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)
Walk Away
Dropkick Murphys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you're gonna get married
Raise yourself a family
How simple life can be
Somewhere it all went wrong
And your plan just fell apart
And you ain't got the heart
To finish what you started
Yeah you fell in love
And you went and got married
Had yourself a family
How simple life can be
Somewhere it all went wrong
And your plan just fell apart
And you ain't got the heart
To finish what you started
The ones that you loved
The ones that you left behind
The ones that you said you tried to find
They tried to find you
The ones that you loved
The ones that you left behind
The ones that you said you tried to find
They tried to find you
Somewhere it all went wrong
And your plan just fell apart
And you ain't got the heart
To finish what you started
You walked out that door
To find out where you belong
To fulfill your own selfish dreams
I think you might have forgotten
The ones that you loved
The ones that you left behind
The ones that you said you tried to find
They tried to find you
The ones that you loved
The ones that you left behind
The ones that you said you tried to find
They tried to find you
The song "Walk Away" by Dropkick Murphys is a powerful and emotional ballad about the aftermath of a failed relationship. The song opens with the singer talking to someone who fell in love and started a family, only to realize that their plan has fallen apart and they don't have the heart to finish what they started. The chorus speaks to the people who were left behind, the ones the singer claimed to have tried to find, but they were the ones who ended up trying to find the singer.
In the second verse, the singer reflects on how their plan fell apart and how they walked out to fulfill their own selfish dreams. It seems that the singer was blindsided by the realization that the ones they promised to love and care for were left behind, forgotten in the pursuit of their own desires. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the pain and heartache these loved ones experienced in trying to find the singer.
Overall, the song is a powerful statement about the consequences of walking away from one's family and loved ones. It speaks to the importance of fulfilling our obligations and promises to the people we care about, rather than abandoning them to pursue our own selfish dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
So you say you fell in love
You are claiming to have fallen deeply in love
And you're gonna get married
You intend to marry the person you love
Raise yourself a family
You plan to start a family with your significant other
How simple life can be
You believe that life can be easier when shared with a loved one
Somewhere it all went wrong
Something happened that caused your plans to fail
And your plan just fell apart
Your plans for your future were shattered
And you ain't got the heart
You no longer have the emotional strength or courage to proceed
To finish what you started
To complete what you set out to do
The ones that you loved
The people you cared for deeply
The ones that you left behind
Those you abandoned and left behind to pursue your own desires
The ones that you said you tried to find
Those you claimed to have tried to locate
They tried to find you
They attempted to search for you as well
You walked out that door
You left without looking back
To find out where you belong
You are searching for your purpose in life
To fulfill your own selfish dreams
You are driven solely by your own desires and happiness
I think you might have forgotten
You may have lost sight of
Lyrics © SPIRIT TWO SMA
Written by: ALEXANDER MARTIN BARR, KENNETH WILLIAM CASEY, MARC JOHN ORRELL, MATTHEW KELLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jim
Love this song. DM are one of the best punk bands from the 00's.
motorbikeTim1
*90s
fairy organs
favorite album from my childhood ❤️
Jii Laa
The song that introduced and got me into the band! Awfully awesome!!!
Codito
I love the lyrics of this song :)
Yodipoutekina XxX
I've proposed this song for my sister in law wedding, and it was accepted, so there will be a Dropkick song in the City Hall this saturday ....
Pim Tool
greatest band ever. makes my tear up.
Clayton Björk
Not sure they are they greatest band ever,but I will agree they wrote some of the best songs ever...great songs to drink beer too
Mike Phinney
This is a kick ass song. Reminds me of the Ramones and The Clash lol!
Eddie Horan
Found out about these guys a few years ago love Spotify simply put best band on the planet😀