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Rating: When this record came out, I wasn't born yet; I can hardly blame myself for that, but perhaps I might have understood better how the Ruts phenomenon exploded and ended within just a few years. Now it's simple: only one song signifies the name of this band, "Babylon's Burning", while everything else remains in the shadows. Perhaps snubbed by some for their Hit Parade success, perhaps marked as a sort of minor Clash, the Ruts enjoyed a dizzying success and their historical fame today is not always remembered. Directed against racism, they organized several events like "Rock Against Racism," staying particularly close to the English working class. Part of their success was due to the inclusion of reggae songs in their setlists and lyrics with strong themes, sometimes misunderstood, double-edged blades.
After the substantial sale of singles, the Ruts recorded their first album: "The Crack". Complete and substantial, mature and devoid of nonsense, an album to be consecrated, rich in avant-garde tracks. Even though it's far from the harsh and confusing sounds that would characterize punk in the years to come, I can perceive an important step forward towards the future hardcore musical approach. The tracks are not excessively long, rich in nuances, and well-crafted. The guitar work is varied, alternating energetic riffs with atmospheric chords without breaking the musical continuity, evidently influenced by Jamaican sounds, they make great use of offbeat rhythms making everything much more catchy and dynamic. A strong point of the instrumental part is Jennings' bass; it fills those empty spaces with an almost funky touch, making his instrument the real backbone of the Ruts' music. Owen's voice, on the other hand, manages to hit us from within, simple but present, with a warm, hoarse tone, expressing the band's message with a personal rebellious sensitivity. Some tracks are entirely reggae music, but beware, "Jah War" or "Give Youth a Chance" are not provocative fantasies, but heartfelt pacifist messages of hope that couldn't have been more effective otherwise. As for the recording, I must say it is perfect. Every component was placed in its rightful space, no one invades the other's territory, every instrument is positioned perfectly to make listening a true pleasure.
Overall, I could never say which track of this album is the best, every song has its strong point, every song has its own contamination, every song is a testament to the Ruts' musical activity. It seems too limiting to say that in this work only "Babylon's Burning" is noteworthy, I would like to point out, for example, "Savage Circle", "You Are Just a...", or "S.U.S.". Anyway, I repeat that all the songs have a unique charisma.
Owen will die of an overdose shortly after the release of this album, a pity, I would have been really curious to hear what would have happened in the future, the pointless reunions could not make headway. Without Owen, the Ruts were like a fly without wings.
The album is a milestone, in few words, I recommend it to any music enthusiast.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Babylon's Burning (02:35)
Babylon's burning
You're burning the street
You're burning your houses
With anxiety
With anxiety
Babylon's burning
Babylon's burning
With anxiety
Babylon's burning
Babylon's burning
Babylon's burning
You're burning the street
You're burning the ghetto
With anxiety
With anxiety
Babylon's burning
Babylon's burning
With anxiety
Babylon's burning
Babylon's burning
Babylon's burning, baby
Can't you see?
Babylon's burning
With anxiety
You'll burn as your work
You'll burn at your play
smouldering
With ignorance and hate
And with anxiety
Babylon's burning
Babylon's burning
With anxiety
Babylon's burning
Babylon's burning
Babylon's burning, baby
Can't you see?
Babylon's burning
With anxiety
Babylon's burning
Babylon's burning
03 Dope for Guns (02:11)
The newspaper headlines got it wrong
Thery're tryin' to tell us the dope is too strong
But it ain't dope they're turning you
They're selling dope for guns, that's the truth
Dope for guns, it ain't fun
They put you on your knees with ???
???
Dope for guns, dope for guns
No one suspected, but you had elected
Some foreign power, but it turned sauer
So shoot down the victim, you can't miss ‘em
It's a run on the ladder for a higher status
Dope for guns etc
Shoot down the victim, you can' miss them,
It's a run on the ladder for a higher status
Well no one suspected, but you elected
Some foreign power, but it turned sauer
Dope for guns etc
05 Something That I Said (03:55)
OK, kick them in the head
Just cause something that I said
You don't want to know the truth
Cause you're wild and full of you
Was it something that I said
Was it something that I said
Was it something in my head?
