The Black League is a metal band from Finland. They were formed in 1998 by … Read Full Bio ↴The Black League is a metal band from Finland. They were formed in 1998 by Taneli Jarva, three years after his departure from Finnish metal heavyweights Sentenced. The Black League's first two full-lengths carry on the spirit from Taneli's work with his former band, seasoning their metal with elements of traditional rock 'n' roll. On their third release, Man's Ruin Revisited, these influences take an even more prominent role in their sound.

Discography

Demos
Demo 98 (1998)

Singles
Cold Women & Warm Beer (2003)

EPs
Doomsday Sun (2001)

Albums
Ichor (2000)
Utopia A.D. (2001)
Man's Ruin Revisited (2004)
A Place Called Bad (2005)
Ghost Brothel (2009)

Mad ol' Country
The Black League Lyrics

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Sure we had a reputation
For being weak and rude
And I guess there ain't no saying
What's the truth
We used to rather mind our business
And take care of it too
Still we like to keep to ourselves now
How 'bout you?

Sing a song for a mad ol' country
No place like home
Just a song for this mad ol' towa
The north will rise again!
It's rising!

So we liked to drink our whiskey
For a forth sight in a row
And go raisin' hell down south
What a real bloody horrorshow
And yes, we take a lot of pride, man
In what we are and what we do
At least we have integrity, son
How 'bout you?

It's rising:
Can you hear it honey?

Now for all ye unbelievers
Just let the truth be knows
You can take a an out of here, girl
But never above

It's rising!

Overall Meaning

The Black League's song Mad ol' Country is an anthem of sorts to those living in a certain area, marked by a stubbornness and pride that borders on arrogance. The opening lines of the song suggest a sense of defensiveness, perhaps due to the area's reputation as being "weak and rude." The lyrics then acknowledge the area's propensity for liquor and revelry, with a sense of pride in their actions. The references to going "raisin' hell down south" and being "bloody horrorshow" give a sense of a history of wild and reckless behavior that has now been tempered somewhat.

The song then pivots to a call for unity, with a plea to "Sing a song for a mad ol' country," and the declaration that "The north will rise again!" This section of the lyrics seems to suggest that despite the area's reputation and past behavior, there is a sense of a shared identity and pride in their region. The repetition of "It's rising" reinforces this sense of solidarity and a shared purpose.

The final lines of the song suggest a sense of defiance and a refusal to be cowed by those who may criticize or underestimate the area's residents. The phrase "you can take a man out of here, girl, but never above" suggests that no matter where they may go, those from this area will always carry with them a sense of identity and pride in their roots.

Line by Line Meaning

Sure we had a reputation
We were known for something, whether it's true or not

For being weak and rude
People thought we were easy to push around and unpleasant to be around

And I guess there ain't no saying
It's hard to know the truth about anything

What's the truth
What really happened, what's real

We used to rather mind our business
We used to keep to ourselves

And take care of it too
And take care of our own problems

Still we like to keep to ourselves now
We still prefer to be alone

How 'bout you?
Do you feel the same?

Sing a song for a mad ol' country
Let's celebrate our crazy home

No place like home
There's nowhere like where we come from

Just a song for this mad ol' towa
Let's celebrate our strange town