311 mix rock, rap, reggae and funk into their own unique sound. After years of consistent touring, 311 have developed a reputation as one of the hardest working, most influential and most entertaining live bands in the U.S.
311 have released ten studio albums, one live album, one greatest hits album and three dvd's - and have sold over 8.5 million albums in the U.S. Seven of their albums have reached the Top 10 on Billboard's Top 200 Sales Chart...and 9 of their singles have reached the Top 10 on Billboard's Alternative Rock Radio Chart (including the #1 singles Down, Love Song & Don't Tread On Me. Along with Amber, All Mixed Up, Come Original, Creatures For Awhile, Hey You, and Sunset in July).
311’s newest album, Universal Pulse, released in Summer 2011, was produced by Bob Rock, mixed by Chad Sexton and debuted at #7 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart.
The band's celebratory live shows & incessant touring schedule have earned them a massive grassroots following nationwide. Since its inception in 2004, 311’s annual summer headlining amphitheatre run, Unity Tour, has become one of the largest modern rock concerts of the summer. Support acts on previous Unity Tours have included Sublime with Rome, The Offspring, Snoop Dogg, The Roots, Papa Roach, The Wailers, O.A.R., Matisyahu, and Ziggy Marley. Unity Tour 2012 will feature support from Slightly Stoopid.
311 BIO/HIGHLIGHTS:
* 311 was formed in 1990 in Omaha, Nebraska by vocalist/guitarist Nick Hexum, vocalist/dj SA Martinez, lead guitarist Tim Mahoney, drummer Chad Sexton and bassist P-Nut. The band now resides in Los Angeles.
* 311 has sold over 8.5 million units in the U.S.
* 311 has had 8 albums reach the Top 10 on Billboard’s U.S. Top 200 Sales Chart
* 311 has had 9 singles reach the Top 10 on Billboard’s U.S. Alternative Chart (including the #1 singles “Down”, “Love Song” & “Don’t Tread On Me” along with “Amber”, “All Mixed Up”, “Come Original”, “Creatures (For a While)”, “Hey You” and "Sunset in July")
* 311’s new album, Universal Pulse, debuted at #7 in July 2011 and was produced by Bob Rock (Metallica, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Aerosmith).
* 311’s new album, due summer of 2011, was produced by Bob Rock (Metallica, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Aerosmith).
* 311’s sound is a unique hybrid of rock, reggae, hip-hop & funk. A balance of hard rocking anthems and melodic reggae grooves - with an underlying message of unity & positivity.
* After years of incessant touring, 311 has developed a reputation as one of the most influential & most entertaining live bands in the U.S.
* With their celebratory live shows, 311 has earned a massive grassroots following. For the past nine years, 311 has headlined their summer “Unity Tour” in ampitheatres across the U.S.- drawing crowds of 10,000 to 18,000 people in Atlanta, Boston, DC, New Jersey, Los Angeles, St. Louis, West Palm, Charlotte, VA Beach, Denver, etc. The tour is consistently one of the largest modern rock concerts of the summer in the U.S.
* Past 311 tours have included an impressive array of opening acts. Bands such as No Doubt, Korn & Incubus all supported 311 on U.S. tours before they became headliners.
* Support acts on 311’s Unity Tour have included :
Sublime With Rome, The Offspring, Snoop Dogg, The Roots, Papa Roach, The Wailers, O.A.R., Matisyahu and Ziggy Marley.
* 311 has always stayed true to their own approach and their underlying message of unity and positivity. That message still rings true for them today…in their lyrics and at their celebratory live shows. Singer Nick Hexum typically ends each show with the words, “Stay Positive and Love Your Life.”
• Every other year on March 11th (“3-11 Day”), 311 holds a special concert event that attracts thousands of 311 fans from around the world. The show includes an extended setlist (5 hours / 60+ songs) and state of the art production. Last year the band sold-out the Mandalay Bay Arena and tickets were sold to fans in all 50 U.S. states and 13 different countries. 311 fans traveled from around the globe to meet each other and to celebrate 311 Day together.
Lemming
311 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cuz' this is universal
This is not a drill
This is not rehearsal
I cannot tell if it's true
You seem so honest and sick
And it's no trick
I gotta know
I'm on a mission
And it is a must, you
You gotta knack
A course, a tack
And everyone you meet just trusts you
And like a lemming to the sea, you lead me
I think we're swimming but it can be deceiving
You crash down to rocks, your fall not long
But you're only a fool for believing
Like a lemming to the sea, you lead me
I think we're swimming but it can be deceiving
You crash down to rocks, your fall not long
But you're only a fool for believing
Telephone ring
Lost my contemplation
Should I answer it?
Certain confrontation
What do you knows
It comes to blows
My ears are ringing from your vibrations
So what do you call a girl who trips like that?
You call her history
Huh huh huh history
Leaving no mystery
Had to leave
And like a lemming to the sea, you lead me
I think we're swimming but it can be deceiving
You crash down to rocks, your fall not long
But you're only a fool for believing
Like a lemming to the sea, you lead me
I think we're swimming but it can be deceiving
You crash down to rocks, your fall not long
But you're only a fool for believing
When you called my house
You must have slipped a card
Everything changed, man
Wagging like a dog
A tale of two reggae MC's
Switching up styles
Saying what they please, uh
Keep it going now
Stopped by deception
And I learned my lesson
I'll never ever do it again, no
Stopped by deception
And I learned my lesson
I'll never ever do it again, no
And like a lemming to the sea, you lead me
I think we're swimming but it can be deceiving
You crash down to rocks, your fall not long
But you're only a fool for believing
Like a lemming to the sea, you lead me
I think we're swimming but it can be deceiving
You crash down to rocks, your fall not long
But you're only a fool for believing
The song "Lemming" by 311 seems to be a cautionary tale about blindly following someone without fully understanding their true intentions. The lyrics speak of someone who is seemingly honest yet sick and the singer expresses a level of uncertainty about this person. Despite this uncertainty, the singer cannot resist following this person, who seemingly has the trust of everyone they meet. The line "And like a lemming to the sea, you lead me" speaks to the idea of blindly following someone like a lemming, an animal known for blindly following its group even if it leads to their demise. The chorus repeats this theme, warning that the person's fall is not long, but believing in them only makes the listener a fool. The second verse seems to talk about the consequences of blindly following someone, as it can lead to confrontation and ultimately a failed relationship. The singer has learned their lesson and will never again follow someone blindly.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen up
Pay attention
Cuz' this is universal
This applies to everyone
This is not a drill
This is serious
This is not rehearsal
This is not practice
I cannot tell if it's true
I don't know if you're telling the truth
You seem so honest and sick
You appear genuine and sick
And it's no trick
It's not a deception
I gotta know
I need to find out
I gotta, gotta bust through
I need to overcome this obstacle
I'm on a mission
I have a goal
And it is a must, you
It is important
You gotta knack
You have a talent
A course, a tack
A direction to follow
And everyone you meet just trusts you
People trust you easily
And like a lemming to the sea, you lead me
You lead me blindly
I think we're swimming but it can be deceiving
We might not be safe
You crash down to rocks, your fall not long
You fail quickly
But you're only a fool for believing
You were naive to trust
Telephone ring
Phone is ringing
Lost my contemplation
I lost my thoughts
Should I answer it?
Should I pick up?
Certain confrontation
There will be conflict
What do you knows
What do you know
It comes to blows
It leads to a fight
My ears are ringing from your vibrations
You're making me angry
So what do you call a girl who trips like that?
How do you describe someone who makes mistakes?
You call her history
You say she's done for
Huh huh huh history
History repeats itself
Leaving no mystery
Not leaving any doubt
Had to leave
Had to go
When you called my house
When you phoned me
You must have slipped a card
You must have revealed something
Everything changed, man
Things are different now
Wagging like a dog
Excited like a dog
A tale of two reggae MC's
Two reggae artists with different styles
Switching up styles
Changing their approach
Saying what they please, uh
Speaking their minds
Stopped by deception
Stopped by a lie
And I learned my lesson
And I won't make the same mistake
I'll never ever do it again, no
I won't do it again
Contributed by Jake P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.