Later that year, the group released the classic hardcore single "Amoeba" on Posh Boy Records. The Adolescents signed with Frontier Records in January 1981 and recorded The Adolescents the following month. Rikk Agnew left and was replaced by Pat Smear, formerly of The Germs. This line up lasted until the end of June when Smear left.
The Adolescents broke up in August 1981. Cadena formed The Abandoned, Soto and Agnew joined Legal Weapon, Royer formed D.I. and Agnew joined Christian Death after his departure.
Rikk Agnew made his solo album in 1983 then joined D.I. with Alfie Agnew, Frank and Rikk's younger brother.
In 1986 The Adolescents reformed with their original line-up and started to work on a new album. They recorded Brats in Battalions in the late summer. The record came out in August 1987 due to the band deciding to produce and release the album themselves with little cash or backing.
The Adolescents broke up in April 1989.
The band regrouped to tour for the 20th anniversary of their self-titled album in 2001 and have continued to perform.
The Adolescents have a new release out on Finger Records, O.C. Confidential in 2005. Finger Records is owned and run by Mel Schantz out of Orange County, California.
The Adolescents toured in support of OC Confidential, but Frank Agnew left the band in 2006. Rotating through as the band's live guitarists over the next few years were Matt Beld, Joe Harrison, and Soto's former Joyride bandmate Mike McKnight. O'Brien left the band in 2008 and was replaced by Armando Del Rio. Reflex and Soto became the band's sole constant members and primary songwriters from this point forward, and signed the Adolescents to German label Concrete Jungle Records. A split EP with the band Burning Heads was released in 2009. For the band's next album, 2011's The Fastest Kid Alive, the lineup was Reflex, Soto, Del Rio, McKnight, and Harrison. The band also contributed a cover version of the Runaways' "School Days" to the tribute album Take It or Leave It: A Tribute to the Queens of Noise that year.
Dan Root took Harrison's guitar position in 2012, and the Adolescents released the American Dogs in Europe EP in conjunction with a European tour. This was followed by the band's sixth studio album, Presumed Insolent (2013). Del Rio was replaced by Mike Cambra, and McKnight by Leroy Merlin, for 2014's La Vendetta..., which was given a North American release the following year by Frontier Records. Hot War, a split EP with Russian band Svetlanas, followed in 2015, containing one song from Presumed Insolent and one from La Vendetta... The Adolescents' most recent studio album, Manifest Density, was released July 8, 2016 by Concrete Jungle, with Ian Taylor taking Merlin's place as rhythm guitarist.
Let It Rain
Adolescents Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The sin I wear
Unholy wound
This open tear
All of god's children
Would truly understand
The midnight flight
The crimson sand
Let it rain
Wash it all away
Let it rain
Let it rain
Thorns of Christ
No peace on earth
Lord of flies
King of dirt
The search for tomorrow
Lies in these eyes of fire
A test of faith
Will transpire
The road to peace lay at your door
The road to peace and nothing more
Just say the word, I'll walk away
Just say the word, I'll walk away
Just say the word
I'll shed no tears for yesterday
Just say the word, I'll walk away
The song Let It Rain by Adolescents features lyrics that are open to interpretation, but there are some key themes that arise. The singer discusses a "sin" that they wear, as well as an "unholy wound" that is an "open tear." These lyrics suggest that the singer may be grappling with some internal pain, which could be spiritual or emotional in nature. However, the singer seems to acknowledge that "all of God's children" would understand their plight, which could suggest that this pain is something that is shared by others.
The singer goes on to reference the "Thorns of Christ" and the "Lord of flies," which could be interpreted as religious references that suggest a struggle with faith or temptation. However, the message of the song seems to be one of letting go and moving on. The refrain repeats the phrase "Let it rain" and suggests that the singer wants to wash away their pain, whatever form it may take. The final stanza acknowledges that the road to peace "lay[s] at your door" and suggests that the singer is willing to let go of the past in order to move forward and find that peace.
Overall, the lyrics of Let It Rain suggest a message of releasing pain and moving forward, whether that entails letting go of a person, a situation, or emotional baggage. The song's use of religious imagery and metaphorical language creates a layer of complexity and depth, which allows listeners to bring their own experiences and interpretations to the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Nothing original
I feel like everything I do has been done before and lacks originality.
The sin I wear
I carry with me the weight of my own sins and feel their burden quite heavily.
Unholy wound
A wound that feels like a sin in itself, as if I deserved it.
This open tear
The wound is not just physical, but also emotional and leaves me feeling exposed.
All of god's children
If only everyone could understand the pain I feel, they would be more empathetic towards me.
Would truly understand
I believe that others lack understanding of my pain and that if they could see it from my perspective, it would change their hearts.
The midnight flight
Escaping my problems in the dark of night, allowing myself to get lost in the unknown and forget my troubles.
The crimson sand
I have found myself in a place of pain, like a desert of blood, where everything is hard and unforgiving.
Let it rain
I want the pain to be washed away, leaving me renewed and free from my troubles.
Wash it all away
I want everything that burdens me to be taken away by the cleansing power of rain.
Thorns of Christ
I feel like pain is an intrinsic part of life, even for the Son of God himself, and that I must suffer to know true redemption.
No peace on earth
The world is a cruel and uncaring place, where peace is fleeting and hard to come by.
Lord of flies
The devil and his minions are everywhere, waiting to pounce on me at any moment.
King of dirt
I feel like I am not worthy of anything and that I am at the very bottom of the scale, constantly struggling and fighting my way up.
The search for tomorrow
I am always searching for a brighter tomorrow, hoping that things will get better in the future.
Lies in these eyes of fire
I have a deep passion and drive to keep going, despite everything, and this is what drives me forward.
A test of faith
I feel like I am constantly being tested, by both God and the devil, to see if I will remain loyal and true to my beliefs.
Will transpire
I know that something is going to happen, but I am unsure what it will be or how it will impact me.
The road to peace lay at your door
The path to inner peace and tranquility is within myself, and I must be the one to make the conscious decision to follow it.
The road to peace and nothing more
I am searching for peace, but nothing else matters in comparison to this ultimate goal.
Just say the word, I'll walk away
I am prepared to leave everything behind if it means finding peace and escaping my troubles.
Just say the word
All I need is one simple sign or message, and I will immediately change my path and follow a different way.
I'll shed no tears for yesterday
I am willing to let go of my past and not dwell on my past regrets or mistakes, choosing to move forward instead.
Contributed by Dylan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
CR
on No Way
I perceive the "No ass, no head" lyrics to mean no sex, no blowjobs(head) hence the "gotta go home and jack off instead"