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)
Blackhawk Down
Rancid Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a blackhawk down in Mogadishu American government issue
Blackhawk down blackhawk down blackhawk down below
Conflict in Somalia never came to an end
Strife in Sudan on going contention
Battle in Sierra Leon
Hostilities in the Congo
Who threw the coup explosion's at zero
Blackhawk down blackhawk down blackhawk down below
Blackhawk down blackhawk down blackhawk down below
There's a blackhawk down in Mogadishu American government issue
Blackhawk down blackhawk down blackhawk down below
Conflict in Somalia never came to an end
Strife in Sudan on going contention
Battle in Sierra Leon
Hostilities in the Congo
Who threw the coup explosion's at zero
Explosion's at zero
Blackhawk down blackhawk down blackhawk down below
Blackhawk down blackhawk down blackhawk down below
There's a blackhawk down in Mogadishu American government issue
Blackhawk down blackhawk down blackhawk down below
Blackhawk down blackhawk down blackhawk down below
Blackhawk...blackhawk...blackhawk down...
The lyrics of "Blackhawk Down" by Rancid discuss the ongoing conflicts and crisis across Africa. The title refers to an incident in Mogadishu, Somalia, where an American Blackhawk helicopter was shot down by militants during a military mission. The song highlights the ongoing strife and battles that continue to persist throughout the continent, including Sudan, Sierra Leone, and Congo. The lines "Who threw the coup explosions at zero" suggest that there may be some political motivations behind the conflict, with certain groups vying for power.
The repetition of the phrase "Blackhawk down" throughout the song serves as a powerful reminder of the violent and chaotic situations that persist in Africa. The lyrics imply a sense of hopelessness and despair, as if the conflicts have become normalized and there is no clear resolution in sight. The line "Conflict in Somalia never came to an end" speaks to the fact that the situation in the region has not improved despite the ongoing efforts of outside intervention.
In summary, "Blackhawk Down" by Rancid is a powerful commentary on the ongoing conflicts and struggles that plague Africa. The song highlights the violence and chaos that persists in many regions and suggests that these issues are deeply rooted in political and societal issues.
Line by Line Meaning
Blackhawk down blackhawk down blackhawk down below
A military helicopter has crashed in Mogadishu and is lying on the ground.
There's a blackhawk down in Mogadishu American government issue
The helicopter belonged to the US government and was involved in a mission in Mogadishu.
Conflict in Somalia never came to an end
There has been ongoing conflict and violence in Somalia that has not been resolved.
Strife in Sudan on going contention
There is ongoing conflict and struggle in Sudan.
Battle in Sierra Leon
There is fighting and warfare happening in Sierra Leone.
Hostilities in the Congo
There is hostility and conflict occurring in the Congo.
Who threw the coup explosion's at zero
It is unclear who caused the coup or the explosion, but it has resulted in the helicopter crashing.
Explosion's at zero
The explosion has caused the helicopter to crash and it is now on the ground.
Blackhawk...blackhawk...blackhawk down...
The repetition of the phrase emphasizes the severity of the situation and the urgency of the need for assistance.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TheRealGodzilla
Every time the west (and especially the US) fails at saving the world, this song plays in my head.
I had it playing in my head a few weeks ago when Kabul fell.
deaderthendead041
Props to theses guys for the speeds they play at my arms are burning halfway through trying to play that melody
xabinun
Great song and album!
TaoistTiger
Blasting this on my Air Force gym parking lot xD
Gabriel Garcia
Hell yeah
poetic disaster
Props to the actual war story . Lord knkw the devil is the television
Sam Benavidez
@1anonymous10 they are dude saw them last month incredible show!
deaderthendead041
On air guitar! ^__^
David Saint
Nice to know people remember...
SuicideandHappiness
No one ever made that joke before, you are so clever.