One-21 began as a garage band named "Uzziah".
The band produced an EP and 3 full length albums as One-21: "In the Year King Uzziah Died"(EP), "When the Dragon is Finally Laid to Rest", "One-21 (self-titled)", and "Grenade."
The band's lyrics have always reflected the Christian faith of the band members, and the musical style stayed solidly in the realm of hardcore punk of a style more associated with 80s punk bands such as the Clash. Their final two albums also featured songs with more overt political messages, generally of a more progressive nature. This is somewhat anomalous in the Christian music scene, which is generally either apolitical, or right-wing.
After the band called it quits in 2005, former members went on to form the bands Kill Hands and Fang Fang.
Ghetto Blaster
One 21 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Our eyes have lost their innocence
Our tears are dry!
Uno Viente Uno
Blast the ghetto now!
Get us out of this place!
These tents are tattered and they are torn
What will keep us warm?
Death, well he's among us can we hide from him?
He's been here since the fall
Wow what are we gonna do?
Well the cold is moving in and
He's about to begin Death, well he's upon us
Find a place to hide
Fall's moved on but he's still here
Que Vamos Hacer!
I heard a story of Big houses on the hill
Where the warmth and the light of the sun never fade away
And death he's non-existent
He can't find us there
Sadness and worry they can't find us there
Yes I heard about these houses on the hill!
The opening lines of One 21's song, Ghetto Blaster depict the harsh reality of living in the ghetto for people who have adapted their personalities to match the rough surroundings. They have become tough and have lost their innocence, making their eyes non-gentle and their tears unwilling. The entire beginning of the song is a plea to escape from the cruel ghetto where they live. The lyrics are a portrayal of the despicable living conditions of the ghetto, with tents that are torn, tattered, and unable to provide warmth for the residents. Death is also ever-present among these people, who find it hard to hide from it.
In the second verse, the story takes a hopeful turn as the singer describes the possibility of a better life, a house on top of a hill far from the ghetto, where sunlight, warmth, and hope abound. This imaginary place is, for the singer, a representation of the utopia where people can escape from their problems and live their lives without fear of death, sadness, and worry. Essentially, the song depicts the hopelessness and despair of those living in the ghetto, with an underlying theme of the possibility of a better life, providing light at the end of the tunnel.
Line by Line Meaning
We have become tough and hard inside
Our experiences have made us emotionally calloused and resilient
Our eyes have lost their innocence
We have seen too much hardship and suffering to maintain a naive outlook on life
Our tears are dry!
We have shed all the tears we can and have become numb to our pain
Uno Viente Uno
Blast the ghetto now!
Let's use our power (as a group) to rise up and fight against our oppressive environment
Get us out of this place!
We want to escape this ghetto and find a new home
Give us a home that is new!
We want a fresh start in a safe and comfortable living space
These tents are tattered and they are torn
What will keep us warm?
Our current living situation is inadequate and we need better shelter to survive the cold
Death, well he's among us can we hide from him?
He's been here since the fall
Death is a constant presence in our lives and we have been grappling with mortality for some time
Wow what are we gonna do?
Well the cold is moving in and
He's about to begin Death, well he's upon us
Find a place to hide
Fall's moved on but he's still here
Que Vamos Hacer!
We are in a dire situation with the threat of death looming over us, and we need to come up with a plan to survive
I heard a story of Big houses on the hill
Where the warmth and the light of the sun never fade away
And death he's non-existent
He can't find us there
Sadness and worry they can't find us there
Yes I heard about these houses on the hill!
There is a rumor of a better life outside the ghetto, where death and despair do not exist, and we dream of escaping there
Contributed by Stella E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.