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'.
Temporary Remedy
Ben Harper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was living a Johnny Cash song
I'm afraid for this I may be liable
So its best I be moving - moving along
Just a temporary remedy
Running through my veins
Funny when its gone you miss cold
Words can be spoken for a lifetime
We can never hear until we're told
Just a temporary remedy
Running through my veins
They tell me nothing is perfect
Then tell me why is it a word
Yesterday's news is tomorrow's blues
Now they're perfectly blurred
Just a temporary remedy
Running through my veins
The lyrics to Ben Harper's song "Temporary Remedy" are imbued with a sense of restless urgency and a longing for something different. The opening lines convey a sense of danger and uncertainty as Harper sings, "I killed a snake with a bible/I was living a Johnny Cash song." The use of a dangerous reptile and an iconic musician sets the tone for the rest of the song, which is about the search for something better and the fear of the consequences of one's actions.
Harper goes on to sing about his fear of liability and the need to keep moving, suggesting that he has done something wrong and needs to stay one step ahead of the consequences. The chorus, "Just a temporary remedy/Running through my veins," suggests that whatever Harper is searching for is a fleeting and impermanent fix to a deeper problem. The second verse is full of contradictions and paradoxes, highlighting the difficulty of finding true meaning and satisfaction in life. Harper sings about missing the cold after summer, and the difficulty of hearing important words until they are spoken to us directly.
Overall, the lyrics to "Temporary Remedy" are a poignant reflection on the human condition, full of raw emotion and a sense of longing for something more. The song speaks to our innate desire for meaning and belonging, and the search for a way to make sense of our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
I killed a snake with a bible
I did something extreme to deal with a problem that bothered me, it was a solution that may not be justifiable in society's eyes.
I was living a Johnny Cash song
I was living life in a way that was thrilling and legendary like Johnny Cash's music.
I'm afraid for this I may be liable
I know what I did was wrong and could have legal consequences, so it's best for me to avoid any further trouble.
So its best I be moving - moving along
I need to leave this past behind and move on from this situation for my own safety and wellbeing.
Just a temporary remedy
What I did was a quick fix for the immediate problem, but not a long-term solution.
Running through my veins
The memory of what I did lingers with me and it's always affecting me emotionally.
Summer lasted through November
Something good was present and lasted longer than expected, but because it's over, the ensuing period seems burdensome.
Funny when its gone you miss cold
The differences between things seem to go unnoticed until they are gone, like how members of a couple don't miss their partner's flaws until after they break up.
Words can be spoken for a lifetime
Words can have a lasting impact on people's memory and that's why they're carefully chosen, to ensure that the message is received and taken seriously.
We can never hear until we're told
We could be oblivious to important information until someone tells us, sometimes we're ignorant of our flaws and we won't understand them unless people point out.
They tell me nothing is perfect
People often say that perfection doesn't exist, that mistakes are a part of life and that nobody can ever be flawless.
Then tell me why is it a word
If perfection doesn't exist, then how come the word continues to be used in everyday language and culture?
Yesterday's news is tomorrow's blues
The bad things we experience in the past will affect our future, even after the event has passed.
Now they're perfectly blurred
The memory of those past bad things may never leave and hence become very unclear and hazy, hence a person may feel affected in the present due to the past experiences.
Just a temporary remedy
The things we do to numb the pain of bad memories such as various opioids can help temporarily, but it does not provide permanent relief.
Running through my veins
The opioids or the things one does to forget may continue to affect the person permanently due to the intense effects of these activities.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: BEN C HARPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rottencotten
this is the first song I ever heard from this messiah and it will forever remain my favorite...I love this DVD!!!...
@jessecastro5371
Flawless guitar work... flawless
@Jackstanford7
King of slide guitar!
@gr2br024
someone needs to post the soundcheck from this dvd. its ben by himself playing forgiven, awesome.
@Mihalis51
Friggen awesome!!
@interfanflo
DAMN! just amazing. so great.
@ProjectCobalt
@bigsamable1 Okay, I get what you're saying. Ben Harper is a fantastic musician, playing an real live instrument. But all of the genres you listed still take skill in some capacity. Making good music in -any- genre requires skills and talent. Just because Daft Punk can't shred on the slide-guitar like Ben, doesn't mean they aren't credible artists in their own right - I'd like to see what Ben might go with techno arrangement, honestly - he's an astounding musical talent.
@TheZimmy84
There's the BLUES and then theres ben harper and jack johnson. nuff said. thats is all the music u ever need. not country not metal not rap not pop not techno not rock. thats all i gotta say about that!!!
@MrTJRadio
@cookmoore yes, it'z from Live @ the Hollywood Bowl.. the whole dvd kicks ass!
@lvstefvl
this man is my god