Noted for his intense flow and sharp wit, Francis has won acclaim both as a freestyle battler and as an unapologetic, intellectual lyricist. Francis uses a broad emotional palette to address a wide range of personal, cultural, and political issues. His unconventional style and persona have given him crossover appeal, but at the same time alienated some hip-hop listeners.
Prior to embarking on a full-time career as an MC, Francis displayed his skills in slam poetry. During the late 1990s, he recorded his first demo tape (1996), fronted the now defunct Providence hip-hop band Art Official Intelligence, and hosted a weekly slot on independent radio station WRIU (the "True School Session"). He also formed the Non-Prophets and released a 12” (Drop Bass/Bounce/I Keep Calling, Emerge Records, 1999), following up in 2003 with their first full-length offering, Hope. Francis is a contemporary of underground hip-hop artists such as Slug, Eyedea, Sole and the anticon. collective. He is also loosely affiliated with the vague underground hip-hop super-group The Orphanage.
As a solo performer, Francis won the MC battle at the 2000 Scribble Jam, and in 2001 he came close to repeating as champion (semi-finalist) while performing as his "metal" alter ego, "Xaul Zan". Francis released his first proper solo album, Personal Journals, on Anticon. in 2002. He toured with a live band on the Live Band Dead Poet Tour to support it. Francis subsequently became the first hip-hop artist to sign with Punk label Epitaph, agreeing to a three-album deal. His first album for Epitaph, A Healthy Distrust, was released in early 2005 and was followed up with Human the Death Dance in 2007.
One of Francis' best-known tracks is "Makeshift Patriot", a commentary on the American media recorded one month after the September 11, 2001 attacks which he released on the internet as an MP3 as well as a limited edition 7" single.
In February 2005 Sage dropped his second full length album on the originally punk label Epitaph, it was widely regarded as the best underground hip hop album of the year by critics and fans alike and featured heavily political tracks such as "The Buzz Kill" and "Slow Down Gandhi" and more personal material like that more similar to that of his debut 'Personal Journals' such as 'Bridle' and a few heavily satirical comments on the modern day rap and urban scene such as the satirical comment on youth gun culture 'Gunz Yo'.
Sage has helped to set up the Wiki KnowMore.org which is described as a 'way to keep tabs on the some of the biggest and most dangerous businesses in the world'. He is a vegetarian and also chooses to abstain from drugs and drinking, though doesn't label himself as "straight-edge" because he believes "you shouldn't define yourself by what you don't do."
Sage has set up his own label and signed some of who he claims to be his favorite artists of the moment such as Buck 65 and Proplyphic and Reanimator named Strange Famous (which shares his initials) with which he released his most recent work 'Human the Death Dance'
This album was released in May 2007 and takes a step away from the heavily political 'Healthy Distrust' and heads back to the more personal lyrics of 'Personal Journals' and comments on modern culture. The album features cameos from many Strange Famous artists such as Buddy Wakefield, Buck 65 and Reanimator.
In 2010 Sage released his fourth full length album Li(f)e (the title coming from the famous quote from 'The Cure' on the Non-Prophets album Hope "Life is just a lie with an f in it and death is definite"). The album was extremely well received and one particular single off of the album 'The Best Of Times' received extensive air play on the popular British radio station Radio 1. After Sages Li(f)e tour Sage has stated that he will no longer be doing tours but will still be releasing albums and other materials, instead he will be doing select gigs throughout each year.
On 3 June 2014, Sage released his fifth studio album 'Copper Gone'. It is the first official studio album after Sage Francis announced his hiatus, which lasted for four years.
Little Houdini
Sage Francis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In Florida at the Daytona International Speedway
He was a fugitive on the run,
Christopher made a quick escape
While being transported in a van
That was picking up convicts state to state.
He did it during a bathroom break,
He hot-wired somebody's pickup
In fact,
Christopher had a long history of theft
Involving trucks,
He was on route to Alabama
For stealing someone's travel trailer
Grand Theft Auto
He was a career criminal, jailbird
Who also had three outstanding warrants
In his home state of Tennessee
It was an outstanding performance that set him free
Little Houdini
Stole a big rig, then a tour bus that belonged to Crystal Gayle
To evade a five state manhunt that wanted to put that birdy back in jail
But they failed
'cause Christopher wasn't just running from cops
Christopher Gay was now racing a clock
His mother was dying
And there was no time to be held
Inside of a cage with locks
So yall can turn up your nose
And suck on your teeth and wag your finger like tsk-tsk
But he had to take the risk
Little Houdini
There wasn't a single thing sinister in his decision
To break from the prison
His only motive was to go back to his childhood home
While his mom was still living
It wasn't a house
More like an old mobile camper
Where she was bedridden diagnosed with colon cancer
Sometimes,
The only answer we're left with
When the loved one's name is on the death list
Is to head for the exits and go home
Christopher got the hell out of Texas
His abandonment was reckless
It prolonged his sentence
Y'all can forget it
He had numerous convictions and none were as strong as this
Unless you consider the other instance
He went the distance
Similar situation, it was a bizarre coincidence
When he escaped from the prison the first time,
Not this time, but the one before
He visited his dad
Cause he was dying inside of a mental ward
Suffering from Alzheimer's
He paid respects
Made his peace
When he was done
He didn't run
He returned himself back to the police
That's when his mom made her plea
She said:
"He knows what he done was wrong,
But he knows his father don't got long
He's not a fugitive on the run
He's not dangerous, he's our son
He ain't never hurt no one
He knows what he's done was wrong,
But he knows his father don't got long
He's not a fugitive on the run
He's our son"
This ain't no country western song.
Christopher wasn't just running from cops
Christopher Gay was now racing a clock
His mother was dying
And there was no time to be held
Inside of a cage with locks
So y'all can go on tossing rocks
And talk your talk like tsk tsk
Meanwhile Chris is stealing a tractor trailer from Wal-Mart
An 18 wheeler, he's peeling rubber the bird takes flight down turnpikes
Three hundred thousand dollars worth of merchandise,
But it ain't worth her life
Ran it off the road, and abandoned it
50 yards from his moms to avoid the cops
That's half a football field from her feeble arms
After all this stuff
The tour bus, the pick up trucks
The tractor trailer, interstate chases
He put on the brakes and couldn't get close enough
The news reporters told people to lock their doors
Like there was a monster on the loose
But there was no truth to those reports.
His mom had weeks to live
And Chris had years to serve
They were within shouting distance
But I don't think he heard her final words.
I don't think he heard her final words.
She made her plea to the TV
"He knows what he's done was wrong,
But he knows his mama don't got long
He's not a fugitive on the run
He's not dangerous, he's our son
He ain't never hurt no one
He knows what he's done was wrong,
But he knows his mama don't got long
He's not a fugitive on the run
He's not dangerous, he's our son"
This ain't no country western song.
The third time he escaped from a state cop at the Georgia pit-stop
He just slipped out of the handcuffs, he jumped ship then he took off
With no father to visit, no mom to go home to
Just an open road where he could be free
Little Houdini
With no father to visit, no mom to go home to
Just a wide open sky where he could fly
With no father to visit, no mom to go home to
Just an open road where he could be free
Little Houdini
With no father to visit, no mom to go home to
Just a wide open sky where he could fly
With no father to visit, no mom to go home to
Just an open road where he could be free
Little Houdini
With no father to visit, no mom to go home to
Just a wide open sky where he could fly
With no father to visit, no mom to go home to
Just an open road where he could be free
Little Houdini
The song "Little Houdini" by Sage Francis tells the story of Christopher Daniel Gay, a career criminal who escapes from custody multiple times to be near his mother, who is dying of colon cancer. The first verse recounts Christopher's escape from transport while being moved to Alabama for stealing a travel trailer. Christopher is a fugitive who had previously been arrested multiple times for theft and had outstanding warrants in his home state of Tennessee. He is said to have stolen big rigs, a tour bus belonging to Crystal Gayle, and a tractor trailer from Walmart before abandoning it near his mother's home in Florida.
The second verse shifts focus to Christopher's mother's condition and explains his motivation for escaping custody. His mother was not just sick, but bedridden in a mobile camper in Florida, and Christopher believed that there wasn't much time left for him to be with her. Christopher's mother makes a plea for her son on TV, arguing that he is not dangerous and asking for leniency.
The final verse describes Christopher's last escape, where he manages to slip out of handcuffs and evade Georgia state police. The repetitive chorus of "Little Houdini" refers to Christopher's ability to repeatedly escape custody, like the famous magician Harry Houdini. The song offers empathy towards Christopher's situation, questioning whether society's priorities of punishment and justice should be more lenient towards those who have different values and priorities.
Line by Line Meaning
Christopher Daniel Gay was arrested on a Friday
Christopher Daniel Gay was apprehended on a Friday
In Florida at the Daytona International Speedway
In Florida, at the Daytona International Speedway
He was a fugitive on the run,
He was a runaway fugitive
Christopher made a quick escape
Christopher made a swift getaway
While being transported in a van
While being transported in a van
That was picking up convicts state to state.
Which was picking up criminals from state to state
He did it during a bathroom break,
He did it during a moment of taking a restroom break
He hot-wired somebody's pickup
He stole someone's pickup by hot-wiring it
In fact,
In reality,
Christopher had a long history of theft
Christopher had a protracted history of stealing
Involving trucks,
Involving trucks
He was on route to Alabama
He was en route to Alabama
For stealing someone's travel trailer
For stealing someone's travel trailer
Grand Theft Auto
Grand theft auto
He was a career criminal, jailbird
He was a habitual criminal, and a jail frequent visitor
Who also had three outstanding warrants
Who had three active warrants
In his home state of Tennessee
In his native state of Tennessee
It was an outstanding performance that set him free
It was an impressive feat that secured his freedom
Little Houdini
Using a nickname 'Little Houdini'
Stole a big rig, then a tour bus that belonged to Crystal Gayle
Stole a large truck first, then a touring bus that belonged to Crystal Gayle
To evade a five state manhunt that wanted to put that birdy back in jail
To dodge a five-state manhunt aimed at re-arresting him
But they failed
But their attempts were futile
'cause Christopher wasn't just running from cops
Since Christopher wasn't merely escaping from law enforcement
Christopher Gay was now racing a clock
Christopher Gay was racing against time
His mother was dying
His mother was close to death
And there was no time to be held
And there was no time to remain
Inside of a cage with locks
Locked in a prison
So yall can turn up your nose
So others can be snobbish
And suck on your teeth and wag your finger like tsk-tsk
And make disapproving sounds and gestures like tsk-tsk
But he had to take the risk
But he had to take a chance
There wasn't a single thing sinister in his decision
His choice wasn't evil or wicked
To break from the prison
To escape from the prison
His only motive was to go back to his childhood home
His only desire was to go back to his childhood home
While his mom was still living
While his mother was still alive
It wasn't a house
It wasn't a proper house
More like an old mobile camper
It was more like an old mobile home
Where she was bedridden diagnosed with colon cancer
Where his mother was hospitalized, diagnosed with colon cancer
Sometimes,
At times,
The only answer we're left with
The only solution we're left with
When the loved one's name is on the death list
When the name of someone you love is on the list of people who are dying
Is to head for the exits and go home
Is to leave and return home
Christopher got the hell out of Texas
Christopher left Texas quickly
His abandonment was reckless
His leaving was imprudent
It prolonged his sentence
It extended his imprisonment
Y'all can forget it
Others can forget about it
He had numerous convictions and none were as strong as this
He had numerous criminal cases, yet none was as serious as this
Unless you consider the other instance
Unless you contemplate another precedent
He went the distance
He went far
Similar situation, it was a bizarre coincidence
A similar incident, it was an unusual coincidence
When he escaped from the prison the first time,
When he previously escaped from prison
Not this time, but the one before
Not this time, but the earlier time he escaped
He visited his dad
He visited his father
Cause he was dying inside of a mental ward
Because his father was on his deathbed in a mental facility
Suffering from Alzheimer's
Suffering from Alzheimer's disease
He paid respects
He showed respect for his father
Made his peace
Made amends
When he was done
After he had finished
He didn't run
He didn't escape
He returned himself back to the police
He turned himself in to the police
That's when his mom made her plea
That's when his mother made her appeal
She said:
She said
"He knows what he done was wrong,
"He knows what he did was wrong,
But he knows his father don't got long
But he knows his father doesn't have much time left
He's not a fugitive on the run
He's not a runaway fugitive
He's not dangerous, he's our son
He's not a threat, he's our son
He ain't never hurt no one
He's never hurt anyone
This ain't no country western song.
This isn't a country western song
So y'all can go on tossing rocks
So others can keep throwing stones
And talk your talk like tsk tsk
And keep saying things like tsk tsk
Meanwhile Chris is stealing a tractor trailer from Wal-Mart
Meanwhile, Chris is stealing a trailer from Wal-Mart
An 18 wheeler, he's peeling rubber the bird takes flight down turnpikes
A big truck with eighteen wheels, and he's driving it recklessly down the turnpikes
Three hundred thousand dollars worth of merchandise,
Worth three hundred thousand dollars of merchandise
But it ain't worth her life
But it's not valuable compared to her life
Ran it off the road, and abandoned it
He drove it off the road then left it there
50 yards from his moms to avoid the cops
50 yards away from his mother to avoid being caught by the police
That's half a football field from her feeble arms
That's half of a football field away from his mother's weak arms
After all this stuff
After everything that's happened
The tour bus, the pick up trucks
The touring bus, and the stolen pickups
The tractor trailer, interstate chases
The trailer, high-speed chases on highways
He put on the brakes and couldn't get close enough
He stopped the vehicle and was unable to get any closer
The news reporters told people to lock their doors
News anchors told people to lock their doors
Like there was a monster on the loose
As if a monster was released
But there was no truth to those reports.
But those reports had no credibility
His mom had weeks to live
His mother only had weeks to live
And Chris had years to serve
And Chris had many years of imprisonment to serve
They were within shouting distance
They were close enough to shout at each other
But I don't think he heard her final words.
But I don't suppose he heard her last words
She made her plea to the TV
She made her statement on TV
"He knows what he's done was wrong,
"He knows what he did was wrong,
But he knows his mama don't got long
But he knows his mother doesn't have much time left
He's not dangerous, he's our son"
He's not a threat, he's our son"
The third time he escaped from a state cop at the Georgia pit-stop
The third time he evaded the police while in Georgia
He just slipped out of the handcuffs, he jumped ship then he took off
He slipped out of the handcuffs, and bailed out then fled
With no father to visit, no mom to go home to
With no father to visit, and mother gone
Just an open road where he could be free
Just an open road that offered him the freedom he desired
Just a wide open sky where he could fly
Just an expansive sky where he could soar
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: JASON LYTLE, SAGE FRANCIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cheche Garcia
on Buckets Of Silence
I never held a funeral for that big part of me that died.
I need to put these thoughts to rest. i need to find a peace of mind.
I need to piece my mind, find a piece of mind to rest in.
need to find someone to confide in, and with the rest i need to start restin'.
needless to say, i couldn't hide.
fifteen grown men shouldn't cry.
Cheche Garcia
on Message Sent
I've got some letters inside of my drawer
that should have been stamped and delivered
One is addressed to my ex
it says I'm the type of kid who can't be lived with
One is addressed to my friends
it says I'm a mess so y'all can't visit
One is addressed to myself
but I don't know what personality or hand to give it