Black Eyed Peas went to centenary state high school and got their start in 1988 when will.i.am (born 1975 William James Adams Jr.) and apl.de.ap (born 1974 Allan Pineda) began rapping and performing together around Los Angeles. The pair signed to Ruthless Records (run by Eazy-E) after catching the attention of the nephew of Jerry Heller (Eazy-E's manager). Along with Mookie Mook (Burning Star), Dante Santiago & DJ Motiv8, they called their group A.T.B.A.N. Klann. Their debut album, 'Grass Roots', was not released originally because Ruthless did not consider the social themes reflected in the group's music to be marketable to their audience. A single "Puddles of H2O" was released in 1994 but no album was released (until it leaked onto the Internet in the mid 2000s).
After Eazy-E died of an AIDS related illness in 1995, they changed their name to Black Eyed Peas; will.i.am explained on the front cover of the Monkey Business album that "Black Eyed Peas are food for the soul", hence the name. will.i.am has cited the Red Hot Chili Peppers as an influence and said he named his band after a food, like them. They replaced their original third member Mookie, with Dante Santiago the Peas original singer. Then Taboo (born Jaime Gomez) joined the group. Dante Santiago took on a role as a guest vocalist in the band and featured frequently on various tracks for their first four albums.
In 1996, they produced and appeared on a song entitled "That's Right" for Brian Austin Green's hip-hop album One Stop Carnival. Later, they began using Kim Hill as a steady background singer. Unlike many hip-hop acts, they chose to perform with a live band and adopted a musical and clothing style that differed wildly from the "gangsta rap" sounds of other Los Angeles-based hip-hop acts at the time. Through the mid-'90s, they performed in the local club circuit alongside fellow acts such as Ozomatli and Jurassic 5.
The group were signed to Interscope Records and released their debut, "Behind the Front", in 1998. The album won the group (and their accompanying live band, the Bucky Jonsons) critical acclaim. The album featured the single "Joints & Jams", which was included on the Bulworth soundtrack. Their second album, "Bridging the Gap", was released in 2000; it featured the single "Request + Line" featuring Macy Gray.
After replacing their female background singer with Fergie, the group released their breakout album, "Elephunk", and their 2005 album, "Monkey Business", which featured the hit singles "Pump It", "Don't Phunk With My Heart", "Don't Lie" and "My Humps".
"The E.N.D. (The Energy Never Dies)", their fifth album, was released worldwide in June 2009 and has managed to sell 5 million copies in 8 months (Elephunk: 7 million, Monkey Business: 10 million). It already spawned 2 of the most downloaded singles of all time: "Boom Boom Pow" and "I Gotta Feeling", both were downloaded 5 million times only in the USA. The 3rd single "Meet Me Halfway" was downloaded 2 million times and the 4th "Imma Be", which was just released, already sold 1 million. "Rock That Body" is the 5th single.
http://www.blackeyedpeas.com
Fly Away
Black Eyed Peas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So on this joint right here we about to take flight y'all
Check it out y'all, check it out y'all
Yo buddy what you gonna do
Give it up give it up yeah
What we came to do
Show these people how we do it
It's Black Eyed Peas y'all
So check it out
You're here, so gone,
This dusk as sudden night turns to dawn
I know you've already been here too long
Too long too long
Although you won't see me fall from grace
You step on my soul as you walk away
My demons you'll never know
I'm letting you go
[Chorus]
Fly away now
Give it up give it up
Get back on that truck
Got to keep movin'
Keep rappin' it up
Mix it up mix it up
Before the next stop
You got to go now
And fill up your cup
Fly away now fly away now
Switch it up switch it up
Go hop on that bus
No need to blow the horn
I'll be tough, hey
You take a piece of me
With you forever but darling I see
The world is who you belong to, not me
So I set you free
[Chorus]
I be fallin' up, never fallin' down
'Cause I spread my wings
And I glide around town
I let you go I know this
Find your home I miss you so
Spread your wings let it flow
Oh oh oh oh...
I be fallin' up, never fallin' down
Cause I keep it on a high level, elevated ground
Live it up live it up
Get back on that truck
Got to keep movin' you rappin' it up
Mix it up mix it up
Before the next stop
You got to go now
And fill up your cup
Got to get goin'
Fly away now
Gettin' goin' now
Fly away now
Switch it up switch it up
Go hop on that bus
No need to blow the horn
I'll be tough, hey
Get back on that truck
Got to keep movin' you rappin' it up
Mix it up mix it up
Before the next stop
You got to go now
And fill up your cup
Got to get going
Fly away now
Taking flight now
Oh oh oh oh...
Switch it up switch it up
Go hop on that bus
No need to blow the horn
I'll be tough, ahhhhhh
Flip it up flip it up
Taking flight now
Oh oh oh oh...
Getting going baby
Switch it up switch it up
Taking flight now
Oh oh oh oh...
Live it up live it up
Fly away now
Switch it up
Fly away now
Taking flight baby
Oh oh oh oh...
Doin' what right now
Oh oh oh oh...
The opening lines of "Fly Away" by Black Eyed Peas make it clear that the song is all about change and progress in a rapidly-changing world. The characters in the song are all about moving forward and doing it quickly, which is exactly what the song's beat reflects. The lyrics in the song essentially ask listeners what they plan on doing when things start changing around them, but rather than dwell on that question, they answer it themselves by indicating that change is here and we need to adjust.
The characters that the lyrics are written through are parting ways with someone, and while it may be difficult, they understand that they must release them so they can move forward. The chorus of the song encourages the person to "fly away now" to "fill up their cup" and move on to the next thing because "you got to keep movin'."
Throughout the song, the various lines use phrases and ideas that are meant to remind the listener that the world never stops for anyone. It's a call to action to keep moving forward and keep changing with the times, or else risk getting left behind.
Line by Line Meaning
When the world changes you adjust
We adapt to change and are ready to move on towards new experiences
So on this joint right here we about to take flight y'all
We are ready to soar to new heights with this song
You're here, so gone,
You are physically present but emotionally withdrawn
This dusk as sudden night turns to dawn
This moment of transition from the end of the day to the beginning of a new day symbolizes the need for change
I know you've already been here too long
You have been in this situation for too much time
Although you won't see me fall from grace
You try to bring me down but I won't be defeated
You step on my soul as you walk away
Your actions hurt me as you leave
My demons you'll never know
You don't realize the internal struggles that I have
I'm letting you go
I am releasing myself from this struggle and moving on
Fly away now
Take off and leave this situation behind
Give it up give it up
Release your inhibitions and don't let anything hold you back
Get back on that truck
Keep moving forward on this journey
Keep rappin' it up
Continue to spread positivity and share your talents
Mix it up mix it up
Vary your approach and try new things
Before the next stop
Before the next big change or challenge comes our way
You got to go now
Don't hesitate, take action now
And fill up your cup
Take care of yourself and do what makes you happy
Switch it up switch it up
Change your mindset and approach
Go hop on that bus
Take this ride and enjoy the journey
No need to blow the horn
There's no need to rush or make unnecessary noise
I'll be tough, hey
I'll be strong and keep pushing forward
You take a piece of me
We are connected and you will always be a part of me
With you forever but darling I see
You will always be important to me, but I understand that we can't be together
The world is who you belong to, not me
You have a bigger purpose and I'm not meant to be a part of it
I set you free
I'm letting you go to fulfill your potential
I be fallin' up, never fallin' down
I keep my head up and stay positive
'Cause I spread my wings
You fly high and spread your wings
And I glide around town
You move effortlessly and gracefully
I know this
I understand this situation
Find your home I miss you so
You have to figure out where you belong and I will miss you while you're gone
Spread your wings let it flow
Embrace the opportunities that come your way and let them guide you
Gettin' goin' now
It's time to start moving forward
Oh oh oh oh...
This part is just a repeating vocalization, with no clear meaning
Doin' what right now
I'm doing what I need to be doing in this moment
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: WILL ADAMS, RAYMOND BRADY, STACY FERGUSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind