Brad's success as the drummer of Rage Against the Machine came from the failure of a different band; he once auditioned for a band called Lock Up, who released one album (titled Somethin' Bitchin' This Way Comes) through Geffen records in 1989 and broke up when the album received little media attention upon release. Former Lock Up guitarist Tom Morello was looking to pick up where Lock Up left off and start a new band, and called up Brad to see if he was interested in playing the drums. A short while after, the duo met Zack de la Rocha, a rapper, and through de la Rocha met bassist Tim Commerford (a childhood friend of Zack's) and Rage Against the Machine was born.
When Zack De La Rocha left Rage Against the Machine in late 2000, Brad and the two remaining members, Tom Morello and Tim Commerford, opted to stay together to form a new rock band. Producer Rick Rubin suggested they have a jam session with former Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell. The meeting was an immediate success and they subsequently formed a band called Civilian, which was later renamed Audioslave. Brad Wilk has been the drummer of Audioslave since its formation in 2001.
Maria
Brad Wilk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On northern land as human contraband
Some rico from Jalisco passed her name to tha boss
She stuffed ten to a truckbed, she clutches her cross
Here comes tha exhaust and it rips through her lungs
She's off fast to pasture, like cattle she'll cross
Degree 106, sweat and vomit are thrown
Of yanqui guns for blood debts on tha loans
Of smoldering fields rape rubble and bones
Of graves hidden trapped up in visions of war
I am nothing, no one, nobody no more
These are her mountains and skies and she radiates
And through history's rivers of blood as she regenerates
And like tha sun dissapears only to reappear
She's eternally here, her time is near
Never conquered but here
To tear away at tha mask
And now she got a quota
Tha needle and thread crucifixion
Sold and shipped across tha new line of Mason Dixon
Rippin' through denim tha point an inch from her vein
Tha foreman approach, his steps now pound in her brain
His presence it terrifies and eclipses her days
No minutes to rest, no moment to pray
And with a whisper he whips her
Her soul chained to his will
"My job is to kill if you forget to take your pill"
Her arms jerks tha sisters gather round her and scream
As if in a dream eyes on tha crimson stream
Numb as her wrists spit shots of blood to tha floor
I am nothing, no one, nobody no more
These are her mountains and skies and she radiates
And through history's rivers of blood she regenerates
And like tha sun dissapears only to reappear
Maria she's eternally here, her time is near
Never conquered but here
Uh, to tear away at the mask
Away at the mask
To tear away at the mask, uh
No minute to rest
No moment to pray
No minutes to rest
No moments to pray
No minutes to rest
It eclipses her days
Just a moment to pray, uh
To tear away at the mask
Away at the mask
To tear away at the mask
To tear away at the mask
The song "Maria" by Brad Wilk tells the story of a woman named Maria who is an illegal immigrant trying to cross the northern land border. She is smuggled and packed with ten others in a truck bed. As she steps on the surface of the sand, the sun blazes, and she clutches her cross, trying to pray and overcome the distressing memories of home. As she travels, she is reminded of yanqui guns for blood debts on loans, smoldering fields, rape, rubble, bones, graves hidden trapped up in visions of war. She feels like nothing, no one, nobody, and never conquered but here to tear away at the mask.
As Maria continues her journey, she gets a job in a factory where she is subjected to cruel working conditions. Her boss forces her to work without rest and threatens to kill her if she forgets to take her pills. Her soul is chained to his will, and she feels like she's nobody no more. Her arms jerk, and the sisters gather around her, horrified. They scream as her wrists spit shots of blood to the floor. Maria is eternally here, and her time is near, never conquered but always trying to tear away at the mask of society’s oppression.
The song explores the harsh realities that immigrants face while crossing borders and the working conditions they are subjected to in other countries. It highlights the struggles and traumas that they experience in their quest to make a better living for themselves and their families.
Line by Line Meaning
Tha sun ablaze as Maria's foot touches tha surface of sand
As Maria steps onto the northern land, the sun shines brightly and intensifies the harsh conditions of her journey
On northern land as human contraband
Maria is an illegal immigrant smuggled into the northern land, treated as nothing more than mere contraband
Some rico from Jalisco passed her name to tha boss
An unknown person from Jalisco recommended Maria's name to the smuggler's boss
She stuffed ten to a truckbed, she clutches her cross
Maria is packed into a truck bed with nine others, holding onto her cross for comfort and protection
Here comes tha exhaust and it rips through her lungs
Maria breathes in the toxic fumes from the truck's exhaust, which painfully tear through her lungs
She's off fast to pasture, like cattle she'll cross
Maria is transported quickly like an animal, to be processed as livestock for the Northern land's workforce
Degree 106, sweat and vomit are thrown
Under the scorching heat of 106 degrees, Maria sweats and vomits, overwhelmed by the harsh conditions of her journey
And she prays and suffocates upon tha memories of home
Maria's heart aches for her home, and while she prays, she's suffocated by memories of it
Of yanqui guns for blood debts on tha loans
Maria remembers the bloodshed that occurred when the Northern land demanded repayment for loans from her home country
Of smoldering fields rape rubble and bones
Maria recalls the destruction of her homeland's land, women, and people
Of graves hidden trapped up in visions of war
Maria witnessed gravesites hidden away, and carries the trauma of war in her memory
I am nothing, no one, nobody no more
Maria feels stripped of her identity, as if she's become nothing and no one more than just an illegal immigrant
These are her mountains and skies and she radiates
Despite her tough journey, Maria's aura echoes her love for her mountainous and sky-filled home
And through history's rivers of blood as she regenerates
Maria is a part of her home's bloody history, but continues to stand strong and regenerate
And like tha sun dissapears only to reappear
Just like the sun, Maria disappears but quickly reappears, always present and ready to fight
She's eternally here, her time is near
Maria's presence is eternal, and her time to break free from oppression is soon
Never conquered but here
Despite being brought to the Northern land against her will, Maria refuses to be conquered and claims her place here
To tear away at tha mask
Maria's goal is to expose the truth and rid of the mask that perpetuates oppression
And now she got a quota
Maria is assigned a work quota, another way for her oppressors to control and exploit her
Tha needle and thread crucifixion
Maria is forced to perform delicate tasks with a needle and thread, a form of painful and torturous punishment
Sold and shipped across tha new line of Mason Dixon
Maria is sold and shipped across the new line of Mason Dixon, a symbolic boundary line separating Northern and Southern culture
Rippin' through denim tha point an inch from her vein
As Maria works, the sharp point of the needle comes unbearably close to her vein, ready to inflict excruciating pain
Tha foreman approach, his steps now pound in her brain
The oppressive foreman approaches Maria, his intimidating presence echoing in her thoughts
His presence it terrifies and eclipses her days
The foreman's existence petrifies Maria, consuming all her thoughts and hindering her every move
No minutes to rest, no moment to pray
Maria is given no time to rest or pray, as the foreman pushes her to work without respite
And with a whisper he whips her
The foreman punishes Maria with a whip, his actions amplified by his hushed tone
Her soul chained to his will
Maria's oppressor has shackled her soul to his will, depriving her of her own free will
"My job is to kill if you forget to take your pill"
The foreman's cruel statement that he will kill Maria if she forgets to take her medicine proves that he values her only as labor and nothing more
Her arms jerks tha sisters gather round her and scream
As Maria's arms jerk in pain, her fellow women huddle, crying out in agony with her
As if in a dream eyes on tha crimson stream
Maria, barely conscious, sees her blood streaming from her arm, as if in a dream
Numb as her wrists spit shots of blood to tha floor
Maria's wrists are numb, and the blood flows uncontrollably onto the floor
To tear away at the mask
Maria's desire to free herself and her people grows stronger as she realizes the extent of their oppression
Contributed by Lillian C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.