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)
Cocktails
Rancid Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Smoked the last dollar to a name
Are you buying?
Are you selling girl?
Talking square never change
And if I really want to know
What it means for her to be free
In a squat down Avenue see
Yeah running through the street
The parasitic ???
Ah, don't give her a fight
He gets shallow so I know
There won't be no fucking rainbow in sight
And then deny allegations so strenuously
Oh man, don't get outta control
She was left wrestling in a silent anger
So hell I can't be there for her
I ain't looking for answers
I don't want nothing is for free
I sure don't want your respect
I just want to know who's talking to me
I just want to know who's talkin' to me
I know she's jackin, homegirl's mackin'
Tried to make sure am I in love
??? you and me
She won't relinquish herself to you, and I sense an emergency
She can cry, she can hide
In the lower east side
Been so low in the fast lane curse
Above all the infamous, with its circus of the fools
And if I really want to know how the pernicious stay on top
Oh they don't break, no break they don't fake
They think they'll wake
They don't stop
I ain't looking for answers
I don't want nothing is for free
I sure don't want your respect
I just want to know who's talking to me
I just want to know who's talkin' to me
Yeah
I just want to know who's talkin' to me
I just want to know
I just want to know who's talkin' to me
Rancid's song "Cocktails" is a poignant depiction of desperation, drug addiction, and the enduring quest for freedom in the face of a brutal society. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the lives of the marginalized and downtrodden, struggling to survive in a world that seems designed to crush their hopes and dreams. The chorus, "I just want to know who's talkin' to me," reflects the singer's desire for a sense of connection and meaning in a world that often feels empty and soulless.
The first verse of the song introduces the listener to a person who is broke, addicted to drugs, and struggling to get by. The line "Smoked the last dollar to a name" suggests that they have spent all their money on drugs, leaving them with nothing. They are looking to buy or sell drugs, highlighting their dependence on these substances just to get through the day. However, they also realize that the people they meet on the street are just as trapped as they are, talking only in squares without real change.
The second verse shifts the focus to a woman who is mixing cocktails in a squat down Avenue, presumably as part of a survival mechanism. The singer sees her as a victim of parasitic people, who do not give her a fighting chance. He is aware that there are no rainbows in sight for her and that she is wrestling in silent anger. However, the singer is also powerless to help her since he himself is struggling to stay afloat in a society that is rigged against him.
The song ends on a plaintive note, with the singer expressing a desire to be heard and understood. He is not looking for answers or handouts, but simply wants to know who is talking to him, who he can connect with in a world that often feels alienating and hostile.
Line by Line Meaning
Broke, dough, dope, the line is choked
Our financial situation is so bleak that we are struggling even to buy basic necessities.
Smoked the last dollar to a name
We have spent the little money we had on drugs.
Are you buying?
We are trying to sell drugs to make some cash.
Are you selling girl?
We are also willing to buy drugs if someone is selling them.
Talking square never change
Conventional, middle-class people are always the same with their predictable ways of thinking and behaving.
And if I really want to know what it means for her to be free
If I am curious about what kind of freedom the woman mixing cocktails has in her life.
Oh she's mixing cocktails
The woman is mixing drinks, possibly in a bar or club.
In a squat down Avenue see
This is happening in a cheap part of town where people are living in substandard housing.
Yeah running through the street
People are frequently moving around in this area for various reasons.
The parasitic ???
Someone is taking advantage of women like the one mixing cocktails for their own gain.
Ah, don't give her a fight
It's pointless to try to resist this person's schemes, as they are too powerful.
He gets shallow so I know
This person has no depth, so their motives are transparent.
There won't be no fucking rainbow in sight
There is no hope for a positive outcome in this situation.
And then deny allegations so strenuously
When confronted, this person will try to deny any wrongdoing and defend themselves vigorously.
Oh man, don't get outta control
It's important not to let emotions dictate actions.
She was left wrestling in a silent anger
The woman is angry but unable to express it openly.
So hell I can't be there for her
It's not my place to help her, as I am powerless as well.
I ain't looking for answers
I am not searching for solutions or explanations to my problems.
I don't want nothing is for free
I don't expect handouts, as nothing comes for free in life.
I sure don't want your respect
I don't care about anyone's opinion or approval.
I just want to know who's talking to me
I want to identify who is addressing me and what they are saying.
I know she's jackin, homegirl's mackin'
I am aware that the woman is stealing or engaging in illegal activities to survive.
Tried to make sure am I in love
I am questioning whether I am truly in love with this woman or if it's just infatuation.
??? you and me
Our relationship is unstable and uncertain.
She won't relinquish herself to you, and I sense an emergency
The woman is hesitant to fully commit to a relationship, and this is causing concern and urgency for me.
She can cry, she can hide
The woman is capable of expressing emotions but chooses to keep them hidden.
In the lower east side
This is all happening in a poor and rundown area of the city.
Been so low in the fast lane curse
Life in this part of town is a constant struggle with no escape or progress.
Above all the infamous, with its circus of the fools
It's a place where notorious people thrive and foolishness is celebrated.
And if I really want to know how the pernicious stay on top
If I am curious about how evil people continue to hold power and control.
Oh they don't break, no break they don't fake
These people are unrelenting and authentic in their actions.
They think they'll wake
They believe they will always remain in control and come out on top in any situation.
They don't stop
They will keep going at any cost to maintain their power and influence.
Yeah
Acknowledgment or agreement.
I just want to know who's talkin' to me
Reiteration of the desire to identify the person addressing them.
I just want to know
A simple and direct statement of their objective.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: TIMOTHY (USA) ARMSTRONG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@punkwarlord
alot of people didn't like this album.. but i loved it.. Loved it!!!
@gtstanley2964
I love too
@StzaJack
One of their best. Lots of love for the album it's on too, my 1st rancid album.
@Ivedeni880
this is one of the best cd's i ever had loved jamin on it when i started playing guitar..i miss the good ol days of skatin and skankin
@WaterTowerBand
hands down one of the best of all time right?
@imtellintim
This album is a fucking masterpiece.
@sheilamurphy9382
One of their best ever songs. Inspired writing
@Stinka182
I love it. I usually listen to it, when im kinda nervous becuz of somethin Thats the best thing about Rancid, a song or album for every kind of mood :)
@WaterTowerBand
i feel that! Thank you for sharing :)
@danielyou50
LOVE THIS SONG!!! it's so nice to play it on harmonica ;)