Roots Radicals
Encyclopedia
"Roots Radicals" is a song by the American punk rock
band Rancid
. It was released as the first single from its third album, ...And Out Come the Wolves
. The song reached number 27 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks. The b-side, "I Wanna Riot" was originally featured on the Epitaph Records
compilation Punk-O-Rama Vol. 1 (1994), and a slightly different and longer version of "I Wanna Riot" with the Stubborn All-Stars
was later featured on the Beavis and Butt-head Do American Soundtrack (1996).
, a subgenre of reggae
music known for political radicalism. Specifically, the band is acknowledging that "the roots, the reggae on my stereo" to which the band listened during their teenage years influenced their later work. The title lyric and the line "you know I'm a radical," refer to the Jimmy Cliff
song "[ Roots Radical]", which features the chorus, "I'm a radical, I'm a roots radical". One of the repeated verses references Desmond Dekker
, one of the most successful roots musicians. The "60 bus", which is mentioned in the beginning of the song, refers to a transit route that runs north from downtown Campbell, California
along Winchester Boulevard to Santa Clara
.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
. It was released as the first single from its third album, ...And Out Come the Wolves
...And Out Come the Wolves
…And Out Come the Wolves is the third studio album by the American punk rock band Rancid. It was released on August 22, 1995 through Epitaph Records. Rancid's popularity and catchy songs made them the subject of a major label bidding war that ended with the band staying on Epitaph...
. The song reached number 27 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks. The b-side, "I Wanna Riot" was originally featured on the Epitaph Records
Epitaph Records
Epitaph Records is a Hollywood, California based independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. The label was originally "just a logo and a P.O. box" created in the 1980s for the purpose of selling Bad Religion records, but has evolved into a large independent record...
compilation Punk-O-Rama Vol. 1 (1994), and a slightly different and longer version of "I Wanna Riot" with the Stubborn All-Stars
Stubborn All-Stars
Stubborn All-Stars are a New York City ska band led by King Django, front man of Skinnerbox and owner of Stubborn Records.By early 1994, Django's original ska roots began to tug at him, and he assembled Stubborn All-Stars for a studio session which resulted in the 4-song Old's Cool 7" EP...
was later featured on the Beavis and Butt-head Do American Soundtrack (1996).
Song information
The song is a tribute to Roots reggaeRoots reggae
Roots reggae is a subgenre of reggae that deals with the everyday lives and aspirations of the artists concerned, including the spiritual side of Rastafari and with the honoring of God, called Jah by rastafarians. It also is identified with the life of the ghetto sufferer, and the rural poor...
, a subgenre of reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
music known for political radicalism. Specifically, the band is acknowledging that "the roots, the reggae on my stereo" to which the band listened during their teenage years influenced their later work. The title lyric and the line "you know I'm a radical," refer to the Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff
Jimmy Cliff, OM is a Jamaican musician, singer and actor. He is the only currently living musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honour that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievement in the arts and sciences...
song "[ Roots Radical]", which features the chorus, "I'm a radical, I'm a roots radical". One of the repeated verses references Desmond Dekker
Desmond Dekker
Desmond Dekker was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group, The Aces , he had one of the first international Jamaican hits with "Israelites". Other hits include "007 " and "It Miek"...
, one of the most successful roots musicians. The "60 bus", which is mentioned in the beginning of the song, refers to a transit route that runs north from downtown Campbell, California
Campbell, California
Campbell is a city in Santa Clara County, California, a suburb of San Jose, and part of Silicon Valley, in the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Campbell's population is 39,349...
along Winchester Boulevard to Santa Clara
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
.