Formed in 1985, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones started playing in Boston clubs in the mid-1980s. After a brief period of inactivity due to the schooling commitments of its members, they reformed and released their album Devil's Night Out on Taang! Records. The Bosstones toured relentlessly throughout the 1990s, playing hundreds of shows a year, releasing albums and spinning off the popular rock radio hit "Someday I Suppose". They were eventually signed to Mercury Records. The band appeared in the movie Clueless. In 1997, the success of their single "The Impression That I Get" and its follow up, "The Rascal King" earned them mainstream recognition. In 2000 they put out their critically acclaimed disk Pay Attention. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones released their last album on Side One Dummy Records. They officially went on hiatus in 2003, citing too much time on the road and desire to branch out and do different things. In 2007, the Bosstones announced that they were reforming. They played their 10th Hometown Throwdown in Boston and released a new album, Medium Rare, which consists of rare B-sides, and 3 new songs, including the single, "Don't Worry Desmond Dekker".
The band announced their split in early 2022.
Let
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That in this day and age
Somebody's race
Could trigger somebody's rage
And somebody's preference
Can drive some total stranger to make somebody,
Somehow feel the wrath of their anger
Why were we put here? What for? we're unsure
Be racist, be sexist
Be bigots, be sure
We won't stand for your hate
Why so cut and dry
A simple concept missed
Give tolerance a try
This confusion still exists ignorant mongers
No area's gray
Couldn't be any wronger in this age and day
Why were we put here? What for? we're unsure
We sure weren't put here to hate
Be racist, be sexist
Be bigots, be sure
We won't stand for your hate
Now how far have we come?
How come there still are come
Who won't let come
March to the beat of a different drum
To face it, it's so hard you must be on your guard
It's not okay
And you're not free to be a different way
Let's try to erase it, it's time that we face it
If we don't, then who will? shame on us
Let's try to erase it, it's time that we face it
Let's face it, the time is upon us
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones’s song “Let” provides commentary on the persistence of hate, intolerance, and bigotry in society, even in a modern age where diversity and acceptance are increasingly valued. The song’s opening lines convey the emotional weight and difficulty of contending with this reality: “It's so hard to face / That in this day and age / Somebody's race / Could trigger somebody's rage / And somebody's preference / Can drive some total stranger to make somebody / Somehow feel the wrath of their anger.” Despite the confusion and pain caused by prejudice, the song calls on listeners to resist these regressive tendencies and embrace a more inclusivity-based approach to living. “Why were we put here? / What for? we're unsure” the lyrics read. “We sure weren't put here to hate / Be racist, be sexist / Be bigots, be sure / We won't stand for your hate.”
Throughout “Let,” The Mighty Mighty Bosstones reiterate the harm caused by intolerance and the need to work together to eliminate it from society. “No area's gray,” the lyrics read. “Couldn't be any wronger in this age and day.” By portraying bigotry as a clear-cut issue with no room for ethical ambiguity, the song underscores the importance of holding ourselves and each other accountable for our actions. “Now how far have we come? / How come there still are come / Who won't let come / March to the beat of a different drum?” the song asks. Ultimately, “Let” is a reminder that to create a truly just and equitable world, we must stand up against intolerance and bigotry at every turn.
Line by Line Meaning
It's so hard to face
Acknowledging the harsh truth is difficult
That in this day and age
Even in modern times
Somebody's race
An individual's ethnicity
Could trigger somebody's rage
Could cause someone to become angry
And somebody's preference
A person's sexual orientation or choice
Can drive some total stranger to make somebody,
Can incite an unknown person to harm someone else
Somehow feel the wrath of their anger
Experience the brunt of their fury
Why were we put here? What for? we're unsure
The purpose of our existence is unknown
We sure weren't put here to hate
We were not created to hate one another
Be racist, be sexist
Discrimination based on race or gender
Be bigots, be sure
Bigotry and intolerance are unacceptable
We won't stand for your hate
We will not tolerate hatred or bigotry
Why so cut and dry
Why is such a simple concept ignored
A simple concept missed
A straightforward idea disregarded
Give tolerance a try
Try to be more tolerant
This confusion still exists ignorant mongers
Ignorant people who contribute to the confusion
No area's gray
There is no ambiguity, it is black and white
Couldn't be any wronger in this age and day
In this day and age, there is nothing more incorrect
Now how far have we come?
How much progress have we made?
How come there still are come
Why are there still individuals
Who won't let come
Who won't allow others to live freely
March to the beat of a different drum
Choose to live outside the norm
To face it, it's so hard you must be on your guard
It's hard to face, and you need to be cautious
It's not okay
It's not acceptable
And you're not free to be a different way
You aren't allowed to live differently
Let's try to erase it, it's time that we face it
We should work towards eradicating discrimination and confront it
If we don't, then who will? shame on us
It's our responsibility, and we should feel ashamed if we don't act
Let's face it, the time is upon us
We need to face the problem immediately
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DICKY BARRETT, NATE ALBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind