The band came together to play the rich tradition of fiddle and banjo music in Carolina's Piedmont. Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson both hail from Durham, North Carolina while Dom Flemons is native to Arizona. Although they have diverse musical backgrounds, they draw their musical heritage from the foothills of North and South Carolina. They have been under the tutelage of Joe Thompson, said to be the last black traditional string band player, of Mebane, NC, and they strive to carry on the long standing traditional music of the black and white communities. Joe's musical heritage runs as deeply and fluidly as the many rivers and streams that traverse their landscape. They are proud to carry on the tradition of black musicians like Odell and Nate Thompson, Dink Roberts, John Snipes, Libba Cotten, Emp White, and countless others who have passed beyond memory and recognition.
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Political World
Carolina Chocolate Drops Lyrics
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Love don't have any place.
We're living in times where men commit crimes
And crime don't have a face
We live in a political world,
Icicles hanging down,
Wedding bells ring and angels sing,
We live in a political world,
Wisdom is thrown into jail,
It rots in a cell, is misguided as hell
Leaving no one to pick up a trail.
We live in a political world
Where mercy walks the plank,
Life is in mirrors, death disappears
Up the steps into the nearest bank.
We live in a political world
Where courage is a thing of the past
Houses are haunted, children are unwanted
The next day could be your last.
We live in a political world.
The one we can see and can feel
But there's no one to check, it's all a stacked deck,
We all know for sure that it's real.
We live in a political world
In the cities of lonesome fear,
Little by little you turn in the middle
But you're never why you're here.
We live in a political world
Under the microscope,
You can travel anywhere and hang yourself there
You always got more than enough rope.
We live in a political world
Turning and a'thrashing about,
As soon as you're awake, you're trained to take
What looks like the easy way out.
We live in a political world
Where peace is not welcome at all,
It's turned away from the door to wander some more
Or put up against the wall.
We live in apolitical world
Everything is hers or his,
Climb into the frame and shout God's name
But you're never sure what it is.
Carolina Chocolate Drops's song "Political World" is a commentary on the state of the world where politics consumes everything, and love is left with no place. The lyrics suggest that in current times, crimes are committed, and there is no one to hold accountable. The image of "icicles hanging down" and "clouds covering up the ground" give the impression of a chilling atmosphere, where peace is absent, and fear is dominant. The use of phrases like "wisdom is thrown into jail," "mercy walks the plank" and "courage is a thing of the past" suggests a world where these core values have little or no place. Instead, people are haunted and unwanted, and there is no escape. Even mirrors reflect death, and life disappears "up the steps into the nearest bank."
As the lyrics suggest, there is no one to check the system, and it is all a stacked deck. The song further suggests that people are never sure of their place in this world, and everything is hers or his. People are trained to take the easy way out, and peace is not welcome. Despite the lack of hope, the song ends by leaving the listener questioning everything, including the existence of God, as people climb into the frame and shout his name, but they're never sure what it is. Overall, the song is a reflection of the current political world where fear and lack of values rule the day.
Line by Line Meaning
We live in a political world,
Love don't have any place.
The world we live in is heavily influenced by politics and power, where love and compassion are not given much significance.
We're living in times where men commit crimes
And crime don't have a face
In the present world, we witness numerous incidents of crime where the culprits are often not identifiable or brought to justice.
We live in a political world,
Icicles hanging down,
Wedding bells ring and angels sing,
Clouds cover up the ground.
Our world is political, and nature's realities like icicles and clouds remain unaffected by it, amidst symbolic concepts like weddings bells and angels singing oblivious to politics.
We live in a political world,
Wisdom is thrown into jail,
It rots in a cell, is misguided as hell
Leaving no one to pick up a trail.
In a world where politics reign supreme, wisdom and knowledge are often subjugated and ignored, leading to a lack of guidance and accountability.
We live in a political world
Where mercy walks the plank,
Life is in mirrors, death disappears
Up the steps into the nearest bank.
In this world obsessed with politics and power, mercy has no place, life is often a reflection of society, but death silently creeps in, overshadowed by financial institutions.
We live in a political world
Where courage is a thing of the past
Houses are haunted, children are unwanted
The next day could be your last.
In a world where politics and power dominate, people are losing their courage, and basic needs like shelter and safety have become scarce, making life insecure and unpredictable.
We live in a political world.
The one we can see and can feel
But there's no one to check, it's all a stacked deck,
We all know for sure that it's real.
This world is the only one we know and experience, but it's controlled by those in power, leaving little room for oversight, making it a system that's rigged against the common people.
We live in a political world
In the cities of lonesome fear,
Little by little you turn in the middle
But you're never why you're here.
The world we live in is dominated by fear and loneliness, making people feel lost while trying to find out their purpose in such an oppressive world.
We live in a political world
Under the microscope,
You can travel anywhere and hang yourself there
You always got more than enough rope.
This world is constantly under scrutiny, and people are always judged, making them feel suffocated in this political environment that's suffocating and only worsens people's mental agony.
We live in a political world
Turning and a'thrashing about,
As soon as you're awake, you're trained to take
What looks like the easy way out.
The world we live in is chaotic and unsettling, and to cope with it all, people are trained to take the easier way out, even though it's not a solution but a temporary fix to the larger problems.
We live in a political world
Where peace is not welcome at all,
It's turned away from the door to wander some more
Or put up against the wall.
In a world where politics rules over everything, peace is rejected or pushed away, leaving it to wander without acceptance or respect.
We live in a political world
Everything is hers or his,
Climb into the frame and shout God's name
But you're never sure what it is.
In this world, everything has a sense of ownership or control, but even religion is not untouched and is used to justify oppression, making people unsure of what to believe anymore.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind