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.
Tribute
311 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not the possums playing dead messing with my head
X amount of action, X amount of games
For years again I tell you the same
Gone already to the bored of it all type, lingo
That I'm seein' every single night I'm out
Bustin' head for it but your's gets busted
I messed up but I got back tryin'
Don't bother lyin' 'bout constant disappointment
But the fun is in the hunt so quit actin' on a front
And you're unmotivated, sorta faded
But the remedy is not so, get on with what you got
Remember Lady of Guadeloupe, the times my mother made mole
After mass we would get home, the girls are runnin' to the phone
And I'm in my bedroom the 45 on my record player
Was we're in this love together
At the time I never realized how songs haunted
The ones that I heard I played because I wanted
Drawin' on my wall from time to time coolin'
Makin' creatures come alive with no schoolin'
When I'm on the microphone
The method that I make is much patience
The method that I make is much patience
I'm waiting for the beat and then I make sense
Ain't comin' in hot, forgot you definitely got no clue
Ain't comin' in hot, you got, you definitely got so rude
Boy, actin' coy but you got nuts like Almond Joy, I tell ya
This is a tribute
No one looks as foolish as the excitable ones
But then again there's no one that has this much fun
X amount of action, X amount of games
For years again I tell you the same
Once I met a man who made nearly no mistakes
He would never bet on a long shot and he never bet on a break and
He's condescending and talks gossip galore
But the dude was definitely such a bore, hear me now
I messed up but I got back trying
Don't bother lying 'bout constant disappointment
But the fun is in the hunt so quit actin' on a front
Yeah, unmotivated, sorta faded
But the real man is not the one hiding behind the gunshot
Time travelin' through my memory
There's a younger dough gazin' at the galaxy
Space trippin' veto of the stars
Searchin' for UFOs from Neptune and Mars
Ode to an alien, I know you're out there
Cosmic, lonely heart tell me if you care
I'm listening for your sound, here on the ground
I'm listening for your sound, here on the ground
When I'm on the microphone
The method that I make is much patience
The method that I make is much patience
I'm waiting for the beat and then I make sense
Ain't comin' in hot, forgot you definitely got no clue
Ain't comin' in hot, you got, you definitely got so rude
Boy, actin' coy but you got nuts like Almond Joy, I tell ya
This is a tribute
I'm vexing many mofos but I'm wishing you the best
I keep 'bout half my lyrics and I throw out the rest
'Cause fly on by, you can if you want to
The method that makes sense is patience
The song "Tribute" by 311 is a dedication to those who live life to the fullest, even if it leads to mistakes and challenges. The lyrics acknowledge the frustration that comes with constantly being on the go, but also highlights the excitement and joy that comes with living life in such a way. The song also nods to the importance of memories and the influence of music on our lives. The repeated line, "The method that makes sense is patience," serves as a reminder to take things in stride and to keep pushing forward even when it seems difficult.
The chorus of the song references a Lady of Guadeloupe, who could be a historical or cultural figure. The song mentions mole, which is a traditional Mexican sauce made with ingredients like chilies, nuts, and spices. The mention of mole suggests a connection to Mexican culture or heritage. Additionally, the reference to "45 on my record player" reveals the time period in which the song was written, as 45s were a common format for singles in the era of vinyl records. These lyrics also demonstrate the significant impact that music has on our lives and memories.
One interesting fact about "Tribute" is that it contains references to several other artists and songs, including George Benson's "We're in This Love Together" and Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher." The song's structure alternates between rap verses and singing choruses, which was a common pattern in 311's discography during the 1990s. The track was produced by Ron St. Germain, who had previously worked with bands like Soundgarden and Bad Brains. The band's multi-instrumentalist, Tim Mahoney, played a guitar solo on the song, which is not common in 311's music. Finally, the lyrics contain some profanity, which led to radio stations choosing to censor the track or not play it at all.
Chords: Unfortunately, the chord progression for "Tribute" by 311 is not available at this time.
Line by Line Meaning
This one is dedicated to the excitable ones
This song is being written for the people who get excited easily
Not the possums playing dead messing with my head
I don't want people who pretend to be dead and fool me around
X amount of action, X amount of games
I repeat, there is a lot of action and games happening
For years again I tell you the same
This has been going on for years, and I keep saying the same thing
Gone already to the bored of it all type, lingo
I've already met people that are bored with everything, saying the same words over and over again
That I'm seein' every single night I'm out
I encounter such people every time I go out at night
Bustin' head for it but your's gets busted
I am confronting you, and you will be hurt
Right back lip split and
You will be hit in your mouth and your lips will crack in response
I messed up but I got back tryin'
I made a mistake in the past, but I didn't give up and kept trying
Don't bother lyin' 'bout constant disappointment
There's no point lying about always being disappointed
But the fun is in the hunt so quit actin' on a front
The enjoyment comes from the chase, so stop pretending like you're not interested
And you're unmotivated, sorta faded
You're not motivated and seem to be fading away
But the remedy is not so, get on with what you got
The solution is not hard, just work with what you have
Remember Lady of Guadeloupe, the times my mother made mole
I have fond memories of the Lady of Guadeloupe and my mother cooking mole
After mass we would get home, the girls are runnin' to the phone
After church, we would go home, and my sisters would run to answer the phone
And I'm in my bedroom the 45 on my record player
Meanwhile, I'm in my room listening to music on my record player
Was we're in this love together
I was playing a song by Al Jarreau called 'We're In This Love Together'
At the time I never realized how songs haunted
Back then, I didn't know how much songs could affect me
The ones that I heard I played because I wanted
I chose to listen to the songs that appealed to me
Drawin' on my wall from time to time coolin'
Sometimes, I would draw on my wall to relax
Makin' creatures come alive with no schoolin'
I used to draw creatures and give them life without any formal training
The method that I make is much patience
My approach to music-making requires patience
I'm waiting for the beat and then I make sense
I wait for the right beat, and then I create my lyrics
Ain't comin' in hot, forgot you definitely got no clue
You're clueless and not coming in strong
Ain't comin' in hot, you got, you definitely got so rude
Not to mention, you're also rude
Boy, actin' coy but you got nuts like Almond Joy, I tell ya
You're pretending to be shy, but, in reality, you're quite bold
This is a tribute
This song is a tribute to those who live life to the fullest
No one looks as foolish as the excitable ones
People who get excited easily can look silly in certain situations
But then again there's no one that has this much fun
However, no one enjoys life as much as they do
Once I met a man who made nearly no mistakes
I once knew a man who almost never made mistakes
He would never bet on a long shot and he never bet on a break and
He was someone who wouldn't take risks and never gambled on unlikely outcomes
He's condescending and talks gossip galore
However, he was condescending and talked a lot of gossip
But the dude was definitely such a bore, hear me now
So, in the end, he was quite dull
Yeah, unmotivated, sorta faded
Many people today are unmotivated and seem to be losing interest
But the real man is not the one hiding behind the gunshot
But a true man is not someone who talks about using weapons
Time travelin' through my memory
I'm remembering things from my past
There's a younger dough gazin' at the galaxy
A younger version of me is looking at the stars and galaxies
Space trippin' veto of the stars
I'm taking a mental trip through the stars
Searchin' for UFOs from Neptune and Mars
I'm searching for signs of extraterrestrial life on planets like Neptune and Mars
Ode to an alien, I know you're out there
I'm writing a tribute to any extraterrestrial life forms that might be out there
Cosmic, lonely heart tell me if you care
I'm asking if any space creatures care about me and my existence
I'm listening for your sound, here on the ground
I'm listening for any sign of these aliens from down here on Earth
I keep 'bout half my lyrics and I throw out the rest
When I'm making music, I end up discarding half of what I wrote
'Cause fly on by, you can if you want to
You can live life how you want to, but it goes by quickly
The method that makes sense is patience
The best approach to life is a patient one
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHAD SEXTON, DOUGLAS MARTINEZ, NICHOLAS HEXUM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind