Mars ILL has released several albums and EPs through independent record labels and two albums on Gotee Records. Their success in the underground in the early 2000's led to their performing at Scribble Jam in 2003 and 2004 and ultimately their signing to Gotee.
Beginning in February 2008, manCHILD will be releasing 5 new songs every month on manchildinsider.com purchaseable by subscription.
MARS ILL DISCOGRAPHY
* Raw Material (Sphere of Hip Hop Records, 2000)
* Raw Material (Uprok Records re-release, two tracks removed & two added: 2001)
* The Blue Collar Sessions (Ill Boogie Records, EP: 2002)
* Sound Methods (Independent, 2002)
* Backbreakanomics (Gotee Records, 2003)
* Sound Methods 2.0 (Independent, Re-release with added tracks: 2004)
* Pirate Radio (Independent, 2004)
* The Blue Collar Sessions (EP, re-released 2005)
* Backwaterprophets (Independent, full remix of Backbreakanomics by Dust: 2005)
* Raw Material 5th Anniversary Edition (Independent, 3 bonus songs: 2006)
* No Fame (Indpendent, Dust solo instrumental album: 2006)
* ProPain (Gotee Records, 2006)
* Old Ironsides (December 20, 2006)
* Slow Flame (Independent, full remix of ProPain by Dust with 3 songs from original '04 version of ProPain: Dec. 2007)
Planes and Trains
Mars Ill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I live on the road, a modern day hobo
Trained to eat quick and expect the low blow
Get what you can from a dried up hole
In the land of the lost, cowboys in the sand
And my soul is the coal, and my life is the flame
And it's burning to earn all the lights and the fame
And it's turning to ash every step towards cash
But it's too late
My fate is a broken-hearted freshman even before my first date
And I smile at my call, another yes, yes y'all
With every summer, there's fall
So I just rock in my chair while they rock to the beat
A whole trainload of fresh meat
And it's so sweet how they dream, their young hearts beam
But they really don't know what it means, but they will though...
(Hook)
(There by subway train)Another day booked, I'm a fish on a hook now
(There by subway train)It's too late to turn out my ride 'til I die now
(There by subway train)Hitching a ride into town with my hands out
(There by subway train)I gotta go now, gotta go now, gotta go now...
(Verse 2: Manchild)
Took my car to the MARTA station, train to the airport
Feet to the bare floor, fists to declare war
Fame as a flare, tore pain from your stare
Used the game as a springboard, my name's at your in-store
Kick to the snare drum, get here to there, son
They stick to the chair like chicks that get their hair done
Spit this to spare none, rhyme liquid in rare form
Commit to prayer born, brought heat to stay warm
Rap is my two cents, backed by the movement
Sacrificed my words to give you Pigeon John and Blueprint
Pleased just to thank you, hang with a strange few
Five to the Deepspace, stay the same just to change you
Pen to the notepad, mind to the starshine
Knee to the groundwork, 'cause right now is our time
Plane to the down south, MARTA to the train stop
Walked to the car and drove back to the block...
(Hook)
(Verse 3: Blueprint)
Are we there yet? Let me know, I'm feeling restless
From traveling up what feels like stair steps
And I hope it doesn't make me weak when I start to question
How far I'm willing to go to deliver this message
But the point of no return is where we're all at
It's easier to push forward than to go back
And since I can't go back to life before rap
I'ma play this game and boost all my stats
I was born at a time when you earned respect
For the rhyme and the way you made words connect
Not the money that you made or the girls you sexed
A concept you obviously haven't heard of yet
I did more shows in a month than you did in your life
Ate gas station food, stayed up late nights
Met a couple women that I'd like to make my wife
And realized that I'd travel anywhere for mics...
The first verse of the song "Planes and Trains" by Mars Ill features rapper Pigeon John describing his life as a modern-day hobo, living on the road and constantly on the move. He is accustomed to eating quickly and expecting the worst, as he scrapes by in a world where cowboys roam the deserts. Pigeon John speaks to his own fame and how it's ultimately burning him out in pursuit of what's next. He is on the run to acquire more for himself, however, this comes at the price of his personal life, as he describes himself as a "broken-hearted freshman even before my first date". He is critical of the younger generation's aspirations, feeling that they are blissful in their lack of knowledge of the world, but will come to find out the reality.
Manchild, in the second verse, shows the struggle of the hustle to rise to fame. As his fame grows, so does the pain from scrutiny. He overcomes by using the attention and spotlight as his platform to spread messages in his music. Manchild sees the vehicle of rap as a way to invest of himself, continuing to give to his artistry despite its challenges. The final verse is by Blueprint, commenting on the struggles that come with being a performer in the industry. He questions whether he's going too far for success and reflects on the time in the past where artists earned respect through their wordplay, and not material wealth or objectification of women. Despite his exhaustion, Blueprint draws from his passion and dedication to the genre, traveling for performances with the desire to spread his message through his music.
Overall, the lyrics in "Planes and Trains" show the ups and downs of performers who choose to devote their lives to rap. They comment on the fine line between fame and personal life, how they are willing to do anything for their craft, and the positive and negative consequences that arise.
Line by Line Meaning
I live on the road, a modern day hobo
I travel frequently, like a homeless person of the modern era
Trained to eat quick and expect the low blow
Accustomed to receiving unpleasant surprises in situations requiring quick action
Get what you can from a dried up hole
Make the most out of an unproductive situation
In the land of the lost, cowboys in the sand
In a place where people are lost and confused, like cowboys in a desert
And my soul is the coal, and my life is the flame
My soul provides the fuel for my life, which burns like a flame
And it's burning to earn all the lights and the fame
My desire for recognition and success is driving me forward
And it's turning to ash every step towards cash
My pursuit of money is destroying my passion and drive
And I'm losing it fast so I mash on the gas
I'm losing my motivation, so I accelerate to compensate
My fate is a broken-hearted freshman even before my first date
I feel like my destiny is one of disappointment and heartbreak
And I smile at my call, another yes, yes y'all
I have to put on a brave face and keep going, even when it's exhausting
With every summer, there's fall
Time keeps moving forward, and things change
So I just rock in my chair while they rock to the beat
I watch others enjoy themselves while I sit on the sidelines
A whole trainload of fresh meat
A group of young, enthusiastic people who are new to the scene
And it's so sweet how they dream, their young hearts beam
It's heartwarming to see how hopeful and excited they are
But they really don't know what it means, but they will though...
They don't fully understand what they're getting into, but they will learn with time
(There by subway train)Another day booked, I'm a fish on a hook now
I have another day scheduled, and I feel like I'm trapped and powerless
(There by subway train)It's too late to turn out my ride 'til I die now
I'm committed to this lifestyle, and it feels too late to change it now
(There by subway train)Hitching a ride into town with my hands out
I'm relying on the help of others to get where I need to go
(There by subway train)I gotta go now, gotta go now, gotta go now...
I need to keep moving, even though I might not want to
Took my car to the MARTA station, train to the airport
I used public transportation to get to the airport
Feet to the bare floor, fists to declare war
I'm ready and prepared to fight for what I want
Fame as a flare, tore pain from your stare
My success was like a signal flare, but it also attracted negative attention
Used the game as a springboard, my name's at your in-store
I used the music industry as a platform to launch my career and become successful
Kick to the snare drum, get here to there, son
I'm moving forward in my career by making beats and producing music
Spit this to spare none, rhyme liquid in rare form
I'm delivering my message with passion and precision
Commit to prayer born, brought heat to stay warm
I rely on my spirituality to keep me motivated and focused
Rap is my two cents, backed by the movement
My music is my contribution to the hip-hop community and culture
Sacrificed my words to give you Pigeon John and Blueprint
I put everything into my music to make it the best it could be
Pleased just to thank you, hang with a strange few
I'm grateful for my fans and friends, even if we're seen as outsiders
Five to the Deepspace, stay the same just to change you
I'm always evolving, but I remain true to myself and my message
Pen to the notepad, mind to the starshine
I'm constantly writing and thinking, inspired by the night sky
Knee to the groundwork, 'cause right now is our time
I'm putting in the hard work now, because this is our moment to shine
Plane to the down south, MARTA to the train stop
I'm using public transportation to travel to my next destination
Walked to the car and drove back to the block...
I finished my journey and returned home
Are we there yet? Let me know, I'm feeling restless
I'm anxious to reach my destination and want to know how much longer it will be
From traveling up what feels like stair steps
The journey feels like an uphill climb
And I hope it doesn't make me weak when I start to question
I worry that my uncertainty and doubt will hold me back
How far I'm willing to go to deliver this message
I'm unsure of how much I'm willing to sacrifice for my music and message
But the point of no return is where we're all at
We've all committed to this path and there's no turning back now
It's easier to push forward than to go back
Moving forward is more appealing than giving up and going back to the beginning
And since I can't go back to life before rap
My life has changed and there's no way to go back to how things were before I started rapping
I'ma play this game and boost all my stats
I'm going to make the most out of my situation and improve all aspects of my career
I was born at a time when you earned respect
The era I grew up in valued hard work and talent over material possessions and lifestyle
For the rhyme and the way you made words connect
Hip-hop culture valued creativity and lyricism above everything else
Not the money that you made or the girls you sexed
Success was measured by talent, not wealth or sexual conquests
A concept you obviously haven't heard of yet
Some people in the industry are too focused on material gain and not focused enough on their art
I did more shows in a month than you did in your life
I've performed on stage more times in a month than some people have in their entire lives
Ate gas station food, stayed up late nights
I've had to sacrifice comfort and sleep for my music career
Met a couple women that I'd like to make my wife
I've met some potential romantic partners while on the road for my music
And realized that I'd travel anywhere for mics...
My passion for music is so strong that I'm willing to go anywhere to perform and share my message
Contributed by Adam N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.