There are more than one artist that goes by the name 'On The Rocks'. Two of… Read Full Bio ↴There are more than one artist that goes by the name 'On The Rocks'. Two of them are mentioned below.

I. In the summer of 1999 Leonardo Silva and Peter Hollens met in a University of Oregon writing class. Their common passion for singing inspired them to start a vocal group. That winter, Pete and Leo gathered a small and talented group of 6 music lovers for their very first rehearsal. On the Rocks was born.

Known as the first official collegiate a cappella group in Oregon, On The Rocks began a tradition of excellence in a genre that was previously unheard of in the Northwest. Since 1999, several other groups, including University of Oregon’s Divisi and Oregon State’s Outspoken have followed their lead and joined the fast-growing A cappella community.

OtR has established itself as one of the top a cappella groups in the nation. Their current repertoire ranges from contemporary pop to doo-wop classics to holiday standards and the occasional original piece. OtR is comprised of mostly undergraduate students and usually consisting of 9 – 12 members. Every fall and spring, an extensive audition process is held to find quality replacements for graduating members in 4 different vocal categories-, tenor, baritone, bass and vocal percussion. Auditioning students are evaluated on tonal memory, solo talent, blending ability and, of course, personality. Once the new members are chosen, OTR can be heard singing every Friday @ the EMU amphitheater and around campus at various events throughout the year. Aside from hosting quarterly concerts, they have toured the West Coast and have visited the east coast often, and Canada. They have performed with the professional quartet the Coats and at various a cappella festivals all over the west coast.

In 2002 OtR placed 3rd at the International Competition of Collegiate a cappella and returned the next year in 2003 to place 2nd out of hundreds of groups. During the competitions they took in more than a dozen awards including, Best Soloist, Best Vocal Percussion, Best Arrangement and Best Hair. They have appeared live on the NBC Today show, along with other various semi-national news stations such as WB news @ 10 on “Toni Time”.

Every year in the winter since their inception OtR has been invited to sing the National Anthem at the UO Basketball Games in Mac Court. Their performance has been broadcast on UO radio to several thousand listeners and was received with uproaring praise from the appreciative 7,000 fans and radio commentators alike.

OTR has also reached viral status with their YouTube videos of Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up," and is probably best known for their version of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance," which reached 7.5 million views on YouTube. OTR has toured all over the US and Canada. The group travels to Berkeley, CA for the West Coast A Cappella Showcase every year. OTR has toured San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, New York, New Haven, and Boston, and hope to tour more in the future. In 2010, OTR was featured on the second season of the hit NBC show "The Sing-Off".

Since it’s inception, On the Rocks has released two albums:The self titled OTR – 2002 and Backgammon Sessions – 2003. They are finishing up their latest CD, soon to be released in fall of 2005. Awards for their recordings include a selection on the 2004 BOCA compilation album (Best of Collegiate A Cappella). The selected track was Yellow off the Backgammon Sessions album and it was also chosen as the runner-up best male song of the year by CARA (Contemporary A cappella Recording Awards) Their most recent CD, Full Coverage includes tracks from such artists as Mr. Mister, Justin Timberlake, Rufus Wainwritght, and more. On the Rocks A cappella can be contacted via email at uoontherocks@hotmail.com.

II. On The Rocks

Colorado rock has a distinctive sound, identified by a blending of acoustic and electric guitars and an emphasis on tight vocal harmonies. No band around present this as powerfully as 'On the Rocks'. Add to the mix, dynamic rhythms and emotional originals, and you have the recipe for a band on the rise. Frontman Shawn Wright's gravely voice and passionate performances move audiences to frenzied levels, then gently brings the house down with love songs, such as 'til the end' or a power ballad like 'something more than this'. His sense of humor shines through with songs such as 'nailed your best friend'. Nn lead guitar is Ohio born Mike Princehorn. He cut his rock and roll teeth in the northern Colorado area. His versatile styles keep up with the bands ever-changing moods through each set. His strong vocals are heard on front as well as in harmonies. He's no shrinking violet, evident when harmonizing with Shawn's powerhouse vocals. Also a song writer, original material seems limitless. Arriving all the way from Detroit is bassist Sonny Lentz. He brings a streetwise edge and Motown influences to the music. Combining blues, rock, soul, country and reggae, his rhythms keep the songs, and the audience, moving. He contributes original material that is provocative and somewhat unpredictable. Rounding out the quartet is Colorado's own Norris Jones on drums. Norris has played with northern Colorado favorites 'canebrake run', Walt Jenkins, Liz Barnez, and 'harmony road'. His jazz and infusion roots add a cool and diverse bottom to the passionate original material. He is dynamite on the rockin' tunes as well. As word spreads, the band's calender is filling up. They are playing regularly up and down the front range, and extending into Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana.

Collectors Choice Music: On The Rocks - Intoxicated
Collectors Choice Music: On The Rocks
Discogs: On The Rocks - Mamonama

All the Above
On the Rocks Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Tell me what do you see
When you looking at me
(woooahhhh)
On a mission to be
What I'm destined to be
(woooahhhh)
I done been through the pain and the sorrow
The struggle is nothing but love (nothing but love)

I'm a soldier, a rider, a ghetto survivor
And all the above
All the above
All the above
All the above
All the above
All the above
All the above
All the above

Listen
Really what do you see
When you looking at me?
See me come up from nothing
To me living my dreams
I done been to the bottom
I done suffered a lot
I deserve to be rich
Headed straight to the top
Look how I ride for the block
Look how I rep for the hood
I get nothing but love now
When I come through the hood
Getting this fortune and fame
Money make all of us change
The new benz is all white
Call it John McCain
How the hell could you stop me?
Why in the world would you try?
I go hard forever
That's just how I'm designed
That's just how I was built
See the look in my eyes?
You take all of this from me
And I'm still gon' survive
You get truth from me
But these rappers gon' lie
I'm a part of these streets
Till the day that I die
I wave hi to the haters
Mad that I finally done made it
Take a look and you can tell
That I'm destined for greatness

Tell me what do you see
When you looking at me
(woooahhhh)
On a mission to be
What I'm destined to be
(woooahhhh)
I done been through the pain and the sorrow
The struggle is nothing but love (nothing but love)
I'm a soldier, a rider, a ghetto survivor
And all the above
All the above
All the above
All the above
All the above
All the above
All the above
All the above

It's easy to hate
It's harder to love me
Ya'll don't understand
Ya'll quickly to judge me
Put your foot in my Nikes
Picture you livin' my life
Picture you stuck in a cell
Picture you wasting your life
Picture you facing a charge
Picture you beating the odds
Picture you willing to bleed
Picture you wearing the scar
Thank you for making me struggle
Thank you for making me grind
I perfected my hustle
Tell me the world ain't mine
You've been seein' me lately
I'm a miracle baby
I refuse to lose
This what the ghetto done made me
I put that on my father
Tryna hope for tomorrow
When I think that I can't
I envision Obama
I envision the diamonds
I envision Ferraris
If the world was perfect
All my brothers behind me
Ain't you happy I made it?
That I'm making a statement?
Take a look and you can tell
That I'm destined for greatness

Tell me what do you see
When you looking at me
(woooahhhh)
On a mission to be
What I'm destined to be
(woooahhhh)
I done been through the pain and the sorrow
The struggle is nothing but love (nothing but love)
I'm a soldier, a rider, a ghetto survivor
And all the above
All the above
All the above
All the above
All the above
All the above
All the above
All the above

Now if im up in the spot (spot)
Or if im out on the block (block)
I hustle hard cause it's all the same
And you know that grind don't stop
Just 'cause I rose to the top
And everybody knows my name
Still grindin (still grindin)
Still hustlin (still hustlin)
No more pain (no more pain)
No more sufferin (no more sufferin)
For my ladies and my shorties and my thugs
keep that task, and the shine, and the love

All the above
All the above
All the above
All the above
All the above
All the above
All the above
All the above
All the above
All the above
All the above

All the above
All the above

Overall Meaning

The song “All the Above” by On The Rocks is a powerful track that combines rap and an emotional chorus. In the verses, the singer explains how he has been through tough times, including pain and sorrow, and how he is determined to achieve his goals. He also talks about how he has risen from humble beginnings to where he is today, and how he continues to work hard to succeed. The chorus, in contrast, is a catchy and uplifting melody that invites the listener to join in and celebrate the singer's triumphs.

The song is about overcoming adversity and staying true to oneself, no matter what obstacles come along. It encourages listeners to believe in their own abilities and to keep pushing forward, even when things seem tough.

Overall, “All the Above” is a song that inspires hope and resilience, and it is a testament to the human spirit and our ability to overcome hardships and achieve greatness.

Line by Line Meaning

Tell me what do you see When you looking at me (woooahhhh)
The singer wants to know how others perceive them when they're being looked at.

On a mission to be What I'm destined to be (woooahhhh)
The singer has a purpose and is working towards achieving their destiny.

I done been through the pain and the sorrow The struggle is nothing but love (nothing but love) I'm a soldier, a rider, a ghetto survivor And all the above
The singer has faced challenges and obstacles, but they view their struggles as an act of love. They identify as a soldier, a rider, and a survivor of the ghetto.

Listen Really what do you see When you looking at me? See me come up from nothing To me living my dreams
The artist wants a genuine answer and recognition for the hard work and perseverance they put into achieving their goals.

I done been to the bottom I done suffered a lot I deserve to be rich Headed straight to the top
The artist has experienced rock bottom and adversity but still believes they deserve success and is striving to reach the top.

Look how I ride for the block Look how I rep for the hood I get nothing but love now When I come through the hood
The singer demonstrates loyalty to their community and is respected and loved for it.

Getting this fortune and fame Money make all of us change The new benz is all white Call it John McCain
The singer acknowledges that money, fame, and success can change a person's values and behaviors. They own a new all-white Mercedes-Benz and nickname it after the former U.S. senator.

How the hell could you stop me? Why in the world would you try? I go hard forever That's just how I'm designed That's just how I was built See the look in my eyes? You take all of this from me And I'm still gon' survive
The artist is determined and resilient. They do not understand why anyone would try to stop them and are confident in their ability to overcome obstacles.

You get truth from me But these rappers gon' lie I'm a part of these streets Till the day that I die
The artist values honesty and authenticity. They identify with their community and plan to continue doing so throughout their life.

I wave hi to the haters Mad that I finally done made it Take a look and you can tell That I'm destined for greatness
The artist acknowledges that there are people who dislike them but sees their success as a direct result of their hard work and perseverance, indicating that they believe they are unstoppable.

It's easy to hate It's harder to love me Ya'll don't understand Ya'll quickly to judge me
The singer recognizes that hate is easy and love is harder to give. They feel misunderstood and judged by others.

Put your foot in my Nikes Picture you livin' my life Picture you stuck in a cell Picture you wasting your life Picture you facing a charge Picture you beating the odds Picture you willing to bleed Picture you wearing the scar
The artist challenges others to imagine living through the difficulties and obstacles they have experienced, asking them to picture what it would be like to face similar struggles.

Thank you for making me struggle Thank you for making me grind I perfected my hustle Tell me the world ain't mine
The singer appreciates the struggles they have faced and the hard work they have put in as it has led them to where they are now, a very successful individual.

You've been seein' me lately I'm a miracle baby I refuse to lose This what the ghetto done made me
The singer considers their success a miracle and refusal to lose, and attributes their grit and determination to growing up in the ghetto.

I put that on my father Tryna hope for tomorrow When I think that I can't I envision Obama
The singer vows to continue working hard, drawing inspiration from their father and President Obama.

If the world was perfect All my brothers behind me Ain't you happy I made it? That I'm making a statement? Take a look and you can tell That I'm destined for greatness
The artist envisions a perfect world where all people support one another. They are proud of their success and believe they are making a significant impact in the world.

Now if im up in the spot (spot) Or if im out on the block (block) I hustle hard cause it's all the same And you know that grind don't stop Just 'cause I rose to the top And everybody knows my name Still grindin (still grindin) Still hustlin (still hustlin) No more pain (no more pain) No more sufferin (no more sufferin) For my ladies and my shorties and my thugs keep that task, and the shine, and the love
Regardless of where the artist is, they hustle hard and continue to grind. They have achieved success, but they still work hard to maintain it. They will no longer tolerate pain or suffering from their past experiences, but they continue to aim for success and express their love for their community.

Writer(s): James Bernard Rosser Jr, Faheem Najm, Justin Smith, Jermaine H. Coleman, Brandon Rackley

Contributed by Alexandra W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS