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)
Last Letter Home
Dropkick Murphys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Today I write to you about our sons
The boys start school today
They're the spitting image of you in every way
Hey son, it's Dad
I hope this letter finds you well out of harm's way
We saw the news today, it frightened your mom
If I lead, will you follow?
Will you follow if I lead?
Hey Melissa, it's me, don't be afraid
I'm in good hands, I'm gonna be home soon
It's time to watch the children grow up
I wanna be more than a voice on the phone
Thanks Ma, I got your package today
I love "The Fields Of Athenry"
I swear I want 'em to play that song on the pipes
At my funeral when I die
Chorus
I stand alone in the distance
As the foreground slowly moves
Chorus
"We regret to inform you that on January 28th, Sgt. Andrew Farrar died while serving his country in the Al-Anbar province of Iraq. Words cannot convey our sadness."
Chorus
When there's nothing on the horizon
You've got nothing left to prove
If I lead, will you follow?
The lyrics of Dropkick Murphys' song Last Letter Home depict a series of letters written by a father and his soldier son to their loved ones while they are away in a war zone. The song starts with the father writing to his dearest love about how their sons are starting school that day and how they closely resemble their mother. He then switches to his son, assuring him that he hopes the letter will find him out of harm's way after seeing the news that day and his mother praying for his safety. The father then asks his son if he would follow him if he leads.
The song then transitions to the son writing to his wife, Melissa, telling her not to be afraid as he is in good hands and will be home soon. He expresses his desire to watch their children grow up and not be just a voice on the phone. He then thanks his mother for a package and states that he wants "The Fields Of Athenry," a popular Irish folk song, to be played on the pipes at his funeral when he dies. The chorus repeats the lyrics, "If I lead, will you follow?" and concludes with the announcement of Sgt. Andrew Farrar's death while serving in Iraq.
The song is a tribute to not only Sgt. Farrar but also to all soldiers who risk their lives and go to war. It portrays the pain and sorrow felt by both soldiers and their families when they are separated for an extended period of time. The message in the song is about questioning leadership and the consequences that it brings, serving one's country, and the deep love the characters have for their family and their country.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello there my dearest love
The writer greets his beloved wife and prepares to update her about their sons
Today I write to you about our sons
The writer indicates his intention to tell his wife about their sons
The boys start school today
The writer shares with his wife the education-related developments of their children
They're the spitting image of you in every way
The writer tells his wife that their sons resemble her in every way
Hey son, it's Dad
The writer initiates contact with his son and identifies himself as the father
I hope this letter finds you well out of harm's way
The writer expresses his desire for his son's safety
We saw the news today, it frightened your mom
The writer shares the news that scared his wife and expresses his concern for her
Now all she does is pray
The writer comments on his wife's current state of mind after hearing the news
If I lead, will you follow?
The writer asks a rhetorical question about leadership and followership
Will you follow if I lead?
The writer repeats his previous question and emphasizes the importance of trusting and supporting a leader
Hey Melissa, it's me, don't be afraid
The writer addresses Melissa in a reassuring tone and tries to calm her fears
I'm in good hands, I'm gonna be home soon
The writer assures Melissa that he's safe and plans to return home soon
It's time to watch the children grow up
The writer highlights the importance of being a parent and witnessing the growth of their children
I wanna be more than a voice on the phone
The writer expresses his desire to be physically present in his family's life and not just a distant voice on a phone
Thanks Ma, I got your package today
The writer expresses gratitude to his mother for sending him a package
I love 'The Fields Of Athenry'
The writer expresses his appreciation for a particular song
I swear I want 'em to play that song on the pipes
The writer tells his mother his wish to have a particular song played at his funeral
At my funeral when I die
The writer states the context for his request to his mother
Chorus
The repeated chorus emphasizes the theme of being away from home, facing danger, and longing for family
I stand alone in the distance
The writer describes his current state of isolation and distance from his family
As the foreground slowly moves
The writer observes the changes happening in the world while he remains in the same location
"We regret to inform you that on January 28th, Sgt. Andrew Farrar died while serving his country in the Al-Anbar province of Iraq. Words cannot convey our sadness."
The writer quotes an official announcement of a soldier's death and reflects on the tragedy of war
When there's nothing on the horizon
The writer refers to the emptiness and uncertainty of his current situation
You've got nothing left to prove
The writer suggests that some experiences are so profound that they require no further validation or justification
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BARR, BRENNAN, CASEY, KELLY, LYNCH, ORRELL, WALLACE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
واوهوات
ةو
Eight Three minus Two
Hello there my dearest love
Today I write to you about our sons
The boys start school today
They're the spitting image of you in every way
Hey son it's Dad
I hope this letter finds you well out of harm's way
We saw the news today it frightened your Mom
Now all she does is pray
If I lead will you follow?
Will you follow if I lead?
Hey Melissa it's me, don't be afraid
I'm in good hands, I'm gonna be home soon
It's time to watch the children grow up
I wanna be more than a voice on the phone
Thanks Ma, I got your package today
I love "The Fields Of Athenry"
I swear I want 'em to play that song on the pipes
At my funeral when I die
If I lead will you follow?
Will you follow if I lead?
I stand alone in the distance
And the foreground slowly moves
If I lead will you follow?
Will you follow if I lead?
"We regret to inform you that on January 28th
Sgt. Andrew Farrar died while serving his country
In the Al-Anbar province of Iraq
Words cannot convey our sorrow"
If I lead will you follow?
Will you follow if I lead?
When there's nothing on the horizon
You've got nothing left to prove
If I lead will you follow?
Patrick Jett
Today is the 14 year anniversary of him being gone. Great Marine. Great leader. Til Valhalla.
I wasn't here
11 years here, I joined right after this song, this song still hits me hard to tears every time. I'm a Red Patcher. My job, I ran the ports, like the flight lines. I sent them home, and the personal affects too. It sucked, but that's what everyone needed me to do. We all have our jobs. Sometimes all you can do is suck it up and do it.
Epic Ranch
May he rest in peace brother.
Donny Reznicek
'Rah. To those who left before us.
RCT-1, '03 by way of CSSB-12
Eight Three minus Two
Hello there my dearest love
Today I write to you about our sons
The boys start school today
They're the spitting image of you in every way
Hey son it's Dad
I hope this letter finds you well out of harm's way
We saw the news today it frightened your Mom
Now all she does is pray
If I lead will you follow?
Will you follow if I lead?
Hey Melissa it's me, don't be afraid
I'm in good hands, I'm gonna be home soon
It's time to watch the children grow up
I wanna be more than a voice on the phone
Thanks Ma, I got your package today
I love "The Fields Of Athenry"
I swear I want 'em to play that song on the pipes
At my funeral when I die
If I lead will you follow?
Will you follow if I lead?
I stand alone in the distance
And the foreground slowly moves
If I lead will you follow?
Will you follow if I lead?
"We regret to inform you that on January 28th
Sgt. Andrew Farrar died while serving his country
In the Al-Anbar province of Iraq
Words cannot convey our sorrow"
If I lead will you follow?
Will you follow if I lead?
When there's nothing on the horizon
You've got nothing left to prove
If I lead will you follow?
Charlie Therber
One of my favorites DKM ever put out
Eric Clark
This album came out when I was at boot. I picked it up shortly after. Glad I did.
Lilja family account
Every trooper who came home alive to include myself asks themselves did they deserve it.
NOMAD
You did. And you do.