His project Spearhead produced the critically acclaimed Home in 1994. The album contained his biggest single, "Hole in the Bucket," a thoughtful lament on the plight of the homeless, and "Positive," which addressed the growing AIDS epidemic. The album boasted adept funk samplings, sinuous guitar vamps, and soulful, melodic tracks about family and social injustice. 1997's Chocolate Supa Highway was not as pop-friendly as Home, but neither did its themes of kidnappings and police brutality lend themselves to such overt accessibility. Its mixture of harsher musical styles -- techno, rock, and funk -- was a step forward for Franti as his world view broadened and deepened. In 2001, Franti released Stay Human. In it he expresses his anger at the system, his advocacy of love, and his belief in freedom through individuality and self-expression through a set of songs that revolve around a fictitious death penalty case. In it, his embrace of the genres that inspired him is achieved with eloquence.
Earlier projects of Franti include The Beatnigs and The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, which had more of an experimental/industrial sound, but addressed many of the same social/political issues.
As a celebration of the Election of Barack Obama Franti recorded the Obama Song, offered as a free track on downloaded at their offical website, www.michaelfranti.com/.
Life In The City
Michael Franti & Spearhead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some people always try to cheat their death but when it comes you just cant shake it
Some people try to make a deal to get a little bit more but they just can't take it
Some of them end up in debt, when their called they try to fake it
But one morning the clock will chime and no more birds come flying by
And temperatures keep rising higher, sixteen bullets come flying by
Ai yi yi put your hands up high
They hit you with a missile, hit you with a bomb, hit you with the law try to take your home
Break into your house in the middle of the night, track you on a cell phone by satellite
Stopped N.Y. time you're in your car
Search your body search your home an' listenin' in on your phone calls
Still no politician got enough balls, lining the people up against the wall
When the truth comes out all hell will call and someday Guantanamo will fall
Until that day we all will ride on
[Chorus]
Ai yi yi put your hands up high
'Coz you never know how long your gunna live till' ya die
That's life in the city, that's life in the city yeah
That's life in the city, mad world in the city
Some holdin' on, so damn gone their whole lives livin' with their TV on
Then radio play the same 10 songs, set your clock by which ones on
And watching the news try to see whats wrong, find somebody else to blame it on
Hope they never come and research you coz' your grandmother was an immigrant too
So if you love somebody better tell them so
'Coz you never ever ever no when they gonna go
If they love you back, just give thanks
Can't keep love like money in the bank
[Chorus]
You never know, You never know, its gonna get you
The lyrics to Michael Franti & Spearhead’s song Life In The City are a commentary on the harsh realities of life in an urban context. The lyrics suggest that some people try to cheat death, while others try to make deals to get more out of life. But ultimately, everyone will come face to face with mortality. The song paints a bleak picture of life in the city, with references to missiles, bombs, and police surveillance. The lyrics also suggest a lack of accountability on the part of politicians, who are portrayed as lacking the courage to stand up for the people they represent.
The refrain “Ai yi yi put your hands up high, ’Coz you never know how long your gunna live till’ ya die” serves as a reminder that life is short and unpredictable. The verses provide examples of the dangers and challenges that are part of life in the city, such as being harmed by missiles, bombs or the law, losing your home or being stalked through surveillance technology. In the second verse, Franti suggests that people are becoming desensitized to the world around them, settling into their routines and numbing out to the news and the world’s problems.
Overall, the song is a call to action, encouraging listeners to be present in their lives and appreciate their loved ones while they can, because the future is always uncertain. The song also highlights the need for accountability and justice in society and encourages people to stand up against oppression and corruption.
Line by Line Meaning
Some say you only get so many breaths, when they're gone you'll meet your maker
There are people who believe that we have limited breaths in life, and when it ends, we'll go on to meet our maker.
Some people always try to cheat their death but when it comes you just can't shake it
Some people try their best to avoid death, but when it comes, it's inevitable.
Some people try to make a deal to get a little bit more but they just can't take it
There are individuals who attempt to make deals to get ahead, but they can't handle the pressure that comes with it.
Some of them end up in debt, when they're called they try to fake it
A few of them end up in debt, and when it's time to pay, they pretend that they don't owe anything.
But one morning the clock will chime and no more birds come flying by
One day, the clock will inform us that time is up, and there won't be any birds flying by anymore.
And temperatures keep rising higher, sixteen bullets come flying by
As the temperature keeps rising higher, there are instances where sixteen bullets can come whizzing by.
Ai yi yi put your hands up high
Put your hands up high in the air.
Coz you never know how long your gunna live till' ya die
Since you never know when you will die, live life to the fullest while you still can.
They hit you with a missile, hit you with a bomb, hit you with the law try to take your home
They can attack you with missiles, bombs, laws, and try to take your home away by force.
Break into your house in the middle of the night, track you on a cell phone by satellite
They can break into your home in the dead of night and track you down using your phone's satellite.
Stopped N.Y. time you're in your car
They can stop you while you're driving in NYC.
Search your body search your home and listenin' in on your phone calls
They can search your body, your home, and also listen to your phone conversations without your knowledge.
Still no politician got enough balls, lining the people up against the wall
The politicians aren't brave enough to stand up for the people and instead end up hurting them.
When the truth comes out all hell will call and someday Guantanamo will fall
Eventually, when the truth comes out, it will lead to chaos, and someday, Guantanamo Bay will fall.
Until that day we all will ride on
Until that day comes, we'll continue moving forward with our lives.
That's life in the city, that's life in the city yeah
This is what life in the city is like.
Some holdin' on, so damn gone their whole lives livin' with their TV on
Some people hang on for dear life, living their entire existence glued to the TV screen.
Then radio play the same 10 songs, set your clock by which ones on
The radio station plays the same ten songs, and people use them to keep time.
And watching the news try to see what's wrong, find somebody else to blame it on
People watch the news looking for someone to blame for their problems.
Hope they never come and research you coz' your grandmother was an immigrant too
Hopefully, no one investigates you because your grandmother was once an immigrant just like the people they're targeting now.
So if you love somebody better tell them so
If you love someone, you should let them know while you still have the chance.
Coz you never ever ever know when they gonna go
You never know when someone will pass away, so it's important to cherish the time you have with them.
If they love you back, just give thanks
If someone loves you in return, be grateful.
Can't keep love like money in the bank
You can't store love like you would money in a bank.
You never know, You never know, it's gonna get you
You never know when something unforeseen will happen to you, and it can catch you off guard.
That's life in the city, mad world in the city
This is what life in the city is like, and it's a crazy world.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CARL YOUNG, JASON BOWMAN, MICHAEL J. FRANTI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind