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.
Mr President
Janelle Monáe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This song is for you.
Hey mr. president,
Tomorrow i'm paying my rent
My fuel is runnin' low
And i've got places to go
Quit slowin' me down
Can we talk about the education of our children?
A book is worth more than a bomb any day
And remember a mirror to africa
Who will bring the cure before it's too late.
Don't you see the hurt in their eyes?
So much disappointment in many faces
Use your heart and not your pride
We can't go on and keep pretending
Please mr. president
Where's all the money you spent,
Food is fallin low
And they have nowhere to go,
Quit slowin me down.
I ask you to have mercy on us father,
You think we know the rules by now,
We can't go starting wars with hearts of hatred
Out nations greed won't make it better
Or quiet the fears in our hearts
Don't you see the hurt in their eyes?
So much disappointment in all of their faces
Use your heart and not your pride
We can't go on and keep pretending
O please mr. president
Dear mr. president
I hope you got the letter I sent
A dollar only goes so far
And we need help here, no matter who we are
See we come from different worlds and different places
Until there's one great land, one nation under god,
Times are getting harder and we need you to be like moses
And lead your people through
Please be careful, be careful,
Of what you do, what you do
The song "Mr. President" by Janelle Monáe is a powerful political song that calls for the attention of the leader of the nation to the struggles of the people. The song begins with Janelle Monáe dedicating it to her mother and her listeners. She then addresses the President of the United States, expressing her frustration with the difficulties she is facing in making ends meet, and her desire to move on with her life without any hindrances from the government. She urges the President to focus on the education of the children, as that holds more value than bombs, and highlights the need to address the humanitarian crisis in Africa before it is too late.
Janelle Monáe then brings to light the struggles of the people in her community as they struggle with food and shelter insecurity, and highlights the need to fix these issues. She appeals to the President to show mercy on his people and lead them through this difficult time. Janelle emphasizes that the hurt, disappointment, and fear that the people are facing cannot be solved with pride but need empathy and understanding.
In the end, Janelle Monáe ends with a plea to the President, calling for him to be careful with what he does, so that the country can move forward as one great land under God. The song is a call to action, urging political leaders to work towards addressing the real-life issues faced by people and to be their true representatives.
Line by Line Meaning
This song is for my mama,
The dedication of this song is to the beloved mother of the singer
This song is for you.
The singer dedicates this song to everyone listening
Hey Mr. President,
The singer is addressing the current President of the United States with respect
Tomorrow I'm paying my rent
The singer has an upcoming deadline to pay rent
My fuel is runnin' low
The singer is almost out of gas for transportation
And I've got places to go
The singer has obligations and appointments to attend to
Quit slowin' me down
The singer requests for the President to not hinder progress
Can we talk about the education of our children?
The singer is raising the issue of the education system
A book is worth more than a bomb any day
The singer believes that investing in education is more valuable than any violent method
And remember a mirror to Africa
The singer reminds the President of the importance of aiding countries in need
Who will bring the cure before it's too late.
The singer stresses the urgency in researching and developing medical solutions
Don't you see the hurt in their eyes?
The singer questions if the President acknowledges the pain and struggle of others
So much disappointment in many faces
There is an abundance of letdown and discouragement across different individuals
Use your heart and not your pride
The singer suggests that the President should make decisions with empathy instead of arrogance
We can't go on and keep pretending
The singer believes that any façade or false impression won't hold up any longer
Please Mr. President
The singer emphasizes the urgency and importance of the President's assistance
Where's all the money you spent,
The singer inquires about the utilization of funds for public benefit
Food is falling low
The availability of food is diminishing
And they have nowhere to go
Many people have no viable alternative or solution
I ask you to have mercy on us father,
The singer pleads to God for compassion from the government leader
You think we know the rules by now,
The singer addresses the President's expectations in society's behavior and knowledge
We can't go starting wars with hearts of hatred
The singer advocates for peaceful ways to solve conflicts instead of using hate as motivation
Our nations greed won't make it better
The singer is denouncing the negative impact of greed on society
Or quiet the fears in our hearts
All the wealth in the world can't alleviate the distress individuals bear
Dear Mr. President
The singer reiterates that this song is directed at the President
I hope you got the letter I sent
The singer sent a letter beforehand as a form of communication
A dollar only goes so far
Money doesn't hold a lot of value or significance
And we need help here, no matter who we are
Everyone requires support regardless of their differences or background
See we come from different worlds and different places
People have diverse upbringings, cultures, and traditions
Until there's one great land, one nation under God,
The singer envisions a united country with faith in a higher power
Times are getting harder and we need you to be like Moses
The singer is referencing the story of Moses from the Bible and encouraging the President to guide the people through challenging times
And lead your people through
The singer implores the President to take the initiative to guide the population to better times
Please be careful, be careful,
The singer is repeating the request for the President to handle the responsibilities with caution and attentive consideration
Of what you do, what you do
The singer is stressing how critical the President's actions are to the welfare of the nation
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHARLES L JOSEPH, JANELLE MONAE ROBINSON, NATHANIEL IRVIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind