Prophet released his solo debut Brother Aldo in 1990 on Fire records,(later reissued in the late 1990's on Walter Yetnikoff's Velvel imprint. His immediate career path took him through mostly European touring markets and his followup "Balinese Dancer" came out in 1993 & later the Steve Berlin produced "Feast of Hearts" came out in Europe only through the Fire imprint. After a decade long bout with substance abuse, Prophet resurfaced refreshed and renewed on the critical breakthroughs 1998's "Homemade Blood", 2000's "The Hurting Business" and 2002's live "Turn The Pigeons Loose" (all available via Cooking Vinyl in UK). By 2000 he'd recorded a side project with his wife Stefanie called Go Go Market and begun incorporating electronic influences into his traditional roots rock formula, resulting in some mainstream radio play and expanded exposure, culminating in the wider distribution of albums "No Other Love" from 2002 and 2004's "Age of Miracles" on New West Records. Chuck signed a new arrangement in the US with North Carolina based Yep Roc for 2007's "Soap and Water", an album that saw the musician invited to play twice on National Public Radio, as well as on televison talk shows like Late Night With David Letterman, and The Carson Daly Show.
Over the years he also began collaborating with other songwriters like Kelly Willis, Steve Yerkey and contributing as a guitarist/musician to studio efforts from folks like Jonathan Richman, Warren Zevon, Kim Carnes, Cake, Tom Heyman and Jewel. Alejandro Escovedo's upcoming 2008 release produced by Tony Visconti entitled Real Animal was co-written and recorded with Prophet. In addition to having his songs recorded by artists like Solomon Burke, Heart & Cyndi Thomson he has also recorded with men who started out as his influences like Jim Dickinson, Dan Penn and the late Warren Zevon.
www.chuckprophet.com.
RISE
Chuck Prophet Lyrics
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Those very words once left me numb
I'll weight myself when I get home
You can wrap your legs around these bones
Rise, rise ye broken children, rise
Have faith in the great beyond
That's what they say, but you're still gone
You said tell the truth, that's what I did
Rise, rise ye broken children, rise
Rise, I said rise, ye broken children, rise
The machine is gonna keep the beat
And the ground is gonna kiss my feet
In stolen shoes, I'm Texas bound
In the search of a man who can't be found
Rise, rise ye broken chilren, rise
Rise, I said rise, ye broken children, rise
Chuck Prophet's song "Rise" refers to the theme of resilience and hope, which is portrayed by the use of imagery and figurative language. The song begins by referencing Sam Cooke's iconic song, "A Change Is Gonna Come" and how it had once left the singer feeling numb. From the outset, we learn that the themes of change and transformation are central to the song. The singer then refers to weighing himself when he gets home, indicating that he needs to reassess his life and start anew. The next few lines, "You can wrap your legs around these bones, Rise, rise ye broken children, rise," showcase the pain and hurt that we all feel in life, but the singer is also offering a sense of encouragement for people to rise above it all.
The second verse highlights the idea of having faith in the "great beyond" but sadly, someone close to the singer is already gone. The singer mentions being "innocent" and "telling the truth" but it doesn't matter because the person they were trying to reach is already gone. Nevertheless, the singer again encourages people to rise and move forward.
The final verse concludes the song with the singer on a journey to Texas. The line "In stolen shoes, I'm Texas bound," reflects the idea of the singer leaving behind the past and embracing a new beginning. Despite the pain and suffering they have faced, the singer will continue their journey, no matter what. The song is a powerful anthem of courage and fortitude.
Line by Line Meaning
A change, a change is gonna come
There will be a transformation or upheaval soon.
Those very words once left me numb
In the past, the idea of change was overwhelming and paralyzing to me.
I'll weight myself when I get home
I'll check my mass or substance when I'm in a more familiar environment.
You can wrap your legs around these bones
You can hold me close and give me comfort, although I may be fragile or weak.
Rise, rise ye broken children, rise
Despite feeling damaged or oppressed, we must empower ourselves and rise up.
Have faith in the great beyond
Believe in something more powerful than yourself or your current situation.
That's what they say, but you're still gone
Although people tell me to trust in a higher power, you, who I deeply miss, are still absent or deceased.
I told them I was innocent
I explained that I didn't do anything wrong, but someone may not believe me.
You said tell the truth, that's what I did
You asked me to be honest, and I was truthful to the best of my ability.
The machine is gonna keep the beat
Technology or progress will continue, regardless of what happens to me.
And the ground is gonna kiss my feet
I will make progress, find stability or success, and be rewarded or acknowledged for it.
In stolen shoes, I'm Texas bound
I'm headed to Texas without proper footwear, maybe even stealing my way there, for reasons unknown.
In the search of a man who can't be found
I'm looking for someone who's missing, and I haven't been able to locate them yet.
Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: STACY JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind