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)
Battering Ram
Rancid Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some people got the kick of a bull
and the lies of a chronic thief in store
Some people try to take you out if they can
But I'll go right through them I'm a battering ram
Been running my whole life and I'm still running
Integrity is something you never had
Reverence to your lies as a person you're bad
I'll just sit back and watch you cut your own troat
Back biting hypocrite you're a liar
Telling lies is what fuels your fire
Once you get discovered the bullshit ends
I ain't stopping
Battering ram
Right on, right on
Right on, right on
Thru to you
Some people got no reliance some people are shit
Some people got no validity not a bit
Some people want to break down what's inside if they can
But I go right thru them I'm a Battering Ram
Been running my whole life and I'm still running
The man who talked shit I shut him down he's through
Beat down the lies till they're black and blue
He talked so much shit but not today
I'm a siege engine get outta my way
I disregard the attempt to take me out
I curse the thought of another bout
but it's my method I ain't stopping
Battering ram
Right on, right on
Right on, right on
Thru to you
To fucking you
Some people are rotten deep down to the core
Some people got the kick of a bull
and the lies of a chronic thief in store
Some people try to take you out if they can
But I go right thru them I'm a Battering Ram
Battering ram
Right on, right on
Right on, right on
Thru to you
The lyrics in Rancid's Battering Ram is a song about perseverance and resilience against the toxicity of the world. The song takes on individuals who are rotten, insincere, and deceitful to the core. Through the persona's perspective, these people have no reliance or validity, and they want to destroy what he has in the inside. Despite this, the persona continues to run and fight back, likening himself to a battering ram that goes right through those people. The song also reveals the persona's disdain for those who spread lies and talk shit. He shuts them down and beats their lies black and blue. Moreover, he disregards the thought of giving up and stopping his fight for what's right despite being tired and bruised.
Battering Ram is a personal song for Rancid, speaking to their daily grind of constantly touring and fighting against anything that tries to bring them down. The relenting chorus of "Right on, right on, thru to you" encapsulates their persistent spirit. Overall, there's a message of standing your ground and persisting regardless of the negativity around.
Line by Line Meaning
Some people are rotten deep down to the core
There are some individuals who have an inherently bad nature and cannot be trusted.
Some people got the kick of a bull and the lies of a chronic thief in store
Some people have unyielding brute force and also habitually tell lies, as if they are habitual criminals.
Some people try to take you out if they can
There are people who continually try to bring one down or ruin one's life if they get the opportunity.
But I'll go right through them I'm a battering ram
However, the artist of the song will not give up, but continue pushing forward and breaking through the obstacles like an unstoppable machine.
Been running my whole life and I'm still running
The artist has been running continuously in the face of adversity and refuses to give up.
Integrity is something you never had Reverence to your lies as a person you're bad
The person being addressed has never had integrity, always lied, and is not a good person in any way.
Falsified living on the truth you're gonna choke
Living life being dishonest is going to catch up with the liar eventually.
I'll just sit back and watch you cut your own throat
The artist will allow the dishonest person to self-destruct and will not be involved in their inevitable downfall.
Back biting hypocrite you're a liar
The person being addressed is a hypocrite who talks behind others' backs and is untruthful.
Telling lies is what fuels your fire
The liar thrives on their ability to tell lies and cannot function without being deceitful.
Once you get discovered the bullshit ends
As soon as someone finds out about the person's lies, their charade will come to a stop.
I ain't stopping
The artist will continue fighting and pushing forward without giving up.
Some people got no reliance some people are shit
Some people cannot be trusted and are terrible human beings.
Some people got no validity not a bit
There are individuals who do not have any worth or value in society.
Some people want to break down what's inside if they can
There are some individuals who aim to destroy one's inner strength and being if possible.
But I go right thru them I'm a Battering Ram
The artist will once again go through any obstacle and emerge victorious as a battering ram.
The man who talked shit I shut him down he's through
The artist has stopped a person who spoke negatively about them and that person will not succeed in their attempts anymore.
Beat down the lies till they're black and blue
The singer will destroy any and every lie with full force until there is no doubt left.
He talked so much shit but not today
The person saying negative things will not always succeed in their attempts to bring someone down.
I'm a siege engine get outta my way
The artist is unstoppable and will crush anything in their path like a siege engine.
I disregard the attempt to take me out
The artist does not care about attempts to ruin their life and will continue forward with full force.
I curse the thought of another bout
The artist does not want to have to fight again or deal with negative people.
Battering ram Right on, right on Right on, right on Thru to you
The chorus of the song reiterates the singer's determination to crush any obstacle in their path like a battering ram.
To fucking you
This line emphasizes the artist's intention to defeat the person who wronged or hurt them.
Contributed by Levi A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
luis pena
ahhh I have this EP, bought it at a show they played in a church back in Texas :)
Steven Mcmullen
This is the rancid i love
aaronrenoawesome
I like how the video has a picture with Lars in it, even though this track was before he joined up with the rest of the band.
ivan joj
@Chubby Dexter easy man chill
Shooter 74
aaronrenoawesome thats clearly Matt Freeman not Lars
this is from their self titled January 1992 EP.
which was recorded in October of 1991.
a couple years before Lars joined Rancid
this EP was later rereleased as bonus tracks on the Japanese market release of B sides & C sides.
mcgrewpunk
BATTERING RAMMMMMMMMMMMMM!
Chubby Dexter
I love that park, I'ma siege engine get outta my way!!
power pigs
This is much much better than out come the assholes.