The band consists of singer-songwriter and guitarist Ted Leo, guitarist James Canty, bassist Marty 'Violence' Key, and drummer Chris Wilson. After his previous band, Chisel, broke up in the late 1990s, Ted recorded the Tej Leo(?) Rx Pharmacists [sic] album in 1999, followed by the Treble in Trouble EP in 2000.
His next album, 2001's The Tyranny of Distance, quickly gained him a cult following and critical praise. Dave Lerner and Chris Wilson became permanent members of the band during the tour that year, as did keyboard player Dorien Garry. James Canty (ex-Nation of Ulysses, Make-Up, etc.) also played with the band during this time.
The album Hearts of Oak followed in 2003, which also saw the release of the concert film Dirty Old Town and the Tell Balgeary, Balgury is Dead EP. Garry left the band before the recording of 2004's Shake the Sheets, which has led them into their current setup as a power trio. The new record featured fewer obscure references and more overt political content than his previous releases did, though his music has always been known for its engagement with politics.
The band tours extensively around North America. Leo is a strict vegan. His brother Chris Leo is also a singer/songwriter and a member of The Lapse. Ted Leo graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1994 with a degree in English.
Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone?
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
a wrist for a razor, a heart is longing for bullets.
tension is high under sea and over sky.
pressure drop, people are acting foolish.
ooh - but it's easy to see!
ooh - we could dance and be free.
ooh - to that 2-tone beat!
but it looks like it's gone...
it's coming like a ghosst town - someone always knew it.
hatred and shame, a racialist game
cycles of blame - someone sang me through it.
who? well it's easy to see.
ooh - we could dance to be free.
ooh - to that 2-tone beat!
but it looks like it's gone...
i asked jerry, he told terry, terry sang a song just for me,
lynvall gave a message to me,
rhoda screamed and then she asked me,
"where have all the rude boys gone?"
The lyrics to Ted Leo and The Pharmacists's song Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone? speak about a particular moment of turmoil and tension, where people resort to self-destructive behaviors such as using knives, razors, or longing for bullets. The pressure is high both undersea and over the sky, and people are acting foolishly. However, the singer points out that amidst all this, it's easy to see that we could dance and be free to the 2-tone beat that used to unite communities. The song speaks about a time where rude boys, who were part of the distinctive punk rock subculture from the '70s and '80s, united under this 2-tone genre that brought together elements of reggae and punk rock. The lyrics lament the fact that this genre seems to be gone, now replaced by stereotyped sounds and cycles of blame, hatred, and shame.
The singer then goes on to describe how he asked people from that time, such as Jerry and Terry, who sang a song just for him, to Lynvall who gave him a message, to Rhoda who screamed and then asked him, "where have all the rude boys gone?" This last line is powerful because it encapsulates the overall message of the song, which is the question of where this communal spirit has gone and why it has been replaced by division and hatred.
Line by Line Meaning
it's times like these when a neck looks for a knife,
When times are tough, suicidal thoughts can arise.
a wrist for a razor, a heart is longing for bullets.
Along with suicidal thoughts, self-harm and tendencies of violence seek to repress overwhelming emotions.
tension is high under sea and over sky.
There exists tension and conflict both below and above ground.
pressure drop, people are acting foolish.
As pressure builds up, people act impulsively, haphazardly, and do foolish things.
ooh - but it's easy to see!
Despite the chaos, it's still easy to see that we can find an escape through a shared passion.
ooh - we could dance and be free.
The shared passion is dancing, offering a sense of liberation.
ooh - to that 2-tone beat!
The specific musical genre that could provide liberation is ska.
but it looks like it's gone...
Unfortunately, this sense of liberation and community no longer exists.
gangsters and clowns with a stereotyped sound
The ska scene has been overrun by people who play into stereotypes of being either a dangerous gangster or a silly, clown-like figure.
it's coming like a ghosst town - someone always knew it.
The downfall was inevitable and known by at least someone in the community.
hatred and shame, a racialist game
In addition to the scene being overrun by negative stereotypes, it has also become used as a platform for spreading hate and shame. Racism has become part of the scene.
cycles of blame - someone sang me through it.
The negativity has created a cycle of blaming going back and forth. Someone sang through it, giving voice to the problems.
who? well it's easy to see.
It's easy to see who is singing against the negativity and is trying to bring light into the darkness.
ooh - we could dance to be free.
Despite the negativity, dancing still provides a sense of escapism and freedom.
ooh - to that 2-tone beat!
This sense of freedom can be found in the beat and rhythm of ska music.
but it looks like it's gone...
The scene that once provided community and escape through dancing is gone.
i asked jerry, he told terry, terry sang a song just for me,
The artist went to members of the community to see if they knew what happened.
lynvall gave a message to me,
Another member of the community gave the singer a message.
rhoda screamed and then she asked me, "where have all the rude boys gone?"
The singer was asked by a member of the community where the rude boys, a prominent subgroup of the ska scene, had gone.
Contributed by Vivian P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.