Matisyahu ("Gift of God"), Hebrew stagename for Matthew Paul Miller ⋆ 30 Ju… Read Full Bio ↴Matisyahu ("Gift of God"), Hebrew stagename for Matthew Paul Miller ⋆ 30 June 1979 in West Chester, Pennsylvania, is a spiritually minded American-Jewish singer, beatboxer, singjay and songwriter. He grew up in White Plains, New York. His music is an interplay between reggae, rock, hip-hop, and reggae fusion. His debute studioalbum Shake Off the Dust... Arise was released 2004 and his latest, Akeda 2014. Well-known songs are King Without A Crown, One Day and Happy Hanukkah. He sings mostly in English, more rarely in Hebrew and Yiddish. He had an Hasidic appearance until 2011.

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/

So Hi So Lo
Matisyahu Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When the time is right
I'll leave this place tonight
Just leave everything behind
It's time to face my life
We'll trail a path across that gap
Slap back through a crack in time
Is anyone on the other side
Seek and you might find

So high so low I don't know
Where but we got to got to go there
So high so low I don't know
Where but we got to got to go there got to go there

Why not give up buck up drop down why not lie down
And never wake up give in give up
And don't get up give in to the ground who gives a

She is frozen in time behind the enemy lines in the night time
She stares down the highway which way's the right way
Walking through this world on a tight rope of memory
The door swings both ways in and out in
And outside so buckle up it's gonna be a bumpy ride no
Its gonna be a bumpy ride no

So high so low I don't know where but we got to got to go there
So high so low I don't know where but we got to got to go there got to go there

I am searchin' for the shade of the tree
Heard about it from a tune in the breeze
They say exists on the side of the road
But which road nobody was told (so lo)
All I know is I must find a road that leads where nobody goes (so lo)
Where I can roll down all the windows
Where the wind blows down those fears and foes (so hi)
So let go of the steering wheel let go let go (so lo)
All I know is I must find a road that leads where nobody goes
Let go of the steering wheel let go let go

So high so low I don't know where but we got to got to go there
So high so low I don't know where but we got to got to go there got to go there

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Matisyahu's song "So Hi So Lo" speak to the journey of self-discovery and the search for a higher purpose. The opening lines of the song imply a sense of restlessness and a desire to leave behind current circumstances in search of something more fulfilling. This sentiment is reinforced by the lyrics "It's time to face my life", suggesting the singer has reached a point of reckoning and is ready to take control of their destiny.

The themes of duality and dichotomy are prevalent throughout the song. The phrase "So high so low I don't know" is repeated several times throughout the chorus, emphasizing the idea that life is a combination of contrasting experiences, and it is up to the individual to navigate this duality. The line "Walking through this world on a tightrope of memory" also alludes to the balancing act of life, where memories of the past and hopes for the future need to be reconciled with the present.

The song's bridge offers some concrete imagery, particularly the reference to "the shade of the tree". This represents a place of respite and peace, but the singer is unsure where to find it. The ambiguity of the lyrics serves to emphasize the idea that the path to self-discovery is not always clear-cut or easy to follow. The repetition of the phrase "let go of the steering wheel" implies that sometimes one must relinquish control and trust in the journey itself.

Line by Line Meaning

When the time is right
When the moment is ideal

I'll leave this place tonight
I will depart this location tonight

Just leave everything behind
Leave behind all possessions

It's time to face my life
It's time to confront my existence

We'll trail a path across that gap
We will blaze a trail across that divide

Slap back through a crack in time
Retreat through a time portal

Is anyone on the other side
Is anyone present on the opposing end

Seek and you might find
Search and there's a possibility of discovery

So high so low I don't know
Feeling uncertain about the altitude

Where but we got to got to go there
But we must travel to that location

Why not give up buck up drop down why not lie down
Why not surrender, persevere or collapse, why not rest

And never wake up give in give up
And refrain from waking up, concede, relinquish

And don't get up give in to the ground who gives a
And abstain from standing up, submit to the earth, the importance is negligible

She is frozen in time behind the enemy lines in the night time
She is static in temporal suspension when invading forces have captured her, during nighttime

She stares down the highway which way's the right way
She gazes ahead on the road, unsure of which path to choose

Walking through this world on a tight rope of memory
Navigating through existence on a thin line of recollections

The door swings both ways in and out in and outside
The door oscillates in dual directions, internal and external

So buckle up it's gonna be a bumpy ride no
So get ready, the journey will be turbulent

I am searchin' for the shade of the tree
I am looking for the protection of the tree

Heard about it from a tune in the breeze
Learned about its existence from a melody carried by the wind

They say exists on the side of the road
It is rumored that it is on the edge of the road

But which road nobody was told (so lo)
But no one knows which road it is (feeling unsure about the altitude)

All I know is I must find a road that leads where nobody goes (so lo)
All I know is I must discover a path that directs to an unexplored location (feeling unsure about the altitude)

Where I can roll down all the windows
Where I can lower all the windows

Where the wind blows down those fears and foes (so hi)
Where the wind eradicates fears and enemies (feeling high)

So let go of the steering wheel let go let go (so lo)
So release the steering wheel, let it go (feeling unsure about the altitude)

So high so low I don't know where but we got to got to go there
Feeling uncertain about the altitude, but we must go to that place

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Aaron Dugan, David Martin Kahne, Matthew Miller, Rosenstein Ephraim

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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