Ex-Scorpions drummer Herman Rarebell, who co-wrote the lyrics for the band’s 1984 smash “Rock You Like a Hurricane,” says the song originally had a different title; one that wasn’t so radio-friendly.
“I thought we needed a rock song with lyrics that should be forbidden,” Rarebell says. “The original title, for me at least, was ‘F*** You Like a Hurricane.’” Unfortunately, not everyone was on board with the idea. “The record company looked at me and said, ‘You’re completely out of your mind,’” Rarebell recalls. “Which I was.”
Rarebell says had he written the song like he wanted to today, he believes no one would have so much as batted an eye over it. “It makes you laugh,” he says. “There are all these songs that … they would never have been played in America back then. Now you could release it as ‘F*** You Like a Hurricane’ and nobody would give a s***.”