Harper grew up listening to blues, folk, soul, RnB, and reggae. Harper's blend of groove-laden funky soul and folky handcrafted acoustics helped him to gain cult status during the course of the 1990s and widespread attention toward the end of the decade. Harper combines elements of classic folk singers, blues revivalists and jam bands and is embraced by critics and college kids alike. Harper's body of work sells consistently and he tours constantly, building a solid, dedicated fan base.
Harper began playing guitar as a child in his hometown of Claremont, California (in California's Inland Empire). He eventually specialized in the acoustic slide guitar (Weissenborn guitars). As a young man, he recorded an LP (Pleasure and Pain) with fellow folk guitarist Tom Freund. After this limited edition record, Harper got a record deal with Virgin Records, who released his debut album, Welcome to the Cruel World (1994).
This was followed by the incendiary Fight For Your Mind (1995) which became a college radio favorite and generated an abundance of songs which still fill his set list to this day.
In 1999 at the Santa Barbara Bowl, Harper met Jack Johnson, who was unknown at the time and had not recorded. Harper obtained a demo tape of 12 of Johnson's songs that he forwarded to his producer, J.P. Plunier, with whom Johnson recorded his first album.
From early on in his career, his music received more attention in Europe than it did in his home country. While he was a well-known and respected figure in the States, in countries like France, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, and The Netherlands he was a star, receiving a great deal of airplay and critical acclaim. His popularity in Europe is such that he was French Rolling Stone Magazine's "Artist of the Year" (Artiste De L'Année) in 2003, and his tour that year for Diamonds on the Inside played to packed arenas across the continent.
In 2004, Harper recorded the album "There Will Be a Light " as the collaboration Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama.
In October 2004, Harper participated in the Vote for Change concert tour organised to benefit Moveon.org and encourage people in the swing states to vote during the 2004 U.S. presidential election.
Over the summer of 2005, when the Zooma tour scheduled with Trey Anastasio and various side stage performers was cancelled, Harper took on a tour of more private clubs/venues such as the Avalon Ballroom in Boston, the Tabernacle in Atlanta, and a full-band acoustic performance at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. This series of concerts saw the debut of a number of new Harper songs, such as "Get It Like You Like It" and "Dressed In Black."
In 2006, Harper released the double album Both Sides of the Gun which debuted at #7 on the Billboard charts.
Next Harper did a worldwide tour, with support from Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley on the North American leg.
In 2007, Harper released the album Lifeline, recorded in Paris just after his tour.
In 2009, Harper recorded the album "White Lies for Dark Times", as the collaboration Ben Harper and Relentless7.
In 2014, Harper recorded the album "Childhood Home" as the collaboration Ben & Ellen Harper.
In 2018, Harper recorded the album "No Mercy in This Land" as the collaboration Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite. At the 40th Blues Music Awards ceremony, Harper's joint composition with Charlie Musselwhite, "No Mercy In This Land", was named as 'Song of the Year'.
10.Welcome to the cruel world
Ben Harper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hope you find your way
Welcome to the cruel world
Hope you find your way
It's a cruel world
Try to enjoy your stay
Yes it is a cruel world
It's a cruel world
When you've seen the look in their eye
Makes life hard living
But I'm so scared to die
Welcome to the cruel world
Welcome
Welcome
Don't know how
We've lasted here so long
There must be more good than bad
Or we'd already be gone
And if you get up to heaven
Before I do
I'm gonna tell ya
It's gonna be cruel there too
You can't hide from this cruel world
Cause there is no place to run
You can't hide from the cruel world
There just is no place to run
It's been cruel from the beginning
It will be cruel when we're done
So when I'm gone
I will gladly say goodbye
When I am gone
I will gladly say goodbye
And if you want to feel me
Put your hands up to the sky
Welcome to the cruel world
Welcome
Welcome
Hope you find your way
Try to enjoy your stay
In the song "Welcome to the Cruel World," Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals set a tone of caution and warning for new individuals entering the world. The lyrics are deep and meaningful, highlighting the often challenging aspects of life such as poverty, discrimination, and inequality, and the struggle of the human race to survive it. In the opening lines, Harper advises individuals to navigate the world with lots of care, reminding them that the world is cruel and unforgiving. He goes on to say that life is hard, but he is still scared of dying, which implies that he knows the struggles of survival, but he is still determined to fight on.
In the chorus, he welcomes new individuals to this planet and highlights the importance of finding their way through the cruelty of the world. He reminds them to try to find joy in their stay, even though the world can sometimes be cold and uninviting. The line, "there must be more good than bad, or we’d already be gone," encourages people to continue to have faith and persevere, no matter what obstacles come their way.
Overall, "Welcome to the Cruel World" is a powerful song that emphasizes the problematic nature of the world while encouraging individuals to remain hopeful and resilient.
Line by Line Meaning
Welcome to the cruel world
Acknowledging that the world can be harsh and unforgiving
Hope you find your way
Wishing the listener success in navigating life's challenges
It's a cruel world
Reinforcing the idea that the world is often unkind
Try to enjoy your stay
Encouraging the listener to find happiness and fulfillment despite adversity
Yes it is a cruel world
Reaffirming the previous observation about the world's harshness
When you're tryin' to get by
Commenting on the difficulty of living day-to-day in harsh times
When you've seen the look in their eye
Suggesting that people can be judgmental and cruel towards others
Makes life hard living
Acknowledging that living through such experiences can be challenging and painful
But I'm so scared to die
Expressing a fear of death and uncertainty of what comes after
Don't know how / We've lasted here so long
Expressing surprise at the ability of humanity to survive and thrive despite the harshness of the world
There must be more good than bad / Or we'd already be gone
Speculating that humanity has endured due to an overall tendency towards goodness and compassion
And if you get up to heaven / Before I do / I'm gonna tell ya / It's gonna be cruel there too
Satirizing the idea of an idyllic afterlife by suggesting it may be just as difficult as life on Earth
You can't hide from this cruel world / Cause there is no place to run
Asserting that the difficulties of life cannot be escaped, only faced head-on
It's been cruel from the beginning / It will be cruel when we're done
Reflecting on the apparently inherent harshness of existence and the inevitability of this suffering
So when I'm gone / I will gladly say goodbye
Suggesting a longing for peace and release from the burdens of life
And if you want to feel me / Put your hands up to the sky
Inviting the listener to remember the artist fondly after their death
Welcome to the cruel world
Repeating the opening to emphasize the central theme
Hope you find your way
Repeating the hope for the listener's success in the face of life's difficulties
Try to enjoy your stay
Repeating the encouragement to find happiness and fulfillment despite adversity
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BEN C HARPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind