Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Lyrics Break Down: Guarantees - Atmosphere


Lyrics Break Down: Guarantees - Atmosphere

Hello everybody, this is week two of Lyrics Break Down. The song this week is Guarantees by Atmosphere. It's off the album When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold. I first fell in love with this song when I heard it live for the first time. It was at the House of Blues in Las Vegas. We just happened to walk by and see that Atmosphere was playing that night. So of course Marshall and I ditched my dad and went to show. How often is ones of your favorites artists playing when you are in vacation in Vegas? It was an amazing show like always. During the encore, Slug played this song with just himself and the guitarist and it was truly amazing. I had heard the song before, but hearing it live like this just made it come to life. It was a powerful performance of a really personal, real life song.  Ever since, I have had it on my constant play list, listening to it over and over.  Take a look at the lyrics. 

 
Atmosphere - Guarantees  

These warehouse wages
Kill the ends introduction
I should have schooled it up
When I was younger should have stuck to plan
Always had the dreams of being more self assertive
And my kids a teenager he needs the health insurance
So break my body
Break break my soul down
Just another zombie walking blindly through your ghost town
Pull up to the bar to politic and tap the power
Ain't nobody all that jolly at your happy hour
But I don't want to go home yet
So I'm gonna talk to my cigarette
And that television set
It doesn't matter what brand or station
Anything to take away from the current situation
No overtime pay no holiday
Months behind on everything but the lottery
Went around the corner guaranteeing that my car died
Wifey having trouble juggling both the part times
My cup ain't close to filled up
We trying to build up so we can have enough
And when I finally get the color
There won't be nothing left to paint on
My friend tried to kill himself to the same song

My better half is mad at making magic out of canned goods
My tax bracket status gotta questioning my man hood
My shorty got caught smoking weed at a concert
And if I smack em everybody treats me like a monster
My neighbors ain't doing much better
And we making competition instead of sticking together
Can't save no nest egg in fact this nest is rented
In fact that rent is late, wait
The money ain't here the raise ain't coming
Just me and my son and that crazy woman
And those bartenders this whole fucking country
Got everybody swallowing that lunch meat

Maybe we can speed up the process
Kill me in my thirties in the name of progress
Put me in the dirt and then change the topic
Some time it seems like the only way to stop it
Contemplate my departure date
Doesn't take a lot to get a lot of us to talk this way
Take a shot at me that's all I'm obligated for
Apparently my only guarantee is a walk away

The only guarantee in life is a life worth dying for
The only guarantee in life is a life worth dying for
Cause death don't wait for no one
Sitting on your front door
The only guarantee in life is a life worth dying for
Cause death don't wait for no one
Sitting on your front door



Now, listen for yourself!




Guarantees is a song that every person can relate to.  We all have worked hard in our life and sometimes it is a struggle to make ends meet. We all wish we had more money, better education, better job, or even a job at all.  Sometimes family life is hard, but we all figure things out in the end. When I really got hooked on this song I was in a depressed haze, struggling to figure out my life.  Sometimes the song helped me get through, sometimes it made me struggle even more.  Those days are long passed, but this is song is still one of my personal favorites.  It's down to earth and in your face.  It may not be the most up beat song, but it is a honest song you can hear and feel that it is made from deep within the heart and soul.  And that is why I love underground hip hop.  The realness that comes to life. 

Well that's it for this weeks edition of Lyrics Break Down.  Tune in next week for Smile by Eyedea and Abilities. 

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Lyrics Break Down: Forest Whitiker

Lyrics Break Down - Forest Whitiker by Brother Ali

One of the main aspects of underground hip hop that has me so hooked is being able to really relate to so many of these lyrics that are out there. They are written by people with different backgrounds and up bringing than me, but yet I'm able to find aspects of their songs that grab my mind and heart. This is the first segment of a weekly piece I'm going to be doing. I'm going to give you the lyrics of a song, and then break it down to what it means to me.

The first song is one of my all time favorite songs by one of my favorite artists of all time. The song is Forest Whitiker, off of Brother Ali's Shadows on the Sun. It is one of the very first underground hip hop songs that really took a hold of me. First read over the lyrics.

Forest Whitiker - Brother Ali

And yo whatever comes up comes out
We don't put our hands over our mouth
And whatever comes up comes out
We don't put our hands over our mouth
Whatever comes up comes out
Please mister bass-man lay it on me

Ayo, Dependin on the day, and dependin on what I ate
I'm anywhere from 20 to 35 pounds over weight
I got red eyes and one of them's lazy
and they both squint when the sun shines so I get crazy
I'm albino man, I know I'm pink and pale
And I'm hairy as hell, everywhere but fingernails
I shave a cranium that ain't quite shaped right
Face tight, shiny, I stay up and write late nights
My wardrobe is jeans and faded shirts
A mixture of what I like, and what I wear to work
I'm not mean and got a neck full of razor bumps
I'm not the classic profile of what the ladies want
You might think I'm depressed as can be
But when I look in the mirror I see sexy ass me
And if that's somethin that you cant respect then that's peace
My life's better without you actually
To everyone out there, who's a little different
I say damn a magazine, these are gods fingerprints
You can call me ugly but cant take nothing from me
I am what I am doctor you ain't gotta love me

[Spoken]

If you would please turn in your bible
To beauty tips according to Forest Whitiker
In the third chapter of the third line
Brother Ali would you please read to the choir for me son

[Sung x3]

I'ma be all right, you ain't gotta be my friend tonight (you ain't gotta love me)
An I'ma be okay, you would probably bore me anyway (you ain't gotta love me)
Forest Whitiker y'all

This song really doesn't need an explanation because it speaks for itself. Since the whole point of this is to break down what it means to me, I guess lets get started.

