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)
If the Kids are United / Journey
Rancid Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wanna say it now 'cause now is today
A love has been given to grab and enjoy
So let's all grab and let's all enjoy
If the kids are united they will never be divided
If the kids are united they will never be divided
Kids with feelings like you and me
You understand him, he understands you
For you are him and he is you
I don't wanna be rejected
I don't wanna be an unknown
As long as we stand together
Well it'll just be the start
The lyrics to Rancid's "If the Kids Are United" speak to the power of unity and love, especially among young people. The first verse encourages individuals to speak up and express their love, promoting the idea that love should be shared and enjoyed by all. The chorus emphasizes that when young people come together and unite, they will never be separated. The second verse describes the similarities that exist between young people and how they can understand and support each other.
The phrase "If the kids are united, they will never be divided" is actually a slogan that was popularized by the UK punk band Sham 69. The song was originally written by Sham 69's frontman, Jimmy Pursey, in 1978 as a call for unity among working-class youths. Rancid's version was released in 1993 on the split album "BYO Split Series, Vol. 3" with NOFX covering Sham 69's "If The Kids Are United".
Interestingly, Rancid's version of the song features guest vocals from skinhead reggae artist Laurel Aitken. Aitken was a Jamaican artist who gained popularity in the UK's skinhead scene in the 1960s, but later went on to collaborate with punk and ska bands.
In addition to Aitken's vocals, "If the Kids Are United" also features a sample from "You Can't Sit Down" by American R&B group The Dovells. The sample appears in the brief instrumental break towards the end of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
For once in my life I got something to say
I have an important message to convey.
I wanna say it now 'cause now is today
The message needs to be conveyed immediately without any delay.
A love has been given to grab and enjoy
We have been gifted the ability to love and cherish it.
So let's all grab and let's all enjoy
All of us should come together and cherish love.
If the kids are united they will never be divided
Unity among the younger generation will lead to a stronger, inseparable bond.
If the kids are united they will never be divided
This is a repetition of the previous line to emphasize the importance of unity.
Take a look around you - what do you see?
Observe the world around you and notice the emotions of the younger generation.
Kids with feelings like you and me
Younger people have emotions and feelings like everyone else.
You understand him, he understands you
Empathize with others as they empathize with you.
For you are him and he is you
We are all human beings and share a common bond of emotions and experiences.
I don't wanna be rejected
I fear being rejected or isolated.
I don't wanna be an unknown
I don't want to be overlooked and forgotten.
As long as we stand together
Unity is crucial and important.
Well it'll just be the start
This unity will ignite the beginning of something greater.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sue Ioannidis
Love Sham 69, but gotta say that Rancid's version of this song is pretty damn great too !!
enjoiyourboard1
yes! my two favorite bands
semifallen
gotta love lars' voice...
Jackie Stopro
The bass line... :D
adriano aja arruda
if we are united they wil never be divided...congratulions from BRAZIL...
Ian Fleming
the only this this has going is the bass.
feanoR
it's not that bad, but Sham 69's version is better all the way
dunstanofgreenvideos
As much as I love Rancid this is shite compared to the original.
jesse garza
Oi! from USA
greyhound497
sham 69 at the bixton electric oct 29