Known for blending traditional Jewish themes with Reggae, rock and hip hop sounds, Matisyahu is most recognizable for being an orthodox Jew and writing a number of songs based on his faith and beliefs. Since 2004, he has released four studio albums as well as one live album, two remix CDs and one DVD featuring a live concert, and a number of interviews. Through his short career, Matisyahu has teamed up with some of the biggest names in reggae production including Bill Laswell and duo Sly & Robbie. The Tel Aviv'n Songfacts states several tracks of his fourth studio album, Spark Seeker, were recorded in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Since his debut, Matisyahu has received positive reviews from both rock and reggae outlets. Most recently, he was named Top Reggae Artist of 2006 by Billboard as well as being named a spokesperson for Kenneth Cole.
Matthew Miller was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA on June 30th 1979, corresponding to the Jewish date of the 5th of Tamuz 5740. Shortly after his birth, the Miller family moved to Berkeley, CA and eventually settled in White Plains, NY. Growing up, Matisyahu's parents sent him to Hebrew School a couple of times a week, but like many kids, he resisted the additional school hours and was frequently threatened with expulsion for disrupting the lessons.
By the age of 14, Matthew Miller slid comfortably into the laid-back lifestyle of a teenage hippie. Having fallen in with the "Dead-Head" crowd, he grew dreadlocks and wore his Birkenstocks all winter long. He played his bongos in the lunchroom and learned how to beat-box in the back of class. By 11th grade, despite his carefree days, Matisyahu couldn't ignore the void in his life. After nearly burning down his chemistry class, he knew his mission must begin immediately. He decided to set off on a camping trip in Colorado. Away from his suburban life in White Plains, Matisyahu had the opportunity to take an introspective look at himself and contemplate his environment. It was there in the awe-inspiring landscape of the Rocky Mountains, that Matisyahu had an eye-opening realization: there is a God.
After Colorado, his spiritual curiosity piqued and Matisyahu took his first trip to Israel. There, for the first time in his life, he felt a connection to the God he discovered in Colorado. Israel was a major turning point. Matisyahu relished the time he spent there, praying, exploring, and dancing in Jerusalem. In every nook he encountered, his dormant Jewish identity stirred into consciousness.
Leaving Israel proved to be a difficult transition. Once back in White Plains, Matisyahu didn't know how to maintain his new connection with Judaism. Feeling dejected, he fatefully dropped out of high school and began following Phish on a national tour. On the road, Matisyahu thought seriously about his life, his music, and his thirst for Judaism.
After a few months, burnt out and broke, he returned home. By this time his parents insisted that Matisyahu go and "straighten" himself out at a wilderness school in Bend, Oregon. The school encouraged artistic pursuits and Matisyahu took advantage of this time to delve further into his music. He studied up on reggae and hip-hop. He attended a weekly open-mic where he rapped, sang, beat-boxed, and did almost anything he could to stay creatively charged. It was then that he started to develop the unique reggae-hip hop sound for which he would one day become known.
After 2 years in the "sticks," the 19-year old Matisyahu returned to New York a changed man. He moved to the city to attend The New School where he continued honing his musical craft, and also dabbled in the theater. During this time, he happened on the Carlebach Shul, a synagogue on the Upper West Side, well known for its hippie-friendly vibe and exuberant singing. This encounter further fueled his soul-fire, turning him on to the mystical power of song in Hasidic Judaism. Now, instead of beat boxing in the back of the classroom, he was leaving the classroom to pray on the school's roof. (Religious or not, this guy ain't made for the classrooms.)
While studying at New School, Matisyahu wrote a play entitled "Echad" (One). The play was about a boy who meets a Hasidic rabbi in Washington Square Park and through him becomes religious. Shortly after the play's performance, Matisyahu's life strangely imitated his art. Indeed, years after the initial sparks were lit, Matisyahu met a Lubavitcher rabbi in the park, spurring his transformation from Matthew to Matisyahu.
A person who was once skeptical of authority and rules, Matisyahu began to explore and eventually fully take on the Lubavitch Hasidic lifestyle. He thrived on the discipline and structure of Judaism, making every attempt to abide by Jewish Law. The Chabad-Lubavitch philosophy proved to be a powerful guide for Matisyahu. It surrounded him with the spiritual dialogue and intellectual challenge he had been seeking for the past decade. The turmoil and frustration of his search subsided, and now, 2 years later, Matisyahu lives in Crown Heights, splitting his time between the stage and his yeshiva.
Drawing from the sounds of Bob Marley, Shlomo Carlebach, Buju Banton, and Sizzla, yet remaining wholly original, Matisyahu's performance is an uplifting, powerful experience for all in his presence. Even the most pessimistic in his audience is inspired by his ability to so honestly convey such a delicate topic as faith/spirituality. It is his dedication to his belief and openness to others that compels one to respect his artistry and message. It's in that fleeting moment when our skepticism melts and our souls open up, that Matisyahu enters with his booming sound of faith.
http://www.matisyahuworld.com/
Escape
Matisyahu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sleeping out in the rain
From falling down the drain
Feeling drained from the main
Mutilated disease disaster deficient and dead
Raging waves with no name
Raining pain distorted face
Placing blame
Lost my mind on the train
Running from the insane
Children taught to blow their brains out in the holy name
Running for fame where everybody knows your name
Running the same vein empty shatters splattered nothing matters anyway
Running for something to say
Looking for meaning the speech
Running from a fray
It's the great escape
Got to sneak away
When they look away we'll just fade away
Carry me in your memory
If I should pass away before the break of day
Like the light life happy clouds fluff
Hazy rice sunny days puff fly a kite afraid to face the night
What if I can't make it right
The sword cuts both ways
Night and day
Joy that goes away
Things seem to sway
Nothing stays the same
Even in this madness we will survive
Even in this madness we will survive
It's the great escape
Got to sneak away
When they look away we'll just fade away
Carry me in your memory
If I should pass away before the break of day
Running through the forest and I'm running through the woods
Running my whole life running like I should
Running for survival
Running from the rifle
Running for the Bible blood libels and false idols
Craziness inside me
Afraid to pick through the bushes and see
Closed off bogged down reality
Bind barbed wire with no key
Running
Running
It's the great escape
Got to sneak away
When they look away we'll just fade away
Carry me in your memory
If I should pass away before the break of day
"Matisyahu's song Escape" is a powerful track that combines hip hop, reggae, and rock beats with introspective and insightful lyrics. The song starts with the artist running away from different things like sleeping out in the rain, falling down the drain, feeling drained and mutilated, and experiencing pain and distortion in the face. He is also running away from the insane, lost his mind on the train and running for fame where everybody knows your name. The second verse continues with the idea of running, mentioning that all of it is distracting him from finding his meaning and purpose in life. He is afraid of things, he is in danger and he is also lost. Nevertheless, the chorus repeats the message that even in these times of madness, there's hope to be found, and it is in the "great escape", a place where one can sneak away from the chaos, disappear from the scenery and come back to it later with a fresh perspective. The last verse speaks of how the artist is running through the forest, the woods, and his whole life. It is a survival instinct that pushes him away from danger, from the rifle, from false idols represented by blood libels, from his own craziness, and from his reality which feels like it is closing in.
Line by Line Meaning
Running from the park
Fleeing from a familiar place that once brought joy
Sleeping out in the rain
Finding shelter in a hostile environment
From falling down the drain
Avoiding a fate of being lost and overlooked
Feeling drained from the main
Being exhausted from the monotony of everyday life
Mutilated disease disaster deficient and dead
Being overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of the world
Raging waves with no name
Being tossed around by powerful forces beyond one's control
Raining pain distorted face
Being tormented by emotional and physical suffering
Placing blame
Trying to find fault in others instead of addressing one's own problems
Hyper-judging all the time
Being overly critical of oneself and others
Lost my mind on the train
Feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of society
Running from the insane
Escaping an environment that is mentally and emotionally unhealthy
Children taught to blow their brains out in the holy name
Being horrified by the idea of kids being brainwashed into committing horrific acts
Running for fame where everybody knows your name
Chasing after a shallow goal of being recognized and adored by others
Running the same vein empty shatters splattered nothing matters anyway
Feeling trapped in a routine that is unfulfilling and meaningless
Running for something to say
Desperately searching for something of substance to contribute to the world
Looking for meaning the speech
Attempting to convey something significant in one's words and actions
Running from a fray
Avoiding conflict and chaos in order to find peace
It's the great escape
The idea of running away as a solution to life's problems
Got to sneak away
The need to escape discretely in order to avoid confrontation
When they look away we'll just fade away
The desire to disappear when facing scrutiny or criticism
Carry me in your memory
The hope of being remembered fondly by others
If I should pass away before the break of day
The idea of one's mortality and being prepared for death
Like the light life happy clouds fluff
The fleeting, intangible nature of happiness and positivity
Hazy rice sunny days puff fly a kite afraid to face the night
Feeling apprehensive about confronting darkness and uncertainty
What if I can't make it right
Being fearful of failure and the consequences that come with it
The sword cuts both ways
Being aware that one's actions can have both positive and negative consequences
Night and day
The constant presence of opposition and conflicting forces
Joy that goes away
The fleeting nature of happiness and pleasure
Things seem to sway
The uncertainty and instability of life
Nothing stays the same
The impermanence of all things
Even in this madness we will survive
An unyielding determination to persevere despite the difficulties of life
Running through the forest and I'm running through the woods
Finding solace and freedom in nature
Running my whole life running like I should
Embracing the idea of constantly striving for more
Running for survival
The idea of persevering through immense challenges in order to survive
Running from the rifle
Avoiding danger and conflict in order to stay safe
Running for the Bible blood libels and false idols
Rejecting religion and the negative consequences that come with extremist beliefs
Craziness inside me
Dealing with inner turmoil and conflict
Afraid to pick through the bushes and see
Being apprehensive about confronting the unknown
Closed off bogged down reality
Feeling trapped in a world that is hostile and oppressive
Bind barbed wire with no key
Being imprisoned and unable to escape a difficult situation
It's the great escape
The desire to escape a difficult situation and find freedom
Got to sneak away
The need to escape discretely in order to avoid confrontation
When they look away we'll just fade away
The desire to disappear when facing scrutiny or criticism
Carry me in your memory
The hope of being remembered fondly by others
If I should pass away before the break of day
The idea of one's mortality and being prepared for death
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CARL FISHER, CHRISTOPHER HOWE, NIGEL MILLER, NEIL MCLENNAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Edwel B Abuan
on One Day (New Album Version)
queenie abuan
Edwel B Abuan
on One Day (New Album Version)
queenie abuan
Bryan Valero Gutierrez
on Indestructible
nice ang ganda talaga ng mga kanta ni MATISYAHU sound trip pa more