History
In 1997, McColgan left Dropkick Murphys "to pursue a lifelong dream of becoming a firefighter for the Boston Fire Department." In 2002, McColgan decided he could no longer stay away from music and formed Street Dogs. They first recorded a seven song-demo, which feature McColgan along with his former Dropkick Murphys bandmate Jeff Erna on drums, Rob Guidotti on guitar and Bill Close on bass.[1] They signed with CrossCheck Records in 2003,[2] with Michelle Paulhus now on bass. By the time they started recording their first album, they yet again had someone else on bass, this time Johnny Rioux. Savin Hill (which was produced by former The Mighty Mighty Bosstones member Nate Albert[3] and featured guest appearances by Al Barr and Ken Casey from Dropkick Murphys) was a success and resulted in a supporting tour with Celtic punk band Flogging Molly.
The band underwent a complete shuffle in 2004 when McColgan took a leave of absence from his firefighting career to devote time to recording and promoting their second album Back to the World.The Street Dogs at this time enlisted Marcus Hollar on lead guitar, and expanded the range of their sound with the addition of rhythm guitarist Tobe Bean III. The drummer's spot was filled by Joe Sirois, formerly of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones.
Their second release, Back to the World, proved to be even more of a success for the band. It was hailed critically in the United States, Europe and Japan and opened the doors to touring with Social Distortion, Tiger Army, Bad Religion, Millencolin (in Europe), The Bouncing Souls (US And Japan) and The Briefs. The band also toured on the Vans Warped Tour in the summer of 2005 and embarked on their first headlining tours in the US and Europe.
2006 saw more shows, both headlining and opening for the likes of Rancid,[4] The Adolescents[5] and The Bouncing Souls.[6] Also in 2006, released their third album, Fading American Dream. It was recorded earlier in the year with producer Ted Hutt (Flogging Molly, Madcap, The Bouncing Souls).
While on tour opening for Flogging Molly on February 27, 2007 show at the Sokol Auditorium in Omaha, NE, bass player Johnny Rioux collapsed on stage due to an apparent seizure. McColgan stopped the show and called for paramedics. At the start of the Flogging Molly set, lead singer Dave King dedicated the show to Johnny and announced that he was all right and would be well enough to play the next night in St. Louis. Following that tour, more dates came headlining as well as European shows.
In February 2008, it was announced that the Street Dogs signed on to Hellcat Records. Their fourth album, State of Grace, for Hellcat, which they started recording in early February 2008, once again with Ted Hutt[7] was released on July 8, 2008.[8]
At recent shows, Street Dogs have been promoting Oxfam America, a humanitarian organization fighting poverty and hunger. McColgan spoke to the crowd mid-set at the Bamboozle Festival in New Jersey in May 2008 about the organization while wearing an Oxfam T-shirt. In support of State of Grace, the band toured at the Vans Warped Tour 2008 as a main stage act. Following their Warped tour stint, the group set out on their successful fall State Of Grace headlining tour and then went to Europe for the European Eastpak Antidote tour.
The band released their fifth album, Street Dogs, on August 31, 2010[9] on Hellcat Records.
On February 21, 2011, the band performed at an acoustic show with Tom Morello, Tim McIlrath, Wayne Kramer, and Ike Reilly in Madison, WI in support of the ongoing protests against Gov. Scott Walker's proposed Budget Repair Bill.
In March 2011, the Street Dogs announced a five-week stint on the 2011 Vans Warped Tour, from June 24 until July 30. This would be their third time on the tour, after 2005 and 2008. After the Warped Tour, the band planned a European festival tour in August, and then Australia and Japan in October.
The band embarked on the nine date Sham Rock-N-Roll Festival in September 2011 where they were the co-headlining act for the Dropkick Murphys. Other than appearances on various Warped Tour lineups, this was the first time McColgan toured with his former band since quitting thirteen years earlier. McColgan would even join the Dropkick Murphys onstage for performances of such songs as "Barroom Hero" and "Far Away Coast" from the Do or Die album.[10]
In an interview with AMP, Johnny Rioux was asked about a new album from the street dogs. Rioux said, "We want to do a labor standard solo record with Mike, release the large number of B-sides with the records they were recorded for, mix our live in Boston DVD and record, prepare for our first trip to Australia, return to Japan, get back into some Celtic festivals, and just be happy and grateful people are still loyal after almost 10 years."
On November 26, 2012, McColgan wrote on the band's Facebook account that starting January 1, 2013, Street Dogs would be taking a break from recording and touring, but he assured fans that the band was not breaking up.[11] Later that day, Tobe Bean announced that he would no longer be a touring member of Street Dogs, but he will "always be a Street Dog".[12] In February 2013, it was announced that McColgan and Rioux would form a side project with original Dropkick Murphys member Rick Barton called FM359. In March, it was announced their break from touring would be ending in July when they tour Europe.[13] In March, McColgan mentioned that the band would exclusively work with the Pirates Press Records label in the future, and they planned to release a 7-inch single, a live album, and a DVD. He also mentioned that the band was hoping to get Lenny Lashley from Darkbuster to replace Bean on guitar, and on April 9 the Street Dogs Facebook page announced that Lashley had officially joined the group. They also announced their next single, "Crooked Drunken Sons", a song named after their annual tour, which will be released on Record Store Day 2013. Another single, "Rustbelt Nation", followed a month later.[14] Later in the year, Hollar was replaced by Matt Pruitt (Have Nots).
Members Mike McColgan, Johnny Rioux and Pete Sosa started a side project called FM359 with former Dropkick Murphys guitarist Rick Barton, Street Dogs collaborator Hugh Morrison and Halston Luna. The group, which has an Americana sound, released their debut album Truth, Love and Liberty in January 2014. In April, on Record Store Day 2014, they released a split EP with Noi!se.
On June 22, 2018, the band released their sixth album, the first in eight years, Stand For Something Or Die For Nothing. McColgan said of the album, " "The dumbing down of America is a reason to write songs in 2018. The theme is wake the fuck up and the working class needs to unite across all colors, creeds, nationalities, genders and realize that we are being pitted against each other by snake oil salesmen and autocrats."[15]
On February 13, 2020, via the band's Facebook page, McColgan and Rioux announced the group was disbanding after 17 years. The final round of shows was expected to include a small St. Patrick's Day tour with Flogging Molly and Mad Caddies as well as two headlining shows, one in Long Beach, CA on March 16, and their final show to be announced in their hometown of Boston, MA. However on March 12, the band announced the cancellation of the Long Beach show alongside Flogging Molly's cancellation of their tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[16][17]
Former members
Mike McColgan – lead vocals (2002–2020)
Johnny Rioux – bass (2003–2020)
Pete Sosa – drums (2012–2020)
Matt Pruitt – lead guitar (2013–2020)
Lenny Lashley – rhythm guitar (2013–2020)
Jeff Erna – drums (2002–2004)
Rob Guidotti – guitars (2002–2004)
Bill Close – bass (2002)
Michelle Paulhus – bass (2002–2003)
Marcus Hollar – lead guitar (2004–2013)
Joe Sirois – drums (2004–2007)
Tobe Bean III – guitars (2005–2012)
Paul Rucker – drums (2007–2012)
Final Transmission
Street Dogs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wanted to be a school teacher someday
Came from a small and modest town
Had never before traveled abroad
He signed on the promise of a college fund
Pop and Mom begged him to stay at home
The last time they saw him was at an airport
He went abroad to serve when he was only nineteen
Reality caught up with him, stole a heart full of dreams
He's never gonna get a chance to chase all those hopes
Lost them all amidst this war and smoke
Can you hear the sound of youth negated?
Watch on TV names are taken
Mother, Mother
My final transmission
Paris Island was plain hell on earth
Got gunny yelling at him, "better prove your worth"
Moved on to Baghdad about six months on
Caught an IED today, now he is gone
He went abroad to serve when he was only nineteen
Reality caught up with him, stole a heart full of dreams
He's never gonna get a chance to chase all those hopes
Lost them all amidst this war and smoke
Can you hear the sound of youth negated?
Watch on TV names are taken
Mother, Mother
My final transmission
Dad and Mom I am your only loving sing
Hid a written final transmission under my helmet
Love you both in heart and mind
A better set of parents no boy could ever find
Weep for me and say thy prayers
Remember me through all your years
Only got to serve for six months on and
If you're reading this I have passed and gone
So I harbor my final request
A letter in my memory please send
Off to the President and all his men
Begging him with others to bring the troops back home
He's never gonna get a chance to chase all those hopes
Lost them all amidst the war and smoke
Can you hear the sound of youth negated?
Watch on TV names are taken
He's never gonna get a chance to chase all those hopes
Lost them all amidst this war and smoke
Can you hear the sound of youth negated?
Watch on TV names are taken
Mother, Mother
My final transmission
The song "Final Transmission" by Street Dogs tells the story of a young man who joins the military to fund his education, but is tragically killed before he can achieve his dreams. The lyrics paint a picture of a hopeful and ambitious young man who is forced to leave his home and loved ones behind, only to be cut down in the prime of his life. The chorus of the song emphasizes the senselessness of war, as the singer's hopes and aspirations are lost amidst the chaos and destruction of battle.
The first few lines of the song introduce us to the singer, a 19-year-old who has just celebrated his birthday and dreams of becoming a school teacher. Despite coming from a small town and never having traveled abroad, he signs up for the military in order to receive a college fund. His parents beg him to stay home, but he leaves for his mission anyway. The song is told from the perspective of the young man, who is aware that he is likely to be killed in the line of duty.
The second verse describes the singer's time in the military, from the harsh training at Paris Island to his deployment in Baghdad. He is killed by an IED after only six months of service, leaving behind a written final transmission to his parents. The final verse is addressed directly to his parents, with the young man expressing his love for them and making a final request that a letter be sent to the President to bring the troops back home.
Overall, "Final Transmission" is a poignant and moving tribute to the thousands of young men and women who have lost their lives in the service of their country. The song reminds us of the human cost of war, and the heartbreaking stories of the many young people who sacrificed everything for their beliefs.
Line by Line Meaning
He had just turned nineteen yesterday
He was very young and had just celebrated his nineteenth birthday.
Wanted to be a school teacher someday
He had aspirations to become a teacher in the future.
Came from a small and modest town
He grew up in a humble town that was not known for much.
Had never before traveled abroad
He had never left his home country to travel outside the country.
He signed on the promise of a college fund
He joined the military with the promise of receiving money for college in the future.
Pop and Mom begged him to stay at home
His parents did not want him to leave and join the military, and tried to convince him to stay at home.
The last time they saw him was at an airport
The last time his parents saw him was when he was leaving for his flight to go abroad and serve in the military.
He hugged his distraught mother a final time
He gave his mother a final hug before leaving to serve in the military, knowing it might be the last time he saw her.
Paris Island was plain hell on earth
His training on Paris Island was very difficult and unpleasant.
Got gunny yelling at him, "better prove your worth"
His superior officer was yelling at him to show that he was capable and up to the standards of the military.
Moved on to Baghdad about six months on
After six months of training, he was deployed to Baghdad to serve in the military.
Caught an IED today, now he is gone
He was killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) while serving in the military.
Dad and Mom I am your only loving sing
He wanted his parents to know how much he loved them.
Hid a written final transmission under my helmet
He left a letter for his family hidden under his helmet, to be found in case he did not make it home.
Love you both in heart and mind
He loved his parents very much, and wanted them to know this even after he was gone.
A better set of parents no boy could ever find
He truly believed that his parents were the best parents anyone could have.
Weep for me and say thy prayers
He wanted his parents to be sad but also pray for him.
Remember me through all your years
He hoped that his parents would remember him and keep his memory alive.
Only got to serve for six months on and
He only served in the military for six months before he was killed.
If you're reading this I have passed and gone
He wrote this letter assuming he would not make it home, and wanted his family to find it and know what he was feeling.
So I harbor my final request
His final request was very important to him and he had been thinking about it for some time.
A letter in my memory please send
He wanted his family to write a letter in his memory and send it to someone important.
Off to the President and all his men
He wanted the letter to be sent to the President of the United States and all of his advisors and officials.
Begging him with others to bring the troops back home
The letter was a plea to the President to end the war and bring the troops back home so that no more young soldiers would have to die.
He's never gonna get a chance to chase all those hopes
He will never have the opportunity to fulfill all of his hopes and dreams.
Lost them all amidst this war and smoke
The war took away all of his hopes and dreams, leaving him with nothing but death and destruction.
Can you hear the sound of youth negated?
The death of young soldiers is the sound of youth being destroyed and negated.
Watch on TV names are taken
On TV, names of young soldiers who have died are announced, as if they are nothing more than a statistic.
Mother, Mother
He is speaking to his mother, who he loves and will miss.
My final transmission
This letter is his final message to his family before he died serving in the military.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MyMojo
He had just turned nineteen yesterday
Wanted to be a school teacher someday
Came from a small and modest town
Had never before traveled abroad
He signed on the promise of a college fund
Pop and Mom begged him to stay at home
The last time they saw him was at an airport
He hugged his distraught mother a final time
He went abroad to serve when he was only nineteen
Reality caught up with him, stole a heart full of dreams
He's never gonna get a chance to chase all those hopes
Lost them all amidst this war and smoke
Can you hear the sound of youth negated?
Watch on TV names are taken
Mother, Mother
My final transmission
Paris Island was plain hell on earth
Got gunny yelling at him, "better prove your worth"
Moved on to Baghdad about six months on
Caught an IED today, now he is gone
He went abroad to serve when he was only nineteen
Reality caught up with him, stole a heart full of dreams
He's never gonna get a chance to chase all those hopes
Lost them all amidst this war and smoke
Can you hear the sound of youth negated?
Watch on TV names are taken
Mother, Mother
My final transmission
Dad and Mom I am your only loving sing
Hid a written final transmission under my helmet
Love you both in heart and mind
A better set of parents no boy could ever find
Weep for me and say thy prayers
Remember me through all your years
Only got to serve for six months on and
If you're reading this I have passed and gone
So I harbor my final request
A letter in my memory please send
Off to the President and all his men
Begging him with others to bring the troops back home
He's never gonna get a chance to chase all those hopes
Lost them all amidst the war and smoke
Can you hear the sound of youth negated?
Watch on TV names are taken
He's never gonna get a chance to chase all those hopes
Lost them all amidst this war and smoke
Can you hear the sound of youth negated?
Watch on TV names are taken
Mother, Mother
My final transmission
duh vid
This band was my cousins favorite band. He was a recon marine that was killed in action. These guys not only came to his funeral, they dedicated this song to him at the house of blues with his little brother on stage. I will always have love for these guys and what they do for our fallen and their family's.
The Schmoe
RIP Jordan 🇺🇸
Charlie Masterson
Never Below, Never Above Always Beside
Fair Winds and Following Seas Semper Fidelis
Cru Jones
duh vid- RIP
Rob Smith
"The bravest kids I know, are the ones that gotta go fighting over there." --- Rancid, The Bravest Kids I was always a punk rock kid, but sometimes you don't have any other options than the military. I loved/hated it, I made so many close friends, and i did my time. Coming back home to see even the punk bands I grew up to giving me a nod like this....brings tears to my eyes. Thank you to all my brothers and sisters still serving, and to those that served.
M LJ
Thank you for your service soldier. My family is safer because of men like you.
Kristin Currier Ludlow
5 years ago you left this comment. Hope you see this now, thank you for your service. Wishing you a meaningful Memorial Day.
Brendan Gavaghan
Mike McColgan = True working class hero. Great video, Great song, Great band. Can't wait for the new album. See yea back in boston
Greg LaBerge
its a testament to how well this song was written that when my little cousin sung it at a talent show (not that well either) most everyone was still getting emotional
Austin Slater
This song really gets to me lyrically. It takes a lot for a song to give me the chills, this one does man. Right up their with Joe Strummer and Mick Jones or John Lennon and Paul McCartney and George Harrison. The Street Dogs are one of those bands. Keep speaking out guys. Wake up the world, open their eyes. Lives are worth to much to be thrown away like this.