Chords + Lyrics | Know Your Enemy
Intro
||: F#m7 (kill switch) :||
Huh! Yeah! We’re coming back then with another bombtrack.
Think ya know what it’s all about. Huh!
Hey yo, so check this out. Yeah!
||: F#7(omit3) A5 F#7(omit3) | F#7(omit3) C5 B5 A5 |
| 1. F#7(omit3) A5 F#7(omit3) | C#5 B5 A5 E5 :||
| 2. F#7(omit3) A5 F#7(omit3) | 6/4 C#5 B5 A5 | 4/4
Know your enemy! Come on!
Verse 1
||: F#5 (Conspirian riff) :||
Born with insight and a raised fist a witness to the slit wrist, that’s with.
We move into ’92, still in a room without a view.
Ya got to know, ya got to know that when I say go, go, go.
Amp up and amplify, defy, I’m a brother with a furious mind.
Action must be taken, we don’t need the key, we’ll break in.
Something must be done, about vengeance, a badge, and a gun.
‘Cause I’ll rip the mike, rip the stage, rip the system, I was born to rage against ’em.
Fist in ya face, in the place and I’ll drop the style clearly.
Chorus 1
||: F#7(omit3) A5 F#7(omit3) | F#7(omit3) C5 B5 A5 |
| 1. F#7(omit3) A5 F#7(omit3) | C#5 B5 A5 E5 :||
| 2. F#7(omit3) A5 F#7(omit3) | 6/4 C#5 B5 C | 4/4
Know your enemy, know your enemy! Yeah!
Hey yo, and dick with this. Uggh!
Verse 2
Word is born, fight the war, fuck the norm.
Now I got no patience, so sick of complacence.
With the D the E the F the I the A the N the C the E.
Mind of a revolutionary, so clear the lane, the finger to the land of the chains.
What? The land of the free? Whoever told you that is your enemy?
Now, something must be done, about vengeance, a badge, and a gun.
‘Cause I’ll rip the mike, rip the stage, rip the system, I was born to rage against ’em.
| F#5 C | N.C |
Now action must be taken. We don’t need the key, we’ll break in.
Breakdown
||: F#7(omit3) | F#7(omit3) C | F#7(omit3) | F#7(omit3) C5 B5 F5 :||
I’ve got no patience now.
So sick of complacence now. I’ve got no patience now.
So sick of complacence now. Sick of sick of sick of sick of you.
Time has come to pay.
Instrumental (chorus riff)
| F#7(omit3) A5 F#7(omit3) | F#7(omit3) C5 B5 A5 |
| F#7(omit3) A5 F#7(omit3) | C#5 B5 A5 E5 |
Know your enemy!
Solo
||: F#7(omit3) A5 F#7(omit3) | F#7(omit3) C5 B5 A5 |
| 1-3. F#7(omit3) A5 F#7(omit3) | C#5 B5 A5 E5 :||
| 4. F#7(omit3) A5 F#7(omit3) | C#5 B5 A5 | A5 | A5 |
| A5 | A5 | A5 | A5 |
| A5 N.C | N.C | N.C | (whammy bends)| (whammy bends) |
Outro (verse riff)
||: F#5 (Conspirian riff) :||
Come on! Yes, I know my enemies, they’re the teachers who taught me to fight me.
Compromise, conformity, assimilation, submission. Ignorance, hypocrisy, brutality, the elite.
||: All of which are American dreams :|| x4
End
||: N.C :||
||: All of which are American dreams :|| x4
Know Your Enemy Backing Track | Chord Analysis
Above, you’ll find backing tracks to use when learning Know Your Enemy. I’ve used stem separation to extract the guitar while keeping the drums, bass, and vocals intact.
After studying the chords and TAB, use my backing tracks to prepare for playing this tune with a band.
Should you want to play along with the original recording instead, you need to tune your guitar sharp to 442Hz. In the backing track, I’ve done this job for you by detuning it to 440Hz.
Chord Progression – What’s Going On?
Using a kill switch, the intro is based on notes from the F# minor pentatonic scale, with the major 7th briefly acting as a chromatic approach note.
To describe the harmony, I’ve labelled it F#m7. Technically, to include every interval, it would be F#m11maj7—but that felt like it might cause even more rage than this band could manage.
