
Released	1995
Genre	Industrial rock[1][2][3] post-grunge[2][4] electronic rock[5]
Length	5:16
Label	Reprise
Songwriter(s)	Richard Patrick
Filter singles chronology
"Hey Man Nice Shot" (1995) "Dose" (1995)
Music video
"Hey Man Nice Shot" on YouTube

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.^[7]

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.^[8] 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.^[9][10] When Marilyn Manson sampled the audio of Dwyer's suicide, Filter's Richard Patrick heard the sample and was excited by it; 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."^[9]

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.^[7][11][12]

Musically, the verses of the song feature a "bed of ambient guitar" made with looped feedback^[13] 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

1. "Hey Man Nice Shot" (1/4 Pound) – 5:00
2. "Hey Man Nice Shot" (1/4 Pound Instrumental) – 4:59
3. "Hey Man Nice Shot" (Nickel Bag) – 3:42
4. "Hey Man Nice Shot" (Big Mac) – 8:41
5. "Hey Man Nice Shot" (Big Mac Instrumental) – 8:43

German maxi-single

1. "Hey Man Nice Shot" (Bud Gets the Lead Out) – 5:14
2. "Hey Man Nice Shot" (Sawed Off Edit) – 5:20
3. "Hey Man Nice Shot" (Nickel Bag) – 3:43
4. "White Like That" (Dictaphone Version) – 2:12

'US maxi-single

1. "Hey Man Nice Shot" (Sober) – 5:14
2. "Hey Man Nice Shot" (Nickel Bag) – 3:42
3. "Hey Man Nice Shot" (1/4 Pound) – 5:00
4. "Hey Man Nice Shot" (Big Mac) – 8:41
5. "White Like That" (Dictaphone Version) – 2:12

Charts

Chart (1995)	Peak position
Canadian RPM Alternative 30[14]	14
US Billboard Hot 100[15]	76
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[16]	10
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[17]	19