Mac Lethal is a hip-hop/folk artist from Kansas City, MO. After getting his… Read Full Bio ↴Mac Lethal is a hip-hop/folk artist from Kansas City, MO. After getting his start as a battle rapper at the prestigious, world renowned freestyle battle festival Scribble Jam, he shattered the stigma that battle rappers cannot write quality songs and began to self-release his own quirky music. Quickly he began to catch the attention of artists like Sage Francis, P.O.S, and Atmosphere, who he subsequently toured with.

His direct influences are the lyric writing of vocalists like Tom Waits and Isaac Brock; the wordplay and quirks of artists like MF Doom and Eminem; and the attitude of stand-up comedians like Bill Hicks and Louis C.K.

He currently operates and owns independent record label, Black Clover Records, which has been the home for Mac's self-released Love Potion Collection CDs (volumes 1-5) and The Original 11:11 Sessions.

He also released 11:11, commonly considered his debut album, through Minneapolis flagship record label Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2007.

Midnight in Manhattan
Mac Lethal Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Our elected representatives are the frontlines of making the decisions
about the war we're waging against terrorist
and about rebuilding New York
And there's nothing like it
We don't want anyone to feel in a week or two or a month
that the enormity of this somehow could be gotten over
We can keep going and we will but...)

Waiting for the snow to fall a cloudy angel wept
And while the world was frenzied, by my fate I overslept
Hold your breath, these acts are frozen and embraced
With the gut-twisting feeling of a black and white mosaic
Today Manhattan burned and summer leaves without a trace
Besides a cloud of smoke and sour smell in outer space
Without a face I hate you
Today I was instructed how to hate but then remembered how to pray too
I kneel enforcing nine commandments
Scratch one and let it sleep on the crescent moon like a hammock
Align the sky with fireflies and crooked-eyed soldiers
The morning dew is fearsome while the Bush is iced over
The cushions lie holding souls of man-made ghosts
Cascades of darkness keep the lamp shades closed
Crickets even whisper for September 11th
I eavesdrop and hope to hear footsteps from heaven

[CHORUS]
When moonlight french-kisses the Manhattan midnight
There's not a face without a tear drop that's in sight
Midnights in Manhattan keep me dreamin
I caught a dream by the tail, I think I'm gonna keep it

This is the first time I've ever hated something through the night
The first time I've ever loved this country in my life
Hibernate for days and leave the nest to touch rain
Stretch across the world and feel my bib of bloodstains
Talkin to the icicles hangin from the clouds
Purple moon dust vapor strangle for the proud
I'm dyslexic reading minds of those computed
Who saw an angel-kissed urban rose and chose to shoot it
Notes for students of the Blitzkrieg, Polish torture
I got a heaert for you that grows inside my olive orchard
I understand a lot of spirits on remote control
Mislead youth grew with charred and broken souls
Damn I'm speechless, dreamin of the somber, sandy beaches
Where I can drift away from suits and ties repairing demons
Where I can fly from corporate crashed and buried kingdoms
And hold my hand to God but do more than barely reach him

[CHORUS]

Blow a kiss to the rain clouds while I rest in bed
If I give blood now I might have less to shed
If I shed blood proud, is my spirit in agreement?
Will I be dying for a reason that I do agree with?
Freedom is a teardrop with legs like a centipede
That walks out of God's eyes when I fight or sit and bleed
I could sit stone-cold and panic in stride
Plant it inside to hide away until the planets collide
Of course, of course, of course, I grab my sleeping pillow
And creep to steal to eat a still life self-reflecting weep and willow
This is not the time for music, it's not the time for movement
It's not the time for pushing all the people I'm unglued with
It's not the time for birth of glory
It's not the time for purgatory
It's not the time for murder stories
It's not the time for keeping peace or cleaning your knives
It's a time to figure out the meaning of life
And that's it

[CHORUS]

Overall Meaning

In the song "Midnight in Manhattan," Mac Lethal addresses the aftermath of the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. He starts by referencing the elected representatives who are responsible for deciding the fate of the ongoing war against terrorists and rebuilding New York. He then uses poetic imagery to describe the atmosphere of New York after the attack, with a cloudy angel weeping and the city burning. Despite the desperation, Mac Lethal finds hope in prayer and dreams, even as he admits feeling hatred and love for his country for the first time.

Throughout the song, Mac Lethal addresses themes of love, hate, death, and hope. He uses a range of literary devices, including symbolism, metaphor, and hyperbole, to convey the depth of his emotions. The chorus is a beautiful depiction of the melancholic nights in Manhattan, where even the brightest moonlight can't conceal the tears in the eyes of the city residents.

This song is a touching tribute to the resilience and spirit of New York City, and the victims of the tragic events of 9/11.

Line by Line Meaning

Waiting for the snow to fall a cloudy angel wept
In the midst of chaos and tragedy, even nature is in mourning.

And while the world was frenzied, by my fate I overslept
The artist missed some of the initial chaos & tragedy, but is now facing the aftermath and trying to make sense of it.

Hold your breath, these acts are frozen and embraced
It feels like the world is holding its breath, trying to comprehend and process the tragedy.

With the gut-twisting feeling of a black and white mosaic
Trying to piece together the senseless devastation is overwhelming and sickening.

Today Manhattan burned and summer leaves without a trace
The events of September 11th left an indelible mark on the world and our memories of summer.

We can keep going and we will but...
Despite the tragedy, we will keep moving forward, but there's still a lingering sense of unease and uncertainty.

Without a face I hate you
The artist hates the attackers, but they are faceless and unknown.

Today I was instructed how to hate but then remembered how to pray too
In the face of hate, the artist remembers the power of prayer and compassion.

I kneel enforcing nine commandments
The artist has a deep sense of justice.

Scratch one and let it sleep on the crescent moon like a hammock
There is a desire to let go of one of the commandments, but also the sense that it's not something to be taken lightly.

Align the sky with fireflies and crooked-eyed soldiers
There is a sense of wanting to find hope & beauty in the midst of tragedy, and a reverence for the sacrifices of those who serve.

The morning dew is fearsome while the Bush is iced over
Even the beauty of nature feels ominous in the wake of the tragedy, and the political climate is tense.

The cushions lie holding souls of man-made ghosts
There is a sense of emptiness and loss that lingers in everyday objects and places.

Cascades of darkness keep the lamp shades closed
The darkness of the tragedy is difficult to escape, and casts a shadow on even the most mundane parts of life.

Crickets even whisper for September 11th
The weight of the tragedy is felt even in the silence of night.

I eavesdrop and hope to hear footsteps from heaven
There is a longing for some sort of divine intervention, and a belief in the possibility of an afterlife.

When moonlight french-kisses the Manhattan midnight
There is a sense of beauty and magic in the city.

There's not a face without a tear drop that's in sight
The tragedy has left an emotional impact on everyone.

Midnights in Manhattan keep me dreamin
The artist finds solace and inspiration in dreaming and imagining a better future.

I caught a dream by the tail, I think I'm gonna keep it
There is a sense of optimism and the possibility of creating a better future.

This is the first time I've ever hated something through the night
The artist is experiencing emotions that are unfamiliar to them.

The first time I've ever loved this country in my life
The artist is feeling a deep love and connection to their country through this tragedy.

Freedom is a teardrop with legs like a centipede
Freedom is fragile and vulnerable, but also resilient.

I got a heart for you that grows inside my olive orchard
The artist has compassion and empathy for those affected by the tragedy.

I understand a lot of spirits on remote control
There is a sense of people being controlled by larger societal and political forces that they may not fully understand.

Of course, of course, of course, I grab my sleeping pillow
In moments of confusion and distress, we cling to familiarity and comfort.

It's a time to figure out the meaning of life
The tragedy has caused many to question and think deeply about the nature of life and existence.

Contributed by Nathaniel C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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