Dropkick Murphys : The Singles Collection - Vol.1 (1996-1997)

Folk Punk / USA
(2002 - Hellcat Records)
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Lyrics


1. BARROM HERO

Face down in the gutter won't admit defeat
Though his clothes are soiled and black,
He's a big strong man with a child's mind,
Don't you take his booze away! (hey!)

He's been at it for years drinking balls and beers
Hes a hero to most he meets
But inside he cries black swollen eyes this man he sheds no tears
Now his wife & kids sing a different tune
As they worry about their daddy dying
But this arrogant fool breaks every rule
It'll be nothing but pride that kills him

[Chorus] (2x)

Could he listen no he won't
That's all she wrote
He'll be dead before the daylight shines
But the thoughts and prays of a million strong
Might keep this fool from dying

He's a legend in the bar with every scar
Fights a thousand bigger men,
Now he fights and looses got all the bruises
Will someone please step in?
'Cause this irish fools got a great big heart
He keeps climbing back into the ring
In the low down circles where he holds his court
This man he once was king

[Chorus] (2x)

This one goes out to the boston punks and skins... Vary from cd

This one goes out to everyone at six fifty six adams street...how you doing? Fellas

[Verse 2]

[Chorus] (2x)


2. FIGHTSTARTER KARAOKE

Riot tonight everybody let's go!
Gonna start a fight but with who? I don't fucking know
Riot tonight everybody let's go!
Gonna start a fight but with who? I don't fucking know

It doesn't take a big man to knock somebody down
Just a little courage to lift him off the ground

This world is not what it seems
These beer brawls are ruining my dreams

Riot tonight, everybody let's go!
Gonna start a fight but with who? I don't fucking know
Riot tonight, everybody let's go!
Gonna start a fight but with who? I don't fucking know

It doesn't take a big man to knock somebody down
Just a little courage to lift him off the ground
It doesn't take a big man to knock somebody down
Just a little courage to lift him off the ground

This world is not what it seems
These beer brawls are ruining my dreams

Go!

Stabbed in the back one too many times to count
Master of the sucker punch
Burned his bridges from the past.
Beaten and attacked
But no one seems to give a shit
Cause he had it coming you made your bed
Now sleep in it!

It doesn't take a big man to knock somebody down
Just a little courage to lift him off the ground
It doesn't take a big man to knock somebody down
Just a little courage to lift him off the ground

This world is not what it seems
These beer brawls are ruining my dreams


3. JOHN LAW

Now let me tell you about a man named john law he's a neighborhood cop the toughest man i ever saw a man who knows his duty, a man with a gun to the people in the neighborhood john law is number one

Freeze, we said stop his name was john law for john law, neighborhood cop a man we know and love

When john laws not kickin' ass on robbers and rapist he's helpin little kids deliver newspapers when john laws not chasin crackheads from their perch he's helpin old ladies on their way to church

[Chorus:]

He walks the beat riding scumbags from the streets he turns his eye to petty crime cause john law will never drop a dime

Suburban anarchists who've never broke the law sing about police oppression, but they've never met john law he doesn't fuck with young kids drinking in the park but he makes the city safe for women after dark


4. REGULAR GUY

I've got two hands in my pocket and a pistol to my head
As i walk the line in front of me theres no looking back.
As i trudge the path of destiny my opinion doesn't pay,
I'm a blue collar simple mind who cannot find his way.

His way. His way. His way.

Now my mind set may vary but here i still lay
Don't know how i got here or think i care to stay
The past will be present if i dare to forget
I've got two feet in the future but its not here yet

Here yet. Here yet. Here yet.

This life is here to stay,
And you can't take my pride away
I was born in to this life,
And these are the cards i'm delt

I've got two hands in my pocket and a pistol to my head
As i walk the line in front of me theres no looking back.
As i trudge the path of destiny my opinion doesn't pay,
I'm a blue collar simple mind who cannot find his way.

