Song Review
Today’s post is from the Washington, D.C. indie/punk-rock band Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. Formed in 1999, the band has an extensive discography including 5 full-length releases and 7 EPs. Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone? comes from band’s 2003 album Hearts of Oak, released by the independent label Lookout! Records. Amid financial turmoil within the label, the band left Lookout! Records in 2006 and signed on with Touch and Go Records. The band’s most recent full-length release Living with the Living comes via Touch and Go Records.
it’s times like these when a neck looks for a knife,
a wrist for a razor, a heart is longing for bullets.
tension is high under sea and over sky.
pressure drop, people are acting foolish.
ooh -- but it’s easy to see!
ooh -- we could dance and be free.
ooh -- to that 2-tone beat!
but it looks like it’s gone…
gangsters and clowns with a stereotyped sound
it’s coming like a ghost town -- someone always knew it.
hatred and shame, a racialist game
cycles of blame -- someone sang me through it.
who? well it’s easy to see.
ooh -- we could dance to be free.
ooh -- to that 2-tone beat!
but it looks like it’s gone…
i asked jerry, he told terry, terry sang a song just for me,
lynvall gave a message to me,
rhoda screamed and then she asked me,
where have all the rude boys gone?
