Carry On
Bran Van 3000 (live 1998) Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been working so,
I've been working so hard.
Why you bring me down?
Why you bring me down?
I've been working so hard.
You'll be smooth,
Smoother than silk.
Let honesty remain my virtue,
Motherin' is my milk.
To push strong 'til the end,
Because the stress is the life.
Keep on pushin' like a player,
Guess you can't see our strife.
We're in this together 'cause there's no place to run.
Man's built the gun, that's why I'm chasing the sun.
You want to walk how you walk?
Then watch me try to stay how I stayed,
I can't be swayed by the man.
I love my shorties with my heart,
I'll always lend them my hand.
Teach my children about the seeds
You want to take from the sand.
Gotta maintain motherfucker,
Gotta stick to these plans,
'Cause this globalized village
Made it all-out war.
And hip hop will be my wings,
And enough men needing to soar.
I see more guns than children
Being born everyday.
Another mother'll have to weep
Because you'd rob her's away.
I guess you're never gonna figure,
No man's bigger than the next.
Instead of building, you'll be killing,
Every man's getting vexed.
So carry on, carry on.
Carry on...
Maintain...
How would you like to stick with me?
How much do you love to freefall?
I never thought that I would have to stay
So near to keep you near.
How would you like to stick with me?
And do you love to freefall?
I never thought that I would have to speak
So loud for you to hear.
I need your loving,
And I try so hard.
To maintain.
I need your loving,
And I try so hard.
To maintain.
Carry on, carry on, carry on,
Carry on, carry on, carry on,
Carry on, carry on, carry on,
Carry on.
I want to chill for real,
But I can't seem to escape.
Because your five-minute pleasures
Got me screaming out rape.
And parliament, they keep me tied up
With the fucking red tape;
Left taps on my phone,
They got me thinking about fate.
"Hold it, freeze," keeps me thinking
That there's no time to wait;
And now the prison cell bars
Offer up heaven's gate.
But we're like in this together,
See there's no place to run.
Man's built the gun,
So we're chasing the sun.
Carry on; carry on.
Day and night,
Hell, everyday,
I'll carry on.
On every single part I play,
I'll be so strong,
Hell, I won't give up the fight.
Day and night,
Everyday,
I'll carry on.
I'll live my life on centre stage,
I'll carry on, I'll be so strong,
I won't give up the fight...
Carry on...
Carry on, carry on, carry on,
Carry on, carry on, carry on.
The song "Carry On" by Bran Van 3000 (live 1998) is a powerful anthem about perseverance despite adversity. The song's speaker is deeply committed to working hard and pushing through the struggles of life, but they are also keenly aware of the forces that try to bring them down. The repeated lines "I've been working so hard, why you bring me down?" point to the contrast between the singer's dedication and the negativity they encounter from others. The singer also references their commitment to honesty and love, telling their shorties (children) about the seeds they "take from the sand," and emphasizing the importance of determination in a challenging globalized world. The voice in the song is speaking from a place of struggle and resistance, channeling their sense of injustice into a fierce and passionate call to action.
One of the key themes in the song is the idea of carrying on, even when things are tough. The repeated phrase "carry on" functions as a powerful refrain throughout the song, embodying the singer's unwavering resolve. The use of this phrase creates a sense of momentum and urgency in the song, calling on listeners to persevere through life's challenges. The song's repeated references to "chasing the sun" speak to the idea of pursuing something that seems impossible, but which is nonetheless worth striving for.
Another important aspect of the song is the way it blends multiple musical styles and genres. The song contains elements of hip-hop, rock, and soul, creating a unique sonic fusion that reflects the song's themes of unity, resistance, and perseverance. The band's live performance of the song in 1998 is particularly noteworthy for its high energy and interplay between the musicians.
Overall, "Carry On" is a powerful and compelling song that speaks to the challenges of life and the importance of staying strong and committed to our goals. Its message of perseverance and determination is one that is sure to resonate with listeners from all walks of life.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been working so,
I have been putting in a lot of effort into my work
Why you bring me down?
Why are you negatively affecting my motivation?
You'll be smooth,
You will be confident and sophisticated in your approach
I'll be smoother,
I will be even more elegant and polished than you
Let honesty remain my virtue,
Being truthful is a core value that I will always prioritize
Motherin' is my milk.
Nurturing is my main source of strength and inspiration
To push strong 'til the end,
I will persevere unrelentingly until I reach my goals
Because the stress is the life.
Enduring the hardships that come with life is a fundamental aspect of it
Keep on pushin' like a player,
I will keep exerting myself like a skilled and dedicated athlete
Guess you can't see our strife.
You are unable to perceive the difficulties and obstacles we face
We're in this together 'cause there's no place to run.
We are interdependent as there is no escape from the challenges we encounter
Man's built the gun, that's why I'm chasing the sun.
Humans have created weapons, which is why I strive for a peaceful and positive future
You want to walk how you walk?
Do you prefer to continue living a certain way?
Then watch me try to stay how I stayed,
Observe as I maintain my values and principles
I can't be swayed by the man.
I will not be influenced or deterred by authority figures
I love my shorties with my heart,
I have immense affection for my children
I'll always lend them my hand.
I will always offer my support and guidance to them
Teach my children about the seeds
I will educate my children about the importance of cultivating fruitful outcomes
You want to take from the sand.
Some individuals aim to acquire resources that are not rightfully theirs
Gotta maintain motherfucker,
I need to persevere and stay committed
Gotta stick to these plans,
I need to adhere to my established strategies and goals
'Cause this globalized village
The world has become more interconnected and interdependent
Made it all-out war.
People have become hostile and aggressive towards each other
And hip hop will be my wings,
Hip hop music will aid me in achieving my aspirations
And enough men needing to soar.
There are many individuals who aim to succeed and attain great heights
I see more guns than children
There are more guns and weapons than innocent youngsters
Being born everyday.
Weaponry is being created and distributed rapidly
Another mother'll have to weep
Some mothers will suffer tremendous grief
Because you'd rob her's away.
Because the child was taken away from her cruelly
I guess you're never gonna figure,
I suppose you will never understand
No man's bigger than the next.
No individual is inherently superior to others
Instead of building, you'll be killing,
Rather than contributing to positive change, you will cause destruction
Every man's getting vexed.
Everyone is becoming increasingly frustrated and upset
How would you like to stick with me?
Would you be willing to stay by my side?
How much do you love to freefall?
How comfortable are you with taking risks and experiencing uncertainty?
I never thought that I would have to stay
I never anticipated having to remain
So near to keep you near.
So close in proximity to ensure your presence
And do you love to freefall?
Do you enjoy taking risks and embracing the unknown?
I never thought that I would have to speak
I did not expect to have to communicate so sternly
So loud for you to hear.
So forcefully for you to comprehend
I need your loving,
I require your love and support
And I try so hard.
I make tremendous efforts and sacrifices
To maintain.
To uphold or preserve something valuable
Day and night,
Continuously and tirelessly
Hell, everyday,
Regardless of how challenging it may be
I'll be so strong,
I will be incredibly resilient and determined
Hell, I won't give up the fight.
I will never surrender or abandon my convictions
Carry on...
Persist and continue forward
Day and night,
Continuously and tirelessly
Everyday,
Regardless of how challenging it may be
I'll live my life on centre stage,
I will live my life boldly and publicly
I'll carry on, I'll be so strong,
I will persist and maintain my resolve
I won't give up the fight...
I will never surrender or abandon my convictions
Carry on...
Persist and continue forward
Carry on, carry on, carry on,
Persist and continue forward
Carry on, carry on, carry on,
Persist and continue forward
Maintain...
Persist and continue forward
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERIC PIERRE BERGEN, JAMES DI SALVIO, STEPHEN JAMES HAWLEY, JAYNE HILL, DOMINIC HYNES, ROBERT JOANISSE, SARA JOHNSTON, GARY ANTHONY MCKENZIE, STEPHANE ANNE-MARIE MORAILLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Chai Blackshear
This is my 45th favorite song of all time!
Roiy Benkel
I've been working so,
I've been working so,
I've been working so hard.
Why you bring me down?
Why you bring me down?
I've been working so hard.
You'll be smooth,
I'll be smoother,
Smoother than silk.
Let honesty remain my virtue,
Motherin' is my milk.
To push strong 'til the end,
Because the stress is the life.
Keep on pushin' like a player,
Guess you can't see our strife.
We're in this together 'cause there's no place to run.
Man's built the gun, that's why I'm chasing the sun.
You wanna walk how you walk?
Then watch me try to stay how I stayed,
I can't be swayed by the man.
I love my shorties with my heart,
I'll always lend them my hand.
Teach my children about the seeds you wanna take from the sand.
Gotta maintain motherfucker,
Gotta stick to these plans,
'Cause this globalized village made it all-out war.
And hip hop will be my wings,
And enough men needing to soar.
I see more guns than children being born everyday.
Another mother'll have to weep because you'd rob her's away.
I guess you're never gonna figure,
No man's bigger than the next.
Instead of building, you'll be killing,
Every man's getting vexed.
So carry on, carry on.
Carry on...
Maintain...
How would you like to stick with me?
How much do you love to freefall?
I never thought that I would have to stay so near to keep you near.
How would you like to stick with me?
And do you love to freefall?
I never thought that I would have to speak so loud for you to hear.
I need your loving,
And I try so hard.
To maintain.
I need your loving,
And I try so hard.
To maintain.
Carry on, carry on, carry on,
Carry on, carry on, carry on,
Carry on, carry on, carry on,
Carry on.
I wanna chill for real,
But I can't seem to escape.
Because your five-minute pleasures got me screaming out rape.
And parliament, they keep me tied up with the fucking red tape;
Left taps on my phone,
They got me thinking about fate.
"Hold it, freeze," keeps me thinking that there's no time to wait;
And now the prison cell bars offer up heaven's gate.
But we're like in this together,
See there's no place to run.
Man's built the gun,
So we're chasing the sun.
Carry on; carry on.
Day and night,
Hell, everyday,
I'll carry on.
On every single part I play,
I'll be so strong,
Hell, I won't give up the fight.
Day and night,
Everyday,
I'll carry on.
I'll live my life on centre stage,
I'll carry on, I'll be so strong,
I won't give up the fight...
Carry on...
Carry on, carry on, carry on,
Carry on, carry on, carry on.
O L M
Amazing song I love it
Erik Van Voorden
If you don’t like Bran Van 3000 then you are numb on the inside