Music
RUDE BOYS BACK IN TOWN
So unique!
the rude boy’s back in town
the rude boy’s back in town
see, I was walkin’ down the street about a quarter to four
It was early in the morning from the night before
met a woman on the corner said to come in my door
heard the rhythm of the music pumpin’ up through the floor
when I walk into the party it was ready to go
there were punk rockers, reggae rockers all in row
whinin’ and a grindin’ to the DJ show
and the woman from the corner I was gettin’ to know
the rude boy’s back in town
the rude boy’s back in town
Dem I say Michael Michael, where you been?
You been eatin’ alright? ya know you look a little thin
I been out in Japan chillin’ Tokyo man
I took the bullet train to Hiroshima and then
I jump into the water and I started to swim
shanghai, ho-chi-minh city and then
down to Indonesia where I hooked with some friends
I visit tami iti down in tuhoe again
I jump across to byron, alice springs
down to capetown where I be doin’ my thing
then I be gone to Uganda, Tanzania
up to Sudana, glad to see ‘em
Jerusalem Mumbai Istanbul
then down to Rio, Sao Paulo Brasil
up to guadalajara, Kingston way,
stop off in habana now I’m back to the bay
the rude boy’s back in town
the rude boy’s back in town
we callin’ out! from high to underground
we come to tell you, the rude boys back in town!
Are you rockin’ rockin’?
Are you rollin’ rollin’?
Are you whinin’ whinin’?
Are you grindin’ grindin’?
Do you wanna rock a party ‘till the morning
Yeah we wanna rock a party till the morning
When the police comin’ in we give a warnin’
I’m a drumma but I often like to pick up my mic
And when I rock a party you can do whatcha like
Get ready for the riddim when we come into sight
From early in the mornin’ we no stop until light
All night long we just rockin’ along
Thanks to the DJ we be singin’ a song
Hold to your lover if your lovin’ is strong
Dance to the bass line all night long
A Little Bit Of Riddim
Rock with me
And you hear the sound
A little bit a riddim make the world go ‘round
do you remember the time before
every day was a news of a holy war
when the people wasn't ‘fraid to tell you what they want
everybody in the city always had a home
when a bomb wasn’t going off everyday
when the rain didn't have to mean a hurricane
when the government wasn't listen to your calls
when a border didn’t have to mean a concrete wall y'all
(chorus)
I’m a human being, y’all Rock with me!
I’m a human being, y’all Rock with me!
I was born with a sword in my hand and a microphone, sent to this land with an amplifier I set on fire woah, I'm that rebel I tried to warn ya!!
(chorus)
I see dem planning it bombing it glocking it
dem have dem foot up in it dem talk talk
never walk pussyfooting it religion, division pushing dem first world opinion scar, war, oh lord to dem neck up in it who keep score of di fallen soldiers can i see the hands of my real believers 200 million talking 'bout some lips on dicks the fix the po-li-trics now take ya ... lick
and there came a time we all saw the sign it’s been a long time coming but now you're mine I'm a fear destroyer and to those who torture woah oh now devil! I'm comin for ya
(chorus)
LIFE IN THE CITY
Some say you only get so many breaths
When they’re gone you meet your maker
Some people always try cheat their death
But when it comes- you just can’t shake it
Some people try to make a deal to get
A little bit more but they try to take it
Some of them just end up in debt
When they’re called they try to fake it
But one morning the clock will chime and no more birds come flying by
and temperatures keep rising higher 16 bullets come flying by
ai yi yi put your hands up high
'cause ya never know how long ya gonna live till ya die
they can hit you with a missile hit you with a bomb hit you with the law and try to take your home
break into your house in the middle of the night track you on a cell phone by satellite
stopped anytime you're in your car
and search your body search your home and listenin' in on your phone calls
still no politician got enough balls lining the people up against the wall
when truth comes out all ... will call and someday guantanamo will fall
until that day we all will ride on
ai yi yi put your hands up high
'cause ya never know how long ya gonna live till ya die
that's life in the city that's life in the city yeah
that's life in the city mad world in the city (CHORUS)
some holdin on, so ... gone their whole life living with their tv on
then radio play the same ten songs set your clock by which ones on
and watching the news try to see what's wrong find somebody else to blame it on
hope they never come and research you 'cause your grandmother was an immigrant too
so if you love somebody better tell them so
cause you never ever ever know when they gonna go
if they love you back just give thanks
can't keep love like money in the bank
(CHORUS)
You never know, you never know It’s gonna get you
<!--[if gte mso 9]>
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Helvetica;
mso-fareast-font-family:Helvetica;
mso-hansi-font-family:Helvetica;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
LIFE IN THE CITY
Some say you only get so many breaths
When they’re gone you meet your maker
Some people always try cheat their death
But when it comes- you just can’t shake it
Some people try to make a deal to get
A little bit more but they try to take it
Some of them just end up in debt
When they’re called they try to fake it
But one morning the clock will chime and
no more birds come flying by and
temperatures keep rising higher
16 bullets come flying by
ai yi yi put your hands up high
'cause ya never know how long ya gonna live till ya die
they can hit you with a missile
hit you with a bomb
hit you with the law and try to take your home
break into your house in the middle of the night
track you on a cell phone by satellite
stopeed anytime you're in your car and
search your body search your home and
listenin' in on your phone calls
still no politician got enough balls
lining the people up against the wall
when truth comes out all ... will call and
someday guantanamo will fall
until that day we all will ride on
ai yi yi put your hands up high
'cause ya never know how long ya gonna live till ya die
that's life in the city
that's life in the city yeah
that's life in the city
mad world in the city
(CHORUS)
some holdin on, so ... gone
their whole life living with their tv on
then radio play the same ten songs
set your clock by which ones on and
watching the news try to see what's wrong
find somebody else to blame it on
hope they never come and research you 'cause
your grandmother was an immigrant too
so if you love somebody better tell them so
cause you never ever ever know when they gonna go
if they love you back just give thanks
can't keep love like money in the bank
(CHORUS)
You never know, you never know
It’s gonna get you
<!--EndFragment-->
Hey World
Hey world, you know you got to put up a fight
Hey world, you rumble in the jungle tonight
Hey world, keep bringing it the rest of your life
You got to put up a fight.
Hey world, you know you got to put up a fight
Hey world, you rumble in the jungle tonight
Hey world, you're running for the rest of your life
You got to put up a fight.
BOOM BOOM
There's a battle going on in this earth
everyday. Work, school, death, and birth.
There are 6 billion people on this earth,
can you tell me what every single life is worth?
Toke a spliff, look around and see history.
My weapon and my method is no mystery.
I didn't come here to chill. I came here to rock,
to smash the empire with my boom-box.
You got to let go of remote control!
Hey world, you know you got to put up a fight
Hey world, you rumble in the jungle tonight
Hey world, keep bringing it the rest of your life
You got to put up a fight.
Hey world, you know you got to put up a fight
Hey world, you rumble in the jungle tonight
Hey world, keep bringing it the rest of your life
You got to put up a fight.
You know you got to put up a fight.
On a universal mission like a meteorite.
Satellite, laser beam with you in their sights.
And with the patriot act they took all your right.
Don't ever doubt the power of just one mind.
Or the world-wide power of just one rhyme.
Don't ever doubt the force of the bassline.
Or a record gone round to burn the house down.
(You got to let go of remote control.)
Hey world, you know you got to put up a fight
Hey world, you rumble in the jungle tonight
Hey world, keep bringing it the rest of your life
You got to put up a fight.
(All rebel rockers!)
There's a bullet with your name, it's a sign of the times.
It takes nine hundred ninety nine criminal minds.
You got to let go of remote control.
You got to let go of remote control!
Hey world, you know you got to put up a fight
Hey world, you rumble in the jungle tonight
Hey world, keep bringing it the rest of your life
You got to put up a fight.
all i want is you
all i want is you
all i want is you
all i want is you
wise folks count their blessings
fools count their problems
but you're both of them to me
because you're beautiful
you're so frickin' beautiful
you took all my memory
and all i want is you
all i want is you
all i want is you
don't tell me you love me
if you don't really love me
but you can still kiss me
'cause i need you to kiss me
because you're beautiful
you're so frickin beautiful
you took all my memory
and all i want is you
all i want is you
all i want is you
i love you in the daytime
i love you in the nighttime too
i love you in the moonlight
Ilove you when the sunshines through
i love you all of the time
all i want is you
all i want is you
there is life in this love
and there's love in this life
wise folks count their blessings
fools count their problems
but you're both of them to me
and all i want is you
all i want is you
all i want is you
SAY HEY
I say hey… I’ll be gone today
But I’ll be back comin’ round the way
Seems like everywhere I go, the more I see the less I know
But I know one thing, that I love you
I love you, I love you, I love you
I been a lotta places all around the way
I seen a lotta joy and I seen a lotta pain
But I don’t wanna write a love song for the world
I just wanna right a song about a boy and a girl
junkies on the corner always callin’ my name
And the kids on the corner playing ghetto games
When I saw you getting down, girl I hoped it was you
and when I look into your eyes, I knew it was true
(chorus)
Now I’m not a highly metaphysical man
But I know when the stars are aligned you can
Bump into a person in the middle of the road
Look into their eyes and you suddenly know
Rockin’ in the dance hall, movin’ with you
Dancing in the night in the middle o’ June
My momma told me don’t lose you
‘cause the best luck I had was you
(chorus)
Rockin’ in the dancehall movin’ with you
I say Hey mama, hey mama-close to you
Rockin’ in the dancehall movin’ with you
I say Hey papa, hey papa- kick off your shoes
Rockin’ in the dancehall movin’ with you
I say Hey mama, hey mama-close to you
Rockin’ in the dancehall movin’ with you
I say Hey mama Hey mama Hey Mama
(chorus)
Well my momma told me don’t lose you
‘cause the best luck I had was you
and I know, one thing… that I love you
i got love for you
la la la la la la la la la la la
another morning has come and the sun is high
but today is a day I know that I might cry
cause I know you're going and I know you're leaving
to somewhere to hope to find a piece of mind you seek
in the back of a greyhound bus it can take you far
in the back of a greyhound bus you can be who you are
CHORUS
and i say la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
i got love for you I got love for you and i say
la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la I got love for you
and I'll be waiting my dear, waiting right here
waiting my dear, waiting right here
I remember the time back when we were home
in and out up and down of this life of a crazy road
it's been a long time that i should've said what i tell you now
i got faith in you i got hope for you
and i say in the dark of the night in a hotel when you're alone
in the middle of a city where nobody cares to know
on the top of the town in the glimmer of the shining light
shine on now you just shine on now
CHORUS
and i know that you can't say for sure when you're coming home
but i got faith in you and i believe in you
CHORUS
SOUND SYSTEM
The sound of the weapon called a microphone
Bring the revolution on
Broadcasting ‘till the early morn’ and
pirate radio rockin’ it on
Revolution on the dance floor
Tell me what you fightin’ for
because this DJ gonna keep you alive
Forget about your troubles and your 9 to 5
With the rhythm of the funk
The pump the bump
People have you arrived
From the place you left, trying to forget
all the things you sweat
the job, the bills, the phone, the spills
somebody hand you a hand full o’ pills
so you hold ‘em up, pop ‘em down
ya head’s like a record going gonk a gonk
the beat keeps bumpin’ pound for pound
and the whole wide world try to beat you down but
sound system here’s a warnin’
sound system turn it on and
sound system microphone and
Babylon system soon come down
sound system here’s a warnin’
sound system turn it on and
sound system microphone and
This system gonna rock this town
Drug dealers-teachers-preachers
All are believers
Stock brokers, law enforcers
Late night cokers
Arms dealers, man stealers,
Big wheelers, Three piece stealers
also politicians ha ha everybody on a mission
choose your poison, girls and boys all make your choice and
call the doctor, he ain’t never on vacation
gonna send medication, knows you jonesin’ disco addiction
mainline? bass line
show me what your workin’ with
show me what your workin’ with
(chours)
All night from the day you’re born
All night ‘till the early mornin’
All night from the day you’re born
All night ‘till the day you’re gone
All night from the day you’re born
All night ‘till the early mornin’
All night from the day you’re born
This system gonna rock this town
Bedroom, putting on a uniform
Dialing the numbers on a xylaphone
Starin’ at the mirror watch you transformin’
Makin’ sure they all know you all alone and
Rollin up a twenty gonna blow the horn
Late night ticket for the unicorn
Everybody lookin’ for the same old porno
Could a DJ save our soul now?
show me what your workin’ with
show me what your workin’ with
(chours)
HEY WORLD
Tell me why the grass was greener, years ago
I swear it used to grow here, but no more here
tell me why, on this hill
all the birds they used to come to fly here
come to die here
and tell me why I need to know
sometimes I wish I didn’t have to know
all you show me
HEY WORLD WHAT YOU SAY
SHOULD I STICK AROUND FOR ANOTHER DAY OR TWO
DON’T GIVE UP ON ME, I WON’T GIVE UP ON YOU
JUST BELIEVE IN ME LIKE I BELIEVE IN YOU
Tell me why on the corner
all the kids that used to come to run here
load there guns here
and tell me why, it’s okay
to kill in the name of the gods we pray
tell me who said it’s okay to die in the name of
the lies we say
tell me why there’s child soldiers
tell me why they closed the borders
tell me how to fight diseases
and tell me now won’t you please
the only thing I want to do
is to be in the arms of someone who believes in me
Like I believe in you
(chorus)
I try try try try for you
Don’t give up on me
And I cry cry cry
I cry cry cry I cry for you
Just believe in me like I believe
(chorus)
The Future
They talk of the future like it's already the past
They Talk about the future like today will never last
Thay talk of the future while their diggin' through your trash
Taxman come to remove your cash
They talk of the future like a criminal plans
Corporate robberies in far off lands
They tell you the future's a big wonderland
and that homeland security's got a career for you
Don't you believe what they told you before
It's the same frikin' lies that they'll tell you some more
They searchin' your bag as you're boarding the plane
and they telling your neighbors that you went insane
I wouldn't believe that this was all coming true
If I could not see with my eyes that it's true
Even still I hope the future gets here soon
Bring it on bring it on
The future's comin' on like a bomb
The whole worlds rockin' and the beat goes on 2x
Ready or not we're bringing it on
The whole world's rockin' and the beat goes on
They take all your privacy give it away
and for musical piracy lock you away
They tell you that war is a permanent thing
and American Idol kids really can sing
Potheads on a rescue mission,
put your cancer in remission
People starving, malnutrition
work your abs into condition
Oh no now they after your soul
and they're telling you now that you're losing control
well its true cause I just got sick of it all
they say the savior's comin he's down at the mall
He's signing some autographs and selling them all
Pick up the phone now and make the call
I wouldn't believe that this is all coming true
If I could not see with my eyes that it's true
Even still I hope the future gets here soon
Bring it on bring it on
The future's comin' on like a bomb
The whole worlds rockin' and the beat goes on 2x
Ready or not we're bringing it on
The whole world's rockin' and the beat goes on
Stay for Tomorrow
Stay For Tomorrow
They talk of the future like today will never last
They talk of the future like it's already the past
They talk of the future while their diggin' through your trash
Taxman come to remove your cash
The future's comin' on like a bomb
The whole worlds rockin' and the beat goes on
Ready or not we're bringing it on
The whole world's rockin' and the beat goes on 2x
Stay for tomorrow
Stay for tomorrow
High Low (featuring Zap Mama)
We all walk through the valley below
We all need a little time alone
We all want a little heaven above
We all want somebody to love
You, you and nobody else
You, you and nobody else
You, you and nobody else
You, you and nobody else
I wanna be, so high
I wanna be, so high
I wanna feel, so high
I wanna be, so high
On the day a little baby born
Mama knew she couldn’t be the one
But before she had to go
She said, “there’s a love I want you to know”
You, you and nobody else
You, you and nobody else, my son
You, you and nobody else
You you and nobody else
I wanna be, so high
I wanna be, so high
I wanna feel, so high
I wanna be, so high
But sometimes I’m high high
Low low
Sometimes I’m high high
Low low
Somebody tell me why
Somebody tell me yeah
Somebody tell me why
Somebody tell me yeah
And I wanna be
I wanna be
And I wanna be
So do I
I want to feel
So do I
I wanna be
Nobody Right Nobody Wrong
They say you got to choose your side and
when it’s done…nobody right, nobody wrong.
It ended in a great big fight and
when it’s done…nobody right, nobody wrong.
Conflict, each and every day
at home and in the streets
and in my soul and everyway
it’s hard to keep the faith when I feel so far away
times I feel connected
times I’m running away
but woah, woah can’t you see
all the sickness, hunger and poverty
war on the land and a war in the seas
woah, war is a painful thing
but the one argument none of us can hide
is the one that’s raging down deep inside
tryin’ a make a point, or have the last word
but most the time people just trying to be heard
(chorus)
but how many people never ever broke a rule and
how many people tryin’ a to get the kids to school and
how many people pray they only find a job and
how many people are afraid of gettin’ robbed but
woah, woah nobody knows and
woah, woah only God knows
numbers escalate wall street crime rate
from the Baghdad streets to my city by the bay, hey
(chorus)
and I say
Can say what you mean and
Do you mean what you mean what you say
Every single day
reach out a hand to somebody needs a hand and
reach out a heart to somebody torn apart
it’s hard, this livin’- this life we been given
locked in your soul or locked up in prison
remember you got to reach high to be risen
the day you let it go is the day you are forgiven …
(chorus)
One man got a jet fighter and
The other got a song
nobody right, nobody wrong
HAVE A LITTLE FAITH
I know its hard when you're down
And the bad times seem to follow you around
And you got no reason to show
Don't let it go...oh no
And when it's 3 in the morn
And you've told your whole life story to a telephone
And the radio's the only thing to let you know
You're not alone...oh no
Just have a little faith in me
I have a little faith in you
So have a little faith in me
Don't let it go...oh no
And I wish I was there
Just to run my own fingers through your worries and cares
Even though I fumble and fall
Don't let it go...oh no
And when the rain falls down you know the flowers are gonna bloom
And when the hard times come you know the teacher's in the room
And when the sun comes up you know that I'll be there for you
Don't let it go...oh no
Just have a little faith in me
I have a little faith in you
So have a little faith in me
Don't let it go...oh no
Just have a little faith in me
I have a little faith in you
So have a little faith in me
Don't let it go
Don't let it go
Don't let it go
Don't let it go
Don't let it go
Don't let it go
Just be strong for you, I'll be strong for you
Just be strong for you, I'll be strong for you
Just be strong for you, I'll be strong for you
Just be strong for you, I'll be strong for you
Don't let it go
Don't let it go
Don't let it go
Don't let it go
Michael Franti & Spearhead return with their eagerly-awaited album, ALL REBEL ROCKERS, on September 9, via Anti-Records. Recorded in Kingston, Jamaica, with reggae's most prolific production teams, Sly & Robbie (No Doubt, Alicia Keys, Sean Paul, Bob Dylan), this new release deviates from Franti's previous sound and comprises a hybrid dub-infused soul flavor with some hard-hitting dub rock production. Alongside Dave Shul (guitars), Manas Itene (drums), Carl Young (bass) and Raleigh Neal (keyboards), the album also features Zap Mama founder Marie Daulne and Jamaican soul/dancehall star Cherine Anderson.Recorded in Kingston, Jamaica and Franti’s hometown of San Francisco, California.
Franti talked to Express about the ideas behind the tracks on his newest work.
Rude Boys Back In Town
That's a song that's about the experiences of traveling and coming back home. I come back to town and everybody's like "Michael, where have you been? What are you doing? You look like you've lost weight. Are you eating OK?" So I explain my stories to people. Traveling is the blessing and curse of being a musician. It's afforded me the opportunity to see so much of the world that I never imagined I would see — like when I was a kid I used to spin the globe in the library and stick my finger down on Bora Bora or someplace. But it's also the curse in that it takes me away from my family and friendships.
A Little Bit of Riddim
If you listen to the verses, it talks about all the things that are happening today. It says "Do you remember a time before every day was the news of a holy war?" It goes on and on and cites all the things that are happening in the world right now. But in the chorus, it's an uplifting statement: A little bit of rhythm makes the world go round. I always say I don't know if music can change the world overnight, but I know it can help us make it through a difficult night.
Life in the City
Again, it's one of those songs that's an expression of everything that's happening in street life. But it's also an expression of "Throw your hands in the air and let's have gratitude for what we have."
Hey World (Remote Control Version)
Hey World (Don't Give Up Version)
The "Remote Control" version is kind of a call to stand up, to rise up and say, "Let's throw away that remote control and let's take action." The "Don't Give Up" version is an internal message to myself for the times when I feel weakest and most worried about the state of the world. I'm asking the world "Please don't give up on me, and if you don't then I won't give up on you."
All I Want Is You
"All I Want is You" is just a pure love song about desire.
Say Hey (I Love You)
When I first wrote that song I had a very complicated chorus for it. I was in the streets of Brazil and I was singing the song for people with my guitar. I realized the only part they understood was the "I Love You" part. So I ended up just repeating [sings] "I love you, I love you, I love you." That melody really caught on and soon kids were dancing and singing. So we ended up going back to Brazil to make the video in the same way that I had written the song on the streets of Rio de Janeiro.
I Got Love for You
It's a song that I wrote for my son. When he turned 21 he left home and I was 21 when I had him. He was getting on a Greyhound bus, going from San Francisco to New York City, so I went into my studio and I wrote the song for him, and I gave it to him on a CD. I remember him calling me. He was sitting in the back of the bus listening to the song and crying a little bit, and I was crying. It's really a song of letting go and it's saying it's OK to let go.
Soundsystem
"Soundsystem" is a song that came from my experiences of listening to music in the early '80s. As a teenager, there was the Clash — they were taking sounds from everywhere, from reggae, from funk, from rap, and they were putting it all into this one thing. Then you also had a group like Blondie who were doing the same thing, or the Police who were doing reggae, or Queen who was doing a Chic [bass] riff on "Another One Bites the Dust." You had all these great combinations of music. That one came from that musical memory.
The Future
"The Future" is a song that I wrote and [put] on a demo and I gave to a friend about seven years ago. One day I was at a show of mine and I hear it coming out of somebody's car. I go up to their car and I'm like, "How did you get that song? We never released it." And he's like, "Well, I got it from somebody who got it from somebody in Hawaii." My friend lives in Hawaii. So I called him up and was like, "Man you can't let my demos out like that! But thanks, man, because it's a good song and I'm gonna rerecord it and put it on this album."
High Low (featuring Zap Mama)
That's a song that I wrote with Marie Daulne from Zap Mama. We were in Belgium at Marie's house. I picked up the guitar, and we both started talking about our mothers. That song is about the experience of me meeting my mother — my birth mother, I should say. I didn't know her, and I met her when I was 22. It's about the highs and lows of going through the emotions of meeting my mom, who I never knew.
Nobody Right Nobody Wrong
That's a song I wrote in Israel and Palestine. After having spent time traveling there and talking to people on both sides of the conflict, I realized the only way there's gonna be peace there is when both sides come to agreement on solutions that consider the other side. It can't just be "My side is right your side is wrong." You've gotta consider the needs of both sides.
Have a Little Faith
This [John Hiatt song] is a kind of a self-descriptive title. I really believe that's what we need today in this world — the optimism and something that helps us hold onto the optimism. Yes, the world appears to be in chaos, but there is a possibility that through everybody uniting we can address some of these issues that we face today.
13 brand new tracks produced by Sly & Robbie (Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, No Doubt) and Matt Wallace (Maroon 5, O.A.R., Blues Traveler)
