Their recorded debut was a 7" E.P. titled "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit Of Shit" that was self-released on the band's own Police Records in the U.S. in August 1996 and re-released by Nefer Records in Canada in 1997. In addition to that record, The Pinkerton Thugs released two full albums ("The Pain and The Pinkerton Thugs" on V.M.L. Records in 1997 and "End Of an Era" on Go Kart Records in 2000), a split 7" record with the Ducky Boys, and a 7" on Go Kart Records titled "The Times." The bands later recordings saw Paul Russo playing both drums and guitar as well as singing in the studio while Tommy "Von" Gatton, who joined the band in 1998, played drums live. Shortly after the recording of "End Of An Era" in early 1999 Smaldone left the band to concentrate on playing rockabilly with The Racketeers. Paul Russo moved up from the drums to sing and play guitar and James Lynch of The Ducky Boys joined as a permanent member. He only played one show with the band before he left to join The Dropkick Murphys and The Thugs stopped performing, playing its last show in February 2000 at the Karma Club in Boston, Massachusetts. "End of an Era" was released posthumously in June 2000, some 18 months after it was recorded, to both critical and public acclaim.
The Pinkerton Thugs officially got back together in 2008 and are currently active with a touring line-up. The band was signed to Jailhouse Records in 2011. They are doing a full U.S. tour summer of 2012, re-releasing all their older albums, and recording a brand new record fall of 2012.
Discography:
"Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Shit" 7" (1996 Police/Nefer Records)
"The Pain and the Pinkerton Thugs" CD (1997 VML Records)
split 7" with the Ducky Boys (1998 Police Records)
"The Times" 7" (1999 Go-Kart/AF Records)
"End of an Era" CD (2000 Go-Kart Records)
NEVER SAY DIE
The Pinkerton Thugs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And they'll lay me stiff and stark
I'm gagged and bound six foot in the ground
With a bullet in my heart
But never say die though they'll try to destroy you
They can strangle hope with the hangman's rope
But we feel no stranglehold
And never forget they hanged Captain John Brown
Though we lost a man we came back again
With a force one hundred fold
Let me tell you 'bout police
They want a piece of me
Their hate is a beast that lives and breathes
And fed by the bourgeoisie
But never say die though they try to destroy you
They can strangle hope with a hangman's rope
But we feel no stranglehold
And never forget our brothers in Braintree
Though we lost a man we came back again
With a force one hundred fold
And never forget out Haymarket martyrs
Though we lost out men we came back again
With a force one hundred fold
The opening lines of the Pinkerton Thug's song "Never Say Die" depicts the singer's grim fate, where they'll be hunted down by bloodhounds, bound and buried six feet under with a bullet in their heart. Despite this somber start, the chorus reflects a determined resolve to never give up, no matter how hard one's adversaries try to crush their spirit. The line "They can strangle hope with the hangman's rope/But we feel no stranglehold" encapsulates this defiance. The lyrics evoke images of oppression and injustice, with mentions of the police's persecution of the singer, and the hanging of Captain John Brown. However, the song also shows examples of resistance and resilience in the face of such suffering, with references to the comeback of the dead men's comrades with a greater force.
Overall, the song is a call to keep fighting even in the darkest moments, reminding the audience of the struggles faced by others who came before them and the victories that were won against all odds. It is a declaration of hope amidst despair, urging listeners to never give up because true change often requires persevering through seemingly impossible odds.
Line by Line Meaning
You'll hear the blood hounds bark
They will come for me, but I won't be afraid
And they'll lay me stiff and stark
They will try to silence me forever
I'm gagged and bound six foot in the ground
I am trapped and cannot escape my fate
With a bullet in my heart
My enemies have killed me, but my spirit lives on
Let me tell you 'bout police
The authorities are corrupt and seek to oppress me
They want a piece of me
They want to hurt me and silence my voice
Their hate is a beast that lives and breathes
Their prejudice and animosity are alive and well
And fed by the bourgeoisie
Their actions are supported by those in power
But never say die though they'll try to destroy you
Don't let your oppressors defeat your spirit
They can strangle hope with the hangman's rope
They can try to crush your dreams and optimism
But we feel no stranglehold
We will not be held back by their attempts to stop us
And never forget they hanged Captain John Brown
Remember the injustices that have been committed before
Though we lost a man we came back again
Even though we may suffer setbacks, we will persevere
With a force one hundred fold
And we will be stronger and more determined
And never forget our brothers in Braintree
Remember those who have fought for justice alongside us
Though we lost a man we came back again
Even in the face of tragedy, we will stand up and keep fighting
And never forget our Haymarket martyrs
Honour those who have died fighting for our cause
Though we lost out men we came back again
Even though we have suffered loss, we will keep pushing forward
With a force one hundred fold
And we will continue to grow in numbers and strength
Contributed by Lila S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Natred H8red
never ever say die......our brothers in Braintree all the way up to Portland .....maine that is
Alex Heir
THE GAMBLER
Meltin John
White nationalist? I see you got a David Duke video too.. I used to own this album btw.. Love it. Go Kart had some good bands on it
John C
Hey. The dudes in this band were extremely left-wing anarchists who despised racism, misogyny, and statism. Maybe you've misunderstood something. Just sayin.