Song review: Megadeth - Rust In Peace...Polaris

Where did Dave Mustaine take the title from?

"I was driving home from Elsanon... um, Lake Elsanon. I was tailgating somebody, racing down the freeway, and I saw this bumper sticker on their car and it said... you know, this tongue in cheek stuff like, 'One nuclear bomb could ruin your whole day,' and then I looked on the other side and it said, 'May all your nuclear weapons rust in peace,' and I'm goin', ''Rust in Peace.' Damn, that's a good title.' And I'm thinkin' like, 'What do they mean, rust in peace?' I could just see it now - all these warheads sittin' there, stockpiled somewhere like seal beach, you know, all covered with rust 'n' stuff with kids out there spray-painting the stuff, you know." (Mustaine, 1991)

"The title track 'Rust in Peace' was written prior to my being in Metallica." (Mustaine, 1991)

"This was my fave tune on the record at the time. [Mike] Clink was also excited about it. The main riff in 'Rust...' is like no other in rock. Absolutely unique!" (Friedman, 2002)

This song is a protest of nuclear war, mocking and provoking a nuclear attack throughout with lines like, "Launch the Polaris, the end doesn't scare us," but ultimately predicts peace with the now-familiar aphorism, "The warheads will all rust in peace."

Polaris is a nuclear, submarine-launched, ballistic missile developed by the United States Navy in 1957, with the first being fired in 1960.