His way. His way. His way


5. 3RD MAN IN

My friends, my town, camaraderie
We'll never finish last
We stood as one where are they now
We grew up fast
Too young to know or really give a shit
The past has left us worse for wear

[Chorus:]
Be strong and stand, stand up like a man
Your concept of friendship isn't right
Third man in is how you show you care
Nothing else matters but the fight!

Some will survive
I hope i'm one of them
Things aren't what they use to be
It makes me sick
Our bond has broke and we aren't what we were
It's time to face life on my own


6. CAREER OPPORTUNITIES (LIVE)

The offered me the office, offered me the shop.
They said i'd better take anything they'd got.
Do you wanna make tea at the bbc?
Do you wanna be, do you really wanna be a cop? (no fuckin' way)

Career opportunities are the ones that never knock
Every job they offer you is to keep you out the dock
Career opportunity, the ones that never knock

I hate the army an' i hate the cambridge police.
I don't wanna go fighting in the tropical heat.
I hate the civil service rules
And i won't open letter bombs for you

Career opportunities are the ones that never knock
Every job they offer you is to keep you out the dock
Career opportunity, the ones that never knock

Oi oi oi, carney givens, arthur mcgilvrey, bobby linchsky (i sounded out the names)

They're gonna have to introduce conscription.
They're gonna have to take away my prescription.
If they wanna get me making toys, if they wanna get me, well, i got no choice

Career opportunities are the ones that never knock
Every job they offer you is to keep you out the dock
Career opportunity, the ones that never knock

Careers, careers, careers...... Ain't never gonna knock


7. NEVER ALONE

You say its because we're boisterous
You hate us 'cause we got our dignity
There's a difference between the two of us
It's a sense of morality and what corrupts
We stand together so proud and strong
This is a place where we belong

We got loyal friends
We keep our heads held high,
We'll stick together you and i
Don't need no guns or no drugs on our streets
Just a place to go and the boots on our feet.

Young skinhead they call you hooligan
Just because you don't make any sense to them
You're a hardworking man whose paid his dues
But they still call you racist on the evening news
But the blood that runs right down your wrist
Don't come from a knife, but the cuts on your fist

Your torn up knuckles and faded blue jeans
Are the colors you wear and the life that you've seen
You tell the truth look people in the eye
Don't live your life in no baggy disguise.

Never alone...
The city streets are where we roam.
Never alone...
This is boston it's our home.
Never alone...
The city streets are where we roam.
Never alone...
This is boston it's our home.

Don't need no gang to watch my ass
Just loyal friendship and a pint of bass
In the midst of the chaos and insanity
I'm a member of the working class society
We'll sweat in the ring and bleed in the streets
But our will and spirit can never be beat

You can shoot and you can kick but together we'll stick
Through thick and thin not stick or stone
Can break the bond that has here grown
Arm and arm we fight as one.

Never alone...
The city streets are where we roam.
Never alone...
This is boston it's our home.
Never alone...
The city streets are where we roam.
Never alone...
This is boston it's our home.
[x2]


8. TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT

See it, do you believe it? You can take it, or you can leave it.
(take you on a rockin stroll, dig yourself a deeper hole. Lookin high but feelin low, pray to god to save your soul.)

Too fast livin on the edge don't wanna die before my time. But 12 beers later . . . I'm a terminator. Hey! Hey!


9. EUROTRASH

This song goes out to all the trendy,
Spoiled bastards who listen to shitty music!

Euro trash, go away, so so trendy, your pathetic.
Euro scumbag, champagne and caviar, techno bullshit,
Blarin from your daddy's car.

Chorus:/you are euro trash, i hate you euro trash.
You try hard to dress like you're the best.
Why don't you must go away, don't you look down on me.
Go away euro trash

You go down to m-80 tonight, see through clothing way too tight.
Euro jerkoff who the fuck do you think you are?
Spoiled richboy, fuck your euro bars!

[Chorus:]

(euro trash music starts blaring techno freak walks in)
Get the fuck outta boston scumbag!
Yeah get a life creep!

[Chorus:]

Kill! Kill! Kill!


