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'.
Farmer
Ben Harper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But it’s no joke we’re always broke, can’t live on dirt and water
Can’t live on dirt and water.
We can’t plant and we can’t grow. We can’t reap and we can’t sow
Don’t own the seed can’t plant our rows, it all belongs to Monsanto
All belongs to Monsanto.
They own the pollen own the seeds, own us from head to feet
Own the air we breath.
Sister shed her overalls, put on heels and skirt
City bound she fled the ground to strike her own pay dirt
Strike her own pay dirt
My brother donned a uniform, to keep us safe from harm
But terror is as terror does, the bank foreclosed our farm
Foreclosed the family farm.
Jesse James he robbed the banks, they shot that boy to death
Now the banks are robbing us we got nothing left,
We got nothing left,
We got nothing left.
The song Farmer by Ben Harper is a powerful commentary on the current state of agriculture and farming in the United States, and the impact that large corporations have had on the livelihoods of small farmers. The song begins with a poignant statement about the singer's own family, with the poignant line "My daddy is a farmer, that makes me the farmer's daughter." However, the song quickly takes a dark turn as the reality of the family's situation is revealed. Despite being farmers, they are constantly struggling to make ends meet and "can't live on dirt and water."
The reason for this is made clear in the next verse, where Harper sings "We can't plant and we can't grow. We can't reap and we can't sow. Don't own the seed, can't plant our rows, it all belongs to Monsanto." This verse refers to the fact that Monsanto, as well as other large corporations like Dupont and Dow, have come to dominate the seed market in the United States. These companies have patented their seeds and essentially own the rights to the crops that farmers grow. This has left small farmers struggling to make a living, as they are at the mercy of these larger companies.
The second half of the song deals with the impact that this has had on the singer's family. One sister has left the farm for the city, hoping to find a better life. The singer's brother has joined the military, hoping to provide for his family in a different way. However, even these choices are not enough to save the family's farm from foreclosure. The song's final lines are a powerful indictment of the situation, as the singer compares the banks that foreclosed on their farm to the outlaws of the past. "Jesse James he robbed the banks, they shot that boy to death. Now the banks are robbing us we got nothing left."
Line by Line Meaning
My daddy is a farmer, that makes me the farmer’s daughter
I am the daughter of a farmer
But it’s no joke we’re always broke, can’t live on dirt and water
Farming doesn't pay well and it's hard to make a living out of it
Can’t live on dirt and water.
Living solely off the land is impossible
We can’t plant and we can’t grow. We can’t reap and we can’t sow
We can't afford to grow our own crops
Don’t own the seed can’t plant our rows, it all belongs to Monsanto
We can't even grow our own crops because the seeds are owned by Monsanto
All belongs to Monsanto.
Monsanto has a monopoly on seeds and farming
Dupont, Dow and Monsanto, We are what we eat
These companies have a huge impact on our food and farming practices
They own the pollen own the seeds, own us from head to feet
These companies have control over the entire farming process
Own the air we breath.
Their influence extends even further to the air we breathe
Sister shed her overalls, put on heels and skirt
My sister left farming to pursue a different career
City bound she fled the ground to strike her own pay dirt
She went to the city to make her own living
My brother donned a uniform, to keep us safe from harm
My brother became a soldier to protect our family
But terror is as terror does, the bank foreclosed our farm
Despite his service, the bank still foreclosed on our family farm
Foreclosed the family farm.
We lost our family's livelihood
Jesse James he robbed the banks, they shot that boy to death
Even when someone robs a bank, they don't deserve to be killed
Now the banks are robbing us we got nothing left,
The banks have taken everything from us
We got nothing left,
We have lost everything
We got nothing left.
Our family's farm and livelihood has been taken from us
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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