The band's first taste of mainstream success came with the release of their fourth album Wild and Peaceful (1973), which contained the US top-ten singles "Jungle Boogie" and "Hollywood Swinging". Kool & the Gang subsequently entered a period of decline before they reached a second commercial peak between 1979 and 1986 following their partnership with Brazilian musician and producer Eumir Deodato and the addition of singer James "J.T." Taylor to the lineup. Their most successful albums of this period include Ladies' Night (1979), Celebrate! (1980), and Emergency (1984), their highest selling album with two million copies sold in the US. Their hit singles during this period included "Ladies' Night", the US No. 1 "Celebration", "Get Down on It", "Joanna", "Misled", and "Cherish". The band continues to perform worldwide, including as support for Van Halen in 2012 and their fiftieth-anniversary tour in 2014.
Kool & the Gang have won numerous awards, including two Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, and, in 2006, a Music Business Association Chairman's Award for artistic achievement. As well the band has been inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame and been bestowed with a MOBO Award for Outstanding Achievement, the Soul Train Legend Award, the Marian Anderson Award, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2007, the band was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. During 2018, the Bells, Brown, and Taylor were also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and received their first-time nomination into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024. Their discography includes 23 studio albums and almost 70 singles. They have sold 7.5 million and 4.5 million RIAA-certified albums and singles, respectively, in the United States. Worldwide, they have sold 70 million albums.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kool_&_the_Gang
Discography
Kool and the Gang (1969)
Music Is the Message (1972)
Good Times (1972)
Wild and Peaceful (1973)
Light of Worlds (1974)
Spirit of the Boogie (1975)
Love & Understanding (1976)
Open Sesame (1976)
The Force (1977)
Everybody's Dancin' (1978)
Ladies' Night (1979)
Celebrate! (1980)
Something Special (1981)
As One (1982)
In the Heart (1983)
Emergency (1984)
Forever (1986)
Sweat (1989)
Unite (1992)
State of Affairs (1996)
Gangland (2001)
The Hits: Reloaded (2004)
Still Kool (2007)
Kool for the Holidays (2013)
Perfect Union (2021)
People Just Wanna Have Fun (2023)
Mother Earth
Kool & The Gang Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
in a glass full of lies
the anger I feel
is touchin' my eyes
You hurt this world
the mother – our earth
if I had a wish
(I'd) replace your date of birth
Ref: I won't be no longer – you won't be no stronger
I won't be no longer dumb ‘n' blind
No longer dumb,
no longer blind
attention, hey, you !
there're secrets you hide
You feel no shame
(you) despised mothers pain
---the mothers pain Let's spit on you
let's break in your brain!
Ref: I won't be no longer – you won't be no stronger
I won't be no longer dumb ‘n' blind
No longer dumb, no longer blind, no
Spit on you,....
Ref: I won't be no longer – you won't be no stronger
I won't be no longer dumb ‘n' blind
Kool & The Gang's song "Mother Earth" is a powerful message about the harm that humans have inflicted upon the planet. The lyrics condemn those who prioritize their own selfish interests over the well-being of the environment. The opening lines describe the hypocrisy of using words like "Champagne" to describe something that is filled with lies. The singer is angry, not only for themselves, but for the world at large. The anger they feel is touching their eyes, implying that this isn't just an intellectual or philosophical anger, but something visceral and deeply felt.
The next lines directly address the damage that human beings have done to the earth. The earth is personified as a mother, implying that humans are her children. With this analogy, the damage feels all the more like a betrayal. The singer wishes they had the power to "replace your date of birth," which implies that the root of the problem is not just the actions of a single person, but a deeper and more fundamental problem with humanity itself.
The repeated refrain - "I won't be no longer - you won't be no stronger, I won't be no longer dumb 'n' blind" - is a call to action. The singer is refusing to be an unwitting accomplice in the destruction of the planet. The second verse calls out those who hide secrets and feel no shame about the pain they cause for Mother Earth. The final lines, "Spit on you..." imply that the singer feels a deep sense of disgust for those who are responsible for the destruction. It's a strong and emotional message that still resonates today, as we grapple with the painful consequences of climate change.
Line by Line Meaning
Words like Champagne in a glass full of lies
Your words are like champagne but your lies make them taste bitter
the anger I feel is touchin' my eyes
Your actions make me so angry that it brings tears to my eyes
You hurt this world the mother – our earth
Your actions are harming the planet, our mother earth
if I had a wish (I'd) replace your date of birth
I wish you were never born so that you wouldn't be able to cause harm
No longer dumb, no longer blind, attention, hey, you!
I am no longer ignorant to your actions and I am paying attention to you
there're secrets you hide
You are keeping hidden secrets, probably to cover up your harm to the environment
you feel no shame (you) despised mother's pain
You have no remorse for causing pain to mother earth
Let's spit on you, let's break in your brain!
We should show our disgust towards your actions and try to educate you about the harm you are causing
I won't be no longer – you won't be no stronger
I will no longer ignore your actions and you won't be able to get away with harm any longer
I won't be no longer dumb ‘n' blind
I will not be ignorant and blind to the consequences of your actions anymore
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RONALD BELL, GEORGE BROWN, ROBERT BELL, RICHARD WESTFIELD, DENNIS THOMAS, CLAYDES SMITH, OTHA NASH, ROBERT MICKENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind