311 mix rock, rap, reggae and funk into their own unique sound. After years of consistent touring, 311 have developed a reputation as one of the hardest working, most influential and most entertaining live bands in the U.S.
311 have released ten studio albums, one live album, one greatest hits album and three dvd's - and have sold over 8.5 million albums in the U.S. Seven of their albums have reached the Top 10 on Billboard's Top 200 Sales Chart...and 9 of their singles have reached the Top 10 on Billboard's Alternative Rock Radio Chart (including the #1 singles Down, Love Song & Don't Tread On Me. Along with Amber, All Mixed Up, Come Original, Creatures For Awhile, Hey You, and Sunset in July).
311’s newest album, Universal Pulse, released in Summer 2011, was produced by Bob Rock, mixed by Chad Sexton and debuted at #7 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart.
The band's celebratory live shows & incessant touring schedule have earned them a massive grassroots following nationwide. Since its inception in 2004, 311’s annual summer headlining amphitheatre run, Unity Tour, has become one of the largest modern rock concerts of the summer. Support acts on previous Unity Tours have included Sublime with Rome, The Offspring, Snoop Dogg, The Roots, Papa Roach, The Wailers, O.A.R., Matisyahu, and Ziggy Marley. Unity Tour 2012 will feature support from Slightly Stoopid.
311 BIO/HIGHLIGHTS:
* 311 was formed in 1990 in Omaha, Nebraska by vocalist/guitarist Nick Hexum, vocalist/dj SA Martinez, lead guitarist Tim Mahoney, drummer Chad Sexton and bassist P-Nut. The band now resides in Los Angeles.
* 311 has sold over 8.5 million units in the U.S.
* 311 has had 8 albums reach the Top 10 on Billboard’s U.S. Top 200 Sales Chart
* 311 has had 9 singles reach the Top 10 on Billboard’s U.S. Alternative Chart (including the #1 singles “Down”, “Love Song” & “Don’t Tread On Me” along with “Amber”, “All Mixed Up”, “Come Original”, “Creatures (For a While)”, “Hey You” and "Sunset in July")
* 311’s new album, Universal Pulse, debuted at #7 in July 2011 and was produced by Bob Rock (Metallica, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Aerosmith).
* 311’s new album, due summer of 2011, was produced by Bob Rock (Metallica, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Aerosmith).
* 311’s sound is a unique hybrid of rock, reggae, hip-hop & funk. A balance of hard rocking anthems and melodic reggae grooves - with an underlying message of unity & positivity.
* After years of incessant touring, 311 has developed a reputation as one of the most influential & most entertaining live bands in the U.S.
* With their celebratory live shows, 311 has earned a massive grassroots following. For the past nine years, 311 has headlined their summer “Unity Tour” in ampitheatres across the U.S.- drawing crowds of 10,000 to 18,000 people in Atlanta, Boston, DC, New Jersey, Los Angeles, St. Louis, West Palm, Charlotte, VA Beach, Denver, etc. The tour is consistently one of the largest modern rock concerts of the summer in the U.S.
* Past 311 tours have included an impressive array of opening acts. Bands such as No Doubt, Korn & Incubus all supported 311 on U.S. tours before they became headliners.
* Support acts on 311’s Unity Tour have included :
Sublime With Rome, The Offspring, Snoop Dogg, The Roots, Papa Roach, The Wailers, O.A.R., Matisyahu and Ziggy Marley.
* 311 has always stayed true to their own approach and their underlying message of unity and positivity. That message still rings true for them today…in their lyrics and at their celebratory live shows. Singer Nick Hexum typically ends each show with the words, “Stay Positive and Love Your Life.”
• Every other year on March 11th (“3-11 Day”), 311 holds a special concert event that attracts thousands of 311 fans from around the world. The show includes an extended setlist (5 hours / 60+ songs) and state of the art production. Last year the band sold-out the Mandalay Bay Arena and tickets were sold to fans in all 50 U.S. states and 13 different countries. 311 fans traveled from around the globe to meet each other and to celebrate 311 Day together.
Rollin
311 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm holdin' and foldin' see no cold in the streets
Dirty looks - huh - we think it's funny
Workin' class rares scrounge up all the money
But we're coolin' in the middle June
I'm gettin' girls gettin' lit and I'm making up tunes
Believe that boy I'll bet I'll bet I'm trollen
Just lookin' for some trouble and we be rollin'
Now I'm a tell a tale to you straight
Gonna tell you a story
It's not a fairy tale and it gets a little glory
It happened one night when Tequila was full
We were walkin' to my car unaware unknowin'
I stepped up crossed the the street in no hurry
And what happens next - it gets a little blurry
This chump nearly hits me in a green pintow so I threw my bottle BANG!
