We Have Come for Your Children
The Dead Boys · 1978
30 min · 10 tracks · punk rock
Raw, high-octane punk energy collides with biting social commentary and a rebellious spirit throughout the album.
Top tracks — play these first
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(I Don’t Wanna Be No) Catholic Boy — This track captures the band's irreverent spirit with its defiance against societal norms, showcasing both punk’s raw sound and satirical lyrics.
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Ain’t It Fun — With its catchy chorus and energetic instrumentation, this song stands out as a quintessential anthem of youthful rebellion and discontent.
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Son of Sam — Delving into darker themes, this track reflects cultural anxieties of the time while maintaining an infectious punk rhythm that resonates powerfully.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album captures punk's raw energy while exploring consistent themes, though it lacks some polish in execution.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a fast-paced track that sets a high-energy tone, maintaining this intensity through the first half before introducing slower tempos in the latter tracks.
- Several songs feature abrupt transitions between sections, creating a sense of urgency and unpredictability.
- Lyrical themes of rebellion and disillusionment are consistently present, with each track addressing different facets of these concepts.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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6/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady energetic flow throughout
- youthful rebellion and angst
- short bursts of intensity
- raw expressions of urban despair
Maybe skip if you
- prefer long, immersive tracks
- seek polished soundscapes
Where this album fits
- Career context
- We Have Come for Your Children is The Dead Boys' second studio album, following their influential debut, Young, Loud and Snotty. Released in early 1978, it came during a period of increasing notoriety for the band as they solidified their presence in the burgeoning punk rock scene of New York City.
- Stylistic neighbors
- The Stooges· Ramones· New York Dolls
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 3rd Generation Nation 2:35
- 2 I Won’t Look Back 2:16
- 3 (I Don’t Wanna Be No) Catholic Boy 2:42
- 4 Flame Thrower Love 2:03
- 5 Son of Sam 5:10
- 6 Tell Me 2:37
- 7 Big City 3:03
- 8 Calling on You 3:29
- 9 Dead and Alive 1:48
- 10 Ain’t It Fun 4:33
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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