10. FRONT SEAT

Some times i get so fired up i never feel like coming down. But your attitude you have is tearing us apart. You constantly whine and moan, waxing passively. I've got a solution for you today.

[Chorus:]
We'll take the front seat mister and we're never gonna take the back, we'll take the front seat, mister liberal scum to the back.

You come forward with an attitude forthright. But it's only temporary, feigned and fucking tried. We have an ongoing war me and you, but i've got the answer and i know what to do

[Chorus:]

Anger, dischord, pissed off, let's tear this place apart!

[Chorus:]


11. DENIAL

In the face of all that's obvious i continue to wreck my life... So set in my ways it's impossible to do what's good... Smokin, jokin + boozin my time away just livin for the pain + lies "caught in denial"

Chorus: look in the mirror to only see a liars face in front of me i've tried so hard to heed the warnings my heart is turning

On with self slaught, the barfly gives in... Once again the bottle is judge + jury he's caught in a struggle that calls for his life... So caught up in his own self destruction, "caught in denial"...

[Chorus:]

I made my own bed i'll sit in the mess this poison booze lifestyle is a dear friend and i know it's a lie, but it's all that i have i'm going right for the end with total abandon....!

[Chorus:]

It's real


12. BILLY'S BONES

Billy ran around with the rare old crew. And he knew an arsenal from tottenham blue we'd be a darn sight better off if we knew where billy's bones are resting now billy saw a copper and he hit him in the knee took him down from six foot to five foot three then he hit him fair and square in the do-re-me that copper won't be having any family

Hey billy son where are you now, don't you know that we need you now with aratata and the old kow-tow where are billy's bones resting now

Billy went away with the peace keeping force 'cause he liked a bloody good fight of course. Went away in an old khaki van to the banks of the river jordan. Billy saw the arabs and he had'em on the run when he got'em in the range of his sub machine gun then he got the israelis in his sights, went ra-ta-ta and they ran like shi-ites

Hey billy son where are you now, one night billy had a rare old time, laughing and singing on the lebanon line came back to camp not looking too pretty never even got to see the holy city

Now billy's out there in the desert sun and his mother cries when the morning comes and there's mother's crying all over the world, for their poor dead darling boys and girls hey billy son where are you now, born on a monday, married on a tuesday, drunk on a wednesday, got plugged on a thursday, sick on a friday, died on a saturday, buried on sunday


13. ROAD OF THE RIGHTEOUS

Now i saw a man stand up one day and fight to save his life
Just a common worker, supporting his kids and his wife
Put a plug in his jug, things looked up for sure
But the whole damn thing of it was there is no blasted cure.

Now i saw a man stand up one day and fight to save his life
Just a common worker, supporting his kids and his wife
Put a plug in his jug, things looked up for sure
But the whole damn thing of it was there is no blasted cure.

I've seen a few men go "the road of the righteous"
And just a few have traveled "this old lonely path"
I've seen a few men go "the road of the righteous"
By god i'm sure i'll see some more "go their blessed way."

Hey it's gonna, take some foot work to get you on your way
They'll be pit-falls and some cat-calls but hard you must persist
Cause life is so precious and we have only got one shot,
You move along and you stay god strong all the treasures will be got.

I've seen a few men go "the road of the righteous"
And just a few have traveled "this old lonely path"
I've seen a few men go "the road of the righteous"
By god i'm sure i'll see some more "go their blessed way."

I've seen a few men go "the road of the righteous"
And just a few have traveled "this old lonely path"
I've seen a few men go "the road of the righteous"
By god i'm sure i'll see some more "go their blessed way."

Now i saw a man stand up one day and fight to save his life
Just a common worker, supporting his kids and his wife
Put a plug in his jug things looked up for sure
But the whole damn thing of it was there is no blasted cure.

I've seen a few men go "the road of the righteous"
And just a few have traveled "this old lonely path"
I've seen a few men go "the road of the righteous"
By god i'm sure i'll see some more "go their blessed way."


14. GUNS OF BRIXTON (LIVE)

When they kick at your front door,
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head,
Or on the trigger of your gun.
When the law break in, how you gonna go?
Shot down on the pavement
Or waiting on death row.

[Chorus:]
Yyou can crush us,
You can bruise us,
But you'll have to answer to
Oh, the guns of brixton

The money feels good, and your life you like it well..
But surely your time will come, as in heaven, as in hell.
You see, he feels like ivan,
Born under the brixton sun.
His game is called survivin',
At the end of the harder they come.
You know it means no mercy.
They caught him with a gun.
No need for the black maria,
Goodbye to the brixton sun.

[Chorus:]

When they kick at your front door,
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head, or on the trigger of your gun.

You can crush us,
You can bruise us,
You can even shoot us.....oh-the guns of brixton

Shot down on the pavement,
Waiting in death row.
His game is called survivin',
As in heaven as in hell

[Chorus:]

Oh, the guns of brixton (4x)


15. CADENCE TO ARMS (LIVE)


16. DO OR DIE (LIVE)

The once steel tough fabric of a union man
Was sold and bartered away
Fed to money wolves in the reagen years,
Caught in a drift in greedy nintetie's days
So inside this song is our rally cry.

Your dreams are in danger, and "we must rise"
Our time has come we are under the gun
"it's do or die".
Its not a rebel cry of some socialist
Scheme to push for human rights
Just the facts an obvious mentioned on the
Behalf of the working man, for his family and his livelihood.

Your dreams are in danger, and "we must rise"
Our time has come we are under the gun
"it's do or die".
The once steel tough fabric of the union man was sold and bartered away
Fed to money wolves in the reagen years,
Caught adrift in greedy nineties days.
Your dreams are in danger, and "we must rise"
Our time has come we are under the gun
"it's do or die".


17. IN THE STREETS OF BOSTON (LIVE)

(No lyrics available)


18. NEVER ALONE (LIVE)

You say its becasue we're boisterous
You hate us cause we got our dignity
We stand together proud and strong
This is a place where we belong
We got loyal friends we keep our heads held high,
We'll stick together you and i
Don't need no guns or drugs on our streets
Just a place to go and the boots on our feet

Chorus: never alone. . .
The city streets are where we roam
Never alone. . .
This is boston its our home
Never alone. . .
The city streets are where we roam
Never alone. . .
This is boston its our home

Young skinhead they call you hooligan
Just because you don't make any sense to them
But the blood that runs right down your wrist
Dont come from a knife, but the cuts on your fist
Your scared up knuckles and faded blue jeans
Are the colors you wear and the life that you've seen
You tell the truth look people in the eye
Don't live you life in no baggy disguise

[Chorus:]

I don't need no gang to watch my ass
Just loyal friendship and a pint of bass
We'll sweat in the ring and bleed in the streets
But our will and spirit can not be beat
You can shoot and you can kick but together we'll stick
Through thick and thin not stick or stone
Can break the bond that has here grown
Arm and arm we fight as one

[Chorus:]


19. GET UP (LIVE)

I went north to see the stiff little fingers play
The kids in the belfast were tearing it up
Jake is the punkest dude i do declare
He got a leather jacket, and the spikey hair

Chorus: "we all fall down"
So get up now "
We all fall down"
So get up now

Since '77 they've made music for me and you
Playing punk rock songs while the bombs they blew
Now i suspect these songs are about pain and strife
But i'll tell you this they didn't waste their life

Chorus:

"why don't you get up and get out!" (3x)


20. FAR AWAY COAST (LIVE)

Here in the trenches the fist of the beast
For fear of an atmosphere poisened deceased
With a gas mask to keep me-from breathing my death
It's american soil i hope for at best
But the duty i serve can't begin to compare
To my ancestors battles and wars throught the years
Though the loneliness strikes like an enemy shell i
Pray for my home but still sit here in hell

Chorus: sail away to a place that's unkown
Taken away from my friends and my home
To a place they call sacred a place i call hell
I long for that corner i once knew so well

Go to the grind it's all that i have
Work on and on with nothing to show
But a graying face in this dying place
Thats a lock in my solitude
I think of a place on a faraway coast
Where friends are dear and there's reason to toast
A cloudy dark images of a middle east land
Comes down and wrecks my hopeful land

[Chorus:]


21. BOYS ON THE DOCKS (LIVE)

Chorus
Say hey johnny boy,
The battle call
United we stand, divided we fall
Together we are
What we can't be alone
We came to this country
You made it our home

This man so humble,
This man so brave
A legend to many,
He fought to his grave
Saved family and friends
From the hardship and horror
In a land of depression
He gave hope for tomorrow
Say johnny me boy
This ones for you
With the strength of many
And the courage of few
To what do we ow this man
Who's fight was for the masses,
He gave his life
[chorus]
A friend to the locals who dabbled in crime
He'd give you a job
And he'd give you his time
He wasn't a crook
But he couldn't be conned
John knew the difference between right and wrong
Say johnny me boy,
You live hear no longer
Others forgotten,
Your memory's stronger
Lets drink to the causes in your life
Your family, your friends, the union, your wife
[chorus] (x2)
And the boys on the docks needed john for sure
When they came to this country
He opened the door
He said men i'll tell ya
They don't like our kind
Though it starts with a fist
It must end with your mind
[Chorus:]


22. SKINHEAD ON THE MBTA (LIVE)

Now let me tell you a story of a big ole' skinhead
On a tragic and fateful day
He put 10 cents in his pocket
Kicked his wife and family
And went to ride on the m.b.t.a

[Chorus]

Did he ever return,
No he never returned
And his fate is still unknown
He may ride forever 'neath the streets of boston
He's a skinhead who never returned

Skinhead goes down to the kendall sq. Station
And he changes for jamaica plain,
The conductor says skinhead i need a nickel,
Skinhead (punches him in the brain)

Now all night long skinhead drives through the station
Wondering who can i go and see
Can't afford to buy crack in chelsea
Or a bundle in roxbury

Skinhead's wife goes to the scollay square station
Everyday at quarter past two,
And through the open window she hands skinhead a grenade
As the train comes a rumbling through

Now you citizens of boston
Don't you think its a scandal
How the skinhead stole the train
What's the big fuckin' deal,
He'll work for beer
Let the skinhead drive the fucking train
[Chorus:] (x2)



23. I'VE HAD ENOUGH (LIVE)

I've had enough of purple hair and all the freaks i see
I've had enough of the dirty looks that everyone gives to me
I've had enough of the attitudes of everyone in the scene
I've had enough of the angry kids who won't say what they mean

I've had enough
I've had enough

I've had enough of lousy clubs who won't give bands a chance
I've had enough of lazy kids who won't take a stance
I've had enough of strength through oi and the kids who follow that
I've had enough of straight-edge kids who drink behind my back

I've had enough
I've had enough
I've had enough
I've had enough

I've had enough of hangers on
I've had enough i've had enough
I've had enough of this and that
I've had enough i've had enough
I've had enough of stupid kids
I've had enough i've had enough
I've had enough of smoke and drink
I've had enough i've had enough

I've had enough
I've had enough
I've had enough
I've had enough

Enough
Enough
I've had enough


24. WHITE RIOT (LIVE)

[Chorus]
White riot
I wanna riot
White riot
A riot of my own
White riot
I wanna riot
White riot
A riot of my own

Black men got a lot of problems
But they dont mind throwin a brick
White people go to school
Where they teach you how to be real thick
And everybody's doin
Just what theyre told to
An nobody wants
To go to jail

[Chorus]

All the power's in the hands
Of the people rich enough to buy it
While we walk the streets
Too chicken to even try it
An everybody's doin
Just what theyre told to
And nobody wants
To go to jail

[Chorus]

Are ya takin over
Or are ya takin orders?
Are you goin backwards,
Or are you goin forwards?

[Chorus]

lyrics added by da_sway - Modify this lyrics