I have listened to this song hundreds of times and it has helped me get through some dark days and stay happy in the best of moments. I have seen this song live about seven times now. Every time the crowd knows this song word for word.

I believe this is a song that anyone and everyone can relate to. No, we aren't all over weight albinos that are legally blind. That being said, it is still one of those songs that you can listen to and feel that it was written just for you. We all have imperfections and are self conscious. All of us are still great and beautiful in our own ways. We all have features about us we would like to change. I know would like to lose a few pounds off my belly and add some muscle to this skinny frame of mine. The majority of us level headed people know we aren't the classic profile of what the ladies want. And yes I've had my depressed days. But it is all about how you look at yourself in that mirror. It doesn't matter what other people think of you, its how you view yourself. Once you have that confidence in yourself, and say screw what anyone else thinks of you, you can break free and be yourself. Once I was able to get over my depressed days and be happy with myself, a whole new world opened for me. I've now been happily married for 15 months and I am the happiest I have ever been.  To me thats this song is all about. 

To sum it up, we all have our insecurities, but we are all great people. Just be yourself. The greatest feature we all contain is that uniqueness that makes us individuals. So when you look in that mirror, be sure you see "sexy ass me."

Well that's it for the first edition of Lyrics Breakdown. Next week - Guarantees - Atmosphere

 

Mourning in America Tour

With "Mourning in America, Dreaming in Color" being released almost 2 months ago, I would hope all of you have it by now. It is an amazing album by one of my all time favorites, Brother Ali. It is a album everyone wishes they could make, but don't have the heart, strength, courage, and wisdom to do so. Ali pours his heart and soul out into this album, touching on topics that few dare to go near. He talks about the state that this country is currently in, the wars, poverty, family, love, and memories. I know I'm not alone when I say this is exactly the album that Ali needed to create. If you haven't already done so, you need to buy or download MIADIC immediately!  I recommend buying the actual copy because of the great fold out inside. It has all the lyrics as well as great pictures.
With the Mourning in America tour just ending its North American shows, I hope that many of you had the chance to catch the live show. From what I heard from everyone around the country, it was an amazing show. He performed with a live band, Blank Tape Revolver, and had two of his favorite artists, Homeboy Sandman and The ReMinders on tour with him. All three artists dropped a new album on the same day! Brother Ali of course had MIADIC. Homeboy Sandman released First of Living Breed, and The ReMinders came out with Born Champions.

I had the pleasure of attending one of three stops the tour made here in Colorado. I saw them perform at the Aggie Theatre in my home town of Fort Collins. As expected the show did sell out by the end of the night. The ReMinders opened up the show. It was a homecoming show for them, being from Colorado. I have been a huge fan of theirs since I first saw them open for Brother Ali four or five years ago at the Fox Theatre in Boulder. This was the fourth time I have seen them and it was once again an amazing performance. Rarely do you ever hear such clarity as you do when Aja sings. Her voice is so strong and beautiful and always sounds great no matter what venue they play. The husband and wife duo have such an amazing stage presence. You can really tell they love what they are doing, and have the talent to make it shine. Some highlights for me was hearing "Outside my Window", which is one of my personal favorites from their first album Recollect. A song that really stood out to me was "I Remember". It is from their newest album, and is one of my favorite songs out there at this moment. For their last song they brought out their backup dancers, which turned out to be their three young kids. It was great to see them share the stage with their parents The crowd loved it!

Homeboy Sandman was the second to take the stage. It was my second time seeing his live show. As always, he put on a very live and energetic performance. He has a unique style and sound that is always good to hear. The only disappointing moment of his set was from the crowd. Before he was finished with his set, the crowd starting chanting for Brother Ali. It may not have been boos, but to me it was the same as being booed off the stage. I was embarrassed and ashamed of the behavior of the crowd. It was very disrespectful. For us true hip hop fans, it was awful. To Homeboy Sandman, I apologize for the behavior of the crowd. He did handle it very well and professionally. He rolled with it, telling the crowd he wasn't quite ready, and Brother Ali would be out in a moment.

It was the first time I have ever seen Brother Ali with a live band, although he has played with a live band on many occasions. Blank Tape Revolver was Ali's band for the tour. They consisted of a three piece horn section, guitar, and keyboard. Ali opened the set with with Stop the Press, a moving song that recaps the ups and downs of Ali's last couple years. He continued with some new songs off of MIADIC, like The Only Life I'll Ever Know, and Mourning in America. The live band sounded great and brought a lot of energy to the stage. The only down side was at times it they over powered Ali's voice. As the set went on, the sound got better. At times only the guitar or keyboards would play, allowing his stories to be heard a little clearer. He then broke out some classics like Dorian, Forest Whitaker, Tight Rope, and Uncle Sam Goddamn. A highlight of the show was when Brother Ali took over the drum kit, and kept the beat for the rest of the band as they took turns playing solos. For the encore, Ali came out and played what he said at the time was his favorite song, and played track one from MIADIC, Letter to my Countrymen. Then he invited Homeboy Sandman and The Reminders to come back on stage for an amazing rendition of The Truth is Here. All of them on stage at once brought so much energy and it was a great way to end the show.

Besides some stupid fans in the crowd jumping on stage and being disrespectful, it was an excellent show. All acts brought their A game and put on a show to remember! If you haven't already heard of The Reminders or Homeboy Sandman, you need to check them out. If you have never seen Brother Ali live, it is a must. While his lyrics and albums are amazing, he has a live stage presence that very few have and makes for one of the best shows you will ever see.  Til next show, peace!
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