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)
Empros Lap Dog
Rancid Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(ahhh-ahhh-ahhh)
East Timor
East Timor
Got two they want to set examples down below
And I can hear the voices
Propaganda clogging generation's choices
East Timor
East Timor
Malicious productions of evil on high
Frustrate's Timor's breath
They ain't gonna learn
A misguided hated measure
Against a backdrop of war-torn weather
East Timor
East Timor
(whispering)
(ahhh-ahhh-ahhh)
East Timor
East Timor
East Timor
The lyrics of Rancid's song Empros Lap Dog highlight the issue of oppression and manipulation of the general population by those in power. The song takes reference to the situation in East Timor, a small island country in Southeast Asia, that was subjected to years of political unrest and violence. The lyrics suggest that the government or "Emperor" is using "thought control" and propaganda to enforce their beliefs on the people of East Timor. The line "Malicious productions of evil on high" further emphasizes the idea that those in power are intentionally causing harm and are not working towards the greater good of the society.
The chorus of the song is simply repeating the words "East Timor" which can be seen as a call to action to bring attention to the situation in the country. The lines "They ain't gonna learn, a misguided hatred measure against a backdrop of war-torn weather" suggest that despite the efforts of the government to suppress the people, they are still fighting back and are unwilling to back down. The song ends with a whispered repetition of "East Timor," which leaves the listener with a somber and reflective feeling.
Overall, Rancid's Empros Lap Dog is a commentary on the oppressive nature of government and the struggle of the people to fight back and reclaim their power.
Line by Line Meaning
Go!
The start of the song, an exclamation to get things moving.
(ahhh-ahhh-ahhh)
Non-lyrical vocalizations to create an atmospheric effect.
East Timor
A reference to the location of the societal injustice that is discussed in the song.
East Timor
Repetition of the reference to East Timor
Got two they want to set examples down below
A statement about the powers that want to exercise their influence and leverage their control over others via examples of modus operandi.
Emperor's gonna use some of that thought control
The one wielding power is going to further increase their influence on others by employing tactics like propaganda and other forms of mind control.
And I can hear the voices
The voice of the oppressed can be heard in the midst of the chaos.
Propaganda clogging generation's choices
Propaganda is influencing the choices of the younger generation, therefore negatively impacting their thought process and limiting their options.
Malicious productions of evil on high
The people with power are acting maliciously, and their evil deeds are occurring at the highest levels of society.
Frustrate's Timor's breath
East Timor is being suffocated or hindered in its growth and development, causing it to struggle to breathe.
They ain't gonna learn
The oppressors have no intention to learn or evolve from their actions.
A misguided hated measure
The aggressive actions taken are based on misguided hatred and are not justified.
Against a backdrop of war-torn weather
This environment of unrest is happening during a time of war and turmoil.
(whispering)
Quiet interlude creating a break in the lyrics and building up anticipation for the next stanza.
(ahhh-ahhh-ahhh)
Repetition of the background vocals to maintain the atmospheric effects.
East Timor
Another reference to the location of the societal injustice that needs attention.
East Timor
Repetition of the reference to East Timor.
Contributed by Leah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jose Gonzalez
best song in this album
Rodrigo RMY
Lyrics Go! (ahhh-ahhh-ahhh) East Timor East Timor Got two they want to set examples down below Emperor's gonna use some of that thought control And I can hear the voices Propaganda clogging generation's choices East Timor East Timor Malicious productions of evil on high Frustrate's Timor's breath They ain't gonna learn A misguided hated measure Against a backdrop of war-torn weather East Timor East Timor (whispering) (ahhh-ahhh-ahhh) East Timor East Timor East Timor
Manthan Shah
So this song is about East Timor?
Jack Straw
Your the best
perso pnri
East Timor become poorer
after liberate from Indonesia