Dropkick Murphys Songs Ranked
Dropkick Murphys are an American Celtic punk band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts, in 1996. The band was initially signed to independent punk record label Hellcat Records, releasing five albums for the label, and building a reputation locally through constant touring and yearly St. Patrick’s Day week shows, held in and around Boston. The 2004 single “Tessie” became the band’s first mainstream hit and one of their biggest charting singles to date. The band’s final Hellcat release, 2005’s The Warrior’s Code, included the song “I’m Shipping Up to Boston”; the song was featured in the 2006 Academy Award-winning movie The Departed, and went on to become the band’s only Platinum-selling single to date, and remains one of their best-known songs. The band is known for its loud, energetic live shows. In 2007, the band began releasing music through their own imprint label, Born & Bred via Alternative Distribution Alliance. 2007’s The Meanest of Times made its debut at No. 20 on the Billboard charts and featured the successful single, “The State of Massachusetts”, while 2011’s Going Out in Style was an even bigger success, making its debut at No. 6, giving the band their highest-charting album to date. The band’s eighth studio album, Signed and Sealed in Blood was released in 2013 making its debut at No. 9 on the Billboard charts and featured the single “The Season’s Upon Us”, a Christmas song that was one of the band’s highest-charting singles. The band’s ninth album, 11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory was released on January 6, 2017, and debuted at number 8 on the Billboard charts. Here are all Dropkick Murphys songs ranked.
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15. The Boys Are Back (Signed and Sealed in Blood, 2013)
“When I saw them in concert they had an amazing opening with an Irish girl singing traditional music while Dropkick Murphys was on a screen peering through the curtain, with clouds going over them, then when the curtains came up, they immediately sang ‘the boys are back’ which pumped everybody up”
14. The Green Fields of France (The Warrior’s Code, 2005)
“It is a very poignant anti war song. It is about a man who stumbles on the grave of a nineteen year old World War I soldier.”
13. Take It and Run (The Warrior’s Code, 2005)
“Love the music and the singers. Specifically bought the CD for one song but fell in love with all eventually. I ended up making a trip to Boston and finding out about the many things the singers sing about.”
12. Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya (The Meanest of Times, 2007)
“It’s a war song describing the story of a guy named Johnny that went off to war but when he came back he wasn’t the man he used to be, including missing limbs. It constantly describes that he is disfigured with the lyrics: “You hadn’t an arm You hadn’t a leg” and “Where are the legs with which you run”. Similar to the plot of Metallica’s “One” if you think about it. By the way, I think the lyrics for the chorus are: “THEY had guns and drums and drums and guns.” Though I could be mistaken. That’s what I keep hearing. Maybe he alternates between the two”
See more: Dropkick Murphys Albums Ranked
11. Blood (11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory, 2017)
“I really did not expect to like this album as much as I did. And I kind of don’t want to, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I had a really good time listening to this album. It’s consistently fun, sometimes emotional and unexpectedly powerful. “
10. The Season’s Upon Us (Signed and Sealed in Blood, 2013)
“Love the Dropkick Murphys, and this Christmas song is the same quality as their other songs. I’ll be listening to this year round because the tune is terrific.”
9. Broken Hymns (Going Out in Style, 2011)
“In April of 1861 the battle of Fort Sumter occurred, which began the Civil War. Though no casualties were sustained, this battle kicked off the Civil War– after that day, “no hand of God could save the souls of the blue and gray”, meaning the Confederates and Union (blue and gray) both suffered greatly in the war. This song laments the loss of so many lives.”
8. Boys on the Docks (Boys on the Docks, 1997)
“This band is a skinhead band, but they are not racist (i.e. agnostic front). there’s nothing wrong with that. the music is great street punk/oi. my fav is ‘caps & bottles’. this album got me into this great band. this cd is pretty difficult to get.”
7. Rose Tattoo (Signed and Sealed in Blood, 2013)
“I’ve heard almost every Murphys song and this is undeniably the best! This was the first Murphys song I ever heard and it got me absolutely hooked. This song just makes me want to drop everything and sing along to it! I also love the lyrics. They tell a story, one that says I am who I am because of you and everything around me.”
6. The Warrior’s Code (The Warrior’s Code, 2005)
“The Warrior’s Code is just as good and, heck, I just got it, it might even be better. There’s something incredibly special about this band that transcends genres. As the late Joe Strummer and Rancid, the Murphy’s not only embracing Punk but elevate it to its truest art. They wrap a punk ethic around richly textured power guitar hooks, bagpipes, now some piano-, and snarly perfect vocals– You put that all together and you have something worth listening to finally this summer.”
See more: The Offspring Albums Ranked
5. Tessie (Fever Pitch, 2005)
“Tessie” is not a typical Dropkick Murphy’s song, but as a diehard Red Sox fan who saw the premier of this song at the Red Sox vs. Yankees game awhile back, I thought it was an important piece to add to my collection.”
4. Fields of Athenry (Blackout, 2003)
“its a good punk rock cover of an old Celtic song. There are still bag pipes in the songs and it features a really loud over the top vocal performance. You can hear that the singer is shouting out his lungs out, and remarkably it makes you want to do the same. Really fun song.”
3. The State of Massachusetts (The Meanest of Times, 2007)
“This song is remarkably similar to shipping to Boston, instead of the bagpipes you have some great strings. However this one has a slightly edge over the former, it has a higher pumped up value and is even more fun to listen to.”
2. Barroom Hero (Do or Die, 1998)
“Love Dropkick Murphys. They are the best for me. Love the Irish classics and the new stuff just as much. This must be one of the best albums that I have. It’s the best record the Dropkick Murphys made in my eyes.”
1. I’m Shipping Up to Boston (The Warrior’s Code, 2005)
“Maybe it’s just the Irish heritage talking, but I don’t know how you can hear this (ideally at a sports venue) and not get pumped the fuck up. The instrumental version is best, in my opinion.”