The Warrior's Code
Encyclopedia
The Warrior's Code is the fifth studio album by the Irish-American Celtic punk
band, the Dropkick Murphys
. Released in June 2005, it is also their bestselling. It features a dedication to Lowell's own "Irish" Micky Ward
. It is also their final record with Hellcat Records
before moving to their own vanity label
, Born & Bred Records.
"Your Spirit's Alive" was written for the band's dear friend Greg "Chickenman" Riley, who died in a motorcycle accident in 2004.
"The Warrior's Code" is about boxing legend Micky Ward
, who hails from Lowell, Massachusetts.
"Captain Kelly's Kitchen" is another of the band's traditional arrangements.
"Sunshine Highway" was the first single from this album and has surfaced in many places including Royal Caribbean
's Sports' Deck, even though the song is about drug rehab.
"The Green Fields of France" is a cover of a song originally performed by Eric Bogle
.
The lyrics to "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" come from unpublished Woody Guthrie
lyrics, consisting of a short rant by a sailor looking for a wooden leg in Boston. It is similar to "There's Gonna Be a Blackout" from their previous album, Blackout
.
"Wicked Sensitive Crew" is a spit at the band's critics who claim that they glorify violence and come across as 'tough guys'.
"Last Letter Home" was correspondence between American Sgt. Andrew Farrar and his family before his death in the current Iraq War. "Tessie
" is a reworking of a Boston Red Sox
rally song. On this release, it is called a bonus track because it was already released on the Tessie
EP in 2004 during the Red Sox season where they ended up winning the World Series
for the first time in 86 years.
A second bonus track titled "Hatebomb" can be found on the Japanese release. The band filmed music videos for "Sunshine Highway", "The Warrior's Code" and two videos for "I'm Shipping Up To Boston", one of which was used to promote the movie The Departed
and contained clips from the movie. A video for the track "Tessie" was also filmed in 2004.
except where noted.
". However, Mickey actually died of a heart attack after a confrontation with Clubber Lang
in Rocky III
."
The band actually address this in the sleeve notes, however, stating: "Mickey actually died in Rocky 3 but, hey, sue us, two rhymed better."
Celtic punk
Celtic punk is punk rock mixed with traditional Celtic music. The genre was founded in the 1980s by The Pogues, a band of punk musicians in London who celebrated their Irish heritage. Celtic punk bands often play covers of traditional Irish folk and political songs, as well as original compositions...
band, the Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys are an Irish-American punk rock 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 making a name for themselves locally through constant playing and yearly St....
. Released in June 2005, it is also their bestselling. It features a dedication to Lowell's own "Irish" Micky Ward
Micky Ward
Micky Ward , nicknamed Irish, is a retired American junior welterweight professional boxer and a former WBU champion from Lowell, Massachusetts...
. It is also their final record with Hellcat Records
Hellcat Records
Hellcat Records is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. The label, an off-shoot of Epitaph Records, was started as a partnership between Brett Gurewitz carp Bad Religion, the owner of Epitaph, and Tim Armstrong of Rancid, the latter of whom is generally responsible for...
before moving to their own vanity label
Vanity label
A vanity label is an informal name given sometimes to a record label founded as a wholly or partially owned subsidiary of another, larger and better established record label, where the subsidiary label is controlled by a successful recording artist, designed to allow this artist...
, Born & Bred Records.
"Your Spirit's Alive" was written for the band's dear friend Greg "Chickenman" Riley, who died in a motorcycle accident in 2004.
"The Warrior's Code" is about boxing legend Micky Ward
Micky Ward
Micky Ward , nicknamed Irish, is a retired American junior welterweight professional boxer and a former WBU champion from Lowell, Massachusetts...
, who hails from Lowell, Massachusetts.
"Captain Kelly's Kitchen" is another of the band's traditional arrangements.
"Sunshine Highway" was the first single from this album and has surfaced in many places including Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean International is a Norwegian and American cruise line brand based in Miami, Florida and owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.. With 42 ships in service under 5 different brands and one more under construction, it controls a 25.6% share of the world cruise market...
's Sports' Deck, even though the song is about drug rehab.
"The Green Fields of France" is a cover of a song originally performed by Eric Bogle
Eric Bogle
Eric Bogle is a folk singer-songwriter. He emigrated to Australia in 1969 and currently resides near Adelaide, South Australia.-Career:...
.
The lyrics to "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" come from unpublished Woody Guthrie
Woody Guthrie
Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie is best known as an American singer-songwriter and folk musician, whose musical legacy includes hundreds of political, traditional and children's songs, ballads and improvised works. He frequently performed with the slogan This Machine Kills Fascists displayed on his...
lyrics, consisting of a short rant by a sailor looking for a wooden leg in Boston. It is similar to "There's Gonna Be a Blackout" from their previous album, Blackout
Blackout (Dropkick Murphys album)
Blackout is the fourth studio album from Dropkick Murphys, released in 2003. It was released with a DVD, which contained live videos for "Rocky Road to Dublin" and "Boys on the Dock", a music video for "Gonna Be a Blackout Tonight", and a trailer for their then upcoming untitled full-length DVD,...
.
"Wicked Sensitive Crew" is a spit at the band's critics who claim that they glorify violence and come across as 'tough guys'.
"Last Letter Home" was correspondence between American Sgt. Andrew Farrar and his family before his death in the current Iraq War. "Tessie
Tessie
"Tessie" is both the anthem of the Boston Red Sox and also the title of a newer song by the punk rock band Dropkick Murphys. The original "Tessie" was from the 1902 Broadway musical The Silver Slipper. The newer song, written in 2004, recounts how the singing of the original "Tessie" by the Royal...
" is a reworking of a Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
rally song. On this release, it is called a bonus track because it was already released on the Tessie
Tessie (EP)
Tessie is an EP by Dropkick Murphys released in 2004. It features two covers of the official anthem of the Boston Red Sox, "Tessie". Among the songs included on the CD, only "The Burden " and "Tessie " appear exclusively on this release...
EP in 2004 during the Red Sox season where they ended up winning the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
for the first time in 86 years.
A second bonus track titled "Hatebomb" can be found on the Japanese release. The band filmed music videos for "Sunshine Highway", "The Warrior's Code" and two videos for "I'm Shipping Up To Boston", one of which was used to promote the movie The Departed
The Departed
The Departed is a 2006 American crime thriller film, fashioned as a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs. The film was directed by Martin Scorsese and written by William Monahan...
and contained clips from the movie. A video for the track "Tessie" was also filmed in 2004.
Track listing
All songs by Dropkick MurphysDropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys are an Irish-American punk rock 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 making a name for themselves locally through constant playing and yearly St....
except where noted.
- "Your Spirit's Alive" – 2:21
- "The Warrior's Code" – 2:30
- "Captain Kelly's Kitchen" ("Courtin' in the Kitchen" traditional) – 2:48
- "The Walking Dead" – 2:07
- "Sunshine Highway" – 3:22
- "Wicked Sensitive Crew" – 2:59
- "The Burden" – 2:55
- "Citizen C.I.A." – 1:28
- "The Green Fields of FranceNo Man's Land (Eric Bogle song)"No Man's Land" is a song written in 1976 by Scottish-Australian singer-songwriter Eric Bogle, reflecting on the grave of a young man who died in World War I. Its chorus refers to two famous pieces of military music, "The Last Post" and "The Flowers of the Forest"...
" (Eric BogleEric BogleEric Bogle is a folk singer-songwriter. He emigrated to Australia in 1969 and currently resides near Adelaide, South Australia.-Career:...
cover) – 4:46 - "Take It and Run" – 2:44
- "I'm Shipping Up to BostonI'm Shipping Up to Boston"I'm Shipping Up to Boston" is a song with lyrics written by the folk singer Woody Guthrie and music written and performed by the Celtic punk band Dropkick Murphys. It appeared on their 2005 album, The Warrior's Code. An earlier recording of it can be found on the Hellcat Records compilation Give...
" (Lyrics by Woody GuthrieWoody GuthrieWoodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie is best known as an American singer-songwriter and folk musician, whose musical legacy includes hundreds of political, traditional and children's songs, ballads and improvised works. He frequently performed with the slogan This Machine Kills Fascists displayed on his...
) – 2:34 - "The Auld TriangleThe Auld Triangle"The Auld Triangle" is a song written by Dominic Behan for his brother Brendan Behan and is featured in Brendan's play The Quare Fellow. It is used to introduce the play, a story about the occurrences in a prison the day a convict is set to be executed...
" (Brendan BehanBrendan BehanBrendan Francis Behan was an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, and playwright who wrote in both Irish and English. He was also an Irish republican and a volunteer in the Irish Republican Army.-Early life:...
cover) – 2:41 - "Last Letter Home" – 3:32
- "TessieTessie"Tessie" is both the anthem of the Boston Red Sox and also the title of a newer song by the punk rock band Dropkick Murphys. The original "Tessie" was from the 1902 Broadway musical The Silver Slipper. The newer song, written in 2004, recounts how the singing of the original "Tessie" by the Royal...
" (Bonus track) – 4:15 - "Hatebomb" (Japanese Bonus track) - 1:12
Singles
- "Sunshine Highway"
- "The Warrior's Code"
- "I'm Shipping Up To Boston"
- "Tessie" #89 US Modern Rock Charts
Personnel
- Al BarrAl BarrAlexander Martin "Al" Barr is the lead singer of the Dropkick Murphys. He was also a founder and lead singer for The Bruisers, which he helped form in 1988 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. His first band circa 1984, was called D.V.A....
– vocals - Ken CaseyKen CaseyKen Casey is the bass guitarist and a vocalist of the Boston Celtic punk group Dropkick Murphys. Casey was one of the original members, starting it in 1996 with Rick Barton and Mike McColgan. He is the only original member of the Dropkick Murphys left in the band, though drummer Matt Kelly joined...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - Matt Kelly – drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s, bodhranBodhránThe bodhrán is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65 cm in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45 cm . The sides of the drum are 9 to 20 cm deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side...
, vocals - James LynchJames LynchJames Lynch may refer to:* James Lynch , Irish Roman Catholic archbishop.* James Lynch , Irish Roman Catholic bishop* James B...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals - Marc OrrellMarc OrrellMarc "The Kid" Orrell is an American guitarist, best known as a former member of the Boston Celtic Punk band the Dropkick Murphys. Originally from Grafton, Massachusetts, he joined the band in 2000 when the band was recording Sing Loud, Sing Proud...
– guitar, accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, vocals - James "Scruffy" WallaceJames WallaceJames Wallace may refer to:*James Wallace , English football player*James Wallace , British Member of Parliament for Horsham, Attorney-General...
– bagpipesBagpipesBagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from... - Tim Brennan – mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, tin whistleTin whistleThe tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and...
, acoustic guitar - Laura Casey – violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
, celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is... - Marco Urban – vocals
- Josephine Lyons – vocals
- Tom O'ConnellTom O'ConnellTom O'Connell was the 18th head college football coach for the Drake University Dragons located in Des Moines, Iowa and he held that position for the 1959 season. His coaching record at Drake was 2 wins, 7 losses, and 0 ties. This ranks him 21st at Drake in terms of total wins and 23rd at Drake...
– vocals - Tom Madden – vocals
- Anders Geering – vocals
- Lance Burnett – vocals
- Johnny DamonJohnny DamonJohnny David Damon is an American professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter. From 2000–2008, he was third among active players in runs and seventh in hits and stolen bases . He is currently second among active leaders in triples , five behind Carl Crawford...
- backing vocals on "Tessie" - Bronson ArroyoBronson ArroyoBronson Anthony Arroyo , is a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds and an aspiring musician. He has previously played for the Pittsburgh Pirates between 2000 and 2002 and Boston Red Sox from 2003 to 2005...
- backing vocals on "Tessie" - Lenny DiNardoLenny DiNardoLeonard Edward DiNardo is a professional baseball pitcher in the Oakland Athletics organization. He graduated from Santa Fe High School in Alachua, Florida in 1998, and went on to attend Stetson University...
- backing vocals on "Tessie" - Jeff Horrigan - backing vocals on "Tessie"
- Bill JanovitzBill JanovitzBill Janovitz is best known as the singer and guitarist of the alternative rock band Buffalo Tom.-History:After enrolling at the University of Massachusetts, Janovitz formed Buffalo Tom with fellow students Chris Colbourn and Tom Maginnis. A friendship with J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr...
- backing vocals on "Tessie" - Dr. Charles Stienberg - backing vocals on "Tessie"
- Joe CastiglioneJoe CastiglioneJoseph John Castiglione is an American radio announcer for the Boston Red Sox baseball team, an author and lecturer.-Early life and career:...
- voice sample on "Tessie"
Reception
Allmusic gave the album a rating of 3.5 out of five stars, praising the "alternating lead vocals, a tag team of rage and bravado."Goofs
In the song "Wicked Sensitive Crew," the band sings that they are not ashamed for crying when Mickey died "in Rocky IIRocky II
Rocky II is a 1979 American film that is the sequel to Rocky, a motion picture in which an unknown boxer had been given a chance to go the distance with the World Heavyweight Champion. Sylvester Stallone, Carl Weathers, Tony Burton, Burgess Meredith, Burt Young and Talia Shire reprised their...
". However, Mickey actually died of a heart attack after a confrontation with Clubber Lang
Clubber Lang
James "Clubber" Lang is a fictional character and antagonist that appeared as Rocky Balboa's rival in the 1982 film Rocky III. He was played by the popular "bodyguard to the stars" Mr. T, who was 29 years old when the film was launched...
in Rocky III
Rocky III
Rocky III is a 1982 American film that is the third installment in the Rocky film series. It is written and directed by and stars Sylvester Stallone as the title character, with Carl Weathers as former boxing rival Apollo Creed, Burgess Meredith as Rocky's trainer Mickey, and Talia Shire as Rocky's...
."
The band actually address this in the sleeve notes, however, stating: "Mickey actually died in Rocky 3 but, hey, sue us, two rhymed better."
External links
- The Warrior's Code at the Dropkick Murphys official website.