That's When I Reach for My Revolver
That's When I Reach for My Revolver by Mission of Burma is 120 BPM — Allegro (fast).
Half-time 60 BPM · Double-time 240 BPM · released 1981
Song DNA
Near the most intense end of our library. It keeps shifting — not one to fade into the background. This one lurches between soft and loud turning often, intricate in texture, with strong, dynamic vocals driving it at a brisk, driving tempo. On our 19,209-song scale, it reads more energetic than 95% of everything we’ve measured.
Cultural Context
Influential in the post-punk movement, known for their innovation.
Listening Prompt
Tune into the raw urgency and emotional depth.
What to Expect
Frequent sudden changes is the most significant flag here — not mild or moderate, but frequent. Combined with a dynamic range of 8, low predictability, and complex texture, this is a high-vigilance listening experience. At 120 bpm the tempo adds propulsive energy, but low predictability means the structural logic resists anticipation and removes the ability to brace. Dynamic vocals range in intensity across the track. Sensory level is intense. The combination of frequent abrupt transitions and an unpredictable arc makes this among the most demanding profiles in this set for listeners with startle sensitivity, anxiety, or auditory overwhelm. Flagged for emotional release and energy — a pressure-valve experience for those who can hold the intensity, not a comfort tool. For anyone with hyperacusis or a low threshold for sudden loudness, this is a high-effort listen at any volume. Approach only with intentional readiness and a firmly managed volume ceiling.
Hear it the way it was made
The right gear changes everything.
Moods: cathartic, heavy
"That's When I Reach for My Revolver" is in our intense band.
At least one of our five sensory dimensions crosses the threshold that means "this can be a lot." Most commonly: dynamic vocals or complex texture, or a dynamic range of 8/10. The full breakdown is below. If you arrived here looking for a calmer alternative, our use-case verdicts section flags songs with similar mood but lower intensity.
How this song sits on each sensory axis
A dynamic range of 8/10 is in the upper band of our library. This song has a significant quiet-to-loud arc. For sensory-sensitive listening, set the opening volume well below your comfortable top-end; the climax will land harder than the intro suggests.
Sudden changes: present. This song uses surprise as a feature. For focus or background listening, it's likely to pull your attention away; for active listening, that's often the point.
Texture: complex.
Predictability is low — this song does not follow standard verse-chorus form closely, and rewards active listening more than passive listening.
Vocal style: dynamic vocals.
1981 context
Released in 1981. We have 194 songs from that year in our library, averaging a dynamic range of 6.4/10. This track is about average than the year average. Explore more from the 1980s.
Explore by mood and tradition
Guides that may help
How fast is "That's When I Reach for My Revolver"?
120 BPM — Upbeat (dance-pop / running warm-up)
Slow jog or recovery run pace. Matches a 120-140 stride-per-minute cadence.
Steady cardio, power walking, light weights.
Driving, getting ready in the morning, light party.
Browse more songs at 120 BPM.
When "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" works, and when it doesn't
Use-case verdicts computed from the song's tempo, dynamics, and sensory profile.
No — too dynamic or too many surprises. Save for active listening.
Yes — 120 BPM sits squarely in the running / cardio band. Matches natural stride cadence.
No — contains elements that will keep an awake nervous system engaged.
Maybe — the intensity / sudden changes are fine for solo highway driving but skip for city or rainy-weather driving.
No — too active to function as background; will pull attention away from what you're doing.
Yes — this is a song for actively feeling what you came to feel, not for background.
Related reading
Editorial guides that cover this song's use cases, moods, or artist.
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Why this rating
We rate this song Intense. Our rule is deliberately conservative: any one of high dynamic range, present sudden changes, harsh texture, or a strained/screamed vocal is enough to trigger Intense on its own. Full scoring rubric: methodology.
See how “That's When I Reach for My Revolver” sits against your own sensitivities, or use it as a waypoint in a calmer set.
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Rating last reviewed: 2026-06-20. Reviewed by the Music I Want editorial team against the documented methodology.
Think this rating is wrong? Contact the editor — every message is read and ratings get revised.
By the numbers: how this song compares
Computed from this song’s place among the 19,209 songs we’ve measured.
Where it sits in 19,000 songs
This is one of the more intense things in our library — more energetic than 95% of the 19,209 songs we've measured. Its intensity reading of 83/100 comes from a dynamic range of 8/10, complex texture, frequent shifts, and dynamic vocals. Relatively few songs occupy this exact corner of the spectrum.
What makes it unusual
What stands out most about this song is blazing intensity: more extreme on that axis than 95% of everything we've measured. At the far opposite end of the library sit the songs built on near-total stillness — steady volume, no surprises, a slow and unhurried pulse — the kind of track this one is the counterpoint to.
Feels almost identical to
Closest matches by feel across all 19,209 measured songs — not by genre or artist, by how they actually move.
What it’s good for
Scored from this song’s tempo, intensity, dynamics and texture — not crowd votes.
1981 in context
The 194 songs we’ve measured from 1981 average a dynamic range of 6.4/10. At 8/10, this track is louder and more dynamic than its year.
Mixes smoothly with
Within a few BPM and close in feel — they flow without a jarring transition.
The fingerprint
The 8-dimension measurement behind every rating on this page.
Frequently asked about "That's When I Reach for My Revolver"
Quick answers pulled from the song's sensory analysis.
What is the BPM of "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" by Mission of Burma?
"That's When I Reach for My Revolver" by Mission of Burma has a tempo of 120 BPM (Allegro (fast)). At half-time that is 60 BPM, and at double-time 240 BPM.
What is the sensory intensity of "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" by Mission of Burma?
"That's When I Reach for My Revolver" by Mission of Burma rates as Intense. Dynamic range 8/10, frequent sudden changes, complex texture, dynamic vocals vocal style. Any one of high dynamic range, present sudden changes, or harsh texture triggers the Intense rating.
How loud is "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" — what is its dynamic range?
"That's When I Reach for My Revolver" has a dynamic range of 8/10. Substantial quiet-to-loud arc. Start at a volume well below your top-end; the climax will land harder than the intro suggests.
Does "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" have sudden or surprising changes?
Yes. "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" uses surprise as a compositional feature. Expect unsignaled transitions.
What is "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" best for?
In our library "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" is recommended for: emotional release, energy. These tags are assigned only where the song's sensory profile genuinely supports the use case.
When was "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" released?
"That's When I Reach for My Revolver" is from 1981, on the album "Signals, Calls, and Marches". It appears in our 1980s catalog.
What is the emotional mood of "That's When I Reach for My Revolver"?
We tag "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" as cathartic, heavy. Moods are tonal descriptors based on how the song reads emotionally — separate from the sensory intensity axes.
What is the vocal style of "That's When I Reach for My Revolver"?
The vocal style is dynamic vocals.
Is "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" good for running?
Yes — at 120 BPM it sits in the running-cadence band (120-180 BPM). Match your stride to the beat and it keeps pace with most recreational runners.
Is "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" good for studying?
Only partially. The song's dynamic range (8/10) means there will be loud moments that break focus during deep work.
Can I use "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" for sleep?
Not recommended for sleep. Too intense overall.
Should I listen to "That's When I Reach for My Revolver"?
"That's When I Reach for My Revolver" is Intense in our ratings — dramatic dynamics, possible sudden changes, or strong vocal or textural energy. Best with intention rather than ambient use. If you are sensory-sensitive, the alternatives section surfaces calmer songs in the same mood family.
Songs with the same DNA
complex texture, similar intensity — across any genre or era.
Safer alternatives with a similar feel
These songs share similar moods but with a gentler sensory profile.
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