The Ruts were a Punk Rock band from London, UK of the late 70s, early 80s. … Read Full Bio ↴The Ruts were a Punk Rock band from London, UK of the late 70s, early 80s. Combining straightforward beefy Punk tracks, such as Babylon is Burning and In A Rut with Dub Reggae classics like Give Youth A Chance and Jah War, they were most similar to The Clash in terms of stance and influence, walking the walk and talking the talk.

After meeting at the Deeply Vale Free Festival, The Ruts were formed on 18 August ]1977, the band consisted of Malcolm Owen (vocals), Paul Fox (guitar), John "Segs" Jennings (bass) and Dave Ruffy (drums).[1] As part of the Misty in Roots People Unite collective based in Southall, west London, the band were active in anti-racist causes and played a number of benefits for Rock Against Racism.

On 11 February 1980, the band returned to a BBC studio for their third Peel session, two tracks of which - "Demolition Dancing" and "Secret Soldiers" - later appeared on Virgin's posthumous Grin & Bear It album.

By this time singer Malcolm Owen was suffering with health problems; a combination of sore throats and a heroin addiction. A UK tour was arranged, the 'Back to Blighty' tour, but a number of dates had to be cancelled due to Owen's condition. What turned out to be the last Ruts gig with Malcolm took place at Plymouth Polytechnic on 26 February 1980.

Many of the Ruts best gigs were RAR (Rock Against Racism) gigs with Misty in Roots, and Jah War was written in response to the Southall Riots where the police attacked the Anti-Nazi League that were protesting a National Front march through the predominantly British Indian Southall area.

The Ruts, in their attitude, politics and music were truly representative of the best Punk had to offer. Sadly we were never to discover how they would develop as Malcom Owen, their charismatic front man, died of a heroin overdose on 14th July 1980, aged 26.

You're Just A...
The Ruts Lyrics

We have lyrics for these tracks by The Ruts:

Babylon Babylon's burning You're burning the street You're burning y…
Babylon's Burning (live) Babylon’s burning, you’ll burn the street You burn your hous…
Babylon's Burning - Live Babylon's burning, you'll burn in the street You'll burn in …
Babylons Burning Babylon's burning You're burning the street You're burning y…
Babylon’s Burning Babylon’s burning, you’ll burn the street You burn your hous…
Backbiter Don’t grow my insight you talk about fiction The words you…
Criminal Mind That criminal mind is really unkind It's just for kicks, it'…
Demolition Dancing It's a very small world in the middle of a…
Dope For Guns The newspaper headlines got it wrong Thery're tryin' to tell…

H Eyes You're so young, you take smack for fun It's gonna screw…
H Eyes - Single Version You′re so young, you take smack for fun It's gonna screw…
H-Eyes You're so young, you take smack for fun It's gonna screw…
Human Punk Human Punk keep on Spinning Round Your a Human Punk Human Pu…
In A Rut I can't concentrate, I'm in a state I don't feel straight,…
In A Rut - Single Version I can′t concentrate, I'm in a state I don′t feel straight,…
It Was Cold It was cold in the night I was with you sometime…
Jah War The air was thick with a smell of oppression The militants…
Love In Vain Don't want ya Don't want ya Don't want ya, in my arms…
Out of Order You better calm down, said you better cool down You're burni…
S U S Down in the street just waiting for a bus This cop…
Savage Circle Life's a savage circle Some people dedicated to ruin my life…
Society Do you ever get the feeling someone's watching you? So much…
Something That I Said OK, kick me in the head Just cause something that I…
Staring at the Rude Boys It's a very small world in the middle of a…
Sus Down in the street just waiting for a bus This cop…
The ruts I can't concentrate, I'm in a state I don't feel straight,…
West One Lights are burning red and white Lost on an island in…
You I've been lost before Searched around for any open doors But…

You're Just A.... You give me a heart attack You tell me what I…

The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos

TRACKS