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)
Don't Call Me White
Rancid Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't call me white, don't call me white
The connotations wearing my nerves thin
Could it be semantics generating the mess we're in?
I understand that language breeds stereotype
But what's the explanation for the malice, for the spite?
Don't call me white, don't call me white
I wasn't brought here, I was born
Circumcised, categorized, allegiance sworn,
Does this mean I have to take such shit
For being fairskinned? No!
I ain't a part of no conspiracy,
I'm just you're average Joe.
Don't call me white, don't call me white
Don't call me white, don't call me white
Represents everything I hate,
The soap shoved in the mouth to cleanse the mind
The vast majority of sheep
A buttoned collar, starched and bleached
Constricting veins, the blood flow to the brain slows
They're so fuckin' ordinary white
Don't call me white, don't call me white
Don't call me white, don't call me white
We're better off this way
Say what you're gonna say
So go ahead and label me
An asshole cause I can
Accept responsibility, for what I've done
But not for who I am
Don't call me white, don't call me white
Don't call me white, don't call me white
Don't call me white, don't call me white
The lyrics of "Don't Call Me White" by Rancid tackle the issue of racial stereotyping and the negative implications it has on people of a certain race. The repetition of the line "Don't call me white" emphasizes the frustration and irritation the singer feels towards being labeled solely based on their race. The connotations associated with being white are wearing the singer's nerves thin, suggesting that being categorized according to race is a frustrating experience. The line "Could it be semantics generating the mess we're in?" suggests that the problem arises from the way we use language to describe people of different races. The lyrics question the motives behind the malicious stereotypes and the prejudice that is aimed towards people solely based on their race.
The lyrics also highlight the singer's individuality and the fact that they don't subscribe to any conspiracy theories. They suggest that the singer is just an average person who doesn't deserve to be attacked because of their race. The lyrics also tackle the issue of white privilege and the negative connotations associated with it. The singer argues that they don't want to be associated with the "vast majority of sheep" and that they refuse to be categorized based on their race.
Overall, the lyrics of "Don't Call Me White" by Rancid are a commentary on the negative implications of racial stereotyping and prejudice. They emphasize the importance of seeing each other as individuals, rather than simply assuming what someone is like based on their race.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't call me white, don't call me white
The artist insists that he is not to be referred to as white.
The connotations wearing my nerves thin
The implied meanings of terms associated with my race cause me stress and frustration.
Could it be semantics generating the mess we're in?
Perhaps the root of our disagreements lies in the way we use language to communicate and categorize people.
I understand that language breeds stereotype
I am aware that the way we use language leads to generalizations about people based on their race.
But what's the explanation for the malice, for the spite?
However, I don't understand why people have such hatred and hostility towards me just for being white.
I wasn't brought here, I was born
I did not choose to be born with fair skin, it's a natural aspect of my being.
Circumcised, categorized, allegiance sworn,
Although I was born with fair skin, society has since forced labels and expectations upon me.
Does this mean I have to take such shit
Do I have to endure discrimination and mistreatment just because of my skin color?
For being fairskinned? No!
Absolutely not!
I ain't a part of no conspiracy, I'm just you're average Joe.
I am not part of any secret group or agenda, I am just an ordinary person.
Represents everything I hate,
The stereotype associated with white people embodies everything the artist despises.
The soap shoved in the mouth to cleanse the mind
The indoctrination of societal norms and values is forced upon people through harsh means.
The vast majority of sheep
Most people blindly follow societal norms and values without thought or question.
A buttoned collar, starched and bleached
Societal norms dictate a specific, rigid dress code.
Constricting veins, the blood flow to the brain slows
The rigidity of societal norms limits creativity and free thinking.
They're so fuckin' ordinary white
People who conform to societal norms are unremarkable and unexciting in their conformity.
We're better off this way
The artist believes that it is better for people to express their true thoughts and feelings rather than force conformity.
Say what you're gonna say
Speak your mind freely, without fear of societal norms dictating what can or cannot be said.
So go ahead and label me
Feel free to categorize and label the artist if you must, but it won't change who he is.
An asshole cause I can
He accepts that people may see him as an asshole simply because he refuses to conform to societal norms.
Accept responsibility, for what I've done
He takes responsibility for his actions and words, but not for simply being white.
But not for who I am
His identity as a white person is not something he should be held accountable for.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MIKE BURKETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Falicia Martineau
I'll never forget the day I was sitting in my bros car lol and he said seriously this song is good you have to hear it. So I sit back and listen. He starts singing full blown don't call me white and nails it! 🤣 I was laughing so hard! XD 🤘 He passed away at 34 over some dumb heart condition no one knew he had! This song holds a special memory! ❤️
Dick Solid 76
R.I.P. at least you still have the music and the memories tho. 🖤🤘
Eternal Celestial
This song is on all my punk burned cds ♡
Dick Solid 76
ALL of them?
FrankieFear
Matt Freeman is badass on this album love how they let him sing since in Nofx the bassist fat mike sings
Kyle Kelley
and he nailed it
Jacob Moll
FrankieFear whatever that has to do with anything
Logan W
@Jacob Moll He's saying that he likes how Rancid let their bassist do the vocals for this since the bassist for NOFX, Fat Mike, is also the lead singer.
Nicko Moyle
Black derby jacket he sings too he has a deep bluesy sound
Breno Santana
Me and friend used to listen while skateboarding, I miss that....