The Oppressed is a Welsh Oi! band that formed in 1981 in Cardiff, Wales. Mo… Read Full Bio ↴The Oppressed is a Welsh Oi! band that formed in 1981 in Cardiff, Wales. Most of the musicians in the band's various lineups have been skinheads.

The band was founded in 1981 in Cardiff (Wales) with brothers Russell and Ronnie Payne in the first line up, joined by his friends Gary Tier and Martin Brennan. Initially they took the name of Forced Oppression. In the meantime, there was another band called Insanity Squad, heir to Section 20, also formed by brothers Dom and Roddy Moreno, Vince King and Ed Fleming. When they later dissolved the band in December 1981, Moreno went to replace Ronnie Payne in The Oppressed.

Throughout the band's career, the members (especially vocalist Roddy Moreno) openly expressed opposition to racism and fascism[1] — in their lyrics,[2] interviews, on-stage comments and other actions. In 1989, Moreno visited New York City and met a few members of Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice (SHARP). On his return to the United Kingdom, he started promoting SHARP ideals to British skinheads.[3][4] The band has also had ties to other anti-racist groups, such as Anti-Fascist Action. Moreno is a Cardiff City F.C. supporter, and some of the band's songs express that support.

The band has split and re-formed several times, the first occasion in 1984 after which Moreno focused on his record labels, Oi! Records and Ska Records for the remainder of the decade.[5][6]

In 1994 The Opressed reunited again and had friendship with bands such as: Red London, Los Fastidios, Stage Bottles and Banda Bassotti.

Their most recent split was in 2016, but they re-formed in 2020, and continue performing today. The present day line-up is Roddy Moreno (vocals/guitar), fellow founder member Russell "Ducky" Payne (guitar), Che Jones (drums) and Ross Goldworthy (bass).

Urban Soldiers
The Oppressed Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Urban Soldiers back out on the street,
Kids in braces with their hair cut near,
you don't know 'em but you know their name,
Bootboys, suedeheads, they're all the same,

Urban Soldiers on the street,
Urban Soldiers kids you meet,
Urban Soldiers they won't run,

Urban Soldiers from no one,
Cause they're Skinheads

Up the town for a drink on a Friday night,
they'll be ready if you start a fight,

they're the new breed and they'll get stuck in,
Urban soldiers, they're gonna win

Overall Meaning

This song is a celebration of the Skinhead subculture, specifically the "Urban Soldiers" who roam the streets in their uniform of braces and close-cropped hair. The song acknowledges that these kids might seem intimidating, but their loyalty to each other and their defiance in the face of authority is what sets them apart. The lyrics make it clear that the Skinheads won't back down from a fight, and that they're not afraid to stand up for what they believe in. The chorus declares that they are "Urban Soldiers" and that they will always come out on top.

One of the interesting things about this song is that it was released in 1983, at a time when Skinhead culture was becoming increasingly associated with far-right politics and neo-Nazism. However, The Oppressed were one of the few Skinhead bands to reject this association, instead emphasizing the working-class roots of the subculture and its multicultural origins. The band's founder, Roddy Moreno, was of mixed-race heritage and had grown up in a multiracial community in Cardiff, Wales.

Another interesting fact is that the song was produced by Jimmy Pursey, who was the frontman of the punk band Sham 69. Pursey has been credited with playing a key role in popularizing the Skinhead subculture in the UK, particularly among working-class youth who were frustrated with high unemployment and social unrest in the early 1980s.

The song's upbeat tempo and catchy chorus made it a favorite among Skinheads and helped to cement The Oppressed's status as one of the most important bands in the genre. However, the band faced harassment and violence from far-right Skinheads who didn't like their anti-racist message.

Despite this, The Oppressed continued to perform and record music, and their influence on the Skinhead subculture has endured. Today, many Skinheads still identify with the working-class ideals and multicultural ethos of the Urban Soldiers celebrated in this song.

Chords: Unfortunately, the chords for this song are not available in the public domain.

Line by Line Meaning

Urban Soldiers back out on the street,
The Urban Soldiers are back on the streets

Kids in braces with their hair cut near,
The kids in this group have short hair and wear braces

you don't know 'em but you know their name,
Even if you don't know their identity, you must have heard about the group before

Bootboys, suedeheads, they're all the same,
The group comprises characters of all descriptions, including suedeheads and bootboys

Urban Soldiers on the street,
The Urban Soldiers are in the streets

Urban Soldiers kids you meet,
You can come across Urban Soldier kids

Urban Soldiers they won't run,
The Urban Soldiers are not afraid to stand and fight

Urban Soldiers from no one,
The Urban Soldiers will not take orders from anyone

Cause they're Skinheads
The Urban Soldiers are Skinheads

Up the town for a drink on a Friday night,
On Friday nights, they go to bars in town to have a drink