McDonald played in several local bands (such as Mike and the Majestics, Jerry Jay and the Sheratons, the Reebtoors, and The Guild) while attending McCluer High School in his hometown of Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. He was 'discovered' while playing with a group called Blue and consequently moved to Los Angeles in 1970. He first gained wide attention as an adjunct member of the group Steely Dan, providing back-up vocals and keyboards. Michael continued to do background vocals for Steely Dan up to their 1980 Gaucho release.
McDonald was recruited by The Doobie Brothers in April 1975 when lead singer Tommy Johnston became ill during a national tour. As a member of the Doobies, he recorded some of his most memorable songs, such as "Takin' It To The Streets," "Little Darling," "Minute By Minute," and "What A Fool Believes" (which earned him a 1980 Grammy Award for Song of the Year).
After the Doobies' first farewell tour, McDonald continued with a very successful solo career. Among his hits are
* "I Keep Forgettin'", a duet with his sister Maureen, later sampled in 1994 by Warren G
* "Sweet Freedom", the theme to the 1986 MGM film Running Scared
* "Take It To Heart"
* "Yah Mo B There", a duet with James Ingram which won a 1985 Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
* "On My Own", a 1986 duet with Patti Labelle which reached #1 on the US charts
McDonald has produced and/or appeared on albums recorded by many other artists, including his singer wife Amy Holland and Grammy winner Christopher Cross. He is also a co-founder of the small independent recording label Ramp Records, with studio designer Chris Pelonis and actor Jeff Bridges.
His current album out 3/4/8 is titled "Soul Speak."
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There is also Michael McDonald, an American songwriter based in Helsinki, Finland. Michael has played with Helsinki-based bands Montevideo and Treeball, and is about to release his first solo album in 2007.
Redemption Song
Michael McDonald Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sold I to the merchant ships,
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit.
But my hand was made strong
By the hand of the Almighty.
They flourish in this generation
Triumphantly.
[Chorus]
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our minds
Have no fear for atomic power,
'Cause none of them can stop the time
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look?
Some say it's just a part of it
We've got to fulfill the book.
[Chorus: x2]
All I we have
Redemption songs
All I we have
Redemption songs
All I we have
Redemption songs
Re-redemption songs
Redemption songs
The lyrics in Michael McDonald's version of Redemption Song are a powerful message of hope and liberation for anyone, anywhere. The singer's perspective describes the experiences of an enslaved individual who had been taken by pirates and sold to merchant ships. But despite the pain and trauma, the person's hand was eventually strengthened and empowered by the hand of the Almighty. The pirates and all those who exploited him may have flourished in their generation, but the singer triumphantly found his redemption.
The chorus calls for everyone to help sing redemption songs, which symbolizes the liberation of all who are marginalized and oppressed. The second verse urges people to break free from their mental slavery and take responsibility for their liberation. It calls for a swift ending of the oppression of prophets and a fulfilling of the prophecy book. The use of "atomic power" shows that even the most powerful in the world cannot control time. Ultimately, the song encourages people to reflect, stand up for justice and work toward freeing themselves from their enslavement with an unwavering commitment to hope.
Line by Line Meaning
Old pirates, yes, they rob I
In the past, pirates robbed and stole from me
Sold I to the merchant ships,
I was then sold to the merchants by the pirates
Minutes after they took I
They didn't waste any time taking me
From the bottomless pit.
They took me from a metaphorical bottomless pit of despair and hardship
But my hand was made strong
Despite these circumstances I was able to become strong
By the hand of the Almighty.
This strength comes from a greater power (God)
They flourish in this generation
Even in the present day, there are still those who thrive on oppressing others
Triumphantly.
They do so with a sense of victory and dominance
Won't you help to sing
Please join me in singing
These songs of freedom?
Songs that speak of freedom and liberation
'Cause all I ever have
Because these songs are all that I possess
Redemption songs
Songs that speak of redemption and salvation
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
Free yourselves from the mental enslavement that comes with oppression and discrimination
None but ourselves can free our minds
Only we can free ourselves from these mental chains
Have no fear for atomic power,
Don't be afraid of the destructive power of nuclear weapons
'Cause none of them can stop the time
Because even these powerful weapons cannot stop the passage of time
How long shall they kill our prophets,
For how much longer will our leaders and advocates be killed and silenced?
While we stand aside and look?
While we do nothing to stop it?
Some say it's just a part of it
Some people believe that this violence and oppression is simply a part of life
We've got to fulfill the book.
But we need to take action to fulfill our destiny and create a better future
All I we have
All we possess
Redemption songs
Are songs that offer hope for a brighter tomorrow
Re-redemption songs
These songs of redemption are worth repeating
Redemption songs
They are songs that inspire us to strive for a better world
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Bob Marley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind