… Read Full Bio ↴Hepcat are a third wave ska band formed in southern California in 1989.
Their soulful harmonies and mellow rhythms were unlike those of contemporaries and more akin to musicians from the heyday of 1960s Jamaican ska, also referred to as the first wave.
Hepcat's debut album, "Out of Nowhere" was released in 1994 on New York-based ska label Moon Records. Two years later, they followed it up with "Scientific" on BYO Records. In 1998, after signing with Epitaph Records subsidiary HellCat Records, they released "Right on Time," scoring a modest hit with the swinging "No Worries" and scored a spot on the Vans Warped Tour. 2000 saw the release of "Push n' Shove," their first album without founding members Raul Talavera and Alex Désert, although the latter appears as a guest vocalist on two tracks.
The band went on indefinite hiatus after 2000, and no new material has surfaced since. Trumpeter Kincaid Smith formed Soul Traffic, a five-piece funk band. Drummer Scott Abels has played with the Rancid side project Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards and the southern California reggae act The Aggrolites. Vocalist Alex Desert has had a successful career in film and television, appearing in the movies PCU, Swingers, and High Fidelity; and the television show Becker.
In early 2004, a remastered version of Out of Nowhere was released with two additional bonus tracks, an early version of "Nigel" and "Club Meditation," both of which appeared on their first single. Occasionally, Hepcat reconvenes to play a few shows a year in the California area. Often, this lineup is that which performed on "Scientific."
They take their name from a term for a 1940s-50s jazz musician.
Hooligans
Hepcat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't play like a donkey if you're really a man
You don't fool a soul when you wear sharp studs
Your mouth is dirty and you cuss a bad word
Hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
Hooligans, hooligans this is the time
Hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
We were no more strangers [yes I pray]
We were more than friends [battles came down]
Yet the battles were splintered all over the place
Hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
Hooligans, hooligans this is the time
Hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
Woooaa, woooaa
Always come up and always rude
Smashing things and breaking rules
Man what do you think you are
A little beast for sure
Hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
Hooligans, hooligans this is the time
Hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
Can't a woman's tender care [return you now]
Change from all the child she beared
We were no more strangers [yes I pray]
We were more than friends [battles came down]
Yet the battles were splintered all over the place
Hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
Hooligans, hooligans this is the time
Hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
Woooaa, woooaa
Hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
Hooligans, hooligans this is the time
Hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
Woooaa, woooaa
Hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
Hooligans, hooligans this is the time
Hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
Woooaa, woooaa
The lyrics to Hepcat's song "Hooligans" convey a message of self-reflection, suggesting that one should take responsibility for their actions and move away from destructive behavior. The opening line "Listen my brother and understand" sets a serious tone, as if the singer is admonishing someone who is stubborn and unwilling to listen. The line "Don't play like a donkey if you're really a man" suggests that the singer believes the person they are addressing is acting foolishly or stubbornly. The mention of "sharp studs" and "cussing bad words" suggest that this person is trying to appear tough or intimidating, but the singer sees through this facade.
The chorus of the song is a call to action for the hooligans to change their ways: "Hooligans, hooligans make up your mind / Hooligans, hooligans this is the time / Hooligans, hooligans make up your mind / Woooaa, mother been weeping, woooaa." The repetition of "make up your mind" suggests that the singer believes that the hooligans have a choice to make to either continue down a destructive path or to change their behavior. The final line of the chorus "mother been weeping" adds an emotional weight to the song, suggesting that the hooligans' actions are causing harm to others.
The verses of the song describe the impact of the hooligans' actions on relationships. The lines "We were no more strangers / We were more than friends / Battles came down / Yet the battles were splintered all over the place" suggest that the hooligans have caused division and conflict in a community or group of people who were previously close-knit. The line "Can't a woman's tender care return you now" suggests that the singer believes that the hooligans have lost touch with their emotions and are not appreciating the value of nurturing relationships.
Overall, "Hooligans" is a song with an important message about self-reflection and making positive choices. The song suggests that tough posturing and destructive behavior may seem appealing in the short term, but ultimately lead to harm and division. By encouraging the hooligans to "make up their mind," the singer is urging them to consider the impact of their actions on others and to choose a more positive path.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen my brother and understand
Pay attention to me and try to comprehend what I’m saying
Don't play like a donkey if you're really a man
Stop acting foolishly and immaturely if you claim to be a grown-up
You don't fool a soul when you wear sharp studs
Wearing fancy clothes or accessories doesn’t make you a better person or impress anyone
Your mouth is dirty and you cuss a bad word
You have a foul mouth and use vulgar language
Hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
You troublesome and rowdy individuals need to make a decision
Hooligans, hooligans this is the time
The time has come for you to change your ways
Woooaa, mother been weeping, woooaa
The situation has caused sadness and frustration
We were no more strangers [yes I pray]
We were familiar with each other
We were more than friends [battles came down]
We had a close bond, but we faced challenges and conflicts
Yet the battles were splintered all over the place
The fights and disputes were scattered and chaotic
Always come up and always rude
You’re consistently disrespectful and impolite
Smashing things and breaking rules
You cause destruction and fail to follow guidelines
Man what do you think you are
You have an arrogant and entitled attitude
A little beast for sure
You behave like a wild and unruly animal
Can't a woman's tender care [return you now]
Can’t a mother’s loving nurture bring you back to sanity
Change from all the child she beared
Can’t you transform yourself from the child she raised
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVE ROTHERAY, PAUL HEATON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mutialestari370
listen my brother and understand
don’t play like a donkey if you’re really a man
you don’t fool a soul when you wear sharp studs
your mouth is dirty and you cuss a bad word
hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
hooligans, hooligans this is the time
hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
mother been weeping
we were no more strangers (yes i pray)
we were more than friends (battles came down)
yet the battles were splintered all over the place
hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
hooligans, hooligans this is the time
hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
always come up and always rude
smashing things and breaking rules
man what do you think you are
a little beast for sure
hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
hooligans, hooligans this is the time
hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
can’t a woman’s tender care (return you now)
change from all the child she beared
we were no more strangers (yes i pray)
we were more than friends (battles came down)
yet the battles were splintered all over the place
hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
hooligans, hooligans this is the time
hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
hooligans, hooligans this is the time
hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
hooligans, hooligans this is the time
hooligans, hooligans make up your mind
@clayaalders5744
Saw them open for Bosstones in Columbus, OH in 1997. Still love them. Drove a carload of freshmen in exchange for a free ticket. Still listening to Hepcat.
@andrzejbojarski7903
I love it <3
@giovannimariatavano9699
italian skinheads love this song from bob marley and the wailers,and this cover from the hepcat.thank's a lot boys.
@drabixy
good good tune!!!! old good classics!!!!!
@colorformswerefun
Chicago skins represented! Moonstompin' since '82! Cheers mates
@09876678443
бомба :)
@carmenrosariolambertinezar9126
buenisimos
@DameDeluxe
I love Greg and Alex! ❤️
@tropicalpimp
this makes me feel all kinds of good. skitskitskitskitskit....skinhead moonstomp to this!!
@johnthomasloch
Fucking A. Skinheads round the world... I remember when this album came out. I think I was one year in...