Recovered audio index / ongoing restoration

Tape Vault

Search the resurrected collection by artist or song. Every recovered case has a stable link that the Documentary Field Guide can use as evidence.

Need the history behind the noise? Open the Documentary Field Guide →

Archive ready.

Showing 1–15 of 144 recovered cases.

Bad Hair Day cover — Released: March 1996

Archive notes: Yankovic directly confirms the backward joke in his official Ask Al archive. The official Bad Hair Day catalog dates the album to March 1996.

Case 144 Permanent link

Intentional message Artist acknowledged Field Guide Reel 07

"Weird Al" Yankovic

Album: Bad Hair Day Song: I Remember Larry

Research / recording source →

Forward:
Backward spoken passage toward the end; locate in the original album mix.

Message transcription:
A joke teasing the decoder for having a lot of free time.

"Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D cover — Released: 02-28-1984

Archive notes: A horror-comedy backmasking gag released during the height of public anxiety over backward messages.

Case 131 Permanent link

Intentional message Documented Field Guide Reel 07

"Weird Al" Yankovic

Album: "Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D Song: Nature Trail to Hell

Research / recording source →

Forward:
A short deliberately reversed spoken interjection appears around 3:40.

Message transcription:
Satan eats Cheez Whiz.

All Eyez On Me cover — Released: 02-13-1996

Archive notes: Thanks to THOF for submitting this information.

Case 098 Permanent link

2 Pac

Album: All Eyez On Me Song: California Love

Forward:
Where Dr Dre says "Yeah dats right ohhh"

Alleged backward phrase:
Its all about Satan

Dirty Deeds cover — Released: 09-20-1976

Archive notes: International Album cover, designed by Hipgnosis. Another original brought to you by Underground Noize!

Case 002 Permanent link

AC/DC

Album: Dirty Deeds Song: Dirty Deeds

Forward:
Pick up the phone.. Leave her alone.. It's time you made your Stand..

Alleged backward phrase:
And I said yeah I'm the Nazi.. Ooh and I love it.. Who the fuck are you?

Case 003 Permanent link

AC/DC

Album: Dirty Deeds Song: Dirty Deeds

Forward:
If your having trouble with the high school head.. He's giving you the blues.. You wanna rock every night instead(???).. It's what you gotta do

Alleged backward phrase:
Oooh.. Should I discuss it.. Hey Satan I'm the millionith guy to know me.. Smooth Murding is easy.. Hey who is not? I killed one last night.. Hail Satan

Highway to Hell cover — Released: 1979

Archive notes: The supplied history records Lucifer/hell interpretations and a band denial. They remain allegations; no verified timecode or engineered message is established here.

Case 145 Permanent link

Alleged phrase Historical report Field Guide Reel 04

AC/DC

Album: Highway to Hell Song: Highway to Hell

Research / recording source →

Forward:
Specific source passage and edition not yet established.

Alleged backward phrase:
Reported variants refer to Lucifer claiming authority and a woman belonging in hell; exact wording remains unverified.

Audio sample needed Research the exact forward lyrics behind both reported variants before sampling. Use an identified 1979 mix, preserve original speed and context, and label proposed words as allegations.

Case 001 Permanent link

Alleged phrase Listener allegation

AC/DC

Album: Dirty Deeds Song: Love At First Feel

Research / recording source →

Forward:
Why don't you let me in? Let's get something going before mom and dad get home. Love at first feel, love at first feel

Alleged backward phrase:
We serve the Devil, enjoy it, sinners, we serve the Devil, whip it, we serve the Devil

Rocks cover — Released: 05-03-1976

Archive notes: Thanks to Brad for submitting this info. Thanks to THOF for providing the audio clip.

Case 112 Permanent link

Aerosmith

Album: Rocks Song: Rats In The Cellar

Forward:
New York City Blues

Alleged backward phrase:
Suicide is for You

Toys In The Attic cover — Released: 04-08-1975

Archive notes: The original Aerosmith recording appeared on Toys in the Attic in 1975; this is not the later Run-DMC collaboration. The alleged reverse phrase is a listener reading, with no artist acknowledgement located for this case.

Case 004 Permanent link

Alleged phrase Listener allegation

Aerosmith

Album: Toys In The Attic Song: Walk This Way

Research / recording source →

Forward:
Walk this way, talk this way

Alleged backward phrase:
Come Satan

Case 103 Permanent link

Backstreet Boys

Album: Backstreet Boys Song: Everybody

Forward:
Alright, Alright, Now throw your hands up in the air

Alleged backward phrase:
I eat new pussy all the time, get off, get off

Black & Blue cover — Released: 11-21-2000

Archive notes: Another original backmask brought to you by Underground Noize.

Case 113 Permanent link

Backstreet Boys

Album: Black & Blue Song: Everyone

Forward:
Let's get started

Alleged backward phrase:
They love Satan

Case 114 Permanent link

Backstreet Boys

Album: Black & Blue Song: Everyone

Forward:
dum dah.. dum dah.. dum dum dum dum dah Gibberish

Alleged backward phrase:
the sadness and madness

Single cover — Released: 07-26-2000

Archive notes: Thanks to Scottieboy143 for informing me of this backmask. Please post any comments/remarks in the forums.

Case 115 Permanent link

Baha Men

Album: Single Song: Who Let The Dogs Out

Forward:
Jamaican? Or just gibberish?

Alleged backward phrase:
If we don't meet, you fucked up, you fucked up nigga

Licensed to Ill cover — Released: 11-15-1986

Archive notes: Mike D has recalled that Yauch asked how the beat would sound backward, then created it with tape before digital sampling. The reversed beat became the foundation of “Paul Revere.”

Case 142 Permanent link

Studio technique Artist acknowledged Field Guide Reel 02

Beastie Boys

Album: Licensed to Ill Song: Paul Revere

Research / recording source →

Forward:
The released recording is built around a TR-808 drum pattern that Adam Yauch recorded to tape, bounced, physically flipped, and returned to the multitrack in reverse.

Reverse reconstruction:
Reversing the released passage restores the drum pattern’s original direction; there is no concealed spoken sentence.

Magical Mystery Tour cover — Released: 11-27-1967

Archive notes: A listener-generated Paul is dead interpretation absorbed into the larger clue catalog. No artist acknowledgement or documented construction has been located.

Case 008 Permanent link

Alleged phrase Listener allegation Field Guide Reel 03

Beatles, The

Album: Magical Mystery Tour Song: Blue Jay Way

Research / recording source →

Forward:
Please don't be long...

Alleged backward phrase:
Paul is bloody