He was also a part of the hip-hop supergroup La Coka Nostra, which consists of his former House of Pain mates, Danny Boy and DJ Lethal along with underground rap veteran Ill Bill and Irish-American rapper Slaine. On July 14, 2009, they released their debut album, 'A Brand You Can Trust', through Uncle Howie Records and Suburban Noize Records.
Everlast was born in Valley Stream, New York of Irish descent. His grandfather was of German descent. Emerging as a member of the Rhyme Syndicate, Everlast's first solo album Forever Everlasting (1990), largely made possible by MC Ice T, was a disappointment both critically and commercially. Following the album's failure, Everlast teamed up with DJ Lethal and high school friend Danny Boy to form House of Pain. The group was signed to Tommy Boy Records, and their eponymous debut album, House of Pain (1992), went multi-platinum, spawning the successful DJ Muggs produced single Jump Around. This song was also remixed twice by Pete Rock, one version featuring a verse from him and one without. The album also featured Cypress Hill member, B-Real, on the song Put Your Head Out.
Fashioning themselves as rowdy Irish American hooligans (Lethal is actually of Latvian heritage), they toured with various rap and alternative-rock bands after their breakthrough. They participated together with Helmet, along with several other rap acts, on the influential 1993 rock-rap collaborative Judgment Night movie soundtrack. The group eventually disbanded in 1996, with Everlast pursuing a solo career.
Everlast's second solo album Whitey Ford Sings the Blues (1998)-- which was released a full eight years after his solo debut and after he had a major heart attack – was both a commercial and critical success (selling more than 3 million copies). Whitey Ford Sings the Blues was hailed for its blend of rap with acoustic and electric guitars, developed by Everlast together with producers Dante Ross and John Gamble. The album's lead single What It's Like proved to be his most popular and successful song, although the follow up single, Ends, also reached the rock top 10.
Everlast followed-up this success by collaborating with Santana on the track Put Your Lights On on Santana's 1999 album Supernatural. It charted at #118 on the pop chart, but did considerably better with rock radio airplay, peaking at #8 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. "Put Your Lights On" won Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 2000 Grammy Awards.
Despite the success of Whitey Ford Sings the Blues and his success with Santana, Everlast's follow-up album, Eat at Whitey's (2000), stumbled commercially at first in the United States. However, it was eventually certified gold. The album was also embraced critically, especially by Rolling Stone Magazine, which reviewed the album between "good" and "great" and focused on it as that month's most important release.
Shortly after both artists contributed tracks to the End of Days soundtrack, a feud erupted between Everlast and Eminem. Eminem and Everlast crossed paths before a concert in early 1999. Eminem says he didn't greet Everlast because he didn't recognize him right away, and said Everlast didn't acknowledge him. Everlast's version is that he tried to congratulate Eminem on his success, and Eminem blew him off. Either way, Everlast's verse from the Dilated Peoples all star track Ear Drums Pop (Remix) contained a thinly veiled reference to Eminem "I buck a .380 on ones that act shady", and went on to warn "You might catch a beatdown now where I come from" in his recounting of the incident.
Eminem, in turn, ripped Everlast several times in public and with the song I Remember (Dedication To Whitey Ford) released as the b-side to his group D12's 12" vinyl single Shit On You. In it, Eminem talks about how he remembered Everlast's music, however, "Kid Rock and Limp Bizkit came along now / Don't nobody wanna hear your old ass sing no more."
Everlast responded with the track Whitey's Revenge, released only on his official website. Whereas the song contained references to Eminem's strained relationships with his wife and mother, it was "Better run and check your kid for your DNA", again referring to Eminem's daughter, Hailie Jade Mathers, that set Eminem off.
Eminem & D12 responded with Quitter, the first half uses the backing of Eminem's own song Marshall Mathers, the second half of which is a take off on 2Pac's Hit Em Up (a diss song aimed at The Notorious B.I.G.). In it, he warns Everlast, "If you talk about my little girl in a song again, I’ma kill you." The track ends with the spoken words, "Fuck him, that’s it, I’m done, I promise, I’m done, that’s it," and again warning, "Mention my daughter’s name in a song again you fucking punk."
Everlast echoed similar sentiment on the status of this feud, stating in various interviews that he felt everything had been said and he would now refrain from further responses.
After the sale of the Tommy Boy Records' catalog of master tapes to Warner Bros. Records and its metamorphosis to a dance music label in 2002, Everlast was without a label, but in 2003 he signed with Island Def Jam. His fourth solo album, White Trash Beautiful (2004), was subsequently released after almost a four-year hiatus. The album, which had an almost country-rap feel, received mixed reviews and was a commercial failure. Eventually, Everlast was released from his contract.
In early 2006, Everlast teamed up with his former House of Pain mates DJ Lethal and Danny Boy to join the hip-hop group La Coka Nostra.The group first came to be due to the former House of Pain Hype man Danny Boy starting the group as a collective with rappers Slaine and Big Left (who has since left the group). Soon after the group started, Ill Bill of a now disbanded Non Phixion and Everlast joined the group. Their first known song was Fuck Tony Montana, which features Cypress Hill's MC B Real and Sick Jacken. Due to the popularity of the song online, the group released several more online for free. The group's debut album, A Brand You Can Trust, was released on July 14. The album features guests like Snoop Dogg, B Real, Bun B, Immortal Technique, Sick Jacken and Q-Unique. La Coka Nostra recently joined the likes of Nas and Ill Bill's brother, Necro on Rock The Bells.
In 2007, Everlast was chosen to do the theme song for the TV show Saving Grace. The song,Saving Grace, plays during the show's main title sequence, and was originally released to digital outlets only, however, it was also included on Everlast's fifth solo album, Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford. The album was released on September 23, 2008, on Everlast's own record label Martyr Inc, with distribution by Hickory Records/Sony/ATV Music Publishing (It was revealed through diditleak.co.uk that the album leaked out early on Friday, August 29). A second single and video, Letters Home From The Garden Of Stone, was released for free download from martyr-inc.com in December 2007. The third single, a cover of Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison Blues, was released to download on August 19. The Video for Stone in My Hand debuted on the martyr-inc website on October 28, 2008, making it the fourth video for the album.
Discography
Forever Everlasting
* Released: March 27, 1990
* Label: Warner Bros. Records
* Singles: "Never Missin' a Beat", "The Rhythm", "I Got the Knack"
Whitey Ford Sings the Blues
* Released: September 8, 1998 (2× Multi-Platinum)
* Label: Tommy Boy Records
* Singles: "What It's Like", "Ends", "Painkillers"
Today (EP)
* Released: 1999
* Label: Tommy Boy Records
* Singles: -
Eat at Whitey's
* Released: October 17, 2000 (Gold)
* Label: Tommy Boy Records
* Singles: "Black Jesus", "Deadly Assassins", "I Can't Move"
White Trash Beautiful
* Released: May 25, 2004
* Label: Island Def Jam
* Singles: "White Trash Beautiful", "Sleepin' Alone", "Blinded By The Sun", "Sad Girl", "Lonely Road"
Love, War and The Ghost of Whitey Ford
* Release Date: September 23, 2008
* Label: Martyr Inc.
* U.S. sales: 6,500+ in its first week.
* Singles: "Letters Home from the Garden of Stone", "Folsom Prison Blues", "Stone In My Hand"
Selected Guest Appearances
* Ice-T - What Ya Wanna Do? (]The Iceberg, 1989)
* Bronx Style Bob - Ode II Junior (Grandma's Ghost, 1992)
* The Whooliganz - Hit the Deck (Put Your Handz Up (Single), 1993)
* Madonna/artist] - Waiting (Remix) (Rain (Maxi-Single), 1993)
* Nice & Smooth - Save the Children (Jewel of the Nile, 1993)
* Lordz of Brooklyn - Gravesend (Lake Of Fire) (Gravesend (Soundtrack), 1997)
* Carlos Santana - Put Your Lights On (Supernatural, 1999)
* Swollen Members - Bottle Rocket (Balance, 1999)
* SX-10 - Rhyme in the Chamber (Mad Dog American, 2000)
* Dilated Peoples - Ear Drums Pop (Remix) (The Platform, 2000)
* DJ Muggs - Razor to Your Throat (Soul Assassins II, 2000)
* Run DMC - Take the Money and Run (Crown Royal, 2001)
* Kurupt - Kuruption! (Space Boogie: Smoke Oddessey, 2001)
* Limp Bizkit - Faith/Fame Remix (New Old Songs, 2001)
* Hesher - Whose Generation (Hesher, 2001)
* X-Ecutioners - B-Boy Punk Rock 2001 (Built From Scratch, 2002)
* DJ Muggs - Gone for Good (Dust, 2003)
* Danny Diablo - Rise Above (Street CD Vol 2, 2005)
* The Lordz - "The Brooklyn Way" (The Brooklyn Way, 2006)
* Swollen Members - Put Me On (Black Magic, 2006)
* Snoop Dogg - My Medicine (Ego Trippin', 2008)
* Ill Bill - Only Time Will Tell "Pain Gang"(The Hour of Reprisal, 2008)
* Swollen Members - Dumb (Armed to the Teeth, 2009)
Soundtracks
* Judgment Night (1993) -- "Just Another Victim" Helmet & House of Pain
* Gravesend (1997) -- "Gravesend (Lake of Fire)" w/ Lordz of Brooklyn; "Some Nights (Are Better Than Others)"
* End of Days (1999) -- "So Long"
* Big Daddy (1999) -- "Only Love Can Break Your Heart"
* Black & White (2000) -- "Life's A Bitch"
* King of the Jungle (2000) --"Love for Real (Remix)" feat. N'Dea Davenport
* Ali (2001) -- "The Greatest"
* Saving Grace (TV series) (2007) -- Saving Grace
Birth Name: Erik Schrody
Also Known As: Whitey Ford, Mr. White, Whitey Farad
Born: August 18, 1969 (1969-08-18) (age 40)
Origins: Valley Stream, New York
Genres: Blues, Hip hop, Rock, Alternative, Country-rap
Instruments: Vocals, Emceeing, Guitar
Years Active: 1988–Present
Labels: Martyr Inc. Records. Warner Bros. Records, Tommy Boy/Warner Bros. Records, Island/ IDJMG/ Universal Records, PIAS Recordings
Associated Acts: House of Pain, La Coka Nostra, Soul Assassins, Cypress Hill, Rhyme Syndicate, B-Real, Carlos Santana
Friday the 13th
Everlast Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Once the junkies have all gone to bed
And once the sun rises, you run out of surprises
And the drugs they sold have cleared from your head
Tight ass nubbin, push come to shovin
Throw so money on the table cover last night's lovin
Got the soul of a whore, got the heart of a lonely man
If I ain't fuckin things up, I do the very best that I can
I only wanna drink if I know I shouldn't oughta
I'm a scared little boy, and I'm really one hell of a man
And I'm a junkie for the lovin touch of a stranger's hand
They say everything's love up in the heavens above
But here on Earth you must atone for your sins
Ain't no room for budgin once the law starts judgin
He's just countin up losses and wins
That's how you play the game, but still all the same
They say it's only cheatin if you get caught
So you runnin wild sinnin, you're smilin and yo' grinnin
With all that trick knowledge you bought
You got the mind of a leper, and the soul of a tortured king
And it's all breakin down and that's the truly unfortunate thing
While you're fightin for survival, I'm feelin sacrificial
Got a brand new rifle girl it's government issue
Got a heart full of stone, got an eye that's about to take aim
And every fuckin person up on Twitter is gonna speak my name
'Cause they all gone stupid, they all got lazy
They worship all the money and they idolize the crazy
Everybody wants to go to heaven but everyone's afraid to die
And what if God is real but religion's all just one big lie?
The bar set lower, temperature's higher
Somebody got to spark it, and set one big fire
The lyrics to Everlast's song "Friday the 13th" are a commentary on the darker side of life. It describes a world where nothing is as it seems and everything is just an illusion. The song opens with "They say everything's fine, down where the red light shine. Once the junkies have all gone to bed. And once the sun rises, you run out of surprises. And the drugs they sold have cleared from your head." This opening verse sets the tone for the song by painting a picture of a seedy underworld filled with drug addicts, prostitutes, and criminals that come alive only at night.
The lyrics of the song also speaks about the conflicting emotions of the singer. He is described as having "the soul of a whore, got the heart of a lonely man," and is fearful of love, while simultaneously craving it. The song also touches on themes of religion, with lines such as "They say everything's love up in the heavens above. But here on Earth, you must atone for your sins." The singer is torn by the duality of human nature, with lines like "I'm a scared little boy, and I'm really one hell of a man. And I'm a junkie for the lovin touch of a stranger's hand." The song ends with lines that seem to suggest a need for revolution or a major shift in social consciousness, "The bar set lower, temperature's higher, Somebody got to spark it, and set one big fire."
Line by Line Meaning
They say everything's fine, down where the red light shine
People say that everything is fine in places where sex is for sale
Once the junkies have all gone to bed
After all the drug addicts have finished indulging themselves and gone to sleep
And once the sun rises, you run out of surprises
After a night of excitement and thrill, the morning brings nothing new or surprising
And the drugs they sold have cleared from your head
The effects of drugs that were taken the previous night have worn off
Tight ass nubbin, push come to shovin
A risky situation where conflict or violence may arise
Throw so money on the table cover last night's lovin
Paying for sex with someone from the previous night
Got the soul of a whore, got the heart of a lonely man
Feeling torn between the desire for sex and the longing for companionship
If I ain't fuckin things up, I do the very best that I can
If things aren't going wrong, then he is doing his best
Just like a lamb to the slaughter, a horse to the water
Being led into a dangerous situation or temptation
I only wanna drink if I know I shouldn't oughta
Being drawn to alcohol even though it's not a wise or safe choice
I'm a scared little boy, and I'm really one hell of a man
Although he feels like a child inside, he still embodies a masculine persona
And I'm a junkie for the lovin touch of a stranger's hand
He is addicted to the intimacy of being touched by a stranger
They say everything's love up in the heavens above
People believe that heaven is a place of love and positivity
But here on Earth you must atone for your sins
However, on Earth, one must make amends for wrongdoings
Ain't no room for budgin once the law starts judgin
There's no room for leniency once the law begins to judge
He's just countin up losses and wins
The judge is just evaluating and weighing the costs and benefits of the situation
That's how you play the game, but still all the same
That's how the legal system works, but it's not necessarily fair or just
They say it's only cheatin if you get caught
Cheating is only seen as cheating if someone finds out about it
So you runnin wild sinnin, you're smilin and yo' grinnin
Engaging in reckless behavior and feeling gleeful about it
With all that trick knowledge you bought
Using information or tactics to get ahead in a sneaky or underhanded way
You got the mind of a leper, and the soul of a tortured king
Feeling like an outcast and yet also carrying the weight of great responsibility
And it's all breakin down and that's the truly unfortunate thing
Everything is falling apart, which is a truly regrettable situation
While you're fightin for survival, I'm feelin sacrificial
While others are struggling to stay alive, he is willing to sacrifice himself
Got a brand new rifle girl it's government issue
He has a new government-issued rifle
Got a heart full of stone, got an eye that's about to take aim
He is emotionally numb and ready to attack or shoot
And every fuckin person up on Twitter is gonna speak my name
He believes that he will become famous and infamous on social media
'Cause they all gone stupid, they all got lazy
He thinks people have become foolish and complacent
They worship all the money and they idolize the crazy
Society has started to value wealth and insanity above more meaningful things
Everybody wants to go to heaven but everyone's afraid to die
Although people desire a positive afterlife, they are scared of death
And what if God is real but religion's all just one big lie?
He poses the question of what would happen if God exists, but all religions are false
The bar set lower, temperature's higher
Expectations have been reduced while tensions are high
Somebody got to spark it, and set one big fire
Someone needs to ignite the passion and create a blazing, impactful movement
Lyrics © 82 MUSIC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DARIUS ANTHONY HOLBERT, ERIK SCHRODY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind