They moved to New York to study theatre at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Their original plan was to pursue a career on Broadway, but they soon changed their mind and returned to music. After moving to Atlanta, Georgia in 2003, Monáe founded the Wondaland Arts Society with like-minded young artists, and made a couple of appearances on OutKast's 2006 album Idlewild, where they are featured on the songs "Call the Law" and "In Your Dreams".
By 2007, Monáe was ready to release her first solo work, titled Metropolis. It was originally conceived as a concept album in four parts, or suites, which were to be released through her website and mp3 download sites. After the release of the first part of the series, Metropolis Suite I of IV: The Chase in mid-2007, these plans were altered following them signing with Sean "Diddy" Combs' label, Bad Boy Records, later in the year. The label gave an official and physical release to the first suite in August 2008, which was retitled Metropolis: The Chase Suite (Special Edition) and included two new tracks. The EP was generally well-received by critics, gaining Monáe a 2009 Grammy nomination in the Best Urban/Alternative Performance for their single "Many Moons", festival appearances, and opening slots for the indie pop band Of Montreal. Monáe also toured as the opening act for band No Doubt on their summer 2009 tour.
In a November 2009 interview, Monáe revealed the title and concept behind her album The ArchAndroid. The second and third suites of Metropolis are combined into this full-length release, in which Monáe's alter-ego, Cindi Mayweather - also the protagonist of Metropolis: The Chase Suite - becomes a messiah-like figure to the android community of Metropolis.
Locked Inside
Janelle Monáe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A land called foolish price
Where the man is always right
He hates to talk but loves to fight
Is that all right?
On real cold days
He loans us lots of hate
To take it all away
Is that okay?
But I'm asking you will you stay with me
In this land where we are free
And I know it's rough
And you've had enough
But one day we'll be happy
And when I look into the future I see danger in its eyes
Hearts of hatred rule the land while love is left aside
Killing plagues the citizens while music slowly dies
I get frightened, I - see, I get frightened, I
Oh how, oh how I need you baby
To keep me from going crazy
I really need you baby
Need you to stay
Oh how, oh how I love you baby
These people are so crazy
I really need you baby
Need you to stay
She's quick to fight
For her man but not her rights
Even though it's 3005
When will we end this genocide?
And that's not right
Her children cry
No food to eat and her friends as flies
The color black means it's time to die
And nobody questions why
Cause they're too scared to stop the man
But I'm asking you will you stay with me
In this land where we are free
And I know it's rough
And you've had enough
But one day we'll be happy
And when I look into the future I see danger in its eyes
Hearts of hatred rule the land while love is left aside
Killing plagues the citizens while music slowly dies
I get frightened, I - see, I get frightened, I
Oh how, oh how I need you baby
To keep me from going crazy
I really need you baby
Need you to stay
Oh how, oh how I love you baby
These people are so crazy
I really need you baby
Need you to stay
I can make a change
I can start a fire
Lord make me love again
Fill me with desire
I can make a change
I can start a fire
Make me love again
Lord thank You for desire
And when I look into your pretty eyes I almost want to cry
I think about my life and I don't want to live a lie
How I need you baby, I need you right by my side
I need you tonight, I need you tonight
Yeah! How I need you baby
See I can't let you go, I need you
On the other side
On the other side
I love you so and I'll never let you go
On the other side!
The lyrics of Janelle Monáe's song Locked Inside describe a dystopian society where hatred and violence dominate. The singer expresses her fear and sorrow for a land where people are oppressed, and their rights are stripped away. She describes how people are scared to oppose the man in charge, who loans them hate on real cold days and yet demands payment to take it all away. The chorus of the song asks the listener to stay with her in this land of freedom, although it is rough and overwhelming. She expresses hope that one day they will be happy.
The second verse of the song highlights the struggle of a woman who is quick to fight for her man but not for her rights. Her children cry without food to eat, and the color black means it's time to die. Despite all this, nobody questions why, too scared to stop the man. The song ends with the singer's desire to make a change, to start a fire and be filled with desire to love again, and not to live a lie.
Overall, Locked Inside speaks about the reality of the world's injustice and the need for people to come together to fight against oppression, hatred, and discrimination.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm locked inside
The singer feels trapped, unable to leave where she is.
A land called foolish price
Here, foolishness is valued, and logic and reason are not.
Where the man is always right
In this land, men are never wrong or need to acknowledge any contradictions.
He hates to talk but loves to fight
Is that all right?
Violence is seen as preferable to dialogue.
On real cold days
He loans us lots of hate
But he says that we must pay
To take it all away
Is that okay?
When conditions are hard, aggression is given out far more frequently, although it needs to be paid for.
But I'm asking you will you stay with me
In this land where we are free
And I know it's rough
And you've had enough
But one day we'll be happy
The singer wants someone to stay with her, despite the difficult situation.
And when I look into the future I see danger in its eyes
Hearts of hatred rule the land while love is left aside
Killing plagues the citizens while music slowly dies
I get frightened, I - see, I get frightened, I
The singer sees a bleak future with little love, lots of violence, and suppressed music.
Oh how, oh how I need you baby
To keep me from going crazy
I really need you baby
Need you to stay
The artist relies on someone to help her avoid losing her mind.
She's quick to fight
For her man but not her rights
Even though it's 3005
When will we end this genocide?
And that's not right
Her children cry
No food to eat and her friends as flies
The color black means it's time to die
And nobody questions why
Cause they're too scared to stop the man
The artist observes someone acting combatively, but caring less about her welfare versus that of a man's while realizing the intensity of the problems: genocide, malnutrition, and death, which all persist due to fear of the oppressor.
I can make a change
I can start a fire
Lord make me love again
Fill me with desire
The artist empowers herself to make a difference, to ignite affection in others, and to be driven by ambition.
And when I look into your pretty eyes I almost want to cry
I think about my life and I don't want to live a lie
How I need you baby, I need you right by my side
I need you tonight, I need you tonight
The singer feels like crying when they look into someone's eyes, realising she wants honesty in her life and is dependent upon the person to stay with her as she feels overwhelmed.
Yeah! How I need you baby
See I can't let you go, I need you
On the other side
On the other side
I love you so and I'll never let you go
On the other side!
The artist tells someone how much she loves them and wants them to always stay beside her.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Janelle Monae Robinson, Nathaniel Irvin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind