The band put out a series of EPs and was signed by Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong's label Hellcat Records. In 1998, the Dropkick Murphys released their first full-length album, Do Or Die. Lead singer Mike McColgan, who left the band later that year, was replaced by The Bruisers lead singer Al Barr. In 1999, they released their followup album, The Gang's All Here. In 2001, they released their third album, Sing Loud, Sing Proud. The album showcased the group’s developing sound and included collaborations with The Pogues' frontman Shane MacGowan and Cock Sparrer's Colin McFaull. It also marked a significant lineup change for the band. Original guitarist Rick Barton was replaced by former The Ducky Boys' guitarists James Lynch and Marc Orrell; instruments were added and played by new members Ryan Foltz and Spicy McHaggis.
The Dropkick Murphys' next album, Blackout, was released in 2003. The new album included the radio hit "Walk Away," as well as the songs "Fields of Athenry" and "The Dirty Glass." The latter features female vocals by Stephanie Dougherty (Deadly Sins). Around the same time, the band released a re-working of the Boston Red Sox anthem "Tessie," which then became the official song of the team's 2004 World Series run. "Tessie" was also used throughout the major motion picture Fever Pitch and was included on the EA Sports MVP Baseball 2005 soundtrack. In 2005, the Dropkick Murphys released Singles Collection Volume 2, featuring covers, B-sides, and other material that didn't make it onto previous albums, and the band contributed a recording of "We Got the Power" to Rock Against Bush, Volume 2.
The Dropkick Murphys' fifth studio album, The Warrior's Code, was released on June 21, 2005. It features the singles "Sunshine Highway," "The Walking Dead," "The Warrior's Code," as well as the bonus track "Tessie." It also includes a song that was inspired by a Woody Guthrie poem, which the group named "I'm Shipping Up to Boston." The song was featured in Martin Scorsese's 2006 film The Departed. Scorsese mentioned the band in an interview after winning his first Oscar.
The Dropkick Murphys released their sixth studio album, The Meanest of Times, on September 18, 2007. It was their first release not on the Hellcat Records label but instead on the label Born & Bred.
In early 2008, Marc Orrell left the band. Thereupon Tim Brennan, who had been playing mandolin, accordion, banjo, tin whistle, and guitar for the band since 2004, replaced Orrell on lead guitar. Tim's previous musical duties were taken over by Jeff DaRosa, former member of The Vigilante and Pinkerton Thugs.
In September of 2022, This Machine Still Kills Fascists was released. It's an acoustic album with unused words and lyrics written by Woody Guthrie, selected and given to the band to use by Guthrie's daughter Nora. It did not feature Al Barr, who was on hiatus for family matters.
The band will release their twelfth album, Okemah Rising, on May 12, 2023. The album was recorded during the same sessions for This Machine Still Kills Facists and like that album will feature songs using the unused lyrics by Woody Guthrie. The album was preceded by the singles "I Know How it Feels" on March 1, 2023, and "Gotta Get to Peekskill" (featuring Violent Femmes) on March 30, 2023.
Studio albums
Do or Die (1998)
The Gang's All Here (1999)
Sing Loud, Sing Proud! (2001)
Blackout (2003)
The Warrior's Code (2005)
The Meanest of Times (2007)
Going Out in Style (2011)
Signed and Sealed in Blood (2013)
11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory (2017)
Turn Up That Dial (2021)
This Machine Still Kills Fascists (2022)
Okemah Rising (2023)
Cruel
Dropkick Murphys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But love and affection this family afforded me
Worries came early and often it seemed
Fate was not pleasant still I was redeemed
Then compassion soon faded to chaos
As they did their best all the while
When circumstance outweighs intention
Sometimes the mountain's just too hard to climb
They were cruel, they were ignorant
They were beauty, they were kind
They were patience, they were virtue
They were crazy, they were mine
I was young and I thought I knew everything
It's so hard to change a fool's mind
When you're stubborn by nature and quick to the draw
And you're full of inherited pride
But some lessons come harder than others
And some senses are harder to find
Your troubles won't end when you're saved by the bell
You'll still answer to those you defied
They were cruel, they were ignorant
They were beauty, they were kind
They were patience, they were virtue
They were crazy, they were mine
The heavens might sing out your praises
But the heavens won't pay for your lies
The sinners might pray for your problems
But the sinners won't look in your eye
They were crazy, they were mine
They were cruel, they were ignorant
They were beauty, they were kind
They were patience, they were virtue
They were crazy, they were mine
The heavens might sing out your praises
But the heavens won't pray for your lies
The sinners might pay for your problems
But the sinner won't look in your eye
The lyrics to Dropkick Murphys' song "Cruel" explore the complicated dynamics of family relationships, the struggle to overcome difficult circumstances, and the importance of taking responsibility for one's actions. The singer describes being born into poverty and facing early challenges, but finding love and support within their family. However, as the difficulties mount, the family begins to unravel and the people who were once a source of comfort become a source of chaos.
Despite the struggles, there is still an element of love and loyalty that ties the family together. The singer recognizes their own role in the situation, acknowledging their stubbornness and inherited pride. In the end, they come to the realization that there are consequences for their actions and they must take responsibility for them.
The final stanza emphasizes the complexity of morality, with the idea that even those who are considered sinners might pray for a person's problems, but they won't necessarily look them in the eye. This implies that while forgiveness and understanding may be possible, true change and growth can only come from facing up to one's actions and their consequences.
Overall, "Cruel" is a song about the complexities of family relationships and the importance of taking responsibility for one's actions, even when faced with difficult circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
We were born into nothing, hard up so to speak
We were born into poverty and had to struggle to make ends meet.
But love and affection this family afforded me
Despite our financial struggles, my family provided me with love and affection.
Worries came early and often it seemed
I faced many worries and hardships at a young age.
Fate was not pleasant still I was redeemed
Despite the challenges I faced, I was able to find redemption.
Then compassion soon faded to chaos
As time passed, my family's compassion turned to chaos.
As they did their best all the while
Despite their efforts, my family struggled to cope with our situation.
When circumstance outweighs intention
Sometimes no matter how good your intentions are, circumstances can be too overwhelming.
Sometimes the mountain's just too hard to climb
Sometimes the obstacles in life are just too difficult to overcome.
They were cruel, they were ignorant
My family had their flaws and some of their actions were cruel and ignorant.
They were beauty, they were kind
Despite their flaws, my family had moments of beauty and kindness.
They were patience, they were virtue
My family possessed patience and virtues.
They were crazy, they were mine
Despite their imperfections, my family was mine.
I was young and I thought I knew everything
I was young and overconfident in my knowledge and abilities.
It's so hard to change a fool's mind
It can be difficult to change the mind of someone who is stubborn and closed-minded.
When you're stubborn by nature and quick to the draw
When you're naturally stubborn and reactive.
And you're full of inherited pride
And you have inherited pride that is difficult to shake off.
But some lessons come harder than others
Some life lessons are harder to learn than others.
And some senses are harder to find
Some important senses, such as empathy, can be difficult to develop.
Your troubles won't end when you're saved by the bell
Even if you're saved from a difficult situation, you may still face consequences and difficulties.
You'll still answer to those you defied
You will still be held accountable for those you have wronged.
The heavens might sing out your praises
While others may praise you, it may not be enough to save you.
But the heavens won't pay for your lies
Your lies will ultimately catch up to you and have consequences.
The sinners might pray for your problems
Even if others pray for you, it may not change the outcome of your problems.
But the sinners won't look in your eye
Those who have wronged you will not be able to look you in the eye because of their guilt or shame.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KENNETH WILLIAM CASEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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