Synopsis
Rancid perform in and around a battered, seemingly abandoned house as a surreal domestic nightmare unfolds. A young girl and her parents are drawn into the orbit of a grotesque clown-like figure, whose unsettling presence turns the setting into something between a punk performance space and a horror film set. The video's grim imagery mirrors the song's tension between poverty, wealth, suspicion, and the idea of salvation, while rapid cuts keep the mood chaotic and confrontational.
Factoids & Trivia
- "Salvation" appeared on Rancid's 1994 album *Let's Go* and was issued as a single in 1995. The video is therefore often dated 1994, even though the single campaign continued into the following year.
- The track became Rancid's first single to appear on a Billboard chart, reaching No. 21 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.
- MTV airplay for "Salvation" gave Rancid their first widespread exposure outside the punk scene. The attention helped turn *Let's Go* into the band's breakthrough release.
- The song was recorded at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California, during sessions held from October 1993 through March 1994. Brett Gurewitz produced the recording.
- The video was included on Epitaph Records' 1995 promotional VHS *Epitaph's Wild Kingdom: A Video Bonanza*, which collected eight videos from artists on the label's roster.