You ain't got no friends no more
Cause you kick them to the floor
Time will tel and you will see
That it's down to U know me
Was it something etc
OK, now you're on your own
You're selfrighteous loosing all
So get off your pedistole
Before you ain't got no friends no more
Was it something etc
07 It Was Cold (06:49)
It was cold in the night
I was with you sometime ago
But you were laughing to hide your crying
In shocked and taste, we walked away
You said be careful, some lights were shining
They came much closer, we started hiding
And in the silence I heard you breathing
But far away, someone was screaming
No time for crying, we started running
We kept on running until the daylight
And it was cold, the smog was heavy
Casualty tide, no one was ready
It was cold in the night
I was with you some time ago
You said now no in desperado
The world we knew in desolation
08 Savage Circle (03:06)
Life's a savage circle
Some people dedicated to ruin my life
Life's a savage circle
OK baby said you're allright
You think you know me well
Well you can go to hell
Your thick gives me a frown
Well baby it's getting me down
Life's a savage circle
Some people dedicated to ruin my life
Life's a savage circle
OK baby said you're allright
You're well and look it out
Until do you doubt
You lot are just like you
I hope I'm getting through
Life's a savage circle
Some people dedicated to ruin my life
Life's a savage circle
OK baby said you're allright
You think you know me well
Well you can go to hell
Your thick gives me a frown
Well baby it's getting me down
Life's a savage circle
Some people dedicated to ruin my life
Life's a savage circle
OK baby said you're allright
You're well and look it out
Until do you doubt
You lot are just like you
I hope I'm getting through
I think you know, it's getting me down
It's getting me down,
Down down, Down
09 Jah War (06:55)
The air was thick with a smell of oppression
The militants joined with angry position
Redemption type with a strain of repression
Young blood boiling hot with agression
Jah war fighting fighting
Jah war, too close frightening
The winds were blowing and stirring up reaction
A storm broke out a militant action
Hot heads came in uniform
Thunder and lightning in a violent form
Jah war fighting fighting
Jah war, too close frightening
Solo
Jah war fighting fighting
Jah war, too close frightening
The air etc
Jah war fighting fighting
Jah war, too close frightening
Fighting fighting Jah war
Too close frightening jah War
Fighting fighting Jah war
Too close frightening jah War
Clarence Baker
No trouble maker
Said the truncheon came down
Knocked him to the ground
Said the blood on the streets that day
The blood and the madness
Said the blood on the streets that day
....Hey
Fighting fighting Jah war
Fighting fighting Jah war
Fighting fighting Jah war
Fighting fighting Jah war
10 Criminal Mind (01:33)
That criminal mind is really unkind
It's just for kicks, it's a habit that STICKS
You do what you wanna
I do what I wanna do
Ido it for the kicks
And it's a habit that STICKS
They'll put you back down and people push me ‘round
Well just for kicks, it's a habit that STICKS
You do what you wanna
I do what I wanna do
I do it for kicks
And it's a habit that STICKS 3x
Well the things that are possible once you dare
I've sussed the cake and it's on the take
You do what you wanna
I do what I wanna do
I do it for kicks
And it's a habit that STICKS 3x
11 Backbiter (03:02)
Don’t grow my insight you talk about fiction
The words you say are gushing by you talk about friction
I don’t wanna hear about the troubles that you found
Don’t wanna know the way that you’ve been messed around
Backbiter you’re a loser
Backbiter you’re a user
Backbiter you’re a loser
Backbiter you’re a user
You stitch up your friends you think you’ve got it sown iup
But that was a true lie, we know that you suck
I don’t wanna know about what happened to your life
Don’t wanna know the reasons why you’re still alive
Backbiter you’re a loser
Backbiter you’re a user
Backbiter you’re a loser
Backbiter you’re a user
12 Out of Order (01:50)
You better calm down, said you better cool down
You're burning white hot, you're over the top
You're out for some action, some vital attracktion
You're one of the boys, you bury your toys
You're out of order
You're standing on the border
You're out of order
You're standing on the border
You better calm down, said you better cool down
You're burning white hot, you're over the top
Your life is in danger, you're still just a stranger
You're one of the boys, you bury your toys
You're out of order
You're standing on the border
You're out of order
You're standing on the border
solo
You're out of order
You're standing on the border
You're out of order
You're standing on the border
You better calm down, said you better cool down
You're burning white hot, you're over the top
You're out for some action, some vital attracktion
You're one of the boys, you bury your toys
You're out of order
You're standing on the border
You're out of order
You're standing on the border
You're out of order
You're standing on the border
You're out of order
You're standing on the border
You're out of order
You're standing on the border
You're out of order
You're standing on the border
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