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)
Cheat
Rancid Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I get silent when I'm drugged up
I want excitement
When I don't get none I go wild
I don't know what the fuck can be done about it
If you play the game, you get nothing out of it
You'll find out for yourself tryin' to be good
You gotta cheat, cheat
No reason to play fair
Cheat, cheat
You can't get anywhere
Cheat, cheat
If you can't win
Nobody knows what the fuck they're doing
It's beyond your control and Friday night's a ruin
If you wanna survive you better learn how to lie
Don't you use their rules
They're not for you, they're for the fools
You're a fool if you don't know that
So use the rule you fucking fool
The lyrics to Rancid's "Cheat" explore the idea of how one copes with the boredom and frustration of life when there is no excitement to be found. The singer confesses to becoming violent and silent when under the influence of drugs, highlighting the destructive nature of their behavior. They acknowledge that playing by the rules doesn't lead to any reward or satisfaction, and that sometimes one must cheat to get ahead in life. This theme of cheating is presented as a means for survival in a world where no one knows what they're doing and the only way to get ahead is through deception.
The singer urges listeners not to use the rules that have been set by society, because they only serve the interests of the fools who follow them. Instead, they encourage people to make their own rules and cheat their way through life. The overall tone of the song is one of rebellion and frustration, as the singer laments the state of the world and the lack of excitement and fulfillment it provides.
Overall, "Cheat" stands as a commentary on the disillusionment and desperation that can arise when one feels trapped in a monotonous, unfulfilling existence. It suggests that sometimes, the only way to find excitement and fulfillment is to abandon societal norms and cheat one's way to success.
Line by Line Meaning
I get violent when I'm fucked up
When I am under the influence of alcohol or drugs, I tend to become aggressive and lash out.
I get silent when I'm drugged up
When I am drugged up, I tend to become quiet and introverted.
I want excitement
I crave excitement and adventure in my life.
When I don't get none I go wild
If I don't get the excitement and adventure that I want, I become restless and uncontrollable.
I don't know what the fuck can be done about it
I feel helpless and unsure about how to change my behavior.
If you play the game, you get nothing out of it
If you follow the rules, you won't gain anything meaningful.
You'll find out for yourself tryin' to be good
You will eventually realize that being good doesn't always lead to success or happiness.
You gotta cheat, cheat
The only way to get ahead is to cheat.
No reason to play fair
There is no benefit in playing fairly.
If you can't win
If you are unable to win, cheating is the only way to succeed.
Nobody knows what the fuck they're doing
People are uncertain and clueless about how to navigate life.
It's beyond your control and Friday night's a ruin
Some things are outside of your control, and it can ruin your night or life.
If you wanna survive you better learn how to lie
Deceitfulness is necessary for survival.
Don't you use their rules
You should not follow the typical societal rules.
They're not for you, they're for the fools
Conventional rules are only useful for those who don't know any better.
You're a fool if you don't know that
If you do not realize this, then you are naive.
So use the rule you fucking fool
Therefore, you should use the rule of cheating to succeed.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BRANDON HOWARD, DARRYL MEYERS, MARQUES B. HOUSTON, RUFUS MOORE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Malombado
The clash is better than Beatles or Rolling Stone, The Clash is for me, The BEST BAND OF THE WORLD! They maked the beautiful songs to this world
@lesleyvalencia6222
Joe saying that hes an original gangster oh my god. my life is complete
@scenxad
the greatest thing about rancid, is they really paid respect and showed appreciation to joe strummer, and the ramones before they all passed
@simonskiprussell1472
The Clash first punk rock through a new set of Walkman and headphones safe European home what an iconic explosion of raw as fuck brilliant words can’t even get close who else but Joe would bark the fact the last train and back to whatever squat he was invited every crazed out and just a great moment I wish I could of been there they say never meet your idols but it’s plain that if you met Joe and you were you you could talk without pretension even eat some of the home brew clag left over from posting the bands next gig I wish I could go back tell myself to stop forgetting everything that was really important some fuckwits say the clash were not punk The Clash is pure punk rock and the fact they had brains only shows the haters have none
@halliganfamilyvideos
Whether you like Rancid or not, you have to acknowledge they really put forth their pure love of punk rock in every song. Also, their love of the east bay!
@Wrapped4
Strummer is not dead until his legacy survives.
@JCR101393
the clash were so amazing and rancid did a good job covering this song
@thomaswalsh8390
This makes me really happy. And that intro hahaha. Love Joe and Tim.
@simonedwards5564
THE BEST INTRO EVER!!!!!!!!
@ivanjoj9242
Rancid should cover more of the clash