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.
Royal Oil
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
stabs like a dagger, make you stagger
on a hot tin foil
mind your mind or it will surely spoil
then you sleep down in the soil
nothing comes from nothing, come on
royal oil
when you smoke or poke the poison
look out on the horizon
and see the sadness, the pain and the sorrow
i can't say enough about the stuff
or what it has in store
when you smoke or poke the poison
you won't be anymore
royal oil, come on bubble and boil
stabs like a dagger, make you stagger
on a hot tin foil
mind your mind or it will surely spoil
then you sleep down in the soil
nothing comes from nothing come on
royal oil
royal oil has cut many down to size
spikes gonna strike the weak and strong alike
and then forever and ever close those eyes
make up your mind to keep your mind up
and to your life be loyal
nothing comes from nothing come on
royal oil
royal oil big trouble brewing
long, lonely road, long road to ruin
wrong path to take, great big mistake
and then you sleep down in the soil
nothing comes from nothing come on
royal oil
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones's song "Royal Oil" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of drug abuse. The lyrics convey a sense of urgency and warning, with the repeated refrain "nothing comes from nothing, come on royal oil" underscoring the idea that drug use is a dead-end road with no positive outcomes.
The first verse describes the immediate physical effects of drug abuse, with the line "stabs like a dagger, make you stagger on a hot tin foil" painting a vivid picture of the pain and disorientation that can accompany drug use. The second verse shifts to a more philosophical tone, urging listeners to think about the long-term consequences of their actions. The final verse takes a more fatalistic stance, suggesting that those who succumb to drug addiction are doomed to sleep "down in the soil".
Overall, "Royal Oil" is a powerful message about the dangers of drug addiction and the importance of making responsible choices in life.
Line by Line Meaning
royal oil, come on bubble and boil
Let's heat up and get excited about this dangerous substance.
stabs like a dagger, make you stagger
Royal oil is like a sharp knife that will impair your judgment.
on a hot tin foil
Royal oil is often heated on tin foil to smoke it.
mind your mind or it will surely spoil
Be careful not to let royal oil take control of your thoughts and ruin your life.
then you sleep down in the soil
If you don't resist the temptation of royal oil, it will eventually kill you and you'll be buried in the ground.
nothing comes from nothing, come on
Using royal oil will only lead to negative consequences.
when you smoke or poke the poison
When you ingest or inhale royal oil, it's like poisoning yourself.
you lose the chance to be tomorrow
Royal oil will jeopardize your future and your ability to succeed.
look out on the horizon
Be aware of the danger that royal oil poses to your life.
and see the sadness, the pain and the sorrow
Think about the negative impact that royal oil can have on your life and the lives of those around you.
i can't say enough about the stuff
The negative consequences of royal oil cannot be overstated.
or what it has in store
Using royal oil will only lead to more trouble and sorrow.
you won't be anymore
Using royal oil can be fatal and will end your life prematurely.
royal oil has cut many down to size
Royal oil has taken the lives of many people and reduced them to nothing.
spikes gonna strike the weak and strong alike
Royal oil can harm anyone, regardless of their strength or weakness.
and then forever and ever close those eyes
If you use royal oil, you will eventually die and your eyes will remain closed forever.
make up your mind to keep your mind up
Decide to resist the temptation of royal oil and keep your mental strength.
and to your life be loyal
Stay loyal to your life and your health by avoiding royal oil.
royal oil big trouble brewing
Using royal oil is asking for big problems and trouble.
long, lonely road, long road to ruin
Using royal oil will lead to a long and lonely path towards destruction.
wrong path to take, great big mistake
Choosing to use royal oil is a serious and irreversible error in judgment.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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