The two founding and songwriting members of the band, Carlo Santone and Natalie Pa'apa'a, started playing and songwriting on guitar, jamming with residents and itinerants alike in their original base of Byron Bay. They originally performed as a percussion duo and also with a band called Skin, which became the beginnings of Blue King Brown.
This beats-driven collaboration formed many connections within the Australian roots scene and they were invited to sit in as percussionists with The John Butler Trio at many of their shows, along with many other guest performances with a number of local and international touring artists over the years.
After moving to Melbourne in 2004 to concentrate on the new collective of Blue King Brown, they recruited Salvador Persico as the band's percussionist, adding a Latin influence. Sam Cope is the band's keyboard player, and Peter Wilkins plays the drum kit. Hailey Cramer, Ngaiire, and Jess Harlen were added as the original backing vocalists.
Water
Blue King Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cause I like being way up high, said I like being up but I don’t know why,
But up here I can see the walls built by man to divide us all,
They’ve been making war and deny us peace
They took away the land and then they brought disease
Those white men who’ve got the key to black mans identity
And those lands they were s’possed to be forever.
And if you decide to fight, please know that we can fight together!
We’ll be the water, water, water
We’ll be the water for their fire ( water for their fire)
We’ll be the water, water, water
We’ll be the water for their fire ( water for their fire)
They have the tendency to put in their pockets everything they see,
They‘ve been taking lands all across the globe
And writing down their name on every rock and stone.
But it aint no mystery, they’re keeping the children from their ancestry
They lock them out of their sacred ground
Well, one day I’m gonna see them pull those fences down
Those white men who’ve got the key to black mans identity
And those lands, they were s’possed to be forever!
They got no heart, they got no right
And if you decide to fight, please know that we can fight together!
We’ll be the water, water, water
We’ll be the water for their fire ( water for their fire)
We’ll be the water, water, water
We’ll be the water for their fire ( water for their fire)
Now, our history is a shame to me but I still got faith in humanity,
Can we swap back all the wrongs for rights
And let the people walk free every day and night, cause
Each nation has their own piece of earth that they call their home,
It’s a point of reference to identify
So if you don’t know where you come from, you know why. (It’s those)
Those white men who’ve got the key to black mans identity
And those lands, they were s’possed to be forever!
They got no heart, they got no right
And if you decide to fight, please know that we can fight together!
We’ll be the water, water, water
We’ll be the water for their fire ( water for their fire)
We’ll be the water, water, water
We’ll be the water for their fire ( water for their fire)
The song "Water" by Blue King Brown addresses the issue of cultural identity and the struggles for indigenous people around the world. The lyrics capture the singer's confusion about where to stand, be it up on the mountain or down in the sand. She likes the view from high up but is aware of the walls built by man that divide society. The song speaks about the injustices faced by indigenous communities across the globe, with a focus on Australia, where the band originates.
The lyrics challenge the colonizers who have taken the land and brought epidemics like diseases, leading to the loss of identity and history of the indigenous communities. The track highlights the importance of culture and heritage and how these human aspects shouldn't be taken away by force. The lyrics assert that the white men who hold the power to take away black people's identity have no heart, no rights, and insists that people stand together to fight for what's right.
The chorus, "We'll be the water for their fire," signifies that water is necessary to extinguish the fire, which represents colonization and the oppression of indigenous people. It is a metaphor that shows how unity with regard to the struggle for identity and cultural preservation is crucial.
Line by Line Meaning
I don’t know where to stand, up on the mountain or down in the sand,
I’m torn between standing up high and being down low, but I don’t know which is better.
Cause I like being way up high, said I like being up but I don’t know why,
I enjoy being up high, but I can’t explain why.
But up here I can see the walls built by man to divide us all,
Being up high allows me to see the physical barriers created by humans to separate us.
They’ve been making war and deny us peace
These barriers have caused wars and prevented peace.
They took away the land and then they brought disease
Those in power took the lands and in doing so brought disease.
Those white men who’ve got the key to black mans identity
The white colonizers have the power to determine black identity.
And those lands they were s’possed to be forever.
The lands that were supposed to belong to the people forever were taken away by the colonizers.
They got no heart, they got no right
The colonizers have acted without any compassion and without any just cause.
And if you decide to fight, please know that we can fight together!
If you choose to fight against the colonizers, I will fight alongside you.
We’ll be the water, water, water
We will be like water, fluid and adaptable.
We’ll be the water for their fire ( water for their fire)
We will be a force that can put out their destructive fires.
They have the tendency to put in their pockets everything they see,
The colonizers have the habit of taking everything they want for their own gain.
They‘ve been taking lands all across the globe
The colonizers have been taking lands all around the world.
And writing down their name on every rock and stone.
They leave their mark to show their ownership and control over the land.
But it aint no mystery, they’re keeping the children from their ancestry
It’s not a secret that the colonizers are preventing children from learning about their heritage.
They lock them out of their sacred ground
They prevent access to ancestral lands that are considered sacred.
Well, one day I’m gonna see them pull those fences down
I am determined to witness the removal of barriers that separate us and prevent access to sacred land.
Now, our history is a shame to me but I still got faith in humanity,
Our past is shameful, but I still have hope for humanity.
Can we swap back all the wrongs for rights
Is it possible to correct the wrongs that have been done in the past?
And let the people walk free every day and night, cause
Can we allow people to be free and unrestricted?
Each nation has their own piece of earth that they call their home,
Each group of people has a specific area of land they call home.
It’s a point of reference to identify
This land is used as a way to identify and connect with one's heritage.
So if you don’t know where you come from, you know why.
If you are unsure about your heritage, it's because of the actions of the colonizers.
Contributed by Riley E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.