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 Me Go
Rancid Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It ain't impossible, it ain't easy
Opportunity shifting here
So far the strategy ain't working the facts are in it's so very clear
I do what I want I can't predict the future
And those who can I know that they are lying
I know the truth can be hard to swallow
A soap opera world leaders are crying
Correction I need no direction
Oh let me go just one last time
I spend my whole life searching for direction
Oh let me go just one last time
You can burn a book if you don't like the answers
Or join forces with an AXL grind
USA protecting your cancers
A list if hatred is easy to find
Well there's a growing sentiment in America
If you listen closely you can hear them all
Right is right wrong is wrong and evil
Consider it bad behavior
Correction I need no direction
Oh let me go just one last time
I spend my whole life searching for direction
Oh let me go just one last time
Bad generation polarize view
No one leaves home to go and help you
Watch CNN and then you know
US bombs come down, what you gonna do
Boom boom boom look around
There's no more roof no more house, no street, no town, shot down
Burnt black and brown
electrical meltdown
You'll hear the sound of the U.S. bomb all around
Ah it's a shake down
It's a break down
Atomic shutdown
And then you know!
Correction I need no direction
Oh let me go just one last time
I spend my whole life searching for direction
Oh let me go just one last time
Correction I need no direction
Oh let me go just one last time
I spend my whole life searching for direction
Oh let me go just one last time
One last time
"Let Me Go" by Rancid is an insightful commentary on the disarray and hypocrisy of those in power. The song speaks of the difficulty in finding success and the disillusionment that comes with it in a world where people lie to gain an advantage. The lyrics opener, "It ain't impossible, it ain't easy. Opportunity shifting here," suggests that success is achievable, but it comes at a cost. The next line, "So far the strategy ain't working the facts are in it's so very clear," highlights the reality of the current political climate and its dysfunction.
The following lines, "I do what I want I can't predict the future. And those who can I know that they are lying. I know the truth can be hard to swallow. A soap opera world leaders are crying," indicate the singer's independence in his choices and his rejection of the mainstream narrative. He recognizes that those in control often manipulate the truth to maintain their power and that the world is suffering in the midst of their self-serving drama.
The chorus, "Correction I need no direction. Oh let me go just one last time. I spend my whole life searching for direction. Oh let me go just one last time," emphasizes a lack of direction but also a yearning for freedom. The subsequent verses call out America's aggression and its tendency to prioritize power at the expense of other nations' well-being. The lyrics are frank and vivid, painting a picture of destruction and loss in a world of political instability.
Line by Line Meaning
Ok check this out
Listen up, pay attention.
It ain't impossible, it ain't easy
The situation at hand is challenging but not impossible.
Opportunity shifting here
The potential for success is changing constantly.
So far the strategy ain't working the facts are in it's so very clear
The current plan is failing and there is undeniable evidence of it.
I do what I want I can't predict the future
I am making decisions based on my own desires and I cannot foresee the outcomes.
And those who can I know that they are lying
People who claim to know what the future holds are dishonest.
I know the truth can be hard to swallow
The reality of the situation is difficult to accept.
A soap opera world leaders are crying
The world is in turmoil and leaders are showing their emotions publicly, like in a soap opera.
Correction I need no direction
I do not need any guidance or direction.
Oh let me go just one last time
Allow me to do what I want one final time.
I spend my whole life searching for direction
All my life I have been trying to find the right path.
You can burn a book if you don't like the answers
People can destroy information they disagree with.
Or join forces with an AXL grind
You can cooperate with someone who has similar beliefs.
USA protecting your cancers
The United States is protecting their problems and flaws.
A list if hatred is easy to find
It is simple to create a list of things to hate.
Well there's a growing sentiment in America
A belief is gaining popularity in America.
If you listen closely you can hear them all
If you concentrate, you can hear what people are saying.
Right is right wrong is wrong and evil
What is good is good, what is bad is bad, and what is evil is evil.
Consider it bad behavior
Negative actions should be thought of as bad behavior.
Bad generation polarize view
This current generation has divided opinions.
No one leaves home to go and help you
People are not willing to leave their own comfort to assist others.
Watch CNN and then you know
If you watch the news, you will be informed.
US bombs come down, what you gonna do
American bombings are happening, what is the course of action?
Boom boom boom look around
Explosions are happening everywhere.
There's no more roof no more house, no street, no town, shot down
Everything has been destroyed, from buildings to streets to towns.
Burnt black and brown
The remains are charred and dark.
Electrical meltdown
The electricity has failed.
You'll hear the sound of the U.S. bomb all around
The US bombing is audible everywhere.
Ah it's a shake down
It is clear that everything is crumbling apart.
It's a break down
The situation has reached a point of collapse.
Atomic shutdown
Everything has ceased functioning.
And then you know!
It is apparent what is happening.
One last time
Just once more before it's over.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management
Written by: Timothy Armstrong
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Parley454
matt freeman is such a great bass player. I would say him and joe lally from fugazi are probably two of my favorites.
Thiolane
I remember buying this album when it came out and jamming it through about 2 years of high school. Man, this shit takes me back a few years.
GGSD
Same here yo
Mob45
First saw Rancid in 98. They have always been amazing.
Pedro Henrique
Muito bom 🤘
Joe Bulmer-Kidger
Rancid is my FUCKING life. Thank PUNK for this awesome music!
Collin Hanes
they should make another album like rancid 2000 it was so awesome
Angel Pacheco
My first Rancid song, downloaded it off the Epitaph site in 03 and still love it.
GGSD
This was such a hard-core rancid album at the time
LucyTheVegan
Rancid is kicking so much ass that Tim needs to wear his safety glasses. Remember, people: foresight is better than no sight.