The 1998 American remake of Godzilla was so bad that even the movie’s own soundtrack dropped a diss about its quality. Roland Emmerich’s misguided attempt to bring the beloved giant lizard to the West changed far too much about the franchise to be palatable, and was hardly a worthy successor to the Japanese Godzilla films.

With its nonsensical storyline and odd design for the тιтular creature, Godzilla 1998 got nothing but derision from critics despite its box office success. One bright spot was the accompanying soundtrack album, which featured a few songs that went on to be hits. However, one song actually seems to be insulting the movie, which is fitting considering its poor reputation.

Godzilla 1998 Gets (Rightly) Criticized By Its Own Soundtrack

Godzilla: The Album was released alongside the movie, and it peaked at #2 on the charts in mid 1998. Mostly consisting of rock and rap tracks, the soundtrack is a time capsule to the late 1990s, for better or worse. Diddy and Jimmy Page contributed the hit tune “Come With Me”, and several other songs from the album charted.

Rage Against the Machine provided the song “No Shelter”, and one lyric in particular seemed to sum up the entire film. The song bluntly states “Godzilla, pure motherf***ing filler. Get your eyes off the real killer,” which can be interpreted as the band’s thoughts on the lackluster film. Ironically, filler is probably the best word to describe the Godzilla remake.

Naturally, “No Shelter” is another song in a long line of RATM tunes that attack capitalism and corporate greed, so the lyrics aren’t actually so specifically pointed. It’s mostly about the corporatized status of Hollywood, and the necessary nature of remakes, but it became even more fitting when the final product was revealed to be so terrible.

The Odd Legacy Of Godzilla: The Album

The concept of the compilation soundtrack album has mostly been lost to time, and the 1990s was a weird period for music in movies. Godzilla: The Album has a strange legacy, and though it is worth remembering as one of the only bright spots about the terrible film, it’s far from perfect. For every positive, there are several blemishes.

There are plenty of noteworthy songs, including tracks from Foo Fighters, Green Day, and the aforementioned Rage Against the Machine, but other tunes are a bit more dated. One of the biggest issues with the album is the prominence of Diddy, who has since been accused of heinous crimes that make his entire discography difficult to stomach.

Time capsules can be interesting, and Godzilla: The Album is certainly one such example. It represents the best of what 1998 had to offer, while also showcasing every detail that has aged like milk in the decades since. Godzilla 1998 isn’t really worth remembering, but its legacy as a part of the popular franchise will keep its memory alive forever.