"Travolta" (also known as "Quote Unquote") was the first single released by American

experimental rock Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments with the basic elements of the genre. Artists aim to liberate and innovate, with ...

band Mr. Bungle. It was featured on their self-titled debut album.

Controversy

Although the song was originally titled "Travolta", it was quickly changed to "Quote Unquote" due to legal threats. A music video was made for "Travolta", using its later title "Quote Unquote". The video was banned from MTV due to images of the band members (dressed in various costumes and masks) hanging from meat hooks and overall scary, disturbing images. The video used the single version of the song.

References to John Travolta

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

believes the song to be a tribute to John Travolta and fellow actor

Patrick Swayze Patrick Wayne Swayze (; August 18, 1952 – September 14, 2009) was an American actor, dancer, and singer known for playing distinctive lead roles, particularly romantic, tough, and comedic characters. He was also known for his media image and ...

, although it also contains references to

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

. A biography about John Travolta, written by Bob McCabe, was titled ''Quote, Unquote'' after the song. The main theme from the 1978 movie '' Grease'', a film John Travolta was famous for, was sampled twice in the song.Mr. Bungle - "Quote - Unqote" on Whosampled
According to Trey Spruance in a 2016 interview:

Track listing

# "Quote Unquote" (edit) – 4:31 # "Quote Unquote" (album version) – 6:56

References

{{Authority control 1991 singles Songs written by Mike Patton 1991 songs Experimental music compositions Warner Records singles Mr. Bungle songs Music videos directed by Kevin Kerslake Avant-garde metal songs Songs written by Trey Spruance