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)
Motorcycle Ride
Rancid Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's just the ability to reason that wears so thin
Living and dying and the stories that are true
The secret to a good life is knowing when your through...
...Before she died
I bit the bullet on a motorcycle ride
...If you want to make a move then you better come in
It's just the ability to reason that wears so thin
If you want to make a move then you better come in
It's just the ability to reason that wears so thin
...Before she died
I bit the bullet on a motorcycle ride
The first verse of Rancid's song "Motorcycle Ride" speaks to the idea of taking action before it's too late - "If you want to make a move then you better come in." The second line, "It's just the ability to reason that wears so thin," suggests that sometimes we overthink our actions or hold ourselves back with too much rationalization. The third line, "Living and dying and the stories that are true," carries a weight of mortality, suggesting that we only get one life and need to make the most of it. The fourth line, "The secret to a good life is knowing when your through," is a subtle reminder that there's a time and place to move on and let go.
The second verse repeats the first with the added line "Before she died," which adds a layer of poignancy and personal significance. The final line of the verse, "I bit the bullet on a motorcycle ride," brings home the reality of taking action and risks in life. The repeated chorus emphasizes the importance of seizing opportunities when they present themselves, rather than letting hesitation and fear take over.
Overall, "Motorcycle Ride" is a song that encourages listeners to live fully and without regret, seizing opportunities and taking risks before it's too late. It's a reminder that life is precious and fleeting, and that we can't let fear or rationalization hold us back from living our best lives.
Line by Line Meaning
If you want to make a move then you better come in
If you're thinking of doing something, don't hesitate, go for it.
It's just the ability to reason that wears so thin
As we go through life, the capacity for rational thinking slowly fades away.
Living and dying and the stories that are true
The experiences of life and death are what shape our stories and make them genuine.
The secret to a good life is knowing when your through...
The key to a fulfilling life is understanding when it's time to move on.
Before she died
Prior to her passing away
I bit the bullet on a motorcycle ride
I took a risk and went on a daring adventure, possibly as a way to cope with grief or to live life to the fullest.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ROGER M. FREEMAN, TIMOTHY ARMSTRONG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ace Grossman
time bomb?
Thomas Burgad
Fuck ya!