Most of her career has been as lead singer for The Staple Singers. She first recorded solo for the Stax subsidiary Volt in 1969. Subsequent efforts included a Curtis Mayfield-produced soundtrack on Curtom, a nod to disco for Warner Bros. Records in 1979, a stab at electro-pop with Holland-Dozier-Holland in 1984, and a collaboration with Prince in the late 1980s and early 90s (producing the two solo albums Time Waits for No One in 1989 and The Voice in 1993, and various other collaborations). Staples has a rich contralto voice that has neither the range of Aretha Franklin nor the power of Patti LaBelle. Her otherworldly power comes instead from a masterful command of phrasing and a deep-seated sensuality expressed through timbre manipulation. Both the Staple Singers and Mavis found fresh audiences stemming from their participation on the CD Rhythm, Country and Blues, and in 1996 she issued Spirituals and Gospel: Dedicated to Mahalia Jackson. Her next recording project didn't land for another eight years, although Have a Little Faith on Alligator Records became her highest profile release in years.
Staples released a new album for Anti- Records titled We'll Never Turn Back on April 24, 2007. The Ry Cooder-produced concept album focuses on songs of the civil rights movement and includes two new original songs.
See also:
Wikipedia
Official Site
The Voice
Mavis Staples Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bang! - A gunshot rings out
13-year-old baby falls 2 the ground
See the killer runnin' down the street
Tell me killer, can you hear the sound?
Tap, tap, tappin' on your window like a fallin' rain
Cryin' like a baby in a cradle sayin' pick me up again
Ching! - Mr. Politician goes on vacation
Brings along a friend or 2
In the disguise of taxes
Mr. Politician (sends) sends the bill 2 you know who
Tap, tap, tappin' on your window like a fallin' rain
(Tappin' on my window like a fallin' rain)
Cryin' like a baby in a cradle sayin' pick me up again
(Cryin' like a baby, pick me up)
Can't you hear the voice? (Oh yeah)
The nightsticks are still singin'
4-part harmony on brother's back
Justice is doomed when we don't start no S-H
And there's still some I-T in all of that
Tap, tap, tappin' on your window like a fallin' rain
(Can't you hear it tappin' like a fallin' rain fine-tune cryin' like a baby?)
Cryin' like a baby in a cradle sayin' pick me up again
(Pick me up, pick me up)
I'm talkin' about the voice, y'all
Ha, suky, suky now
Sho'mon (Tap)
Sho'mon (Tap)
Help me here (Tap)
Tappin' (Tap)
Tappin', tappin', ha ha (Tap)
Tap on it, tap on it (Tap) (Tap)
Can't you see it's just dirty money?
If your brother man is dyin' in the flow
Take off these chains (Tap) (Tap)
And listen 2 the voice callin' (Tap)
We gotta go, gotta go (Tap) (Tap)
Tap, tap, tappin' on your window like a fallin' rain
(Oh yeah, like a fallin' rain)
Cryin' like a baby in a cradle sayin' pick me up again
(Cryin' like a baby, pick me up, pick me up)
5-4-3-2-1, keep the war over (Tap)
But how many want to keep the peace (Tap) (Tap)
We keep buildin' guns when we could build love (Tap)
(When we need 2 build love)
'cause that's when the war will cease
you know it, you know it (Tap) (Tap)
Can't you hear the voices? (Tap) (Tap)
Can't you hear the sound? (Tap)
Take heed, get your house in order (Tap)
Tap, tap, tappin' on your window like a fallin' rain
(Tappin', tappin' like a.. like a fallin' rain)
Cryin' like a baby in a cradle sayin' pick me up again
(Cryin'' like a baby, pick me up, pick me up)
Sighin' like a woman on fire
When she's ready 4 some of your love
(Born ready 4 all of your love)
The voice is just a-steady-callin'
(The voice is callin')
Until you give in, until you give up
The lyrics of Mavis Staples's song, "The Voice," address themes of violence, social injustice, and the power of collective action. The first verse draws attention to gun violence and its devastating impact on the community. The phrase "Lord, have mercy" suggests that the singer is calling out to a higher power for help. The sound of a gunshot followed by the image of a 13-year-old's death sets a somber tone for the rest of the song.
The second verse shifts focus to political corruption and the unfair burden placed on the common people through taxation. The use of onomatopoeia in the line "Tap, tap, tappin' on your window like a fallin' rain" creates a sense of urgency and reflects the repetition and monotony of injustice. The lyrics suggest that the voice calling for change can be heard in these sounds of injustice.
The chorus urges listeners to pay attention to the voices calling out for change and take action against violence and social inequality. The urgency in Staples's voice and the repetition of phrases like "can't you hear the voice?" highlight the importance of unity and collective action. The song's final lines call for listeners to "get your house in order," implying that change begins at the individual level.
Line by Line Meaning
Lord, have mercy
Expressing a plea for mercy from God
Bang! - A gunshot rings out
A gunshot is heard
13-year-old baby falls 2 the ground
A young teenager falls to the ground
See the killer runnin' down the street
A killer is running away
Tell me killer, can you hear the sound?
Questioning whether the killer can hear the sound of the gunshot
Tap, tap, tappin' on your window like a fallin' rain
Cryin' like a baby in a cradle sayin' pick me up again
Comparing the tapping on a window to falling rain and the crying of a baby in a cradle asking to be picked up again
Ching! - Mr. Politician goes on vacation
Brings along a friend or 2
In the disguise of taxes
Mr. Politician (sends) sends the bill 2 you know who
Politicians take vacations and bring their friends and pass the bills disguised as taxes on the population
Can't you hear the voice? (Oh yeah)
Asking if the listener can hear the voice
The nightsticks are still singin'
4-part harmony on brother's back
Justice is doomed when we don't start no S-H
And there's still some I-T in all of that
The nightsticks are still being used on people's backs, highlighting the injustice in society
I'm talkin' about the voice, y'all
Emphasizing the importance of the voice being heard
Ha, suky, suky now
Sho'mon (Tap)
Sho'mon (Tap)
Help me here (Tap)
Tappin' (Tap)
Tappin', tappin', ha ha (Tap)
Tap on it, tap on it (Tap) (Tap)
Singing and tapping to engage the listener's attention
Can't you see it's just dirty money?
If your brother man is dyin' in the flow
Take off these chains (Tap) (Tap)
And listen 2 the voice callin' (Tap)
We gotta go, gotta go (Tap) (Tap)
Highlighting the futility of money when people are dying and in chains and urging the listener to hear the voice and take action
5-4-3-2-1, keep the war over (Tap)
But how many want to keep the peace (Tap) (Tap)
We keep buildin' guns when we could build love (Tap)
(When we need 2 build love)
'cause that's when the war will cease
Counting down to keep the war over and questioning how many people want peace. Advocating for building love instead of guns because that is how wars end
you know it, you know it (Tap) (Tap)
Can't you hear the voices? (Tap) (Tap)
Can't you hear the sound? (Tap)
Take heed, get your house in order (Tap)
Affirming the importance of hearing the voices, sounds and taking action
Sighin' like a woman on fire
When she's ready 4 some of your love
(Born ready 4 all of your love)
The voice is just a-steady-callin'
(The voice is callin')
Until you give in, until you give up
Comparing the longing for love to deep sighs and highlighting the importance of the voice, which doesn't stop calling until one takes action
Tap, tap, tappin' on your window like a fallin' rain
(Tappin', tappin' like a.. like a fallin' rain)
Cryin' like a baby in a cradle sayin' pick me up again
(Cryin'' like a baby, pick me up, pick me up)
Repeating and emphasizing the tapping and crying metaphors
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANTHONY MOSLEY, . PRINCE (US 1), FRANCIS JULES, ROSIE GAINES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind