Frost developed his eclectic style of music playing in various projects throughout his teen years. He became a musician when he was eight, and started playing shows at 12, collaborating with a diverse array of artists like Austin icon Bob Schneider and hip-hop MC/producer Kydd. After hearing musicians like Erykah Badu and D’Angelo in his late teens, Frost began incorporating hip-hop elements into his blues-inspired stylings, interested in the idea of combining modern rhythms with classic vintage tones in his music.
In September 2012 Frost decided to leave the University of Texas-Austin, where he was studying English, to pursue his solo career. He released a single, “White Lies,” which hit No. 1 on The Hype Machine’s “Most Popular Tracks on Blogs Now.” Max channeled the song’s success into the creation of his debut EP, Low High Low, which was released in October 2013 by Atlantic Records.
Frost has stated that “The songs all connect to polar emotional states in life – highs and lows – giving the EP its name.” The theme continues in the production aesthetics of low-fi and high-fi, which continues as the basic concept in his music.
In December 2013, "White Lies" was featured in a commercial for Beats Electronics.
Sites: YouTube
Président
Max Frost Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ooh-ooh-ah
Pick up your receiver
Call in to the leader
No matter what number you dial
Listen and you'll hear em
Creeping like a fever
In your car, in your home,
You're never on your own
They're keeping tabs on you from the sky
You can run if you want
But I know you won't
We're the revolution
That's moving just to stay alive
I don't give a damn who's President
Tapping on the phone line
Kicking out the jams let' em listen in
Baby cause it's no crime
How you supposed to feel when it all ain't real
Flipping through the New York Times
I don't give a damn who's President
Baby and it's no crime
Old satanic preachers
Holy non-believers
Gunning for their chance on the throne
Singing hail to Ceaser
If you don't it's treason
Got to go and cast your vote
In your town underground
they're working hard right now
Building war machines that can fly
Better stop look around
did you hear that sound,
we got the solution, just blow it all up to the sky
I don't give a damn who's President
Tapping on the phone line
Kicking out the jams let' em listen in
Baby cause it's no crime
How you supposed to feel when it all ain't real
Flipping through the New York Times
I don't give a damn who's President
Baby and it's no crime
Go dance for the air force band
War time plans got to get your number
Old man moving in command
Radio scan gonna get your number
Get your number
I don't give a damn who's President
Tapping on the phone line
Kicking out the jams let' em listen in
Baby cause it's no crime
How you supposed to feel when it all ain't real
Flipping through the New York Times
I don't give a damn who's President
Baby and it's no crime
The lyrics to Max Frost's song "President" critique the government's surveillance tactics and urge individuals to question those in power. The opening lines of "ooh-ooh-ah" set a rebellious tone, as if to suggest that the following lyrics are a war cry for resistance. The first verse implores the listener to not be complacent about their government's actions and to be vigilant about the intrusion of privacy. The second verse calls out the religious and political self-righteousness that leads some to believe that only their way is the right way. The song doesn't advocate for any particular political candidate or party, but rather sets itself up as a radical opposition to the system as a whole.
The chorus, repeating the line "I don't give a damn who's President" suggests that the government's surveillance tactics are not a partisan issue, but rather a systemic problem. The lyrics urge rebellion, encouraging listeners to not be afraid of expressing their dissent. The bridge of the song calls attention to the military-industrial complex, a system in which politicians and corporations profit from war and defense spending. The final line "Gonna get your number" reinforces the idea that the government has all the tools necessary to track and control its citizens.
Line by Line Meaning
Pick up your receiver
Answer your phone
Call in to the leader
Contact the person in power
No matter what number you dial
They are always listening
Listen and you'll hear em
They are watching you
Creeping like a fever
Slowly consuming you
They're tapping on into the line
They are intercepting your communication
In your car, in your home,
You are being monitored everywhere
You're never on your own
You are always being followed
They're keeping tabs on you from the sky
There is nowhere to hide
You can run if you want
You can try to escape
But I know you won't
You won't be successful
We're the revolution
We are the uprising
That's moving just to stay alive
We are fighting for our survival
I don't give a damn who's President
The identity of the President does not matter
Tapping on the phone line
Monitoring our communication
Kicking out the jams let' em listen in
Defying the surveillance
Baby cause it's no crime
It is not illegal
How you supposed to feel when it all ain't real
How can we trust what we are being told
Flipping through the New York Times
Reading the news, trying to make sense of it
Old satanic preachers
Corrupt religious leaders
Holy non-believers
They claim to be following a holy path, but they are not sincere
Gunning for their chance on the throne
Desperately seeking power
Singing hail to Ceaser
Praising the person in charge
If you don't it's treason
If you don't support the person in charge, you will be punished
Got to go and cast your vote
It is imperative to participate in the political process
In your town underground
In secret, behind closed doors
They're working hard right now
They are actively preparing for war
Building war machines that can fly
Constructing advanced military technology
Better stop look around
Take a step back and assess the situation
Did you hear that sound, we got the solution, just blow it all up to the sky
Relying on violence to solve the problem
Go dance for the air force band
Sarcasm, suggesting there is no other option but to submit to authority
War time plans got to get your number
You will be recruited for war
Old man moving in command
An elderly person in charge
Radio scan gonna get your number
Your information will be collected
Contributed by Grayson A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.