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/
Jerusalem
Matisyahu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fire not gonna come from me tongue.
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
Let my right hand forget what it's supposed to do.
In the ancient days, we will return with no delay
Picking up the bounty and the spoils on our way
We've been traveling from state to state
3,000 years with no place to be
And they want me to give up my milk and honey
Don't you see, it's not about the land or the sea
Not the country but the dwelling of his majesty
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
Fire not gonna come from me tongue.
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
Let my right hand forget what it's supposed to do.
Rebuild the temple and the crown of glory
Years gone by, about sixty
Burn in the oven in this century
And the gas tried to choke, but it couldn't choke me
I will not lie down, I will not fall asleep
They come overseas, yes they're trying to be free
Erase the demons out of our memory
Change your name and your identity
Afraid of the truth and our dark history
Why is everybody always chasing we
Cut off the roots of your family tree
Don't you know that's not the way to be
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
Fire not gonna come from me tongue.
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
Let my right hand forget what it's supposed to do.
Caught up in these ways, and the worlds gone craze
Don't you know it's just a phase
Case of the Simon says
If I forget the truth then my words won't penetrate
Babylon burning in the place, can't see through the haze
Chop down all of them dirty ways,
That's the price that you pay for selling lies to the youth
No way, not OK, oh no way, not ok, hey
Ain't no one gonna break my stride
Ain't no one gonna pull me down
Oh no, I got to keep on moving
Stay alive
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
Fire not gonna come from me tongue.
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
Let my right hand forget what it's supposed to do.
In the song Jerusalem by Matisyahu, the singer speaks about the importance of Jerusalem to the Jewish people, how it has been their home for over 3,000 years, and how they have been persecuted and forced to leave their home, traveling from state to state with no place of their own. The singer talks about how it is not about the land or the sea but the dwelling of his majesty. The chorus of the song, "Jerusalem, if I forget you, Fire not gonna come from me tongue. Jerusalem, if I forget you, Let my right hand forget what it's supposed to do," repeats the idea that forgetting or giving up on Jerusalem is unimaginable, and it is a vow made in the heat of passion to always remember and honor the holy city.
Line by Line Meaning
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
Jerusalem, if I forget the importance of my roots and my culture,
Fire not gonna come from me tongue.
I will not speak or act destructively against my own community,
Let my right hand forget what it's supposed to do.
I will not take any actions that will harm my own people.
In the ancient days, we will return with no delay
One day we will return back to our roots without any hesitation,
Picking up the bounty and the spoils on our way
We will continue to embrace our cultural values and gain success and prosperity along the way,
We've been traveling from state to state
We have been moving from place to place,
And them don't understand what they say
And they are unfamiliar with our ways,
3,000 years with no place to be
We have been wandering and searching for a place to call our home for centuries,
And they want me to give up my milk and honey
And they are trying to take away what we have gained in our search for a home,
Don't you see, it's not about the land or the sea
Our culture and community is not defined by a geographical boundary,
Not the country but the dwelling of his majesty
It is our faith and dedication to our God and traditions that defines us.
Rebuild the temple and the crown of glory
We must work towards rebuilding our spiritual home and honoring our cultural heritage,
Years gone by, about sixty
Many years have passed since we were last able to rebuild our home,
Burn in the oven in this century
Many of our people have suffered and died in recent history,
And the gas tried to choke, but it couldn't choke me
Despite the horrors we have faced, we remain resilient and dedicated to our culture and faith,
I will not lie down, I will not fall asleep
I will not give up my dedication to my culture and community,
They come overseas, yes they're trying to be free
Many of our people have traveled far and wide in search of freedom,
Erase the demons out of our memory
We must work towards healing from the traumas of our past and moving forward,
Change your name and your identity
We should never have to sacrifice our cultural identity for the sake of fitting in with others,
Afraid of the truth and our dark history
Many are afraid to face the painful truths of our history and the suffering we have faced,
Why is everybody always chasing we
Many others are always trying to bring us down or force us to assimilate to their culture,
Cut off the roots of your family tree
We should never have to compromise or give up the traditions and values passed down to us by our ancestors,
Don't you know that's not the way to be
It is not healthy or sustainable to ignore or reject our cultural roots.
Caught up in these ways, and the worlds gone craze
We are often caught up in the fast-paced, chaotic ways of the world,
Don't you know it's just a phase
We should not lose sight of the importance of our cultural heritage in the face of ever-changing trends,
Case of the Simon says
We should not blindly follow or conform to outside forces that do not align with our culture,
If I forget the truth then my words won't penetrate
If we lose sight of our cultural heritage and values, we will no longer be able to effectively communicate our message,
Babylon burning in the place, can't see through the haze
The world is full of chaos and destruction which can be hard to see clearly or navigate through,
Chop down all of them dirty ways,
We must reject and cut out any behaviors or influences that go against our cultural values,
That's the price that you pay for selling lies to the youth
Those who spread false or damaging messages to young people will eventually face consequences,
Ain't no one gonna break my stride
No one can stop me or bring me down in my dedication to my culture and community,
Ain't no one gonna pull me down
No one can convince me to compromise my cultural heritage or turn my back on my community,
Oh no, I got to keep on moving
We must continue to move forward, embrace our culture and values, and work towards a better future,
Stay alive
We must protect and preserve our cultural heritage in order to stay alive and thrive as a community.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: GREGORY PRESTOPINO, IVAN CORRALIZA, JIMMY DOUGLASS, MATTHEW MILLER, MATTHEW WILDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@annachaupnik859
Chorus
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
Fire not gonna come from me tongue.
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
Let my right hand forget what it's supposed to do.
In the ancient days, we will return with no delay
Picking up the bounty and the spoils on our way
We've been traveling from state to state
And them don't understand what they say
3,000 years with no place to be
And they want me to give up my milk and honey
Don't you see, it's not about the land or the sea
Not the country but the dwelling of his majesty
Chorus
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
Fire not gonna come from me tongue.
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
Let my right hand forget what it's supposed to do.
Rebuild the temple and the crown of glory
Years gone by, about sixty
Burn in the oven in this century
And the gas tried to choke, but it couldn't choke me
I will not lie down, I will not fall asleep
They come overseas, yes they're trying to be free
Erase the demons out of our memory
Change your name and your identity
Afraid of the truth and our dark history
Why is everybody always chasing we
Cut off the roots of your family tree
Don't you know that's not the way to be
Chorus
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
Fire not gonna come from me tongue.
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
Let my right hand forget what it's supposed to do.
Caught up in these ways, and the worlds gone craze
Don't you know it's just a phase
Case of the Simon says
If I forget the truth then my words won't penetrate
Babylon burning in the place, can't see through the haze
Chop down all of them dirty ways,
That's the price that you pay for selling lies to the youth
No way, not ok, oh no way, not ok, hey
Aint no one gonna break my stride
Aint no one gonna pull me down
Oh no, I got to keep on moving
Stay alive
Chorus
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
Fire not gonna come from me tongue.
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
Let my right hand forget what it's supposed to do.
@GustavoLazaro
you save me in the days of depression friend, thank you for your divine work!
@nicolelang9318
Nooo creiooo que tu gosta tbm🤩. Fã
@laurahernamdt896
So true
@magdieljackson112
Salve @Gustavo Lazaro ouça Live like a Warrior - Matisyahu
@j.gabriellemos6668
Tu tem um gosto musical incrível, mano
@joaovictora.bezerra4814
O mestre aqui ??? Top, irmão.
@p.mosheshamah4307
Sending you all my love from Jerusalem, better days will come ♥️🙏🏼🇮🇱
@luisalbertomunguiamartin5577
Palestinians are suffering the neo colonialist Israel ocupation. Civilian people are being murderer by zionist goberments and the partners in crime (ONU)
@gerardgiudice8303
🙏❤️
@nightwolf1117
I'm Christian and I grew up listening to this song and i absolutely adore it, it will never get old for me!!