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TL;DR:

  • The characters from John Wayne’s movies inspired one of Billy Idol’s songs.
  • Idol cut ties with his producers after creating the song.
  • The track appeared on an album that became an international hit.
John Wayne riding a horse
John Wayne | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

John Wayne‘s movies inspired a number of rock ‘n’ roll songs over the years. For example, he inspired a Billy Idol song. Idol revealed what he thought about Wayne’s films.

John Wayne and the F22 Raptor inspired Billy Idol songs

In 2008, Idol released his greatest hits album The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself. During a 2008 interview with the New York Post, Idol discussed the compilation. “We were working on songs for a new album when [the record label] said they wanted to refresh the greatest hits package, so they’re a little bit of a stepping stone to a new album,” he said. Notably, he wouldn’t release a new studio album until 2014’s Kings & Queens of the Underground.

Subsequently, Idol gave fans insight into the two new songs on The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself. “I enjoy singing [new track] ‘John Wayne’ because I always think about some of the characters he played that had to rise above their own limitations, so it’s fun to take a little bit of that magic for yourself,” he said. “‘New Future Weapon’ is about the [F22] Raptor because the plane is so stealth.”

Billy Idol cut ties with his producer after making the song

In his 2014 book Dancing with Myself, Idol revealed why he cut ties with his producer, Brian Reeves. He said Reeves couldn’t get along with guitarist Steve Stevens. Stevens had previously worked with Idol on albums such as Billy Idol and Rebel Yell.

“After we worked with producer Josh Abraham on two new songs, ‘New Future Weapon’ and ‘John Wayne,’ for the greatest-hits package The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself, I made the decision to let Brian go,” Idol wrote. “For his part, Brian was probably ready to move on, too, so everything was amicable. After this shift, the vibes in the band improved dramatically.”

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How ‘John Wayne’ performed on the charts in the United States and the United Kingdom

“John Wayne” was never a single and it never charted on the Billboard Hot 100. The song’s parent album, The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself, reached No. 73 on the Billboard 200. It stayed on the chart for three weeks.

According to The Official Charts Company, “John Wayne” never charted in the United Kingdom either. However, The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself became far more popular there. The album peaked at No. 37 in the U.K., remaining on the chart for two weeks.

“John Wayne” wasn’t a hit but it proves The Duke inspired artists from other generations.

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