Rancid has had two lineup changes since its inception, with Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman being continuous members. Their current lineup consists of Armstrong on guitar and vocals, Freeman on bass and vocals, Lars Frederiksen on guitar and vocals, and Branden Steineckert on drums. The band was formed by Armstrong, Freeman, and former drummer Brett Reed, who left the band in 2006 and was replaced by Steineckert. This lineup recorded their first album, with Frederiksen joining the band on their subsequent tour.
To date, Rancid has released ten studio albums, one split album, one compilation, two extended plays, and a series of live online-only albums, and has been featured on a number of compilation albums. The band has sold over four million records worldwide, making it one of the most successful punk rock groups of all time. The band rose to fame in 1994 with its second studio album, Let's Go, featuring the single "Salvation". In the following year, Rancid released its highly successful album ...And Out Come the Wolves, which produced its best-known songs "Roots Radicals", "Ruby Soho", and "Time Bomb", and was certified gold and platinum by the RIAA, selling over one million copies in the United States alone. Its next six albums – Life Won't Wait (1998), Rancid (2000), Indestructible (2003), Let the Dominoes Fall (2009), ...Honor Is All We Know (2014) and Trouble Maker (2017) – were also critically acclaimed, though not as commercially successful as ...And Out Come the Wolves. The band released their tenth album, Tomorrow Never Comes, in June 2023.
Studio albums
Rancid (1993)
Let's Go (1994)
...And Out Come the Wolves (1995)
Life Won't Wait (1998)
Rancid (also known as "Rancid 2000" or "Rancid 5") (2000)
Indestructible (2003)
Let the Dominoes Fall (2009)
...Honor Is All We Know (2014)
Trouble Maker (2017)
Tomorrow Never Comes (2023)
Back Up Against the Wall
Rancid Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's a lot, a lot like a robot
And she can't be bought, and her nerves are shot
And she starts to rot, from the inside out
She said I don't need you to save me, but there's people here trying to play me
And there's no jobs that will pay me, enough to feed my family
And I got my back up against the wall
And no one hears her call
Cause there's no one there at all
And I got my back up against the wall
Alarm clock ringing, fools are creeping
Promises broken, yeeh, jobs are leavin
And the sky is darkening and the landlords stepping
But the bus is splitting and I won't be regretting
And there's no more jobs here, no more love here
No more room here for me, and there's no more jobs here
Only misery here, for me and my family
And I got my back up against the wall
And I got my back up against the wall
And no one hears her call
Cause there's no one there at all
And I got my back up against the wall
Now where have all the good times gone
(alright! alright! alright! alright!)
But something here is going wrong
(alright! alright! alright! alright)
Why even bother, when you getting clobbered
Nowhere is safe and sound, off the sweat they will profit
The youth they are robbing, they'll grind you down to the ground
Oh we all got big dreams now, the new factory just shut down
And there's not enough to go around, and they'll grind you down to the ground
And I got my back up against the wall
And I got my back up against the wall
And no one hears her call
Cause there's no one there at all
And I got my back up against the wall
In Rancid's song Back Up Against the Wall, the lyrics paint a picture of a person who is facing multiple struggles in their life. The singer is someone who is tired, disillusioned and frustrated with their current situation. The chorus of the song, "And I got my back up against the wall," is a powerful proclamation of the struggle of the working class.
The first verse talks about a person who is exhausted and feels trapped. They are cold and dead inside but have no other option than to keep going, regardless of how they feel. They have no one to turn to for help despite the struggles they're facing. The second verse talks about the harsh reality of a bleak future, where there are no jobs, no love, no future, and only misery. The singer is feeling trapped and defeated, with no hope in sight, with everything and everyone against them.
The chorus is a declaration of the struggle and powerlessness that the singer is experiencing. Even though they're fighting hard, no one hears them or offers any form of help. The bridge of the song, "Why even bother, when you're getting clobbered, nowhere is safe and sound, off the sweat they will profit," speaks to the disillusionment and frustration of the singer, who feels that they're being exploited and used with nothing to show for it.
Overall, the song Back up Against the Wall is a powerful protest song, calling for a change in the system that leaves people feeling trapped and helpless in their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Rock gets hot, now she can't stop
Things are happening quickly and uncontrollably
She's a lot, a lot like a robot
She's become numb to the struggles and difficulties of life
And she can't be bought, and her nerves are shot
She's not interested in short-term solutions to her problems and is mentally exhausted
And she starts to rot, from the inside out
The hardships of life are taking a toll on her physical and mental well-being
She said I don't need you to save me, but there's people here trying to play me
She doesn't want anyone to pity her, but she's aware of people trying to take advantage of her situation
And there's no jobs that will pay me, enough to feed my family
She's struggling to make ends meet despite working hard and there are no opportunities that can provide for her family
And no one hears her call
She's going through these hardships alone and feels unheard
Cause there's no one there at all
Her support system has crumbled and she's left to face her problems alone
Alarm clock ringing, fools are creeping
Every day is a harsh reminder of the struggle and people are trying to take advantage of her
Promises broken, yeeh, jobs are leavin
The situation keeps getting worse and opportunities are disappearing
But the bus is splitting and I won't be regretting
Despite everything, she won't give up and will keep moving forward
And no more jobs here, no more love here
The place she once called home no longer has any opportunities or sense of community
Only misery here, for me and my family
The future looks bleak and it's affecting her loved ones as well
Now where have all the good times gone
Reflecting on the past when things were easier and better
But something here is going wrong
Something has fundamentally changed and the present doesn't seem right
Why even bother, when you getting clobbered
It's easy to lose motivation when faced with constant struggles
Nowhere is safe and sound, off the sweat they will profit
The system is set up so that the hardworking people are taken advantage of and only the rich benefit
The youth they are robbing, they'll grind you down to the ground
Future generations are being robbed of opportunities and the cycle of hardship will continue
Oh we all got big dreams now, the new factory just shut down
Despite having dreams and ambitions, reality keeps getting in the way
And there's not enough to go around, and they'll grind you down to the ground
Resources are limited and it feels like no matter what is done, there will never be enough to go around
And no one hears her call
She's still going through this alone and feels unheard
Cause there's no one there at all
The lack of a support system is still causing immense struggle
And I got my back up against the wall
She's stuck in a difficult situation with no clear path forward
And I got my back up against the wall
The situation is reiterated, emphasizing the feeling of being trapped
And I got my back up against the wall
The situation is reiterated once more, emphasizing the hopelessness of the situation
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: LARS FREDERIKSEN, TIMOTHY ARMSTRONG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
callmegus
2019 and cried after find this. Really my teenage life. Song i found in 2004, and carried my teenage life.
ELE comments
Aw I know the feeling it's an amazing thing:)
Nklgch
De la frappe ce morceaux qui passe dans tes oreilles à n' importe quel moment de ta vie ❤😊
TheCookieAstronaut
I love this song 👌🏻and pretty much every song by rancid :D
not BAD BOY
mám rád tento song...........
Battlements
I was like 500, and comment 10. The feeling deep inside hearing this, and remembering 2005, middle school and then high school years. I ended up moving 3 years ago to Vancouver and inadvertently wound up on the downtown Eastside 'DTES' and this song reminds me very much of that place.
Aaron Sampson
I don't need you to save me but there's people here trying to play me
Blackhorn Lynx
There's no jobs that will pay, enough to feed my family
Aaron Sampson
There's people here trying to play me