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.
Rudie Can't Fail
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(On the route of the 19 bus)
(Hear them sayin')
How you get rude and a reckless?
Don't you be so crude and feckless
You been drinking brew for breakfast
Rudie can't fail
I know that my life make you nervous
But I tell you I can't live in service
Like a doctor born for a purpose
Rudie can't fail
I went to the market to realize my soul
'Cause what I need, I just can't have
First, they curse, than they press me 'til I'm hurt
Rudie can't fail
Say you must cure your temper
Then you find a job in the paper
You need someone for a savior
Rudie can't fail, oh no
(We reply)
Now we get rude and a reckless
We been lookin' cool an' speckless
We been drinking brew for breakfast
Rudie can't fail (oh no)
I went to the market to realize my soul
'Cause what I need, I just can't have (no way)
First, they curse, than they press me 'til I'm hurt (Rudie)
Rudie can't fail
Rudie can't fail
Rudie can't fail
Are you happy with the trend?
Or would you rather see it end?
Lookin' pretty smart
In your father's old suit
Lookin' pretty hot (lookin' pretty hot)
Is that a pork pie hat?
Rudie
Rudie can't fail
Rudie can't fail
Rudie can't fail
Rudie can't fail
The song "Rudie Can't Fail" by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones is a lively and rebellious ska-punk tune that explores the struggles and aspirations of the "rudies," or rude boys, who emerged from Jamaica in the 1960s and spread their fashion, music, and attitude across the world. The song opens with a call-and-response between the lead singer Michael McColgan and the band, as if they are performing on the 19 bus route in London, where many Jamaican immigrants settled. The chorus "How you get rude and a reckless? Don't you be so crude and feckless / You been drinking brew for breakfast / Rudie can't fail" captures the defiant and carefree spirit of the rudies, who refused to conform to the social norms and expectations of their time and place. They embraced a style that was flamboyant, sharp, and distinct, with fedoras, suits, loafers, and shades.
The verse responds to the criticisms and pressures that the rudies faced from the society that viewed them as troublemakers and misfits. McColgan sings "I know that my life make you nervous / But I tell you I can't live in service / Like a doctor born for a purpose / Rudie can't fail," asserting that he cannot compromise his identity and freedom for the sake of others' comfort and conformity. He went to the market to find his soul, to seek meaning and purpose beyond the materialistic and oppressive system that surrounds him. He encounters hostility and violence, but he stands his ground, declaring "Rudie can't fail" with power and conviction.
The song ends with a reminder to the listeners that the choice is theirs: to conform or to rebel, to embrace the status quo or to challenge it. The lines "Are you happy with the trend? / Or would you rather see it end? / Lookin' pretty smart / In your father's old suit / Lookin' pretty hot / Is that a pork pie hat? / Rudie" suggest that being a rudie is a way of life, a choice to stand out and stand up, to resist and celebrate. The song embodies the energy and attitude of ska-punk, fusing ska, punk, and reggae into a dynamic and infectious sound that invites the listener to join in the chorus and dance to the beat.
Line by Line Meaning
How you get rude and a reckless?
How are you able to be rude and reckless?
Don't you be so crude and feckless
Don't act in such an indifferent and irresponsible way
You been drinking brew for breakfast
You've been drinking alcohol early in the morning
Rudie can't fail
Being a 'rudie' defines who I am and I won't change
I know that my life make you nervous
I understand that my lifestyle makes you uneasy
But I tell you I can't live in service
But I can't live my life based on other people's expectations
Like a doctor born for a purpose
I have my own unique purpose in life, like a doctor
I went to the market to realize my soul
I went to search for a deeper meaning in my life
'Cause what I need, I just can't have
What I really need is unattainable to me
First, they curse, then they press me 'til I'm hurt
First, they insult me, then they pressure me until I'm emotionally hurt
Say you must cure your temper
People demand that you fix your temper
Then you find a job in the paper
Then they suggest you find a job through the classified ads
You need someone for a savior
You feel like you need a savior to help you
Now we get rude and a reckless
Now we act aggressively and carelessly
We been lookin' cool an' speckless
We've been looking stylish and sharp
Is that a pork pie hat?
Is that type of hat called a pork pie hat?
Are you happy with the trend?
Do you approve of today's popular culture?
Or would you rather see it end?
Or would you prefer if it all came to an end?
Lookin' pretty smart, in your father's old suit
You look good in your father's old suit
Lookin' pretty hot (lookin' pretty hot)
Looking very attractive
Rudie can't fail
Being true to yourself and your identity can never fail
Contributed by Aria T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Philosopher419
I could listen to the last minute or so of this song on a loop for days.
@the_thiccest9185
listen to the live version
@-WidioAndikaPutra
That exacly what i did tho
@jeffroche8549
Huge Clash Fan. I Like it!
@RattlesnakeBob
haha gotta like it ..even if it ain't nowhere in their league... What it does though , is absolutely re-enforce just how clever and how good the boys actually were :)
@skankcore808
Loviinnn iitttt!!! 🍻
@adamdavis2760
I dont mind The Bosstones but this just does no justice to The Clash
@RattlesnakeBob
yeah I agree.... it's a pretty good stab at it .... but it ain't The Clash :)
@hazzardthehillbillyboondoc2046
Being from Boston Massachusetts thank you for the bosstones
@mywhychromosome
Yeah I love the Bosstones [and goes without saying, The Clash], and the right cover song--and The Bosstones in the right mood--could've resulted in some magic. But this?? Sorry boys, it's a mess. The arrangement sounds half-formed, but most of all, Dickey's vocals sound totally unsure of themselves...like he was practicing, or still learning the words...ya can't sing this song like that. If I had to imagine them covering a Clash song, it would probably not be them picking an already ska-influenced track, but instead, skanking-up one of their punkier/rockier numbers, and maybe a Mick Jones vocal...hmm...like a Bosstonea "Train in Vain", or maybe even a reggae-version "Should I Stay or Should I Go"!! Ah, well...