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)
Stickin In My Eye
Rancid Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As the smoke surrounds my head, the sauna
I hear the voices but I can't make out the words
Saying things, saying things
That I got something stickin' in my eye
Got something stickin' in my eye
Something stickin' in my eye
I feel unusual for thinking about the underground decay, God help me
Kill beneath the camera watch the world begin to cry
It's not from pity, it comes from what's been stickin' in my eye
The song "Stickin In My Eye" by Rancid is a fast-paced, up-beat punk rock tune that—like many of Rancid's songs—is ripe with social commentary. The first verse immediately launches into a discussion of the singer's limited worldview: "When I look around I only see out of one eye." This is an obvious metaphor for the singer's limited perspective, implying a lack of understanding or awareness of the world around him. The mention of smoke (presumably from a sauna) further drives home this idea, hinting at a clouded or obscured view of the world.
As the song picks up speed, the lyrics become more abstract and metaphorical. The refrain—"Got something stickin' in my eye"—is repeated multiple times, becoming a sort of mantra for the rest of the song. The second verse touches on themes like decay and apathy, with lines like "I feel unusual for thinking about the underground decay, God help me" and "Kill beneath the camera watch the world begin to cry." These lines suggest a sense of disillusionment or disconnection from the rest of society, with the singer grappling to make sense of a world that seems to be crumbling around him.
Taken as a whole, "Stickin In My Eye" is an exploration of the human condition and our tendency to become trapped in our own limited perspectives. The song suggests that we are often blinded by our own biases, unable to see the world clearly or make informed decisions. The repetition of the phrase "Got something stickin' in my eye" throughout the song drives home this idea, reminding us that until we can remove whatever is clouding our vision, we will never be able to see the world as it truly is.
Line by Line Meaning
When I look around I only see out of one eye
I am unable to see clearly and comprehensively, as if I have lost my peripheral vision or have a visual impairment.
As the smoke surrounds my head, the sauna
I am engulfed in a thick haze or mist, giving the impression of being in a steam room or sauna.
I hear the voices but I can't make out the words
I am able to perceive sounds and conversations, but unable to decipher or understand the meaning behind them.
Saying things, saying things
The voices are incessantly speaking, but their words remain incomprehensible.
That I got something stickin' in my eye
There is something obstructing my vision, making it difficult for me to see clearly.
Got something stickin' in my eye
The obstruction in my eye is persistent and bothersome.
Something stickin' in my eye
The issue with my eye is not going away, causing ongoing discomfort and irritation.
I feel unusual for thinking about the underground decay, God help me
I am experiencing a sense of abnormality or strangeness due to my contemplation of the deterioration and decomposition beneath the surface of the earth, and in need of divine intervention.
Kill beneath the camera watch the world begin to cry
Observing the tragedy of murder captured on camera, the world is moved to tears and mourns the loss of life.
It's not from pity, it comes from what's been stickin' in my eye
My empathy and compassion for the victims of violence does not stem from mere sympathy, but from the burden of the obstruction in my eye that has made me acutely aware of the fragility and preciousness of life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MIKE BURKETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ninjamaster616
Matt Freeman's take on the bass opening made me jizz everywhere.
@fujifilm5127
as a bassist, matt makes me jizz all the time
@chrisreaney1980
In your eye?
@doomraider551
I had to listen to it a few more times 8====} - - - >:} \\m//
@johndcoffee632
Yep, you right.
@dustid
your either listening wrong . . . or more right then the rest of us
@BloodClanResurrection
Rancid and NoFX are the PERFECT combination
@dustid
probably
@seraffimospang9239
I've forgotten. I feel unusual for thinking. I miss this!. Makes you really wonder where our time has went.
@TwitchyBrewz
This has to be one of the greatest splits of all time:)