Common Market was a American hip-hop duo based in Seattle, Washington, Unit… Read Full Bio ↴Common Market was a American hip-hop duo based in Seattle, Washington, United States and active from 2005 through 2009. Both members, RA Scion and Sabzi, had been active hip-hop artists in the Pacific Northwest for three years before they combined their talents in 2005 to form Common Market. Together they released two albums and two EPs.

http://www.commonmarketmusic.com

Entering the hip-hop arena in an almost-forgotten fashion, the MC-and-the-DJ tag team Common Market has been pegged as leaders of Seattle's new-school rap movement. MC RA Scion and DJ Sabzi have received rave reviews locally, landing in the Seattle Times' artists-to-watch list in 2006, appearing on the front cover of Sound Seattle magazine's September 2006 issue, and obtaining the personal endorsement of hip-hop pioneer KRS-One as an exceptional up-and-coming group. Sabzi, a classically trained pianist and member of Seattle rap group Blue Scholars, and RA Scion came to meet each other in 2004 because of their identical ambitions to make Seattle a hotbed for hip-hop and their similar beliefs as worshipers of the Baha'i Faith. After Sabzi lent production help to RA Scion's solo album, Live and Learn, the two formed Common Market in 2005. Their self-titled debut album was first released in 2005 but then released nationally in early 2006. ~ Cyril Cordor, Rovi

Nouveau Depart
Common Market Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Rain on the scarecrow, blood on the plow
Aint nowhere to go when, it's trouble on the prowl
Move for the sake of not standing still
Who's gonna save us? I guess if God can he will
Taught me to pray but, never trained me to swim
Beast of the nature; leverage can't keep him in
Float with the hopeful, 'til it starts sinkin' in
Maybe we were chosen, to lead the saints in the march in

Every indication tellin' me
We beheld the face of the devil the
Ancient letters have been and spelled it out
On the vellum, this hell is heavenly
In the inundation a revelry
Let the wave of grace envelope me
Well of emancipation, seldom I've felt as selfish
No help I fell out of zealotry
All the messages heeded 'em
Freely left the rest to be with them
My level of obedience is seen in the seasons
Freeze within the reaches of freedom
See the incredulous seekin' him
Speakin' the ineffable, kneelin'
Every seed in the legion cede allegiance
In the final breaths of death they're breathin'

Hush, I aint never told you to trust in
Nothin' other than
What you can hold, clutch – that's just
Dust under the muslin

Then I rose, lips sealed eyes closed
Stripped these soaked clothes
Every stitch goes, I'mma be revealed
I'mma see the real get exposed
In the wind a wish blows
What kind of men are content to live with those?
I dig rows of holes for seeds
Who I'mma feed with fishes and loaves?
I am perfectly merciless
Versus the purposeless murderous
I am worthy, not worthless – I deserve this
I am worthy, not worthless – I deserve this

Je suis passé avec Dieu
Je suis passé avec Dieu

Overall Meaning

The opening lines "Rain on the scarecrow, blood on the plow / Aint nowhere to go when, it's trouble on the prowl" sets the tone for Common Market's track Nouveau Depart. The lyrics bring forth the idea of a world where everything is falling apart and nobody is safe, a world where hope is fragile and elusive at best. The singer is left to be in awe and shock when he realizes that society is evil and all around him, he only sees chaos. The lyrics tell the story of an individual struggling to make sense of the world around him and trying to find hope in what can only be described as a hopeless situation.

The middle section of the song brings forth the idea that the world is swirling around in a sea of confusion, but still manages to find moments of clarity and grace within itself. The singer remains a seeker of higher knowledge and understanding, even when the rest of the world seems to have given up. When he sings "Every indication tellin' me / We beheld the face of the devil the / Ancient letters have been and spelled it out / On the vellum, this hell is heavenly," he is speaking to the idea that in the face of extreme darkness, it is often hard to discern what is good and what is evil.

The final section of the lyrics is a call to action, urging everyone to look beyond themselves and their immediate surroundings, and to consider how they can be part of a broader struggle for justice and accountability. The words "I am perfectly merciless / Versus the purposeless murderous" speak to the idea that our world is full of people who are indifferent to the suffering of others, and that it is up to each of us to take a stand against these forces of darkness. It is only when we recognize our own worth and our own power that we can begin to create the kind of world we want to live in.

Line by Line Meaning

Rain on the scarecrow, blood on the plow
The environment is harsh and unforgiving; life is strenuous and dangerous.

Aint nowhere to go when, it's trouble on the prowl
When difficulties arise, there is no clear path to overcome them.

Move for the sake of not standing still
Keep progressing forward, don't remain stagnant.

Who's gonna save us? I guess if God can he will
There is no clear solution to our problems except for hope and faith in a higher power.

Taught me to pray but, never trained me to swim
We are taught to have faith, but not necessarily how to maneuver through life's obstacles.

Beast of the nature; leverage can't keep him in
The natural world cannot be controlled; it is a powerful force.

Float with the hopeful, 'til it starts sinkin' in
Hold onto optimism until it is clear that things are not going as planned.

Maybe we were chosen, to lead the saints in the march in
We may have a divine purpose to lead others and make a difference in the world.

Every indication tellin' me
All signs point to

We beheld the face of the devil the
We have seen the destructive nature of evil

Ancient letters have been and spelled it out
History has revealed the dangers and consequences of wickedness.

On the vellum, this hell is heavenly
Some people find comfort in their struggles; they feel that they belong in difficult situations.

In the inundation a revelry
Amidst the chaos, there is a sense of celebration and joy.

Let the wave of grace envelope me
Embrace the blessings and compassion of a higher power.

Well of emancipation, seldom I've felt as selfish
Freedom can be difficult to accept or ask for, and it may feel like a selfish desire.

No help I fell out of zealotry
I lost my fervor and devotion

All the messages heeded 'em
I have listened to all advice and guidance given to me.

Freely left the rest to be with them
I have chosen to be with those who understand and support me.

My level of obedience is seen in the seasons
My level of devotion can be seen in how I respond to different seasons of life.

Freeze within the reaches of freedom
Living freely can sometimes feel like being trapped or frozen in place.

See the incredulous seekin' him
Even the most skeptical and doubtful may search for a higher power in times of need.

Speakin' the ineffable, kneelin'
Speaking of the unexplainable and praying for guidance.

Every seed in the legion cede allegiance
Every member of the group commits to a common goal.

In the final breaths of death they're breathin'
Even in the face of death, there is life and purpose.

Hush, I aint never told you to trust in Nothin' other than What you can hold, clutch – that's just Dust under the muslin
Be cautious of trusting anything other than what you can physically hold, as other things may be fleeting or temporary like dirt that covers a cloth.

Then I rose, lips sealed eyes closed Stripped these soaked clothes Every stitch goes, I'mma be revealed I'mma see the real get exposed
After facing struggles and challenges, I am ready to strip away the layers and reveal my true self.

In the wind a wish blows What kind of men are content to live with those?
Even with the possibility of achieving dreams, some people may choose to settle for less.

I dig rows of holes for seeds Who I'mma feed with fishes and loaves?
I am willing to work hard and make sacrifices, but it can be difficult to see how my efforts will benefit others.

I am perfectly merciless Versus the purposeless murderous I am worthy, not worthless – I deserve this I am worthy, not worthless – I deserve this
I am driven and determined to succeed, despite those who may interfere or attempt to harm me. I am worthy of success and do not deserve to be treated poorly by others.

Je suis passé avec Dieu Je suis passé avec Dieu
I have passed with God. (Repeated for emphasis.)

Contributed by Cole O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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