The current lineup consists of Ben Harper (vocals, guitar/slide guitar), Jason Mozersky (lead guitar), Jesse Ingalls (bass and keyboards), and Jordan Richardson (drums).
Harper met Jason Mozersky in the late nineties when Mozersky was working for an Austin, Texas music promoter. Mozersky was chauffering Harper to a gig, and asked if he could play a demo for his band, Wan Santo Condo. Harper resisted initially, fearing the music would interfere with his mental preparation for the show, but then felt remorseful and agreed to hear the demo. He was "blown away," and the association led first to a record contract for Wan Santo Condo, and then to a collaboration between the two. He also recruited him to work on Harper's album Both Sides Of The Gun. Mozersky recommended Ingalls and Richardson to Harper, thus yielding the song Serve Your Soul.
In November 2008, the band debuted their new material on the Vote For Change Tour for Barack Obama's presidential campaign, where they also breathed new life into the Queen & David Bowie classic Under Pressure which has since become a staple of their live set. They ended the year cutting their teeth with a series of small club shows from famed venues such as Spaceland and The Mint in Los Angeles, to The Mercury Lounge and Kenny's Castaway in NYC. The band is scheduled to tour extensively across the world in 2009.
Their debut album White Lies For Dark Times released on May 5th, 2009.
http://relentless7.benharper.com
Number With No Name
Ben Harper and Relentless7 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You've been taking chances, mama
While I've been placing bets
So tell it to the ashes, they know we served
It may be good for the soul but it's hard on the nerves
The very thing that drives you, can drive you insane
Got a head full of thought crimes and a number with no name
A casket lined with silver dollars and a number with no name
Number with no name
There's nowhere to run
I've got no one to tell
My face has become a mask and I'm not wearing it well
For five days straight
I've been breathing fire
Don't have room on my body
For another scar
The very thing that drives you, can drive you insane
Got a head full of thought crimes and a number with no name
Got an eleventh hour Jesus trying to explain
A casket lined with silver dollars and a number with no name
A number with no name
The lyrics to Ben Harper and Relentless7's song Number With No Name speak of a person who is constantly conflicted by their personal demons. The opening line refers to the chorus of a thousand burning cigarettes, which may symbolize the many negative thoughts that have engulfed the person's mind. The next line mentions the contrast between taking chances and placing bets, indicating there is some sort of internal conflict between the person's desires and what they are willing to risk. The line "tell it to the ashes, they know we served" may imply that whatever choices the person has made, have already come to an end and are now in the past.
The chorus of the song speaks of the intense inner turmoil that the person is going through. The person is overwhelmed by their own thoughts and the uncertainty of their future. The line "got an eleventh hour Jesus and a mouth full of blame" could possibly mean that the person is searching for redemption but is also quick to blame others for their problems. The line "a casket lined with silver dollars and a number with no name" may be an allusion to the uncertainty of death and how it is a great equalizer regardless of one's wealth or status.
This song is a poignant reminder of how internal conflicts can drive a person to the brink of insanity. It also sheds light on the importance of facing one's problems head-on instead of masking them with distractions. The urge for redemption and inner peace is a common theme in many songs, and Number With No Name is no exception.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm serenaded by a chorus, of a thousand burning cigarettes
I'm surrounded by a thousand people smoking, creating a symphony of smoke and a potential health hazard
You've been taking chances, mama
You've been living on the edge and taking risky actions, mom
While I've been placing bets
Meanwhile, I've been gambling or risking my own chances
So tell it to the ashes, they know we served
Talk to the remnants of the burnt cigarettes, they know we indulged in smoking
It may be good for the soul but it's hard on the nerves
Smoking may be calming or comforting, but it's detrimental to our overall health
The very thing that drives you, can drive you insane
Whatever motivates or compels you, can also push you over the edge and make you lose your mind
Got a head full of thought crimes and a number with no name
My mind is full of dangerous or criminal ideas or intentions, and I feel like an anonymous individual
Got an eleventh hour Jesus and a mouth full of blame
I have a religious figure who comes at the last minute to offer salvation, but I'm also quick to blame others for my own problems
A casket lined with silver dollars and a number with no name
When I die, my casket will be adorned with valuable coins, but I'll still be anonymous and unknown
There's nowhere to run
I'm trapped and there's no escape
I've got no one to tell
I have no confidant or someone to share my thoughts with
My face has become a mask and I'm not wearing it well
I'm trying to hide my true emotions or identity, but I'm failing at it
For five days straight
Continuously, without a break for five days
I've been breathing fire
I'm extremely frustrated or angry
Don't have room on my body
I'm covered in scars and injuries, and I can't take any more physical damage
For another scar
I can't withstand another injury or wound
A number with no name
I'm anonymous and insignificant
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: BEN HARPER, JASON MOZERSKY, JESSE INGALLS, JORDAN RICHARDSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Zachary Crowe
i love mr. harper, his music has been growing on me since 95 ish. They don't play him much in my area. glad i stumbled upon him
Lady162
Kicks...so...much...ass! I listen to this on those hard days when I feel like I'm barely getting by. ("The very things that drive you can drive you insane." "No room on my body for another scar." "My face is a mask and I'm not wearing it well." Poetry man...)
5mellowpizza
Ben Harper is the man!
Rach L
A real good punchy song! Fantastic!
La'Taya Bagley
still bumpin this song in 2016
Randi Langel
Rocked Saturday in the Park - Sioux City, IA tonite! breathn dat fire
Stone Phantom
Reminds me of Sea Sick Steve. This is epic
gearsofwood
I just ordered a cd on amazon, and I got this instead............not complaining.
Valeria S
5 stars (* * * * *) ;o)
Big Band Theory
Someone have this guitar tab or a link please ? ...