Starting out as a 2-man project ¡MAYDAY! has since evolved into a full-fledged 6-man band with a buzz so loud that it came to the attention of hip-hop mogul Lil’ Wayne who had to stop and take notice. He invited the band, which consists of MCs Bernz and Wrekonize, producer/guitarist Plex Luthor, bassist/keyboardist Gianni Ca$h, drummer L.T. Hopkins and percussionist NonMS, to be his on-screen band in 3 of his videos (“Get A Life,” “Da Da Da,” and “On Fire”), had them perform at his 2010 Super Bowl party, and then gave them the ultimate high-five by wearing a ¡MAYDAY! t-shirt in his “Get A Life” video and proclaiming himself the next member of the band. It doesn’t stop with Lil Wayne – as the #1 indie rapper alive, Tech N9ne quickly signed the band to his Strange Music label. So far, the relationship has proved fruitful. The band completed two US Strange Music tours, including the record breaking 90 shows in 99 days Hostile Takeover tour with Tech and Machine Gun Kelly; produced the entire Tech N9ne Klusterfuk EP which hit #1 on the indie Billboard charts; released their Billboard top 100 charting Strange debut album, Take Me To Your Leader, and most recently, released their new EP, Thirft Store Halos, which quickly hit #3 on the iTunes Hip-Hop charts on the first day of release. Numerous platinum and buzz-worthy artists and producers such as Cee-Lo, David Banner, Black Thought (The Roots), SpaceGhostPurrp, NORE, Jim Jonsin (TI, Lil’ Wayne, Kid Cudi), Ace Hood and more have stepped up to work with the ¡MAYDAY! crew.
¡MAYDAY!‘s distinctive fusion of urban and alt.rock is pushing the boundaries of music as they flex their muscles in areas of funk that hip-hop has yet to explore. Their attention to detail (they write, arrange, mix and produce all the music themselves) and explosive live show is impossible to ignore. Miami Magazine said of their performance: “¡MAYDAY!‘s musical mash-up fuels both its frenzied live shows and a new album that oozes Miami cool.” ¡MAYDAY!‘s signature style has already caught the ear of media outlets like MTV, XXL, RapRadar, HipHopDX, 2DopeBoyz and more, and as DJ Khaled proclaimed: “¡MAYDAY! is headed to the top floor.”
After premiering the video for their Cee-Lo assisted single “Groundhog Day” on Youtube, the clip achieved a record-breaking 2 million plus views in less than two days and garnered attention from The New York Times, ABC World News Tonight, NBC 6 Evening News and Inside Edition. Later that year “Groundhog Day” was featured on HBO’s Entourage. Other songs including “Watching Me” from ¡MAYDAY!’s debut album, have been used in video games (NBA Street Homecourt 2007) and television, including Stuck on an Island’s “On 2 Somth’n” which was featured in ABC Family’s popular show Lincoln Heights.
¡MAYDAY! has long been a force in the Miami underground scene. Live ¡MAYDAY! puts on an impressive show with a exhilarating party vibe. The Miami Herald said ¡MAYDAY! “…captures the electric excitement of a city on the verge of a breakthrough” and the Miami New Times called them “…one of Miami’s hardest-hitting bands.” After the release of their self-titled debut album, URB Magazine placed ¡MAYDAY! In their next 20 Artists to Watch and MTV chose them as one of the Freshmen Five giving them opportunities to travel the US performing to packed houses with a spectrum of artists ranging from Daft Punk to Big Boi to Method Man and Goodie Mob.
¡MAYDAY! is a band that fits right in, but their sound is different. It’s live, hard-hitting, future brand of music posted up somewhere between rock and a hard place, strangely familiar, yet brand new.
Marathon Man
¡Mayday! Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is anybody down to run?
Spectators in their lawn chairs
While we're waiting for the starting gun
We all know we've got to move soon
We all know why we're here
So let's try and live this moment
For a couple hundred thousand yearsI'm focused now
And so's the crowd
Hit by the sound
Feet meet concrete and we bounce
(Run!)
Short breaths as I go
(Run!)
Forget everything I know
(Run!)
Become one with the road
I know I felt this before
Marathon man, keeping pace, making time
Went so fast that I've got a runner's high
Can't come down before I cross the finish line
Cause I've gotta win the race, man, I can't lag behind
I'm a marathon man, keeping pace, making time
Went so fast that I've got a runner's high
Can't come down before I cross the finish line
Man I've gotta win the race cause I got rat's behind
Is anybody watchin'?
Is anybody seein' this?
All I heard was the explosion
And now I can't even feel my fistSmoke all around my eyelids
Lady can't find her kid
It's so loud it seems silent
But I'm still trying to reach the end
They're on the ground
And screaming now
I can't go down
The flight carries me from the sound
(Run!)
Blood pouring on the road
(Run!)
Despite everything I know
(Run!)
I can't let them change my course
I run until I can't go on
Marathon man, keeping pace, making time
Went so fast that I've got a runner's high
Can't come down before I cross the finish line
Cause I've gotta win the race, man, I can't lag behind
I'm a marathon man, keeping pace, making time
Went so fast that I've got a runner's high
Can't come down before I cross the finish line
Man I've gotta win the race cause I got rat's behind
The song "Marathon Man" by ¡Mayday! is about endurance and perseverance, both in a literal and metaphorical sense. The opening lines invite listeners to join them in the long haul of a marathon race. The spectators are there to witness the runners but the runners are focused on the journey ahead. The song acknowledges the difficulty of the race - shortness of breath, exhaustion, and the need to forget everything they know in order to keep going. The metaphorical meaning behind the lyrics implies that life can be viewed as a marathon and we all need to keep moving forward, despite the obstacles we face.
The second verse shifts the tone of the song to a much darker place, as the singer is caught in an explosion- possibly a bomb. Despite the chaos and destruction that surrounds the singer, they remain determined to reach the end of the race. The line "But I'm still trying to reach the end" serves as a powerful metaphor for how people often encounter unforeseen tragedies in life, but still find the strength to persevere through the pain and the grief.
Overall, "Marathon Man" is a powerful, uplifting song that encourages listeners to keep moving forward even in the darkest of times. It reminds us that the journey is long and difficult, but the end goal is always worth the struggle.
Line by Line Meaning
Is anybody out there?
Asking if anyone is willing to join in on the run
Is anybody down to run?
Asking if anyone wants to participate in the run
Spectators in their lawn chairs
People watching the run from the sidelines
While we're waiting for the starting gun
Awaiting the signal to begin the race
We all know we've got to move soon
Everyone is aware that the race will start soon
We all know why we're here
Everyone has a common goal of finishing the race
So let's try and live this moment
Encouraging everyone to enjoy the race
For a couple hundred thousand years
Metaphorically describing the feeling of being in the moment
I'm focused now
The artist is concentrating on the race
And so's the crowd
The audience is also attentive and engaged
Hit by the sound
Feeling the impact of the starting signal
Feet meet concrete and we bounce
The runners begin the race with energy and enthusiasm
(Run!)
The singer is commanding themselves to keep running
Short breaths as I go
The runner is breathing heavily while running
(Run!)
The singer continues to encourage themselves to keep running
Forget everything I know
The runner is trying to clear their mind and focus on the race
(Run!)
The artist repeats the previous command to keep running
Become one with the road
The runner feels connected to the pavement while running
I know I felt this before
The runner has experience with this type of race and feeling
Marathon man, keeping pace, making time
The runner is maintaining a consistent speed and tracking their progress
Went so fast that I've got a runner's high
The runner feels an exhilarating rush of adrenaline and endorphins
Can't come down before I cross the finish line
The artist is determined to complete the race before slowing down
Cause I've gotta win the race, man, I can't lag behind
The runner is focused on winning and staying ahead of the pack
Man I've gotta win the race cause I got rat's behind
There is intense pressure to stay ahead and avoid being left behind
Is anybody watchin'?
Asking if the audience is still watching
Is anybody seein' this?
Asking if the audience is witnessing the runner's progress
All I heard was the explosion
Referring to the starting signal as an explosion of sound
And now I can't even feel my fist
The runner is experiencing physical exhaustion and numbness
Smoke all around my eyelids
The artist is experiencing blurred vision from the smoke of the race
Lady can't find her kid
A bystander at the race is experiencing personal turmoil
It's so loud it seems silent
The race is so chaotic that it has become overwhelming and strangely quiet
But I'm still trying to reach the end
The runner is pushing themselves to finish the race despite the challenges
They're on the ground
A reference to other runners who have fallen
And screaming now
Other runners are in pain and distress
I can't go down
Despite the obstacles, the runner is determined to continue
The flight carries me from the sound
The runner feels like they are soaring above the noise and chaos of the race
(Run!)
The singer repeats their internal command to keep running
Blood pouring on the road
A reference to the physical toll of the race on the runner's body
(Run!)
The runner is still pushing themselves to continue running
Despite everything I know
The runner is pushing past their own limits and expectations
(Run!)
The artist reiterates their internal command to keep running
I can't let them change my course
The runner is determined to stay on track and not be swayed by other factors
I run until I can't go on
The runner is pushing themselves to their absolute limit
Marathon man, keeping pace, making time
The runner is still maintaining a consistent speed and tracking their progress
Went so fast that I've got a runner's high
The runner is still feeling exhilarated from the race
Can't come down before I cross the finish line
The artist is still determined to complete the race
Cause I've gotta win the race, man, I can't lag behind
The runner is still focused on winning and staying ahead
Man I've gotta win the race cause I got rat's behind
The pressure to win is still intense and urgent
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BENJAMIN JOHN MILLER, BERNARDO EMILIO GARCIA, GIANNI BURYET PEROCARPI, MARCO ANTONIO JR. RODRIGUEZ DIAZ, RALF VALENCIA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@colbyhill9900
There's literally not a single song I've heard by MAYDAY that I don't like. MAYDAY is by far my favorite band/artist.
@justincollette3674
i feel ya man, almost 6 years later and i am still bumping this song. MAYDAY for life.
@drek3491
Same here! First heard them back in 2010 and i fell in love with them! 😎
@milesmegaciph
AMAZING!! Strange Music is the BEST label out!!
@mattriegel7003
when the guitar hits after the 2nd verse it's my favorite part of the song
@felixwirth1558
Not your's only! ^^
@Klusterfuk419
my indispensable acidtrip🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼
@infinitetgm
The best song ive heard in a while. really amazing. prayers still go out to boston
@DetroitDiesel42O
EVERYTHING YOU GUYS PUT OUT IS INCREDIBLE ! Thank you ...¡MAYDAY! 4 lyfe
@seimkuruc
I'm running my first marathon before my 30th birthday in a week. This song has been killin it in the headphones this past couple weeks out there putting in miles training!