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/.
Only Thing Missing Was You
Michael Franti & Spearhead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Drifting off the seas
And you came along
And you threw a line to me, to me
But how was I to know
When I thought I had it all along
The only thing missing was you
The only thing missing was you
The only thing missing was you
You, you, you, you, you
I've been waiting all along for a woman like you
To come along and bring the sunshine to my blues
Wake me in the morning with a kiss upon my cheek
And when we're making love, we make it so unique
You have my vote with the shake of your thighs
My whole world changed from one look in your eye
It's been a long time but now I realize
The only thing missing was you
The only thing missing was you
The only thing missing was you
The only thing missing was you
(You, you, you, you, you)
The only thing missing was you
Many moons have passed
And I'm still here at sea
And I'm searching for one island in the stars
The size of you and me, you and me
How was I to know
When I thought I had it all along
The only thing missing was you
The only thing missing was you
The only thing missing was you
The only thing missing was you
(You, you, you, you, you)
The only thing missing was you
I've been waiting all along for a woman like you
(Only thing missing was you)
Woman like you, woman, woman like you
(The only thing missing was you)
I've been waiting all along for a woman like you
Like you, like you
Waiting all along for a woman like you
(Come back, please)
Woman like you, woman, woman like you, like you
The lyrics to Michael Franti's song "Only Thing Missing Was You" are about the feeling of longing for someone special, and how that special someone can change everything. The song is a love letter to the person who completes the singer's life, the only thing missing that he wasn't aware of until she came along.
In the first verse, the singer describes himself as feeling lonely and adrift, until the woman comes along and "throws him a line" – a metaphor for rescuing him from his isolation. He expresses surprise that he didn't realize the only thing missing in his life was her, and how he has been waiting for someone like her all along. The second verse describes how the woman brings light and joy to his life, waking him up with a kiss, and how their lovemaking is unique and special. He declares his love for her, and praises her beauty and sensuality.
The chorus repeats the sentiment that the only thing missing was her, emphasizing the importance of her presence in his life. The bridge speaks to the passage of time and his continued search for this special person, and how only the right person can fill the void in his life. The song ends with a plea for her to stay, as he has been waiting for her all along.
Overall, the song is a heartfelt expression of love and longing for that special someone who makes life complete, and how that person transforms everything.
Line by Line Meaning
I was rocking like a lonely man
I was feeling isolated and lonely
Drifting off the seas
I was lost and aimlessly wandering through life
And you came along
Then you entered my life
And you threw a line to me, to me
And you offered me a helping hand when I needed it
But how was I to know
At the time, I didn't realize
When I thought I had it all along
I thought I had everything I needed in life
The only thing missing was you
But what I didn't realize was that the one thing missing was you
I've been waiting all along for a woman like you
I've been searching for someone like you my whole life
To come along and bring the sunshine to my blues
Someone who could make me happy
Wake me in the morning with a kiss upon my cheek
Someone who could bring love and affection into my life
And when we're making love, we make it so unique
Someone who could share a deep, intimate connection with me
You have my vote with the shake of your thighs
I am completely taken by you
My whole world changed from one look in your eye
Being with you has completely transformed my life
It's been a long time but now I realize
It took me a while, but now I understand
Many moons have passed
Time has gone by
And I'm still here at sea
And I'm still lost, searching for my way
And I'm searching for one island in the stars
And I'm looking for something elusive and seemingly impossible
The size of you and me, you and me
Something that could be as big and beautiful as our love could be
I've been waiting all along for a woman like you
I've been searching for someone like you my whole life
Waiting all along for a woman like you, woman like you
And I'll keep searching for you because you're the only thing missing in my life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JASON PATRICK BOWMAN, MICHAEL FRANTI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dimensionsofearth
This song hits a note deep in my heart!
@aishaxoxobela
Man I love him! So awesome
@lifeofcee6125
Love this song :)
@reyesxo
Michael and Jolene, you're beautiful people. The world would, without a doubt, be a better place if there we're more of you. Love the new video! xoxo
@evelily1975
Beautiful!
@TheCyrilb
Big Respect pour toutes les femmes de la planète ! Pure Love !!!
@jhessgirl
Oh my!!!Michael franti lord! Good singing, nice remix and baby he is so beautiful! Yes!
@petrakmart
wow love this new remix! love you guys:)
@naniiiko
i adore michael :)
@lking3024
From a woman’s perspective you are on 🔥