Black & Blue
Rancid (USA) Lyrics

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I started watchin' them all down the line
Keep steppin' and rejectin' all the time
They try to pull me in
Can't let that happen again
They try to do it again all on me

Sedation through the nation
We're screaming black and blue

Intoxication of a generation
We're screaming black and blue

The blind leading the blind
They told me I was dumb
They said their security system was too big to outrun
I broke away and I'm never goin' back
For all the souls they broke
Mine never cracked

Sedation through the nation
We're screaming black and blue

Intoxication of a generation
We're screaming black and blue

Overall Meaning

The song "Black & Blue" by Rancid depicts a rebellious fight against the system and the pressures to conform by avoiding danger, steppin’ away from the crowd, and ultimately rejecting conformity. The singer of the song seems to have been a victim of peer pressure in the past, as he references that he can't let "them" pull him in again. The song exemplifies the themes of rebellion, individuality, and non-conformity relating to punk ideology. The lyrics stress the idea of the "blind leading the blind" and how one should not blindly follow social norms or the path dictated by society. The lyrics also express the importance of standing up for oneself and not allowing others to manipulate one's choices.

The chorus of the song, "Sedation through the nation, we're screaming black and blue. Intoxication of a generation, we're screaming black and blue," captures the overall theme of the song. The line "sedation through the nation" can be interpreted as the effects of conformity and how it can be used to numb individuals to their own unique thoughts and feelings. "We're screaming black and blue" refers to the fight against the aforementioned sedation and intoxication, and the phrase "intoxication of a generation" gives a nod to the addictive nature of conformity.

Line by Line Meaning

I started watchin' them all down the line
I began observing them one by one

Keep steppin' and rejectin' all the time
I kept avoiding and rejecting their attempts

They try to pull me in
They attempt to get me involved

Can't let that happen again
I am not letting it happen again

They try to do it again all on me
They are attempting to do it to me again

Sedation through the nation
The nation is being numbed and conditioned

We're screaming black and blue
We scream out in pain and desperation

Intoxication of a generation
The current generation is being drugged

The blind leading the blind
Those with no vision are leading others with no vision

They told me I was dumb
They said I lacked intelligence

They said their security system was too big to outrun
They claimed their security was unbeatable