Their first major hit as Coldcut was the house-inflected People Hold On, featuring a then-unknown Lisa Stansfield. The single took the U.K. by a storm, and the subsequent album featured such luminaries as Junior Reid (on the single "Stop This Crazy Thing") and Queen Latifah.
In 1991 they started their own record label, Ninja Tune, which continues to release groundbreaking and extremely diverse music by a small army of like-minded artists. In 1997 the duo unveiled their own real time video manipulation software, VJamm. Coldcut's current live and DJ sets rely on video as much as records, taking the concept of multimedia performance into largely uncharted territory.
Conceptually, Coldcut owes as much to the ideas of beat writer and cut-up theorist William S. Burroughs, 1970s art / industrial group Throbbing Gristle, and the religious writings of J. R. "Bob" Dobbs as much as to hip-hop originators like Grandmaster Flash or later innovators Double D and Steinski.
Recognizing the power inherent in Burroughs' cut-up technique and its presence in hip hop music, More and Black have relentlessly pushed the D.I.Y. ethic and an understanding of play as a means of fostering greater interaction with and understanding of the world around you. The similarities between this ethos and that of hacking need hardly be stated. Ninja Tune uses a corporate facade to communicate via the marketplace itself, an idea first implemented by Throbbing Gristle via their own Industrial Records imprint.
One of the key aspects of the Ninja Tune ethos, Stealth, implies that their following of DJs and listeners are "agents" in a Burroughsian sense, propagating the D.I.Y. ethic of play as an essentially subversive act by replaying and manipulating media under the radar of mainstream culture. Nowadays Coldcut reach a worldwide audience through their syndicated radio show Solid Steel. Black has recently (2003) worked with Penny Rimbaud (ex Crass) on Crass Agenda's Savage Utopia project.
In 2006, Coldcut released their fifth album, Sound Mirrors. single True Skool featured rapper Roots Manuva and featured an Indian sample from a cult Bollywood era, making the track popular on the bhangra and desi scene and with most of the British Asian urban nation.
Find a Way
Coldcut Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the midst of all this political fanfare
We're constantly fightin' to keep our rights, and
The more we press on, the more they tighten
Their grip, but I'm a soldier keepin' me from any rupture
Don't listen to the negative, it will only self-destruct ya
Blowin' a cloud of smoke? Yo, you must be on a mission
You want to smoke somethin'? Smoke this one
Smoke this one
[Chorus]
Who will save the day?
Lord have mercy
Who will find a way?
Lord have mercy
Who will take away the strife
Lord have mercy
Oh Lord, rescue me from this life
Lord have mercy
Who will be the leader? (Who will be the leader?)
In a government so corrupt, they get greedier and greedier
What happened to 'a government for the people, by the people'
What people? We ain't equal
Discriminated against for race, religion, education
And you call this a nation?
I'm here to tell ya, hey, there ain't a day
(That what?) we should continue goin' on this way
Who will be responsible for teachin' the youth the truth
Who's accountable for establishin' world peace?
Catch the thugs, get rid of the drugs
Cure the poor, when will the bullshit cease?
Think of what you want to say, no doubt
No one'll ever know you're stupid till you open your mouth
I'm callin' your bluff, it's time for a decision
(Ask me) but if you got more beef, smoke this one
Smoke this one
[Chorus]
I'm the Queen by virtue of her guidance, show me
Guarded by the Flavor Unit, no one can dethrone me
Latifah, the feminine professor of wits
Coldcut's on the mix
And it ticks us off when we see so much wrong
(What's wrong) World, what's goin' on?
That's a question for you to ask yourself
Or are you that caught up in your wealth?
Kids are growin' up with materialistic minds
They become cruel and unkind
Spendin' all your money on Nikes and Filas
But when you see a panhandler, it's "Ha-ha-ha
What a bum, get a job," I should hit you
With another verse of lyrics that'll fitcha
The words are cunning, stunning enough to pierce
But if you want to get fierce (do what?) smoke this one
[Chorus]
The lyrics to Coldcut's song Find A Way is about the current political climate and how it affects people's lives. The song discusses issues such as political corruption, social inequality, discrimination, and materialism. It suggests that people need to take responsibility for their actions and that they can make a positive change by becoming leaders or by supporting them. The song calls out those who contribute to societal problems, like those who ignore the negative or smoke questionable substances, and asks them to focus their energy on a more positive cause.
The chorus of the song asks, "Who will save the day? Who will find a way?" The answer seems to be that people need to take action and responsibility for finding a way to make the world a better place. The lyrics also mention the artists involved, with Queen Latifah reminding us that she is the "Queen" and Coldcut being "on the mix."
Line by Line Meaning
I think you're a sucker if you stand there
If you don't stand up for what's right, you're being weak.
In the midst of all this political fanfare
There's a lot of politics going on and it's a distraction from what's really important.
We're constantly fightin' to keep our rights, and
We have to fight to maintain our basic human rights all the time.
The more we press on, the more they tighten
The more we push for change, the more resistance we face from those in power.
Their grip, but I'm a soldier keepin' me from any rupture
I won't give up in the face of oppression and will keep fighting for what's right.
Don't listen to the negative, it will only self-destruct ya
Don't let negativity consume you, it'll only lead to destruction.
Blowin' a cloud of smoke? Yo, you must be on a mission
You must have a specific reason for smoking so much.
You want to smoke somethin'? Smoke this one
If you want to do something productive, focus on making positive change.
Who will save the day?
Who will step up to create positive change in the world?
Lord have mercy
Please help us overcome the challenges we face.
Who will find a way?
Who will figure out a solution to the world's problems?
Who will take away the strife
Who will end the conflicts and struggles we face?
Oh Lord, rescue me from this life
Please help me overcome the challenges and problems I face in life.
Who will be the leader?
Who is going to step up and lead us towards positive change?
(Who will be the leader?)
This is an important question that needs to be answered.
In a government so corrupt, they get greedier and greedier
Our government is corrupt and those in power care only about their own interests.
What happened to 'a government for the people, by the people'
What happened to a government being run by and for the people it serves?
What people? We ain't equal
Not everyone is treated equally and that's a problem.
Discriminated against for race, religion, education
People are discriminated against for various reasons and it's not fair.
And you call this a nation?
Is this really what we want our nation to be like?
I'm here to tell ya, hey, there ain't a day
Every day is an opportunity to create positive change.
(That what?) we should continue goin' on this way
We can't keep doing things the way we have been and expect different results.
Who will be responsible for teachin' the youth the truth
We need to take responsibility for educating the next generation and setting them up for success.
Who's accountable for establishin' world peace?
Who is responsible for creating a peaceful world for everyone to live in?
Catch the thugs, get rid of the drugs
We need to get rid of the bad influences in our society, like drug abuse and crime.
Cure the poor, when will the bullshit cease?
We need to help those who are marginalized and living in poverty and address the reasons why this is happening.
Think of what you want to say, no doubt
Make sure you're clear on what you want to say and are well-informed before speaking up.
No one'll ever know you're stupid till you open your mouth
It's better to keep quiet if you don't know what you're talking about than to reveal your ignorance.
I'm callin' your bluff, it's time for a decision
I'm challenging you to take action and make a decision on what you want to do.
(Ask me) but if you got more beef, smoke this one
If you have more to say or argue about, focus on making positive change instead.
I'm the Queen by virtue of her guidance, show me
I'm in charge and seeking guidance and support to lead well.
Guarded by the Flavor Unit, no one can dethrone me
I have a strong support system and no one can take my power away.
Latifah, the feminine professor of wits
Latifah is intelligent and shares her wisdom through her work.
Coldcut's on the mix
The music we're listening to is mixed by Coldcut.
And it ticks us off when we see so much wrong
We get frustrated when we see so much injustice and inequality in the world.
(What's wrong) World, what's goin' on?
What's happening in the world and why are things so messed up?
That's a question for you to ask yourself
We all need to reflect on what we can do to make the world a better place.
Or are you that caught up in your wealth?
Are you so focused on your own wealth and success that you don't care about the state of the world around you?
Kids are growin' up with materialistic minds
Children are being raised to value material possessions above all else.
They become cruel and unkind
This materialistic mindset can lead to a lack of empathy and care for others.
Spendin' all your money on Nikes and Filas
People are spending all their money on expensive shoes and clothes instead of investing in more meaningful things.
But when you see a panhandler, it's 'Ha-ha-ha'
People ridicule those who are homeless or in need, which is cruel and unfair.
What a bum, get a job,' I should hit you
This kind of attitude is hurtful and we should aim to be more compassionate.
With another verse of lyrics that'll fitcha
Here's another set of lyrics that will challenge you to think and take action to make the world better.
The words are cunning, stunning enough to pierce
These lyrics are clever and impactful enough to cut through the noise and make you think.
But if you want to get fierce (do what?) smoke this one
If you want to take a powerful stance, focus on making positive change instead of being negative or unproductive.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LEE BLACK, KENNA TURNER WEST, SUE SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind