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)
Black and Blue
Rancid Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Keep steppin' and rejectin' all the time
They try to pull me in
Can't let that happen again
They try to do it again all on me
Sedation through the nation
We're screaming black and blue
We're screaming black and blue
The blind leading the blind
They told me I was dumb
They said their security system was too big to outrun
I broke away and I'm never goin' back
For all the souls they broke
Mine never cracked
Sedation through the nation
We're screaming black and blue
Intoxication of a generation
We're screaming black and blue
In Rancid's song "Black & Blue," the singer begins by observing those around him stepping and rejecting, and he notes that they are attempting to pull him into their destructive habits. However, he refuses to let this happen again, having learned from past experiences. The phrase "they try to do it again all on me" suggests that the singer has been in this situation before and is determined not to let it happen again. The line "sedation through the nation" can be interpreted as a reference to the way in which people try to numb their feelings and avoid their problems, leading them to engage in self-destructive behaviors.
The chorus of the song reinforces this idea of self-medication and escaping reality, as the singer describes a generation that is intoxicated and screaming "black and blue." The phrase "black and blue" can be interpreted in a few different ways. It can refer to physical bruises and injuries, but it can also symbolize the emotional and mental damage that individuals can inflict on themselves through substance abuse and other self-destructive behaviors. Overall, the song is a commentary on the cycle of addiction and how difficult it can be to break free from destructive patterns.
Line by Line Meaning
I started watchin' them all down the line
I began to observe everyone in my surroundings very closely
Keep steppin' and rejectin' all the time
I keep moving forward while rejecting any distractions or negative influences
They try to pull me in
Others try to influence me in a negative way
Can't let that happen again
I refuse to succumb to negative influences a second time
They try to do it again all on me
Others continue to try and pull me into negative situations despite my refusal
Sedation through the nation
Many individuals are avoiding reality and numbing themselves through various means
We're screaming black and blue
We are crying out and suffering, both physically and emotionally
Intoxication of a generation
Many people of this generation are intoxicated or addicted to something harmful
The blind leading the blind
Those who have no direction or guidance themselves are trying to lead others
They told me I was dumb
Others tried to belittle me and make me feel inferior
They said their security system was too big to outrun
Others had a strong hold on me and made me feel trapped
I broke away and I'm never goin' back
I liberated myself from negative influences and do not intend to return
For all the souls they broke
Many individuals have been destroyed or negatively impacted by these harmful influences
Mine never cracked
Despite the attempts of others to bring me down, I never gave up or suffered a breakdown
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: ROGER M. FREEMAN, TIMOTHY ARMSTRONG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@luisalbertorodriguezleetch7314
Thanks Epitaph Récords, great music
@themumblebrapper
Matt's voice is actually pretty good
@js_surfpunk2303
Their most underrated song IMO
@amberromero131
Best song on this great album
@rachelpogue66
Matt Freeman 🤘
@joshseay5151
They said Freeman couldn't sing, then he did this.
@josephsnyder9424
Viva la Punk Rock
@larsstene1503
Freeman, noone abowe, noone besides :D best bass player!
@Cpt.John8
Let's Go, Latvina
- I'm the biggest fan of Mr Matt Freeman.
God saves Berkeley (CA, US).
@DizzyD850
is it me or does Matt gargle a gallon of bleach before he sings, got that Wolfman Jack vibe to his vocals