1.
From Indi… Read Full Bio ↴There are two bands sharing the name Birthright:
1.
From Indianapolis, Indiana; Birthright was a hardcore band dedicated to the vegan straight edge philosophy, as well as to fighting sexism, racism, specieism, homophobia and nationalism. Musically less metal-influenced than many of the bands from the genre, Birthright’s sound is more grounded in straight forward hardcore.
Birthright had three releases, a self-titled 7” EP, Ascension,a MCD which included the first EP along with additional tracks, a song on the “Ceremony of Fire” benefit compilation CD, and a final MCD, Out of Darkness. The first two releases were put out by Catalyst Records, and the final by GoodLife Recordings. BR also did a split with the band Unconquered, released on Words of War.
Birthright called it quits not long after their first European Tour, in 1999, due to continuing line up problems. Members of Birthright went on to be in Anthem Boy, Fall Out Boy, Angelville, and Risen (also on Catalyst Records) among others.
2.
As promised, the second and final album by the Buffalo, NY band Birthright from 1976, once again a private press release on Freelance Records, and apparently I'm not the only one who wants this. This time we've got Greg from Blackclassical to thank for the rip - thanks also to Reza for some details and again to KG from Killergroove for alerting me to this in the first place.
Quite a different album two years on from the previously-posted "Free Spirits" - with not so many free excursions, this is more of a band, with Greg Millar's guitar adding a new layer. Although we're still floating on the spiritual cloud, there's a greater concentration on song structures and overall textures this time around, with vocals from Beverly Simms on some tracks.
Highlight for me is the track "Love", Strata-East-goes-samba with Kenny Barron-ish rhodes from Tom Schuman, with Simms sounding like she's on her first E with her lyrical celebration of nature and happiness. Many other great tracks here too - the communication between saxophonists Joe Ford and Paul Gresham's saxaphones is as strong as ever.
Where are they now ? I talked about Paul Gresham, Joe Ford and Nasar Abadey in the "Free Spirits" post. Of the new people here, keyboardist Tom Schuman and guitarist Greg Millar both sadly moved on to smooth-jazz "pioneers" Spyro Gyra; and vocalist Beverly Simms seemingly vanished into thin air.
Bassist Gerry Eastman released his first solo album "Songbook" in 1996, which featured Birthright members Joe Ford and Nasar Abadey alongside Andy Bey on vocals - Bey fans : check the "Blackaphobia" preview there. Eastman is also a member of Abadey and Ford's "Supernova" band, and Ford appeared on his second solo album "Brown Skin Gal" last year. Hope you enjoy this one!
TRACKLIST
01. ‘Travis’ (5;57)
02. ‘Love’ (4:42)
03. ‘Breath of life’ (5:08)
04. ‘Hope’ (3:59)
05. ‘India’ (6:19)
06. ‘So To Speak’ (7:30)
07. ‘Left foot rag’ (7:39)
MUSICIANS
Nasar Abadey – drums
Paul Gresham - tenor saxaphone
Joe Ford- alto and soprano saxaphone
Beverly Simms - vocals & percussion
Greg Millar – guitar
Tom Schuman - piano & fender rhodes
Gerry Eastman – bass
Outcast
Birthright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eyes of the sightless condemn my fight while my motives remain misunderstood. Eyes of the
Blind see no wrong while shedding tears of falsehood. Outcast for my crimes against insanity
Scorned for the lies that I have refused to believe.
Cast out for what sets me free
Show me all you believe and I'll tear it down stone by stone. Your downfall is what you've
Complacency you have cast your vote
Outcast for my crimes against insanity, scorned for the lies that I have refused to believe outcast
For my crimes, for the will to try – I accept it, from the start I knew the price
Cast out for what sets me free, so be it
The lyrics of Birthright's song Outcast are very powerful and evocative. The first two lines of the song depict the judgment and criticism that the singer is experiencing from others, who are seemingly unable to understand the struggles and motives of the singer. Despite the fact that the singer is fighting against insanity, he is being condemned by the sightless and misunderstood by the blind. This shows how the singer is being judged unfairly by people who lack the necessary knowledge to fully grasp his situation.
The chorus emphasizes how the lack of understanding from others has led to the singer's outcast status. The lies that he refuses to believe have caused him to be shunned by society. However, the singer does not give up and continues to fight for what genuinely sets him free. The second verse of the song reveals how the singer sees the flaws in those around him, who are unaware of the suffering that they are condoning. The singer accepts his outcast status, knowing that it is the price he has to pay for his beliefs, which are different from those around him.
In summary, the song's lyrics are speaking to the idea of being ostracized by society due to a deeply held belief or struggle. It sheds light on the difficulty of being accepted by society when one's views do not align with the majority or are seen as being strange or taboo. This theme of being an outcast due to personal beliefs or struggles is one that many can relate to, making the song very compelling.
Line by Line Meaning
Eyes of the sightless, the eyes of the blind. Judge my struggle from the shadows of their lies
The ignorant bystanders bear witness to my struggle and condemn it based on false information.
Eyes of the sightless condemn my fight while my motives remain misunderstood. Eyes of the Blind see no wrong while shedding tears of falsehood. Outcast for my crimes against insanity
Those who lack knowledge judge my fight without understanding my intentions. Those who lack perception see no faults in their own beliefs but are quick to accuse me. Consequently, I am exiled for resisting their irrationality.
Scorned for the lies that I have refused to believe
I am ridiculed for refusing to accept the lies that have been presented to me.
Cast out for what sets me free
I have been ostracized for embracing ideas that have liberated me from the constraints of society.
Show me all you believe and I'll tear it down stone by stone. Your downfall is what you've Refused to know. Live your life unaware of the suffering that you condone. Through apathy and Complacency you have cast your vote
If you force me to confront your beliefs, I will systematically disprove them. I warn you, denial of the truth has grave consequences. Ignorance of the harm caused by your decisions allows you to live without guilt. By choosing not to act, you are still making a decision that has an impact.
Outcast for my crimes against insanity, scorned for the lies that I have refused to believe outcast For my crimes, for the will to try - I accept it, from the start I knew the price Cast out for what sets me free, so be it
Once more, I reiterate that I have been expelled for pursuing my own path and rejecting their false narratives. Though accused, I remain determined to continue my efforts for personal growth. I have always been aware of the possibility of being ousted, and I accept that outcome. I stand by my decision to embrace the ideas that have liberated me, so exile does not bother me.
Contributed by William S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.