Combining folk with acoustic pop elements and beginning in 2003, Milow released his debut album, The Bigger Picture, in 2006 on his own label Homerun Records. The fourth single from that album, "You Don't Know," became one of the biggest hit singles of the year in Belgium in 2007.
Milow's acoustic cover of 50 Cent's "Ayo Technology," released in 2008, stayed on the charts for over 340 weeks in 14 different countries. The video also went viral on YouTube with over 50 million views. Milow followed the immense success of the single by quickly releasing a self-titled studio album. Three years later, he has sold over 650,000 albums and more than 1.15 million singles.
“North and South,” recorded in Belgium and partially mixed in Los Angeles by two-time Grammy-winner Tony Maserati (Beyonce Knowles, Jason Mraz, Robbie Robertson), was released in 2011. The mastering was done in New York City by Dave Kutch (The Roots, Erykah Badu, Outkast). The video for the first single, “You and Me (In My Pocket),” is available on YouTube.
Redemption Song
Milow 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
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly
And won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our mind
Have no fear for atomic energy
'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
And won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Old pirates, yes, they rob I
Sold I to the merchant ships
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit
And won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom
'Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
These songs of freedom
Songs of freedom
Milow's Redemption Song is a powerful and thought-provoking song that speaks to the injustice and discrimination that people of color have experienced throughout history. The first verse speaks of the slave trade and how "pirates" would capture and sell individuals to merchant ships. The persona in the song sings of being captured and sold to the merchant ships, but his hand was made strong by the almighty. This can be interpreted as the persona's faith helping him through the difficult times, and allowing him to move forward in his generation triumphantly.
The chorus of the song is a call to action for everyone to sing songs of freedom, helping to add their voice to those who are advocating for justice and liberation. The second verse speaks of mental slavery and how only we can free ourselves from it. The persona then talks about how no one should fear the power of the atomic bomb because time cannot be stopped, and no one can stop progress. Finally, the persona's lyrics call for the fulfillment of the book, which can be interpreted in different ways depending on what one thinks the "book" represents. This could be a religious text, a historical document, or something else entirely.
Line by Line Meaning
Old pirates, yes, they rob I
I was robbed by old pirates
Sold I to the merchant ships
I was sold to merchant ships after being robbed
Minutes after they took I
I was taken within minutes of being robbed
From the bottomless pit
I was taken from a state of despair
But my hand was made strong
I became strong despite adversity
By the hand of the Almighty
I received strength from a divine power
We forward in this generation
We continue to move forward as a generation
Triumphantly
With great success and victory
And won't you help to sing
Please join in singing
These songs of freedom?
These songs that celebrate freedom
'Cause all I ever have
All I possess
Redemption songs
Songs of redemption
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
Free yourselves from mental imprisonment
None but ourselves can free our mind
Only we have the power to free our own minds
Have no fear for atomic energy
Do not be afraid of nuclear power
'Cause none of them can stop the time
Because nothing can stop time
How long shall they kill our prophets
For how long will they keep killing those who speak truth
While we stand aside and look?
While we do nothing to stop it?
Some say it's just a part of it
Some say that it is inevitable or a necessary part of life
We've got to fulfill the book
We need to complete our destiny or purpose
Redemption songs
Songs of redemption
And won't you help to sing
Please join in singing
These songs of freedom
These songs that celebrate freedom
'Cause all I ever have
All I possess
Redemption songs
Songs of redemption
Redemption songs
Songs of redemption
These songs of freedom
These songs that celebrate freedom
Songs of freedom
Songs that symbolize and inspire freedom
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bob Marley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TV met Dee
Old pirates, yes, they rob I
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
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly
[Chorus]
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
[Verse 2]
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our minds!
Have no fear for atomic energy
'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]
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
[Acoustic Break]
[Verse 3]
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our minds!
Whoa! Have no fear for atomic energy
'Cause none of them-ah can-ah stop-ah the time
How long shall they kill our prophets
While we stand aside and look?
Yes, some say it's just a part of it
We've got to fulfill the book
[Chorus]
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
[Outro]
All I ever have
Redemption songs
These songs of freedom
Songs of freedom
Steef 77
Old pirates, yes, they rob I
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
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly
Won’t you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our minds!
Have no fear for atomic energy
‘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
Won’t you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Old pirates, yes, they rob I
Sold I to the merchant ships
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit
Won’t you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
These songs of freedom
Songs of freedom
Sandra vT
Na afloop zei Sanne tegen Tabitha: 'Ik heb nog nooit iemand zo mooi zien huilen.' Verdriet om het verlies, maar tegelijkertijd ook acceptatie, dankbaarheid voor wat haar vader voor haar heeft betekend, waardering voor dit muzikale geschenk van Milow, het was allemaal van haar gezicht te lezen. Tabitha liet in haar ziel kijken zonder overdreven emotioneel te worden. Een magisch moment.
Daphne Schreuder
De stem van Milow ontroert telkens opnieuw. Alsof een engel opstijgt en je meeneemt op reis. Zo’n mooi geluid en zo melodieus en muzikaal. En dit lied is zo helend en troostend voor Tabitha. Wat een cadeau is Beste Zangers dat we ook de artiesten achter de prachtige stemmen leren kennen en zij een plaatsje in onze harten krijgen.
TIGIST YIRGA
I cannot get enough of it. I have listened to this song again and again until I feel asleep. A timeless song with a great voice!!! Thank you so much Milow.
TIGIST YIRGA
What a beautiful voice!!! He has a very lovely and hearttouching sound. God bless you Milow.
Brigitte Lima
Milow has such a clean and powerful voice ......
I love it 💞
Alexandra Ohl
His voice without support of other voices is great and in combination with feeling not to surpass.😊🤗
Daniëlle Van Neutigem
Ik ben echt fan geworden van Milow. Alle liedtjes wat die zingt raakt me echt. Het komt zo binnen in je hart❤️ terecht. Zo mooi en wonderschoon.
Bert Coenraad
Helemaal mee eens. Weinig artiesten, die in staat zijn andermans liedjes zich eigen te maken!
Persoonlijk vind ik Glennis Grace ook zo'n zangeres, die dat in zich heeft.
Rachel Kromdijk
Echt prachtig gezongen ❤️🙋🏻♀️ en wat een emotie..
Bert Coenraad
Milow is een hele bescheiden, maar symphatieke zanger met een stem van wereldklasse, helaas in Nederland zeer ondergewaardeerd! .
Hij is een van de weinige, artiesten, die in staat is, om bekende liedjes van andere zangers op zijn manier te vertolken en daardoor, zich eigen maken!
Na jouw voortreffelijk optreden in de Beste Zangers, heb ik je pas leren kennen en weten te waarderen, om jouw zangkwaliteiten!