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)
Kill The Lights
Rancid Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
It's the lonely asshole with a glimmer of life
With the kill all the life
killer don't care
kill we're not going
destroying anywhere
Kill the lights! (kill the lights!)
Kill the lights! (kill the lights!)
Kill the lights! (kill the lights!)
I'm gonna breakout, I'm gonna throw down
Cause I already hate you
It's just gonna drag me down!
Kill the lights! (kill the lights!)
Kill the lights! (kill the lights!)
Kill the lights! (kill the lights!)
Kill the lights! (kill the lights!)
On the brinks on the last worst summer night
It's the lonely asshole with a glimmer of life
With the kill all the life
killer don't care
kill we're not going
destroying anywhere
Kill the lights! (kill the lights!)
Kill the lights! (kill the lights!)
Kill the lights! (kill the lights!)
Kill the lights! (kill the lights!)
I'm gonna breakout, I'm gonna throw down
Cause I already hate you
It's just gonna drag me down!
blah!
The lyrics of Rancid's "Kill the Lights" touch upon themes of rebellion, frustration, and a desire to break free. The first few lines describe being on the brink of what could be the last, worst summer night, a feeling of being at the end of one's rope. Yet, in the midst of this despair, there's a glimmer of hope - the "lonely asshole" who still clings onto life, and a determination to kill all that is lifeless.
The chorus is a battle cry, urging the listener to "kill the lights" and destroy that which is holding them back. There's a sense of urgency and anger in the repetition of this line, as if the singer is trying to galvanize others to join them in their quest for liberation.
The final lines of the song reveal the singer's personal motive for pushing against the darkness: "I'm gonna breakout, I'm gonna throw down / Cause I already hate you / It's just gonna drag me down!" Whether the "you" in question is a person, a system, or something else entirely is left open to interpretation. However, it's clear that the singer is no longer content to languish in the shadows - they're ready to take action and fight back.
Overall, "Kill the Lights" is a song that speaks to the frustrations and struggles of many individuals who feel trapped in their circumstances. It encourages a rebellious spirit and a refusal to accept the status quo, even if it means destroying what's already there.
Contributed by Ellie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kozmic Kronic
Love it been listening to rancid since the start!
Boredom Ensues
I love the bass tone.