Rancid has had two lineup changes since its inception, with Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman being continuous members. Their current lineup consists of Armstrong on guitar and vocals, Freeman on bass and vocals, Lars Frederiksen on guitar and vocals, and Branden Steineckert on drums. The band was formed by Armstrong, Freeman, and former drummer Brett Reed, who left the band in 2006 and was replaced by Steineckert. This lineup recorded their first album, with Frederiksen joining the band on their subsequent tour.
To date, Rancid has released ten studio albums, one split album, one compilation, two extended plays, and a series of live online-only albums, and has been featured on a number of compilation albums. The band has sold over four million records worldwide, making it one of the most successful punk rock groups of all time. The band rose to fame in 1994 with its second studio album, Let's Go, featuring the single "Salvation". In the following year, Rancid released its highly successful album ...And Out Come the Wolves, which produced its best-known songs "Roots Radicals", "Ruby Soho", and "Time Bomb", and was certified gold and platinum by the RIAA, selling over one million copies in the United States alone. Its next six albums – Life Won't Wait (1998), Rancid (2000), Indestructible (2003), Let the Dominoes Fall (2009), ...Honor Is All We Know (2014) and Trouble Maker (2017) – were also critically acclaimed, though not as commercially successful as ...And Out Come the Wolves. The band released their tenth album, Tomorrow Never Comes, in June 2023.
Studio albums
Rancid (1993)
Let's Go (1994)
...And Out Come the Wolves (1995)
Life Won't Wait (1998)
Rancid (also known as "Rancid 2000" or "Rancid 5") (2000)
Indestructible (2003)
Let the Dominoes Fall (2009)
...Honor Is All We Know (2014)
Trouble Maker (2017)
Tomorrow Never Comes (2023)
Time Bomb
Rancid Lyrics
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It's just the ability to reason that wears so thin
Living and dying and the stories that are true
Secrets to a good life is knowing when you're through
Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb
Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb
He's back in the hole where they got him living
Like a rat but he's smarter than that nine lives
Like a cat take him to the youth authority home
First thing you learn is that you got to make it in this world alone
Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb
Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb
Now he's gotten out he's gotten free he's gotta go, gotta car
He's twenty one years old he's runnin' from the bar
His pager's beepin' he's got in deep in
Whatever he can move on in you know that kid's a creepin'
Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb
Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac
The boy's a time bomb
Yeah, the boy's a time bomb
In tears come from the razor that's been tattooed below
His eye his mother cries she knows that he is strong enough to die
He's rollin' in the Cadillac it's midnight sunroof is down
Three shots rung out the hero's dead the new king is crowned
Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb
Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb
Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb
Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb, oh, time bomb
The song "Time Bomb" by Rancid discusses the story of a young man who is on the edge and about to explode. The song opens by saying that if you want to make a move, you better hurry because reason wears thin. The line suggests that the person is barely holding on and is ready to burst. The chorus talks about the young man's attire - black coat, white shoes, black hat, and Cadillac - as he is portrayed as a ticking time bomb, about to blow up with unpredictable consequences.
The second verse further elaborates on his situation, having been incarcerated, but smart enough to survive like a cat in the youth authority home. The boy has learned that he must make it in this world alone, emphasizing a lone wolf lifestyle. The final verse talks about the boy having finally gotten out and escaping, but he's still caught up in his dangerous lifestyle, evidenced by his pager that is constantly beeping. In the final moments of the song, the story takes a dark turn as the "hero" dies, and the boy becomes the "new king," symbolizing a cycle of violence and death.
Line by Line Meaning
If you want to make the move then you better come in
You need to be committed and confident to get ahead in life.
It's just the ability to reason that wears so thin
One's rationality can eventually be worn out by life's challenges.
Living and dying and the stories that are true
Life consists of tales of survival and demise.
Secrets to a good life is knowing when you're through
Being able to recognize when it's time to let go may lead to a fulfilling life.
Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac, yeah
The boy dresses in style.
The boy's a time bomb
The boy is unpredictable and dangerous.
He's back in the hole where they got him living
He's trapped in a situation he doesn't want to be in.
Like a rat but he's smarter than that nine lives
The boy is resourceful and clever.
Like a cat take him to the youth authority home
He's been taken to a correctional facility for young offenders.
First thing you learn is that you got to make it in this world alone
Surviving in this world is a solitary struggle.
Now he's gotten out he's gotten free he's gotta go, gotta car
He's escaped from confinement and is on the run with a car.
He's twenty one years old he's runnin' from the bar
He is still young and is avoiding trouble.
His pager's beepin' he's got in deep in
He's involved in a dangerous situation.
Whatever he can move on in you know that kid's a creepin'
He's sneaking around and doing what he needs to do to survive.
In tears come from the razor that's been tattooed below
He has a tear tattoo below his eye, indicating that he has killed someone.
His eye his mother cries she knows that he is strong enough to die
His mother is sad but believes that he is capable of surviving in this world.
He's rollin' in the Cadillac it's midnight sunroof is down
He's cruising around in his car with the sunroof down at night.
Three shots rung out the hero's dead the new king is crowned
Someone has been killed, and a new leader has emerged.
The boy's a time bomb, oh, time bomb
The boy is a ticking time bomb, always on the edge of exploding.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Timothy Armstrong, Lars Frederiksen, Roger Mattew Freeman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind