The band began as a ska group but quickly transcended the genre, mixing punk, reggae, rock, swing and jazz influences. They sing in both French and English, sometimes mixing the two in songs. Their third album, Dances of Resistance, was recorded in 2003 and largely has an anti-war theme. In 2009 they launched their latest album La Belle Étoile. Since then they are still on tour all over the world, from their own country France to other countries in Europe, but also to foreign places like Abu Dhabi and New Zealand.
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Haffi Go
Babylon Circus Lyrics
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Haffi run away
Excuse me but I just can't stay
I'm gonna run, all the day
Forgive me but I really can't stay
I'm gonna run thousand miles away
Run, all the day...
Run like a fugitive
Just a-find some positive
Vibration, vibration
Cause I need, I need meditation
Just a-find my sweet
Inspiration
Me haffi go, me haffi go...
People don't understand,
But I made my decision
I'm gonna leave this land
I'm gonna move to other region
Move away, move away,
Move to other region
I'm gonna leve this land
I'm gonna move to other region
I see the white man hating the black,
And the black man doin' the same
I'm going and I'll never come back, no
I got no time to waste in their game
I see them losing their pride
Oh, what a disgrace!
And if ya don't take part inna one side,
They won't give you no place
They won't give you no place...
Run all the day
Run thousand miles away
(Chorus)
Me haffi go me haffi go...
See dem a-come come
And open their big mouth
I know they don't know
What they're talking about
They're tryin'a-keep me tryin'a-keep me down
But I keep on struggling
I say they're tryin'a-keep me tryin'a-keep me out
But I don't even wanna get in
See dem a come come, see dem a come...
The lyrics of Babylon Circus’s song “Haffi Go” speak about the desire to leave one’s current situation and move away to find inspiration and positive vibrations. The singer explains that although people may not understand their decision to leave, they have made up their mind. The song speaks to the issues of racism and prejudice that the singer sees around them, with both black and white people hating each other. The singer explains that they do not have time to waste on such behavior and that they want to find a new region where they can find their inspiration.
The song utilizes a reggae beat to convey its message, which is a reflection of the Caribbean roots of the band. The reggae genre often speaks to the issues of social justice and the need for unity, which aligns strongly with the message of “Haffi Go.” The use of repetition in the chorus emphasizes the need to keep running and searching for positivity, while the singer explains the reasons for their departure in the verses.
The song’s lyrics suggest that the singer does not see any hope for changing the situation in their current environment and that they must leave to find inspiration and a more positive outlook on life. This may be seen as a commentary on the broader issues of societal and political corruption, which can leave people feeling disillusioned and trapped. The song encourages its listeners to keep moving forward and searching for their own source of inspiration, no matter where it may take them.
Line by Line Meaning
Me haffi go, me haffi go, me haffi go now, Haffi run away
I need to leave immediately, I have to run away
Excuse me but I just can't stay, I'm gonna run, all the day, Forgive me but I really can't stay, I'm gonna run thousand miles away, Run, all the day...
I'm sorry but I can't continue to stay, I'm going to run away and keep running for as long as I can
Chorus: Run like a fugitive, Just a-find some positive Vibration, vibration, Cause I need, I need meditation, Just a-find my sweet Inspiration
I need to run like a fugitive to find peace and positivity. I need meditation to find inspiration
People don't understand, But I made my decision, I'm gonna leave this land, I'm gonna move to other region, Move away, move away, Move to other region, I'm gonna leve this land, I'm gonna move to other region
Even if people don't understand, I've already decided to leave this land and move to a different region
I see the white man hating the black, And the black man doin' the same, I'm going and I'll never come back, no, I got no time to waste in their game, I see them losing their pride, Oh, what a disgrace!, And if ya don't take part inna one side, They won't give you no place, They won't give you no place... Run all the day, Run thousand miles away
I see hate and discrimination towards people of different races and I refuse to participate in their game. I have no time to waste and need to run away to protect my own pride and dignity
See dem a-come come, And open their big mouth, I know they don't know, What they're talking about, They're tryin'a-keep me tryin'a-keep me down, But I keep on struggling, I say they're tryin'a-keep me tryin'a-keep me out, But I don't even wanna get in, See dem a come come, see dem a come...
People are trying to bring me down with their words and actions but I refuse to be kept down. I don't even want to be a part of their world
Contributed by Taylor F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.