Ivory Coast
Rancid Lyrics


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For twenty four hours on the Ivory Coast,
They relieved soldiers from their post,
And they drank champagne, for a toast,
To pay dividends to the country's host.

They said, "Tonight, you can leave your home,
But tomorrow, it's gonna be the way of the gun",
And the curfew, won't allw you to roam, roam, roam,
And the bullets will let you know, when the big dog comes 'round your door...

Who is the killer?
(Woooh oh oh!)
Who is the killer?
(Woooh oh oh!)
Stone-cold killer,
(Woooh oh oh!)
Food for the trigger,
(Woooh oh ohh!)

They'll shoot ya down, right on sight,
If you're out at the wrong time of night,
And in a civil war, there's no civil rights,
In the dead of day, run for your life.

They said, "Tonight, you can leave your home,
And tomorrow, it's gonna be the way of the gun",
And the curfew, won't let you roam, roam, roam,
And the bullets will let you know, when the big dog comes 'round your door....

Who is the killer?
(Woooh oh oh!)
Who is the killer?
(Woooh oh oh!)
Stone-cold killer,
(Woooh oh oh!)
Food for the trigger,
(Woooh oh ohh!)

And the trenches are dug,
And the bones begin to shiver,
The taste of war, so cold and bitter,
And the human race is the face of the killer,
And the cost of life is rarely considered.

They said, "Tonight, you can leave your home,
But tomorrow, but tomorrow, it's gonna be the way of the gun",
And the curfew, won't let you roam, roam, roam,
And the bullets will let you know, when the big dog comes 'round your door...

Who is the killer?
(Woooh oh oh!)
Who is the killer?
(Woooh oh oh!)
Stone-cold killer,
(Woooh oh oh!)




Food for the trigger,
(Woooh ohh ohh!)

Overall Meaning

Rancid's "Ivory Coast" is a politically charged song that expresses the horrors of war and the role of violence in political conflict. The lyrics describe the situation in the Ivory Coast where soldiers were relieved from their post, and people were allowed to leave their homes for a night, only to be met with the threat of gun violence the following day. The celebratory nature of the soldiers' champagne toast is in stark contrast to the grim reality of the situation they are in.


The lyrics also express the unequal power dynamics present in war-torn regions like the Ivory Coast. The country is referred to as the "host", but it remains unclear who is there to benefit from this arrangement. Furthermore, the lyrics describe how in a civil war, there are no civil rights, making it clear that the common people are the ones who suffer the most in these situations. The song's imagery of trenches dug and bones shivering paints a bleak picture of the unimaginable human cost of war.


In the chorus, the question is posed repeatedly, "Who is the killer?" This question is not answered, but it is clear that the answer is complex, involving many different actors in the conflict. In the end, the song suggests that the human race itself is the face of the killer, and that the cost of life is rarely considered in war.


Line by Line Meaning

For twenty four hours on the Ivory Coast,
For one full day, in the Ivory Coast,


They relieved soldiers from their post,
They let soldiers take a break from their duties,


And they drank champagne, for a toast,
They celebrated with champagne, to make a toast,


To pay dividends to the country's host.
To show their gratitude to the host country.


They said, "Tonight, you can leave your home,
They announced that it's safe to leave home for the night,


But tomorrow, it's gonna be the way of the gun",
But tomorrow, violence will take its course,


And the curfew, won't allow you to roam, roam, roam,
And the imposed curfew won't allow you to wander,


And the bullets will let you know, when the big dog comes 'round your door...
And gunshots will make it clear when danger comes knocking...


Who is the killer?
Who is responsible for the violence and death?


(Woooh oh oh!)
(Refraining)


Stone-cold killer,
A merciless murderer,


Food for the trigger,
Fodder for the guns,


They'll shoot ya down, right on sight,
You'll be killed on the spot if seen at the wrong time,


If you're out at the wrong time of night,
If you're outdoors at the wrong hour of the night,


And in a civil war, there's no civil rights,
And during civil war, basic rights are rarely upheld,


In the dead of day, run for your life.
During the daytime, hurry and flee for your life.


And the trenches are dug,
Defensive, dug trenches,


And the bones begin to shiver,
Fear begins to take over,


The taste of war, so cold and bitter,
War is a harsh and unforgiving experience,


And the human race is the face of the killer,
Human beings are the ones responsible for the killing,


And the cost of life is rarely considered.
The value of life is seldom taken into account.


Who is the killer?
Who is responsible for the violence and death?


(Woooh oh oh!)
(Refraining)


Stone-cold killer,
A merciless murderer,


Food for the trigger,
Fodder for the guns,


But tomorrow, but tomorrow, it's gonna be the way of the gun
But tomorrow, violence will take its course, just like today.


And the curfew, won't let you roam, roam, roam,
And the imposed curfew won't allow you to wander,


And the bullets will let you know, when the big dog comes 'round your door...
And gunshots will make it clear when danger comes knocking...




Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: LARS FREDERIKSEN, TIM ARMSTRONG

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@nofx5695

A totally underrated song

@THJamie

I love this song so much

@kkidcruz6118

Went outside to jog, came back with a skateboard. 🛹

@thejustinflynn

Sick

@poyp777

Sweet

@TheHAUS_

@@poyp777 Sour?

@josesmith8058

Who is tequila?