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)
Let’s Go
Rancid Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jimmy said he could handle this Born and raised in west los angeles Dad's a lawyer, mummy's sleep, Runs down the family can't ya see, One thing seems very clear Daddy's got no connection here, Everything's reject and demanded, Lived your life and thought handled it Let the dying shorten this rythmmmm!
Let's go! where the shores are green
Let's go! where the music's loud
Let's go! where there ain't no problems, fuck this, fucking transit
I ain't forty, I like your stories Keep them coming cause it's kind a boring It ain't coming you have to find it 'cause all of a sudden you got grounded You didn't care, you just did At the sign that said: all beware,
Let's go! where the shores are green
Let's go! where the music's loud
Let's go! where there ain't no problems, fuck this, fucking transit
Yeah, yeah, yeah!!! Yeah, yeah,yeah, yeah!! yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!
The song "Let’s Go" by Rancid talks about a rebellious youth named Jimmy, who believed he could handle anything, despite having no connections in the area he lived in, which is full of rejects and demands. The lyrics are suggestive of a young person’s frustration with life and the need to escape. Jimmy is born and raised in West Los Angeles and is described as having a father who is a lawyer and a mother who sleeps a lot. The song portrays a sense of disillusionment and frustration with society and an urge to break free from it all.
The lyrics "Let's go! where the shores are green, Let's go! where the music's loud, Let's go! where there ain't no problems, fuck this, fucking transit" suggest a desire to leave behind the problems of the world and escape to somewhere where there are no issues. The song seems to be generationally relevant, suggesting that those in their youth have a strong urge to be free and break away from society's norms.
One of the most striking aspects of the song is its musicality, as well as its aggressive lyrics. The chords are heavily distorted and the beats are fierce, which alludes to the mood of the song. The lyrics themselves are not just angry but also have a sense of urgency and the need for escape. Overall, the song is about refusing to be bound by societal norms and frustration with the human condition.
Line by Line Meaning
Jimmy said he could handle this Ohhhh, he's from los angeles ohh!
Despite being from a wealthy family in Los Angeles, Jimmy boasted about being able to handle everything without his parents' help.
Born and raised in west los angeles Dad's a lawyer, mummy's sleep, Runs down the family can't ya see, One thing seems very clear Daddy's got no connection here, Everything's reject and demanded, Lived your life and thought handled it Let the dying shorten this rythmmmm!
Jimmy's upbringing in West Los Angeles was privileged, but his family is dysfunctional, with his dad being a lawyer and his mom dealing with her own issues. It's evident that his family is disconnected from him, leading him to reject everything and demand anything he wants. He thought he could handle life, but it's wearing him down.
Let's go! where the shores are green
Let's leave this situation and head to a place where things are better.
Let's go! where the music's loud
Let's go somewhere with excitement and energy, where the music never stops.
Let's go! where there ain't no problems, fuck this, fucking transit
Let's go somewhere with no problems, away from the hassle of everyday life.
I ain't forty, I like your stories Keep them coming cause it's kind a boring It ain't coming you have to find it 'cause all of a sudden you got grounded You didn't care, you just did At the sign that said: all beware, In and out and said: 'oi, tik, tok', I'm glad you got away of me Let the dying shorten this rythmmmm!!!
I'm not old yet, but I appreciate your stories since everything else is pretty dull. Sometimes bad things happen out of nowhere, and you have to deal with the consequences. Despite this, I still acted recklessly, ignoring the warning signs. Thankfully, I got out of it alive, but life is still wearing me down.
Yeah, yeah, yeah!!! Yeah, yeah,yeah, yeah!! yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm to leave the past behind and move on to better things.
Writer(s): TIMOTHY ARMSTRONG, ROGER M. FREEMAN
Contributed by Eli P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
GeoffWerbicki
43 and still rocking out to this album. Only difference is that instead of shredding on my skateboard, I’m vacuuming the house 🤣
wtf's alommy?
@Rebecca Vinai yea, this album was my popper....summer of 8th grade
wtf's alommy?
@Rebecca Vinai fck yea we dooo...
Rebecca Vinai
Lmfao. Same age. Blasting album while I scrub dishes and cook dinner sipping whiskey. I tell myself that's punk rock adulting. AND I still know all the words.
wtf's alommy?
@The Järnsida see ya in The Pit !!!!!
The Järnsida
You kids, smh.
BaronVonBlair
This was my 1st punk album. Got it for Christmas in 4th grade. Memorized it immediately.
ChefKenBurnEm
for the kids who are being misinformed,punk is not how many tattoos you have,the clothes you wear, or your hair.its about how you think, and how you live your life everyday.
Rebecca Vinai
Philosophy and mindset baby. I am ready to fist-fight people who claim the Clash aren't punk due to the depth and variety of their sound, inspiration, and method. Idiots.
your mom
RIGHT ON LOVE... MOM OF 3 TEENS.... LOVE ME SOME RANCID