They recruited rapper Kermit and drummer Ged Lynch of the Manchester-based group The Ruthless Rap Assassins, plus guitarist Wags from The Paris Angels. Recording of new material started that year, although the group were not under contract. The key addition to the band was bassist and guitarist Danny Saber, who became Ryder's key musical foil.
In 1995 they signed to Radioactive Records (an imprint of major label BMG) and released their debut album, produced by Saber and Stephen Lironi. It's Great When You're Straight...Yeah immediately charted at number 1 in the UK, and spawned three Top 20 singles. According to Songfacts, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich listed it as his favorite CD of 1996.
Black Grape's music was funky and eclectic, using varied instrumentation and samples. Ryder's lyrics seem to derive mainly from nonsense rhymes and humorous catch-phrases. The debut album received critical acclaim in Britain, riding high during the then fashionable Britpop wave but the group made little impact in the U.S..
The subsequent album, 1997's Stupid Stupid Stupid was less favoured and charted at number 11 in the UK. The group split in 1998 after Ryder fired the rest of band while touring.
The band reformed for a one-off live show, their first in over 10 years, for Get Loaded in the Dark at the Coronet, London, on April 1, 2010. Five years later, the band announced plans for a tour to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their debut album. A reunion album, Pop Voodoo, was released in August 2017, although only Ryder and Kermit remained from the original lineup, with Youth handling bass, songwriting, and production duties.
Reverend Black Grape
Black Grape Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know what I mean?
Sellin' him your religion
Say I walking down a hit song
A booming business
Buying, selling belief
Standing in the pews
Bullshit, bullshit
I want to know, I want to know
Can you feel the sprit of the lord?
There's nothing more sinister
As ministers in dresses
Gather round some nice black people
While I deliver this message
Kill the message
You do nothing but socialise
And become a menace
Put on your reboks man
And go play fucking tennis
Can I get a witness
I said can, I get a witness
Oh come oh ye faithful
Oh joyful and triumphant
Gather around,
While I blow my own trumpet
Oh pope he got the nazis
To clean up their messes
He exchanged the gold and paintings
He gave them new addresses
Clean up your messes
Hi, hi furer
Hi, hi furer
Oh my fathers, fathers, fathers, father
By nature he was bendy
We are the chi chine tribe
And we are over friendly
Can I get a witness
Yeah
I said
Come on
Can, I get a witness
Oh come oh ye faithful
Oh joyful and triumphant
Gather around me,
While I blow my own trumpet
Can I get a witness?
Poppycock
For what we are about to receive
Would he agree a stately minuet would be preferable to a rain dance
Hey there bothers and sisters
Hang in there
Yeah
Oh come oh ye faithful
Oh joyful and triumphant
Gather around,
While I blow my own trumpet
Oh come oh ye faithful
You're so joyful and triumphant
Gather around,
While I blow my own trumpet
I want to know
I want to know
I want to know
I want to know
Can you feel
I said
Can you feel
Can you feel
The sprit of the lord
Oh come oh ye faithful,
Oh joyful and triumphant
Gather around,
While I blow my own trumpet
Can you feel the sprit of the lord?
Can you feel the sprit of the lord?
The song Reverend Black Grape by the band Black Grape is a satirical critique of the hypocrisy and corruption in the religious institutions of society. The lyrics express a deep disdain for religious leaders who are selling their beliefs to the masses as a booming business. The lead singer of the band describes the ministers who are preaching in the pews as "talkin' bullshit, bullshit, bullshit," indicating his frustration with their false and empty messages. He questions the sincerity of their faith and asks, "Can you feel the spirit of the Lord?" The song goes on to criticize the popes and fathers of the church who have exchanged gold and paintings and got the Nazis to clean up their messes. The lyrics convey a sense of disillusionment with organized religion and the message of the song is to encourage people to think for themselves and not be blindly led by religious leaders who are only interested in profiting from their faith.
Overall, this song is a powerful commentary on the commercialization of religion and the misuse of power by religious leaders. It encourages listeners to question the authority of religious leaders and to think critically about the messages they are being sold. It is a reminder that spirituality is a personal journey and should not be dictated by institutions or people in positions of power.
Line by Line Meaning
Sellin' him your religion
Trading, exchanging your beliefs for something in return
Say I walking down a hit song
Expressing or revealing how successful they currently are
A booming business
A successful and profitable enterprise
Buying, selling belief
Purchasing and vending religious convictions
Standing in the pews
Being present in a church or religious service
Talking ballshit, bullshit, bullshit
Conversing nonsense, misleading information
Bullshit, bullshit
Nonsense, lies
I want to know, I want to know
Expressing curiosity and eagerness to learn more
Can you feel the sprit of the lord?
Inquiring whether the listener has sensed a divine presence
There's nothing more sinister
There is nothing more wicked, evil or insidious
As ministers in dresses
Religious preachers who wear formal attire
Gather round some nice black people
Approaching or surrounding some black folks in a friendly and disarming manner
While I deliver this message
While I disseminate this sermon or teaching
Kill the message
Eradicate, destroy or eliminate the communication being conveyed
You do nothing but socialise
You only engage in social activities
And become a menace
And become a danger, threat or annoyance
Put on your reboks man
Wear your Reebok sneakers, shoes
And go play fucking tennis
And engage in the sport of tennis
Can I get a witness
May I have someone affirm or acknowledge what I'm saying?
Oh come oh ye faithful
Addressing a crowd exhorting them to come, gather and sing a religious hymn
Oh joyful and triumphant
Oh person filled with joy, happiness and triumph
Gather around, while I blow my own trumpet
Come around me while I boast about my own achievements
Oh pope he got the nazis
The Pope made an arrangement with the Nazis
To clean up their messes
To fix or remediate the damage done
He exchanged the gold and paintings
The Pope swapped valuable items such as gold and paintings
He gave them new addresses
He provided new or changed locations
Clean up your messes
Fix putrid, contaminated or dirty places
Hi, hi furer
Addressing Adolf Hitler with reverence or admiration
Oh my fathers, fathers, fathers, father
Addressing the ancestors with whom they share paternity
By nature he was bendy
Their forefather naturally had the tendency to bend or curve
We are the chi chine tribe
They belong to the Chi Chine tribe
And we are over friendly
Being too gregarious, cordial or affable
Can I get a witness? Yeah
Asking for affirmation, confirmation or agreement
Poppycock
Non-sense, baloney
For what we are about to receive
A phrase commonly used before having a meal as a blessing
Would he agree a stately minuet would be preferable to a rain dance
Wondering if their ancestors would choose a proper dance over a tribal and more lively one
Hey there bothers and sisters
Addressing group members as family
Hang in there
Stay positive, persevering and resilient in tough times
Can you feel the sprit of the lord?
Asking whether someone can experience a divine entity or deity
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: PAUL EVERTON LEVERIDGE, SHAUN RYDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MM-io7pr
"you do nothing but socialise/and become a menace/ put on your reebok man/and go play fuckin' tennis" is pure poetry
@cwftft4273
“Oh, the pope he got the Nazis, to clean their messes, in exchange for gold and paintings he gave gave the new address’s” How’s that blowing yer trumpet?! The man is is genius 👍🏻😂
@nickjnow1
@@cwftft4273 cuts to the bone.
@martinrees4788
Where does he get it from?
@DaveTricks_
Love how shaun and bez came back from the dead with this song and a number 1 album.. especially after so many had written them off.. this video is also the perfect two fingers up visually..
@robdean704
Both loved by lads of a certain age in the UK, especially northern boys. We love a bit of rascal behaviour
@robertcjonesesq8241
Biblical
@TheFakeyCakeMaker
Bez is a very brilliant man. He still has a lot of his wealth, I remember seeing him on some show to do with finances and he was saying he pays mostly in cash etc etc the presenter had clearly got him on there to take the piss but he made the presenter look stupid by showing he's not just some drugged up idiot. I didn't like domino bones but he's still very talented.
@GAFCASTsupport
album is track after track after a track of awesome. For the haters? SEND EM A WREATH, SEND EM TWO....
@maureent6800
Give me a f**** Witness