Kravitz plays guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, percussion, and sitar. He often plays these instruments on each recorded track, but frequently collaborates with other musicians as well when recording.
His 1989 debut album Let Love Rule was a moderate success. In 1991 he released his second album, Mama Said, which reached the top 40 of the Billboard album charts. In 1993, the album Are You Gonna Go My Way was released, reaching #12 on the Billboard 200 and Kravitz earned a Brit Award for best international male artist in 1994. He released the Circus album in 1995, which reached number 10 on the Billboard chart on the back of his past achievement. With 5 (1999), Kravitz embraced digital technology such as Pro Tools and samplers for the first time. He would win the first of his four consecutive Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards of 1999.
His cover version of The Guess Who's hit "American Woman" won him another Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards of 2000. Kravitz released a Greatest Hits compilation in 2000. It proved to be his most successful album. The single "Again" would earn him his third consecutive Grammy for the Best Male Rock Vocal in the Grammy Awards of 2001. Kravitz released his sixth album Lenny in October 2001. He won his fourth consecutive Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal at the Grammy Awards of 2002. Kravitz's seventh album Baptism was released in May 2004. His album, It Is Time For A Love Revolution was released in 2008. He has always edited his albums on Virgin Records America. The lead single from Kravitz’s ninth album, Black and White America, "Stand" was released on June 3, 2011. (Stand Songfacts).
He is the son of Ukrainian-Jewish American NBC television news producer Sy Kravitz, and Bahamian American actress Roxie Roker, best known as her character Helen Willis on the hit 1970s television sitcom The Jeffersons. Black and White America's title track is an autobiographical look back at his upbringing in New York. (Black and White America Songfacts).
Artist website: www.lennykravitz.com
Empty Hands
Lenny Kravitz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With nothing in his hands
He came to gather his people
And take them to their promised land
When he came he knew there would be bloodshed
But still no violence made his plans
He came to fight in a battle
With no guns or money
But with his empty hands
With his empty hands
With his empty hands
With his empty hands
They said hey boy what you lookin'at
As they eyed his dreaded mane
He said my father has sent me
I've come back to reclaim
The children whose hearts
Were so whole and pure
Now it's you who'll die in pain
So they lynched the man
Who fooled the word
And all the children gathered
In his empty hands
In his empty hands
The children ..... empty hands
In his empty hands
With his empty hands
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah, ouh
In his empty hands
With his empty hands
In his empty hands
He ... the mission with his empty hands
In his empty hands
With his empty, his empty, empty empty hands
With his empty hands
The lyrics to Lenny Kravitz's song Empty Hands paint the picture of a man who rode into town on a white horse, with nothing in his hands, to gather his people and lead them to their promised land. Despite the knowledge that there would be violence, he planned to fight without guns or money, only with his empty hands. The man was looked upon with suspicion by the people, but he explained that he had come on his father's instructions to reclaim all the children who had hearts so whole and pure. The people who had lynched the man who fooled the world, and the children who were left behind, gathered in his empty hands.
The song speaks to themes of leadership, sacrifice, and power. The man who rode into town had a mission, a purpose, and a vision which he was willing to give his life to achieve. He recognizes the violence he may have to face but still proceeds to fight for what he believes is right, not with guns or money but with his empty hands. The children, the purest and most innocent of all, are the most important to him, and he is willing to risk it all to bring them to where they belong. In this sense, the man is portrayed as a leader who inspires and unites people. Kravitz creates a powerful and poignant message with this song, evoking a sense of urgency and responsibility in tackling important issues.
Line by Line Meaning
He rode in town on a white horse
He arrived on a white horse
With nothing in his hands
His hands were empty
He came to gather his people
His purpose was to gather his people
And take them to their promised land
He wanted to lead them to a better place
When he came he knew there would be bloodshed
He anticipated violence
But still no violence made his plans
He did not intend to use violence
He came to fight in a battle
He was prepared to engage in a conflict
With no guns or money
He did not have any weapons or wealth
They said hey boy what you lookin'at
People questioned his presence
As they eyed his dreaded mane
They paid attention to his appearance
He said my father has sent me
He claimed to be sent by his father
I've come back to reclaim
He wanted to recover something
The children whose hearts
He wanted to help innocent children
Were so whole and pure
They were innocent and untainted
Now it's you who'll die in pain
He warned of the consequences of their actions
So they lynched the man
They killed him without a trial
Who fooled the world
People believed he was deceptive
And all the children gathered
The children came together
In his empty hands
He held nothing, but they trusted him
He ... the mission with his empty hands
He accomplished his goal without force
With his empty, his empty, empty empty hands
He was able to make a difference without weapons or wealth
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LENNY KRAVITZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Paela Peterson
on American Woman
There's you some GUITAR!