Formed in Kennebunk, Maine in the summer of 1994 as "Turbo-Kitten" The Pink… Read Full Bio ↴Formed in Kennebunk, Maine in the summer of 1994 as "Turbo-Kitten" The Pinkerton Thugs officially became the Pinkerton Thugs in March 1996 (taking their name from the infamous Pinkerton National Detective Agency), the band has been together since July 1994 under a number of different names. The band, which initially consisted of drummer/vocalist Paul Russo, guitarist/vocalist Micah Smaldone and bassist James Whitten drew influence from punk bands such as Sham 69, The Clash, Conflict, and Cocksparrer as well as Bruce Springsteen and Woody Guthrie's political ballads. They are known for their spirited live performances just as well as their radical anarchistic political views. During most of the band's existence, Paul Russo was also a member of Boston band The Unseen, whom the Thugs often played shows with.
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)

Youth
The Pinkerton Thugs Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's something in your blood for revolution
But I think that your blood is running cold
Will time really tell
When there's no hope left to sell
Or will despair take its toll

You bet your ass the lambs will keep on crying
If the the wolf is still circling the fence

You think you've seen the way, but by the light of day
You've only reached another dead end

Has your dream slipped through your fingers
Or maybe it wasn't really there
Or maybe part of growing up

Is losing touch with you've loved
And finding a new reason to care

Overall Meaning

The Pinkerton Thugs's "Youth" describes the struggle of young people to hold onto their beliefs despite facing the harsh realities of the world. The lyrics suggest that while there may be a rebellious spirit in them, it wanes as they grow older and encounter obstacles. The line, "There's something in your blood for revolution, but I think that your blood is running cold," portrays this sentiment clearly. The singer encourages listeners to remain steadfast in their convictions, but also acknowledges that it can be difficult to maintain the enthusiasm for change. The line "Has your dream slipped through your fingers, or maybe it wasn't really there," highlights the possibility that these youthful ideas may never actually come to fruition, and that the idealism of young people may be misplaced. However, the final line "And finding a new reason to care" suggests that it is possible to rediscover a sense of purpose and passion, even when the original goal is no longer attainable.

One interesting fact about this song is that it was included on the 2002 compilation album "Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1". The album was a political statement against then-president George W. Bush and included songs by a number of punk and rock bands. Another interesting fact is that The Pinkerton Thugs were heavily influenced by British punk bands like The Clash and The Jam. The band formed in Maine in 1990 and was active until 2001.

Another noteworthy aspect of this song is the use of animal imagery to convey a sense of oppression and vulnerability. The line, "You bet your ass the lambs will keep on crying if the wolf is still circling the fence," conjures up a powerful image of a threat lurking just beyond the boundaries of safety. This serves as a metaphor for societal pressures that can stifle the idealism of young people.

Overall, "Youth" is a poignant and thought-provoking song that speaks to the struggle of holding onto one's principles in the face of adversity. It encourages listeners to maintain their passion for change, but also acknowledges that this can be a difficult task.

Chords: The chords for this song are not currently known.

Line by Line Meaning

There's something in your blood for revolution
You have an innate desire for revolution.

But I think that your blood is running cold
However, I believe that your passion is fading away.

Will time really tell
It is uncertain if time will reveal the truth.

When there's no hope left to sell
Especially when all positivity runs dry.

Or will despair take its toll
Or, on the other hand, will despair overpower every other thought?

You bet your ass the lambs will keep on crying
In case the aggressor (wolf) is still present, the victims (lambs) will remain vulnerable.

If the wolf is still circling the fence
The lamb's fate hasn't been decided yet.

You think you've seen the way, but by the light of day
It's plausible that you believe you've found the way to enlightenment, but in reality, you haven't reached the reality yet.

You've only reached another dead end
You have only found another blocked destination.

Has your dream slipped through your fingers
Did your aspirations slip away from your grasp?

Or maybe it wasn't really there
Possibly it was never there as you thought it was.

Or maybe part of growing up
Growing-up entails different stages and levels of comprehension that changes the perception of the world.

Is losing touch with what you've loved
One of them might be falling out of love with your goals or aspirations.

And finding a new reason to care
Despite losing earlier motivation, new ones will eventually emerge and ignite the passion once again.

Contributed by Lucy L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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