Early years
The Casualties were formed in 1990, with original members Jorge Herrera (vocals) Hank (guitar), Colin Wolf (vocals), Mark Yoshitomi (bass) and Yureesh Hooker (drums). The members aimed to return to what they viewed as the "golden era" of street punk, embodied by bands such as The Exploited and Charged GBH which they believed had disappeared by 1985.[3] During the early years, the lineup was fluid, with several changes. That first year, Colin stepped out for several months to finish his education while Rachel, TheRivits' singer, took his place.[3]
In 1991, Hank left the band, to be replaced by Fred (last name unknown) on guitar. Colin, Jorge, Yureesh, Hank and Mark put together a demo, titled Political Sin, for the Benefit for Beer compilation.[4] After making this recording, Fred left to go to school and Steve, from Distraught, fills in for a short time, until Fred returns to the band full-time. The 4 song EP, 40 Oz. Casualty was recorded at the end of 1991 and self-released.[3] 1992 saw the band touring and building up a fan base in NYC. In 1993, Mark and Fred left the band and were replaced by Mike (last name unknown) on bass and Jake Kolatis on the guitar, followed by the departure of Yureesh and Colin in 1994, to be replaced on drums by Shawn, while the band went down to a single vocalist.[3][4] 1994 sees the recording of the 4 song EP, Drinking Is Our Way Of Life, however it would not be released. The songs would later appear on the Casualties "early years 1990-1995" CD in 1999.[4] In 1995, the band's second release, the 4 track A Fuckin' Way Of Life E.P. was released on Eyeball Records. After recording A Fuckin' Way of Life, Shawn left the band, and Marc Eggers (nicknamed Meggers) of the Rivits became the regular drummer. The line-up of Jorge, Jake, Mike and Meggers continued until 1997.
In 1996 the Casualties became the first American band to appear at the "Holidays in the Sun" Festival in London. 1997 saw the release of the band's debut album, For the Pun is released on Tribal War Records, and the band embarks on its first American tour with The Varukers. Mike (the bassist) left the band in 1998, to be replaced with Johnny Rosado, from The Krays.[4][5] They released their second LP that year, Underground Army, and begin a world tour. Jon leaves the band during the European leg of the tour, to be temporarily replaced by Dave Punk Core.
Present lineup
After the world tour, Dave would be replaced by Rick Lopez from the band, Manix. The line-up was now solidified for the band and would continue to the present day.[6] The end of the millennium, 1999, saw the band produce a compilation album, Early Years 1990-1995, which included tracks which appeared on earlier ED's, as well as never before released songs, such as the four songs they had recorded on the never released EP Drinking is Our Way of Life back in 1994.
The 2000s have seen the band continue to tour[3][6] and produce albums (an album list can be seen below). They have toured with several other bands, such as The Exploited, GBH, Cockney Rejects, Slaughter & the Dogs,[4] and the English Dogs.[6] In December 2009, The Casualties toured alongside Hatebreed, The Acacia Strain, Crowbar, and Thy Will Be Done as part of the Stillborn Fest.[3] In the summer of 2012, The Casualties co-headlined the Tonight We Unite tour along with Nekromantix, where they played For The Punx in its entirety, the first time they had played the album through since its release in 1997.[3] Later that year, The Casualties released their new album titled Resistance through Season of Mist.[7][8] In 2013, The Casualties played at the largest Punk Rock festival in the world,[9] the Rebellion Festival in Blackpool, England, where they shared the stage with The Exploited, Special Duties, Chron Gen and Anti-Establishment, and others
Lonely On The Streets
The Casualties Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Woo ohh, it's lonely on the streets tonight
I'll tell you about a place, where the poor write their songs
I'll tell you about a place, rent is cheap but dangerous
Like a stepping razor everyone is a threat,
Better have eyes in the back of your head
The crew in Jersey City won't put down their guns,
The punks in Jersey City ripped up boots dressed in black
The boys are all downtown getting drunk and always tough
Brought across the river, NYC kicked out the poor
This is the new jungle the rich found out, it won't last long
A haven for the artists low income and scum
Our town is full of gangs and rats, the filthiest place I have been
Drugs in the bodega stores, they deliver don't have to tip
Eight year olds running in gangs, beating up people just for fun
Robbing, murder just a fun day in my town
Police are ex gang members, our mayor just gets drunk
City officials go to jail, opportunities for everyone
The crime is very high, but the rent is very cheap
Junkies, killers, oh the city I live in
Hey!
They chase me from my hometown, I moved here to survive
I'll be very lucky, if I get out alive.
The Casualties's song "Lonely On The Streets" narrates the experience of living in a rough neighborhood filled with criminal activity, smashed by poverty, and lawlessness. The song presents a bleak picture of the city, citing the rampant unemployment, gang wars, the prevalence of drugs, and murders that happen daily with no one to intervene. The chorus's refrain "Woo ooh, we stand alone, Woo ohh, it's lonely on the streets tonight" is very haunting and paints the picture of agony, desperation, and isolation that people living in such areas feel when they're out at night in the streets.
The lead singer provides an account of the palpable sense of danger that lurks around every corner of the town, where everyone is a potential threat. The verses reveal the challenges facing those people, from the poor youths struggling to find their identity to the gangs and the police's lawlessness. The song describes the "new jungle" that the rich have created as they gentrify areas and force the poor out. In this process, the city's lower class is forced to endure harsh living conditions and uncertain futures.
Overall, "Lonely On The Streets" is an evocative and insightful song about life in rough neighborhoods, providing a window into the complex and interlocking web of social issues that people living in such areas face daily.
Line by Line Meaning
Woo ooh, we stand alone,
We are isolated and unsupported.
Woo ohh, it's lonely on the streets tonight
The streets are desolate with no companionship.
I'll tell you about a place, where the poor write their songs
This is a place where the poor express their creativity.
I'll tell you about a place, rent is cheap but dangerous
This cheap place is hazardous to one's safety.
Like a stepping razor everyone is a threat,
Everyone is a danger to one's existence.
Better have eyes in the back of your head
Anyone can sneak up from behind.
The crew in Jersey City won't put down their guns,
Jersey City residents have a major gun problem.
The boys on Newark Avenue they will cut you down
Newark Avenue residents will do anything to exert their dominance.
The punks in Jersey City ripped up boots dressed in black
Punk culture is popular in Jersey City.
The boys are all downtown getting drunk and always tough
Men in the downtown area constantly display toxic masculinity and drink excessively.
Brought across the river, NYC kicked out the poor
Poor people were forced to leave New York City and relocate across the river.
This is the new jungle the rich found out, it won't last long
The rich are exploiting the poor and they are aware that it won't continue for an extended period of time.
A haven for the artists low income and scum
This area is a sanctuary for artists, low-income individuals, and the destitute.
Our town is full of gangs and rats, the filthiest place I have been
This place is filled with gangs and rodents, and it is the most unsanitary place the lyricist has ever experienced.
Drugs in the bodega stores, they deliver don't have to tip
Bodega shops sell drugs and provide customers with delivery without requiring tips.
Eight year olds running in gangs, beating up people just for fun
Children as young as eight years old participate in gangs and inflict harm on others for enjoyment.
Robbing, murder just a fun day in my town
Frequent occurrences of robbery, and murder are commonplace in this area.
Police are ex gang members, our mayor just gets drunk
The police department is made up of former gang members, and the mayor is often inebriated.
City officials go to jail, opportunities for everyone
Government leaders are incarcerated, and this presents an opportunity for others.
The crime is very high, but the rent is very cheap
Despite the area's rampant crime, rent is surprisingly affordable.
Junkies, killers, oh the city I live in
This city is dominated by drug addicts and criminals.
They chase me from my hometown, I moved here to survive
The artist had to flee their hometown to sustain their survival.
I'll be very lucky, if I get out alive.
Leaving this place with one's life intact would be a stroke of luck.
Contributed by Ethan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.