Chorus (+ Intro)
The chorus riff (which first appears instrumentally in the intro) is best described like this:
||: F#7(omit3) A5 F#7(omit3) | F#7(omit3) C5 B5 A5 |
| 1. F#7(omit3) A5 F#7(omit3) | C#5 B5 A5 E5 :||
| 2. F#7(omit3) A5 F#7(omit3) | 6/4 C#5 B5 A5 |
That final bar of 6/4 is unique—we return to 4/4 straight after.
To get TAB for how to play this and all other sections of Know Your Enemy, keep scrolling down this guitar lesson.
Verse + Outro
The verse is based on the F# Conspirian scale—essentially a minor pentatonic with the b5 and major 7th added. This is, for me, the best part of the tune; that doubled bass line sounds incredible.
Breakdown
The breakdown features spoken/sung vocals with a softer tone, set against a syncopated and aggressive rhythm—a great contrast.
The harmony centres around an F# power chord with an open E string, which I’ve labelled F#7(omit3). Every other two bars introduce dissonance: first with a C triad, then with C5 – B5 – F5 power chords, like this:
||: F#7(omit3) | F#7(omit3) C | F#7(omit3) | F#7(omit3) C5 B5 F5 :||
Solo
The solo is without doubt the most complex section to learn—it took a long time to transcribe note for note.
The chord movement follows the chorus progression, but here only the bass is playing.
Having absorbed the TAB, use this chord chart.
Know Your Enemy Chord Chart | PDF + iRealPro Download
Download my chord chart to help keep track of the structure—the riffs need to be memorised and ingrained into your muscle memory to play this well with a band.
Know Your Enemy | TAB
Let’s go through each section from the top.
Intro
The intro uses the kill switch technique. With a Gibson Les Paul, this is achieved by setting one pickup to zero volume and the other to full, then switching rapidly between them using the pickup selector to create a stuttering, rhythmic effect.
Chorus
The chorus centres around an F# power chord with an open E string, effectively forming F#7(omit3). However, the movement into the A5 chord introduces the minor 3rd of F#, giving the impression of an F#m7.
The bookend variations move through C5 – B5 – A5, then C#5 – B5 – A5 – E5.
The first chorus also features hammer-ons and pull-offs at the end, adding extra articulation and movement.
Verse
The verse—and the outro—feature a driving bass line built around notes from the Conspirian scale, which adds a unique flavour to the riff.
Breakdown
The breakdown returns to the same F#7(omit3) idea from the chorus. The variation comes in the bookend section, which moves through C and then C5 – B5 – F5, and the more empty rhythm.
There’s also a brief C triad and a measure of space beforehand, which helps set up the contrast.
Solo
Here’s the solo—arguably the most demanding section in the entire song.
Once you’ve worked through all the riffs and eventually accepted defeat at the hands of the solo, return to the backing tracks and chord chart and piece everything together into the full arrangement.
What Know Your Enemy Teaches You About Groove, Dynamics, and Creativity
Know Your Enemy is a standout track from Rage Against The Machine’s debut album. Though never released as a single, it remains one of the band’s most recognisable songs.
Lyrically, it critiques the American government, using the phrase “American Dream” to highlight how its message has been distorted—turning the system itself into the real enemy.
What makes this tune essential to learn is how perfectly it captures the core identity of the band. The guitar work blends raw simplicity with inventive ideas, showing how a few well-chosen notes can create something far more powerful than overly complex playing (until you hit the solo that is!).
The riffs are built around strong rhythmic phrasing and tight interplay with the bass, which is a defining feature of the band’s sound. Learning this track helps you lock into that groove-focused mindset, where timing and feel matter far more than speed or flash.
It also introduces you to a more experimental side of guitar playing. Rather than relying on traditional chord shapes or scales alone, the song explores unusual note choices and textures that give it a distinctive edge. This approach encourages you to think beyond standard patterns and focus on sound, attitude, and intent.
From the stripped-back intro through to the explosive sections and intricate solo, it takes you through a wide range of musical ideas while still feeling cohesive. As a player, this challenges you to control dynamics, switch between roles, and maintain consistency across contrasting sections.
Ultimately, Know Your Enemy is essential because it teaches you how to serve the song. Every part is deliberate, memorable, and full of character—making it a perfect study in how great riffs, strong rhythm, and bold ideas come together to create something timeless.
Know Your Enemy Chords: Continue Learning
Step-by-step Guitar Courses
Master guitar by studying real tunes. Build your skills with video lessons, eBooks and practice routines that connect theory with the music you love!
Explore SpyTunes step-by-step Guitar Courses.
Five similar tunes | Chords + Lyrics
