Come Out And Play

Album: Smash (1994)
Play Video
  • You gotta keep 'em separated

    Like the latest fashion
    Like a spreading disease
    The kids are strappin' on their way to the classroom
    Getting weapons with the greatest of ease
    The gangs stake out their own campus locale
    And if they catch you slippin' then it's all over pal
    If one guys colors and the others don't mix
    They're gonna bash it up
    Bash it up, bash it up, bash it up

    Hey, man you talkin' back to me?
    Take him out
    You gotta keep 'em separated
    Hey, man you disrespecting me?
    Take him out
    You gotta keep 'em separated
    Hey, don't pay no mind
    If you're under 18 you won't be doing any time
    Hey, come out and play

    By the time you hear the siren
    It's already too late
    One goes to the morgue and the other to jail
    One guy's wasted and the other's a waste

    It goes down the same as the thousand before
    No one's getting smarter
    No one's learning the score
    Your never ending spree of death and violence and hate
    Is gonna tie your own rope
    Tie your own rope
    Tie your own

    Hey, man you disrespecting to me?
    Take him out
    You gotta keep 'em separated
    Hey, man you talking back to me?
    Take him out
    You gotta keep 'em separated
    Hey, don't pay no mind
    If you're under 18 you won't be doing any time
    Hey, come out and play

    It goes down the same as the thousand before
    No one's getting smarter
    No one's learning the score
    Your never ending spree of death and violence and hate
    Is gonna tie your own rope
    Tie your own rope
    Tie your own

    Hey, man you talkin' back to me?
    Take him out
    You gotta keep 'em separated
    Hey, man you disrespecting me?
    Take him out
    You gotta keep 'em separated
    Hey, don't pay no mind
    If you're under 18 you won't be doing any time
    Hey, come out and play Writer/s: Bryan Holland
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 16

  • J. L. Robley from CaliforniaA great song is timeless and the lyrics OF "come out and play" are privilege today unfortunately! Anyone who disregards "Offspring" and their contribution to music is obviously not a musician nor a music lover!
  • Justin from KyThese pieces of crap just fired Parada for not getting the jab.
  • AnonymousI now more fully appreciate this song. Could also be used during the current covid pandemic?
  • Siri from A PlaceI always liked the Offspring but sometimes (but most of the time not) their songs can be a little encrypted so this was really helpful!
  • Chris from Germany Awesome song and band. Offspring sounded like nothing which was successful at that time on the US or UK Charts. But with this song being played on KROQ and many other stations and MTV they could sell millions of copies of Smash.

    Later in 1995 they had a big hit in Germany with Self Esteem.
  • Zero from The Abyss, NjIf you wait some 2 to 4 minutes after the last track on Smash ends, you can hear a reprise of Come Out And Play which has some cool-sounding guitar licks that are variations of the main lick in this song.
  • Zero from The Abyss, NjDon't The Offspring write a lot of their songs with Middle Eastern chord progressions? I know songs on s/t and Ignition that sound like that.
  • Bubblesk from Memphis, Tn"Come Out and Play" got good airplay in '94 when it came out around Memphis & still does. Brings back good memories of crazy times & crazy friends who also loved this song. But I hear it's about violence. Too bad. I think a song should be about how it makes you feel & the memories it holds. For me, it brings back good times with crazy punk friends who were all trying to learn how to grow up & survive high school. And that catchy line, "gotta keep 'em separated," is totally wild. So funky & bizarre! I still love The Offspring!
  • Elmer H from Westville, OkOne of my favorite songs because it's edgy and catchy. The Offspring are favorites with me. They hit big when I was in school & then when I was in college their songs were popular on the college radio circuit. Knowing the song's background makes it more interesting about why it's so edgy. Cool stuff. Enjoy.
  • Eric from Beaverton, OrI like this song not only because I think it's catchy, but it's also a mainstream song that seems to me to talk about gang violence (and also underage violence). This song is basically a social commentary.
  • Cj from Vermont, VtTheres something about the lead singers voice its cathcy. I like them very much its fun listening to just him singing. He seems like he is an intelligent funny guy. BTW Im not gay lol jk but really Im not.
  • Corey from Richmond, VaGreat song.
  • Joel from Columbia, ScI like the Offspring but for some reason this song really annoys me. Maybe you have to be in a certain mood to listen to it.
  • Shawn from Winnipeg, CanadaThis song is very common during hockey fights.
  • Erik from Willow Hill, Pait's about gang violence "if there colors don't mix they'll bash it up"
  • Joe from Somewhere, VaThe song is about fights in school.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Chad Channing (Nirvana, Before Cars)

Chad Channing (Nirvana, Before Cars)Songwriter Interviews

Chad tells tales from his time as drummer for Nirvana, and talks about his group Before Cars.

Amy Grant

Amy GrantSongwriter Interviews

The top Contemporary Christian artist of all time on song inspirations and what she learned from Johnny Carson.

Metallica

MetallicaFact or Fiction

Beef with Bon Jovi? An unfortunate Spandex period? See if you can spot the true stories in this Metallica version of Fact or Fiction.

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Incongruent Opening Acts

Incongruent Opening ActsSong Writing

Here's what happens when an opening act is really out of place with the headliner, like when Beastie Boys opened for Madonna.

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)Songwriter Interviews

The co-writer/guitarist on many Alice Cooper hits, Dick was also Lou Reed's axeman on the Rock n' Roll Animal album.