Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991… Read Full Bio ↴Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, former members of the band Operation Ivy, Rancid is often credited as being among the wave of bands that revived mainstream interest in punk rock in the United States during the mid-1990s. Over their 32-year career, Rancid retained much of its original fan-base, most of which was connected to its underground musical roots.

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)

Raise Your Fist
Rancid Lyrics

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Raise your fist (raise your fist)
Against the power (raise your fist)
Oppress the power that exists
Raise your fist (raise your fist)
Against the power (raise your fist)
Oh the power that exists

In the land of freedom, I will make a clean

Forth rack on production (?) this is all insane
Heart of the heartland or they stream the blood
Where invisibly, for one thousand and third

Raise your fist (raise your fist)
Against the power (raise your fist)
Oppress the power that exists
Raise your fist (raise your fist)
Against the power (raise your fist)
Oh the power that exists

No alliance, sure no cross to bear
No crack to follow, no police to share
Apathetic revolution, people go put to sleep
As the people are wake up they'll be rioting the streets

Raise your fist (raise your fist)
Against the power (raise your fist)
Oppress the power that exists
Raise your fist (raise your fist)

Against the power (raise your fist)
Oh the power that exists

Overall Meaning

The song "Raise Your Fist" by Rancid is a call to action for the people to stand up against the oppressive power structures that exist in society. The lyrics urge the listener to raise their fist in defiance against these powers, to seek to oppress them in turn. The chorus repeats this call to action, emphasizing the importance of opposing the power that exists.

The first verse speaks of the land of freedom but acknowledges the insanity of the system in which we live. The heart of the heartland is where the blood flows, a metaphor for the way that the system relies on the labor and sacrifice of the working class but often does not give them a voice or a way to thrive. The invisibility of oppression is another theme that emerges here, where those in power are able to maintain control without being seen or questioned.

The second verse continues the theme of oppression and the need for revolution. The lyrics reject the idea of alliances or a specific agenda, instead urging listeners to reject the status quo and to disrupt the system in any way they can. The apathy of the people is the greatest obstacle to revolutionary change, but as more people wake up to the reality of their oppression, they will be driven to action.

Overall, "Raise Your Fist" is a rallying cry to the disenfranchised and the oppressed to stand up and fight for their rights. The power structures that exist can only be overcome through collective action, and the song encourages listeners to take up that cause.

Line by Line Meaning

Raise your fist (raise your fist)
Encouraging to raise one's fist as a sign of protest and rebellion.

Against the power (raise your fist)
Targeting the powerful institutions or individuals that control the system and make the rules.

Oppress the power that exists
Advocating to suppress or overthrow the existing power structure that oppresses people.

Oh the power that exists
Expressing frustration over the existing power structure that controls and limits people's freedom and opportunities.

In the land of freedom, I will make a clean
In America, the land of the free, the singer wants to create a clear and transparent society.

Forth rack on production (?) this is all insane
Perhaps commenting on the US's addiction to consumerism and the negative impact it has on society.

Heart of the heartland or they stream the blood
Referring to the Midwestern US, where the blood of workers and farmers has been spilled to build the nation's wealth and power.

Where invisibly, for one thousand and third
Not clear what this line means, perhaps highlighting how history repeats itself over and over.

No alliance, sure no cross to bear
Advocating for people to be independent and free from ideological or religious constraints.

No crack to follow, no police to share
Rejecting authority figures and institutions that control and monitor people's behavior.

Apathetic revolution, people go put to sleep
Commenting on the lack of passion and energy in modern society to fight against unjust systems.

As the people are wake up they'll be rioting the streets
Predicting that when people become aware of the injustices around them, they will rise up and protest against the system.

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Lars Frederiksen, Roger M. Freeman, Timothy Armstrong

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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