Time Bomb
Rancid (USA) Lyrics


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If you want to make the move then you better come in
It's just the ability to reason that wears so thin
Living and dying and the stories that are true
Secrets to a good life is knowing when you're through

Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb
Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb

He's back in the hole where they got him living
Like a rat but he's smarter than that nine lives
Like a cat take him to the youth authority home
First thing you learn is that you got to make it in this world alone

Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb
Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb

Now he's gotten out he's gotten free he's gotta go, gotta car
He's twenty one years old he's runnin' from the bar
His pager's beepin' he's got in deep in
Whatever he can move on in you know that kid's a creepin'

Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb
Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac
The boy's a time bomb

Yeah, the boy's a time bomb

In tears come from the razor that's been tattooed below
His eye his mother cries she knows that he is strong enough to die
He's rollin' in the Cadillac it's midnight sunroof is down
Three shots rung out the hero's dead the new king is crowned

Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb
Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb
Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb




Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb, oh, time bomb

Overall Meaning

"Time Bomb" by Rancid is an anti-establishment anthem that speaks to the struggles of youth who are seeking to find their place in the world. The lyrics are a commentary on the dark side of youth culture, and describe the singer who is like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. The opening lyrics, "If you want to make the move then you better come in, It's just the ability to reason that wears so thin," set the tone of the song by emphasizing the urgency and desperation of the singer.


Throughout the song, we see the singer portrayed as a rebel, who wears a black coat, white shoes, black hat, and drives a Cadillac. He has been in trouble with the law and spent time in youth authority homes, but he is determined to make his own way in the world. The refrain "The boy's a time bomb" is repeated throughout the song, driving home the idea that he is on the brink of exploding.


The final verse of the song is particularly powerful, as the singer meets a violent end. The lines "In tears come from the razor that's been tattooed below his eye, his mother cries, she knows that he is strong enough to die" sound like a eulogy. The last lines of the song, "Three shots rung out the hero's dead, the new king is crowned," imply that the singer's death will inspire another young rebel to take up his cause.


Overall, "Time Bomb" is a powerful and insightful commentary on the struggles of youth culture. It paints a bleak and realistic picture of what it's like to grow up on the margins of society, and the dangers that come with that.


Line by Line Meaning

If you want to make the move then you better come in
If you're going to act, you better do it now


It's just the ability to reason that wears so thin
Being logical can only last for so long


Living and dying and the stories that are true
Life and death and the realities that come with them


Secrets to a good life is knowing when you're through
One key to a good life is knowing when to stop


Black coat, white shoes, black hat, Cadillac, yeah
The artist has a distinct look and car


The boy's a time bomb
The young man is a ticking time bomb, ready to explode with energy and potentially danger


He's back in the hole where they got him living
He's back in the situation that was trapping him before


Like a rat but he's smarter than that nine lives
He's in a predicament, but he's smarter and more resourceful than he first appears


Like a cat take him to the youth authority home
He's been locked up and taken to the youth detention center


First thing you learn is that you got to make it in this world alone
A brutal truth of the world is that you have to rely solely on yourself


Now he's gotten out he's gotten free he's gotta go, gotta car
He's been released, he's free, and he has a car waiting for him


He's twenty one years old he's runnin' from the bar
He's 21 and trying to escape his past mistakes and wild behavior


His pager's beepin' he's got in deep in
He's getting messages and in trouble with something or someone


Whatever he can move on in you know that kid's a creepin'
He's sneaking around and doing whatever he can to move forward


In tears come from the razor that's been tattooed below
Tears are shed over the tattoo below his eye that was created by a razor


His mother cries she knows that he is strong enough to die
His mother is crying because she knows he can handle death if it comes to it


He's rollin' in the Cadillac it's midnight sunroof is down
He's driving his Cadillac with the roof down in the middle of the night


Three shots rung out the hero's dead the new king is crowned
The singer is killed and a new leader takes his place


The boy's a time bomb, oh, time bomb
A reiterated warning that the young man is a ticking time bomb




Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@ThiagolimaDahmer

Time Bomb
If you wanna make the move then you better come in
It's just the ability to reason that wears so thin
Living and dying and the stories that are true
The secrets to a good life is knowing when you're through


Black coat
White shoes
Black hat
Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb
Black coat
White shoes
Black hat
Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb


Well he's back in the hole where they got him living
Like a rat but he's smarter than that nine lives like a cat
Thirteen years old,take him to the youth authority home
First thing you learn is that you got to make it in this worldalone


Black coat
White shoes
Black hat
Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb
Black coat
White shoes
Black hat
Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb


Now he's gotten out, he gotten free, he gotta go
Gotta car, he's 21 years old he's runnin' numbers from the bar
His pager's beepin', he's gotten deep in
What ever he can move on in you know that kid's a creepin' in


Black coat
White shoes
Black hat
Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb
Black coat
White shoes
Black hat
Cadillac
The boy's a time bomb
The boy's a time bomb


Tears come from the razor that's been tattooed below his eye
His mother cries she knows that he is strong enough to die
He's rollin' in the Cadillac it's midnight
Sunroof is down, three shots rung out of here and then
The new king is crowned


Black coat
White shoes
Black hat
Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb
Black coat
White shoes
Black hat
Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb
Black coat
White shoes
Black hat
Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb
Black coat
White shoes
Black hat
Cadillac, yeah
The boy's a time bomb


Time bomb


Bomba Relógio




Se você quiser fazer um movimento, então você é melhor entrar
É justo a habilidade de raciocinar, que isso desgasta assim finamente
Vivendo e morrendo e as histórias que são verdadeiras
Os segredos para uma vida boa estão em saber quando você está farto


Roupa preta
sapatos brancos
chapéu preto
cadillac
O garoto é uma bomba relógio
Roupa preta
sapatos brancos
chapéu preto
cadillac, yeah
O garoto é uma bomba relógio


Bem, ele está atrás do buraco onde eles começaram a viver como um rato
Mas ele é mais esperto do que aquelas nove vidas como um gato
13 anos faz exame dele ao repouso da autoridade da juventude
A primeira coisa que você aprende é que você começou a fazer neste mundo sozinho


Roupa preta
sapatos brancos
chapéu preto
cadillac
O garoto é uma bomba relógio
Roupa preta
sapatos brancos
chapéu preto
cadillac, yeah
O garoto é uma bomba relógio


Agora ele conseguiu sair e se tornou livre e pode seguir
Pegou um carro, tem 21 anos e ele é corre números no bar
Seu pager toca, ele entrou profundamente dentro
Sempre que pode se mover sobre em você saiba que essa criança e assustadora


Roupa preta
sapatos brancos
chapéu preto
cadillac
O garoto é uma bomba relógio
Roupa preta
sapatos brancos
chapéu preto
cadillac, yeah
O garoto é uma bomba relógio
O garoto é uma bomba relógio


Os rasgos vêm do razor que foi tattooado abaixo de seu olho
Sua mãe chora, ela sabe que ele é forte o bastante para morrer
Ele roda com o Cadillac à meia-noite
O teto-solar está para baixo, três tiros de fora daqui e
O novo rei é coroado.


Roupa preta
sapatos brancos
chapéu preto
cadillac
O garoto é uma bomba relógio
Roupa preta
sapatos brancos
chapéu preto
cadillac, yeah
O garoto é uma bomba relógio
Roupa preta
sapatos brancos
chapéu preto
cadillac
O garoto é uma bomba relógio
Roupa preta
sapatos brancos
chapéu preto
cadillac, yeah
O garoto é uma bomba relógio


Bomba relógio



All comments from YouTube:

@SuperRaedizzle

My friend once cut Lars’s hair... said he was a nice guy and told him stories the whole time

@ziraqkeren9998

cool

@dj-yf9jg

OMG you again, you must really love epitaph records, huh? Can't blame ya!

@jaystein1405

I bet he's a hell of a nice guy!

@joesa6998

I used to live in the apartment next to his house , I would see him talk to anyone and everyone lol..thats a definition of a nice guy in my book

@motorcity7137

Sure. Sure he did

22 More Replies...

@kmoenich

For those of you arguing about whether this song is punk, you have obviously have no knowledge of The Clash, Operation Ivy, Fugazi, etc. All of these bands had ska and reggae influences, and I can't imagine anyone saying they aren't punk. Rancid is, and will always remain, one of the best of the modern punk bands.

@sicka

Of course posers won't find this punk. They won't even know that punk had tons of influences from reggae and ska. Steel Pulse, the Great reggae band, used to play at punk venues.

@KarlaJMendoza

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

@driftdotus

@@sicka Reggae/Ska/Punk were all very similar in that they were very political in lyrics in a almost non political black/white or red/blue way that we see today..

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