It broke his window
He screeched to a halt jumped out of his car
I stepped straight to him gonna make him see stars yes
The situation was going to explode
Thought I should give him a warning said ya better hit the road
I knew it would be easy if i dagged him first
So I cracked him in the face all of the sudden with a burst
I hit im with a right then a left didn't land
But he turned his head and I broke my hand
Whatcha gonna do?
Do whatcha gonna
I got a cast on my hand and the girls think I'm a jerk
I can't play my bass and I can't go to work
This is a true story it all did happen
Better yet I regret that I'm rollin' up strappin'
Been two years now since this all took place
I learn from being stupid I learn from my mistakes
And now I'm livin' peace edifyin' and trollen
Can't say it wasn't fun in those days of rollin'
Rollin'
Rollin'
In the first verse of "Rollin," 311 are describing a carefree night out with friends. They're hanging out in the summer, cruising around with the windows down, looking for trouble. They seem to be aware of the economically challenging situation of some of the people around them, but they're not letting it get them down. Instead, they're making music and enjoying the company of the girls they're with. The second verse takes a bit of a darker turn, as they describe a violent altercation they got into after a night of drinking. The singer describes how he's now dealing with the aftermath of the fight, with a broken hand and damaged relationships.
The lyrics seem to be a mix of nostalgia and regret, with 311 looking back on their youth with fondness but also recognizing that some of the behavior they engaged in was harmful. The chorus of the song ("Rollin'") is a simple refrain that captures the carefree spirit of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Rollin' windows down kickback trollen
We're driving with the windows down, relaxed and enjoying ourselves while looking for trouble
I'm holdin' and foldin' see no cold in the streets
I have my drugs and money hidden away and I'm not worried about the dangers of the streets
Dirty looks - huh - we think it's funny
People don't approve of our behavior, but we find it amusing
Workin' class rares scrounge up all the money
Working-class people struggle to make ends meet while we waste our money on drugs and partying
But we're coolin' in the middle June
We're relaxing and enjoying ourselves during the summer
I'm gettin' girls gettin' lit and I'm making up tunes
I'm hooking up with girls, getting drunk, and writing songs
Believe that boy I'll bet I'll bet I'm trollen
Trust me, I'm looking for trouble and enjoying myself while doing it
Just lookin' for some trouble and we be rollin'
We're actively seeking out problems and enjoying the thrill of it while we drive around
I knew it would be easy if I dagged him first
I knew it would be easier to attack him first
So I cracked him in the face all of the sudden with a burst
I punched him quickly and unexpectedly
I hit im with a right then a left didn't land
I attempted to hit him with a right and a left, but they missed
But he turned his head and I broke my hand
He moved his head and my punch connected with a solid object, breaking my hand
Whatcha gonna do?
Do whatcha gonna
What are you going to do? Do whatever you want, consequences be damned
I got a cast on my hand and the girls think I'm a jerk
I can't play my bass and I can't go to work
I have a cast on my hand from my fight, and as a consequence, I can't play my bass or work. The girls think I'm a bad person because of my actions
Better yet I regret that I'm rollin' up strappin'
In retrospect, I regret my behavior of seeking out trouble and carrying weapons
Been two years now since this all took place
It's been two years since the fight happened
I learn from being stupid I learn from my mistakes
I've learned from my foolish actions and errors in judgment
And now I'm livin' peace edifyin' and trollen
I've turned my life around, living in peace, sharing and building people up, and sometimes even seeking trouble just for fun
Can't say it wasn't fun in those days of rollin'
I can't deny that I had fun when I was seeking out trouble and engaging in dangerous behavior
Rollin'
Rollin'
We have no worries, just enjoying the ride while we drive around, looking for fun
Contributed by Lincoln F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
drgonzo619
bad fucking ass song
BackOff414
This song is sick! How did this not get on to the album "Music?" This has been one of my favs for about 7 months! Always will!
thomaschavers
I am so glad I got to hear this song live at Pow Wow
Lauri Saarinen
Kick ass song! The part that starts at 0:24 sounds slightly like Redefine by Incubus.
SnekuL_Xfire11
Can't say it wasn't fun, in those days of ROLLIN
KrZxBleach
its from unity. got the whole album. every album in fact.
thomaschavers
@thomaschavers I think it had not been played since 2005. I was also so happy to see slinky brought out of retirement at 3/11 2010. I also love how they played transistor in it's entirety and it was the debut of "tune in" being played live. Plus it so awesome hearing songs like gap, summer of love, freeze time, mind spin, and livin n rockin at pow wow. Are you a member of the 311 familia on facebook?
riptorn311
holy shit!!! the unity album!!! is this actually from unity or ya get it from omaha sessions?
GVL2010
Happy 311 Day!
Zach Good
It looks sort of like a partially uprooted tree...but honestly I have no clue either.